Souderton Area, PW, Wood, Springfield Montco all set for state quarters

Souderton Area goes swinging into the state quarterfinals.
“Our confidence is definitely up right now,” Big Red coach Mike Childs said after Monday’s 7-1 victory over La Salle in the opening round of the PIAA-6A Tournament. “Hopefully, we can keep peaking.”
The Indians want to continue their postseason magic Thursday, when they take on Plymouth-Whitemarsh in a state quarterfinal game at Methacton at 3 p.m.
Souderton and PW are two of four local squads still in action, with Archbishop Wood taking on Blue Mountain (5A) at DeSales University at 7 p.m., and Springfield Montco going against Selinsgrove (4A) at Northern High School at 4 p.m.
“One game at a time,” said Childs, who saw his team rack up nine hits on Monday. “It’s fun. It’s definitely a lot of fun. The boys will tell you that too.”
The Indians enjoyed a robust offensive performance to start the state tournament, with No. 2 hitter Luke Taylor bashing a home run and going 2-for-4 with a run and two RBIs.
Remarkably, hitters five through nine went a combined 7-for-18 with six runs and four RBI’s.
“It’s coming from all nine spots in the lineup — 10 spots in the lineup with the DH,” Childs said. “These guys pick each other up. It doesn’t matter who is doing well or not doing well. They keep their heads up. And that’s what’s great about this team.”
The Colonials, meanwhile, are coming off a 6-4 victory over Liberty. PW rallied with four runs in the seventh. Ben Mascio and Drew Kliesh had doubles in the victory.
Said PW coach Chris Manero after the win: “We talk to our guys about believing in themselves and trusting themselves. If they don’t have a good first at-bat, they have a chance to have a good second at-bat, have a good third at-bat. When you stay confident in yourselves, you do things late.”
The winner will advance to Monday’s semifinals, to take on the winner of the Neshaminy-Downingtown East contest.
(5A) Archbishop Wood vs. Blue Mountain >> The Eagles are coming off a 2-0 win over Gettysburg in the opening round, keyed by defense and pitching.
Blue Mountain is led by seniors Drew Grace, Dylan Reber, Kaleb Sophy and Nate Nabholz, who is headed to East Carolina.
Wood, meanwhile, reached the quarters by virtue of a 5-4 triumph over West Chester Rustin. Sam Reynolds, whose clutch single won it for the Vikings, looks to stay hot against Blue Mountain.
The winner gets either Red Land or Pittston on Monday in the semis.
(4A) Springfield Montco vs. Selinsgrove >> The Seals’ first ever state-playoff win was powered by Josh Nylund and Teague Hoover, who each knocked in a pair of runs in the 6-0 victory over Kennard Dale.
Also for Selinsgrove, Logan Hile and Blaise Zeiders combined on a two-hit shutout.
The Spartans were dominant in a 13-0 victory over Nueva Esperanza. Springfield prevailed in a five-inning decision. The Spartans, including senior first baseman Morgan D’Amico, look to keep the bats going in order to make it past an inspired Selinsgrove squad.
The winner advances to face either North Schuylkill or Hamburg Monday in the semis.