O’Hara-Garnet Valley: Delco fans’ dream matchup

After Tuesday’s 56-36 victory over Easton in the second round of the PIAA Class AAAA Tournament,  it dawned on Cardinal O’Hara All-Delco Mary Sheehan that she hasn’t seen much of the Central League.

It’s true. The Lions, like most Catholic League girls basketball programs, avoid the Central League altogether.

Sheehan and O’Hara get their first crack against the Central’s top dog, Garnet Valley, in an all-Delaware County showdown Friday night at Spring-Ford High School. It’s the second half of a doubleheader with tip-off scheduled for 8 p.m. The winner advances to Tuesday’s PIAA Class AAAA semifinal round.

O’Hara (24-3) made it to this round a year ago with the same starting lineup of Sheehan, All-Delco Hannah Nihill, Maura Hendrixson, Kenzie Gardler and Molly Paolino.  Sheehan (Saint Joseph’s), Nihill (Drexel) and Gardler (Villanova) are bound for Division I programs in a few years.

“I think we can only focus on us at this point,” Sheehan said. “We can watch film, we can see (Garnet Valley),  but as long as we come out and play to our strengths and play with the same energy as we did (Tuesday), I think we’re going to score. It will come down to our defense and just playing hard. Once you’re in states, it’s one and done, so  you just have to have the same energy and mentality every time.”

The Lions’ starting five all play in the same club ball organization (AAU Comets) with Garnet Valley senior guard Maddie Ireland, who leads the Jaguars into the

quarterfinals on the heels of a 23-point performance against Conestoga in the second round of states. The Central League rivals battled for a fourth time this season, with the Jags winning every time, including a 60-42 rout Tuesday night.

The Jags hadn’t won a state playoff contest before this season. In the opening round, they manhandled Governor Mifflin, as excellent freshman Emily McAteer led with 19 points.

GV has flourished with a mix of veteran (Ireland, Sam Tomasetti) and first-year talent (McAteer, Brianne Borcky, Nicole Barnes). Tomasetti is the Jags’ enforcer, a relentless defender and rebounder; Barnes is a sophomore combo guard with a keen eye on defense; and McAteer and Borcky are talented freshmen forwards who can dribble, drive and shoot. Ireland and McAteer are the Jags’ leading scorers.

“We know that height is a big factor, but it doesn’t really matter when you play against us,” Nihill said, pointing out the Lions’ lack of height against most teams. “We just have to get in their face as fast as we can.”

Garnet Valley (26-5) isn’t deterred by the spotlight, it has continued to thrive and prove naysayers wrong. It has represented the Central League quite well, and has showed that it can handedly defeat some of the best teams in the state, including one (Governor Mifflin) that gave the reigning state champion (Cumberland Valley) all it could handle in a district title game.

Cardinal O’Hara versus Garnet Valley, the top teams in the Daily Times Super 7, is a match made in Delco hoops heaven.

“They have a great tradition for girls basketball and (O’Hara) coach (Linus) McGinty does a great job with the program. It’s going to be a challenge for us, obviously, but we’re excited to be where we are at and we look forward to the challenge,” GV coach Joe Woods said. “We’ve seen all kinds of styles. …We’re not going to back away. It’s going to come down to who executes and makes their shots, who keeps their composure and who takes care of the basketball. It’s just like any other big game.”