The Reporter/Times Herald/Montgomery District 1 playoff preview for Feb. 22 and 23

The District 1 playoffs continue this week for teams in the Reporter/Times Herald/Montgomery Media area.

The Class-A and Class-4A playoffs start this week with the four-team fields jumping right into the semifinals. The Class-5A brackets are into the quarterfinals after four teams were eliminated over the weekend and Class-6A has 16 teams remaining in the second round.

Here is a game-by-game look at the local teams still standing.

Boys

Class-6A

Methacton vs. Penn Wood >> No. 1 Methacton hosts No. 17 Penn Wood at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

The Warriors went 22-2 this season to earn a first-round bye. Methacton, which won the District 1-6A title in 2020, is coming off a Pioneer Athletic Conference championship game win over Pope John Paul II.

Penn Wood advanced to the second round with a 52-42 win over No. 16 Pennsbury.

The winner clinches a spot in the state tournament and will face the winner of No. 8 Spring-Ford and No. 24 Garnet Valley in the district quarterfinals Friday.

Norristown at Haverford >> No. 12 Norristown travels to No. 5 Haverford at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Norristown reached the second round with a 49-34 win over No. 21 Wissahickon. Senior DJ Johnson led an Eagles defense that held the Trojans to just eight points in the second half.

Haverford earned a first-round bye after going 16-4 in the regular season.

The winner earns a state playoff berth and will face the winner of No. 4 Bensalem and No. 20 West Chester Henderson in the quarterfinals Friday.

Abington at West Chester East >> No. 23 Abington travels to No. 7 West Chester East at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

The Ghosts, who have won four district titles since 2015 and reached the final last year, advanced to the second round with a 36-32 win over No. 10 Conestoga.

West Chester East earned a first-round bye after finishing the regular season 16-6.

These teams met in the district quarterfinals last year and Abington won, 50-49.

The winner clinches a spot in the state playoffs and will face the winner of No. 2 Lower Merion and No. 15 CR North in the district quarterfinals Friday.

Cheltenham vs. Perk Valley >> No. 3 Cheltenham hosts No. 19 Perk Valley at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

The 25-0 Panthers are coming off a first-round bye after winning the Suburban One League Tournament championship last Tuesday. 

The Vikings advanced to the second round with a 55-53 win over No. 14 Central Bucks East.

The winner earns a state playoff berth and will face the winner of No. 22 Plymouth Whitemarsh and No. 6 Downingtown West in the district quarterfinals Friday.

Plymouth Whitemarsh vs. Downingtown West >> No. 22 Plymouth Whitemarsh travels to No. 6 Downingtown West at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Plymouth Whitemarsh is coming off a 73-66 come-from-behind win over No. 11 CB South in the first round. Qudire Bennett led the Suburban One League Liberty Division champs with 24 points and Jaden Colzie added 18.

West had a first-round bye.

The winner clinches a spot in the state tournament and advances to the district quarterfinals against the winner of No. 3 Cheltenham and No. 19 Perk Valley Friday.

Class-5A

Chichester at Upper Moreland >> No. 4 Upper Moreland hosts No. 12 Chichester Wednesday at 7 p.m.

The Golden Bears went 14-8 during the regular season and earned a first-round bye in the district playoffs.

Chichester is coming off a 50-43 win over No. 5 Penncrest.

The winner clinches a state playoff berth and will face the winner of No. 1 Radnor and No. 8 Sun Valley in the district semifinals Saturday.

Class-4A

Springfield (M) at Pope John Paul II >> No. 3 Springfield Montco travels to No. 2 Pope John Paul II at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

PJP, the defending district champs, lost to Class-6A top seed Methacton last time out in the Pioneer Athletic Conference championship game after finishing the regular season with a 12-7 record.

Springfield went 10-10 in the regular season.

The winner advances to the district championship Saturday against the winner of No. 1 Collegium Charter and No. 4 New Hope-Solebury.

Class-A

Faith Christian at Phil-Mont Christian >> No. 4 Faith Christian Academy travels to No. 1 Phil-Mont Christian Academy at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Faith finished 10-12 this season while Phil-Mont went 14-6.

The Lions lost two meetings this season – both in the last two weeks. They lost 50-46 on Feb. 10 and 54-48 in overtime on Feb. 17.

The winner clinches a spot in states and will face the winner of No. 2 Coventry Christian and No. 3 Plumstead Christian in the district championship Saturday.

Girls

Class-6A

Plymouth Whitemarsh vs. Great Valley >> No. 1 Plymouth Whitemarsh hosts No. 16 Great Valley Wednesday at 7 p.m.

The Colonials had a first-round bye and enter districts with a 25-0 record after winning the Suburban One League Tournament last Wednesday. All five starters – Jordyn Thomas, Lainey Allen, Kaitlyn Flanagan, Erin Daley and Abby Sharpe – played key roles for last year’s team that reached the district championship game.

Great Valley advanced to the second round with a 40-37 win over No. 17 Conestoga.

The winner clinches a spot in the state tournament and advances to a district quarterfinal matchup against the winner of No. 8 Downingtown East and No. 9 Haverford Saturday.

Upper Dublin at Pennsbury >> No. 13 Upper Dublin travels to No. 4 Pennsbury Wednesday at 7 p.m.

The Cardinals took care of No. 20 Downingtown West, 37-25, in the first round. The Cardinals overcame a slow start in that game, scoring just two points in the first quarter. Aditi Foster led the team in scoring with 12 points.

The Falcons had a first-round bye. Last time out they lost to Plymouth Whitemarsh, 52-15, in the SOL Tournament title game.

The winner clinches a spot in states and will face the winner of No. 5 Abington and No. 12 CB West in the district quarterfinals Saturday.

CB West at Abington >> No. 12 Central Bucks West travels to No. 5 Abington at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

West is coming off a 52-50 win over Council Rock South in the first round.

The Ghosts earned a first-round bye. Last time out they lost to Plymouth Whitemarsh in the SOL Tournament semifinals, 55-35.

These teams met earlier this month and Abington won, 71-43, on Feb. 5.

The winner clinches a state playoff berth and will face the winner of No. 4 Pennsbury and No. 13 Upper Dublin in the district quarterfinals Saturday.

CB South at Souderton >> No. 2 Souderton hosts No. 15 Central Bucks South at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Big Red earned a first-round bye in the district playoffs. They’ve been off since an SOL Tournament semifinal loss to Pennsbury last Monday.

South opened districts with a 57-44 win over No. 18 Coatesville.

Souderton, led by guard Casey Harter and center Teya McConnaha, swept SOL rival CB South this season, 55-23 and 38-27.

The winner clinches a spot in the state playoffs and advances to a district quarterfinal matchup with the winner of No. 7 Perk Valley and No. 10 Neshaminy Saturday.

Methacton vs. Garnet Valley >> No. 3 Methacton hosts No. 14 Garnet Valley at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

The Warriors earned a first-round bye after going 20-2 in the regular season. They lost their last game, a Pioneer Athletic Conference semifinal, against Spring-Ford.

Garnet Valley won its playoff opener, 55-21, over No. 19 Hatboro-Horsham.

The winner clinches a state playoff spot and will have the winner of No. 6 West Chester Rustin and No. 11 Spring-Ford in the district quarterfinals Saturday.

Class-5A

Upper Moreland vs. Radnor >> No. 3 Upper Moreland hosts No. 6 Radnor Tuesday at 7 p.m.

The Golden Bears had a first-round bye while Radnor handled No. 11 Penncrest, 44-31.

Upper Moreland enters the playoffs coming off a 50-40 loss against Abington, one of the top seeds in Class-6A, in the SOL Tournament. Prior to that, UM won three straight and eight of their previous nine games.

The winner clinches a spot in the state tournament and advances to the district semifinals Friday against the winner of No. 2 Marple Newtown and No. 7 Villa Maria Academy.

Class-4A

Gwynedd Mercy vs. New Hope-Solebury >> No. 1 Gwynedd Mercy Academy hosts No. 4 New Hope-Solebury at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

The Monarchs enter the semifinals with a perfect 22-0 record after winning the AACA title, their first since 2016, last week.

Last year, GMA and New Hope met in the District 1-4A championship game. Gwynedd won, 43-28.

The winner clinches a spot in the state tournament and advances to the district championship to face the winner of No. 2 Villa Joseph Marie and No. 3 Collegium Charter Saturday.

Class-A

Faith Christian vs.Phil-Mont Christian >> No. 1 Faith Christian Academy hosts No. 4 Phil-Mont Christian Academy at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

The Bicentennial Athletic League rival plays last month on Jan. 11 and the Lions cruised to a 47-20 win.

The winner clinches a spot in the state tournament and will face the winner of No. 2 The Christian Academy and No. 3 Jenkintown in the district championship Saturday.

Jenkintown at Christian Academy >> No. 3 Jenkintown travels to No. 2 The Christian Academy at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

The Drakes faced TCA twice this season and won both games against their BAL rival. They took the first meeting, 28-26, on Jan. 12 and the second matchup, 32-19, in the league playoffs last week.

The winner clinches a spot in the state tournament and will face the winner of No. 1 Faith Christian Academy and No. 4 Phil-Mont Christian Academy in the district championship Saturday.