Improbable All-PAC state playoff matchup as Methacton opposes Perkiomen Valley

Imaginations are great. 

But on the topic of local basketball and the state playoffs, only the most free-thinking person could have imagined what will take place Friday night: an all-Pioneer Athletic Conference PIAA tournament game.

That’s exactly what is in store when neighboring Perkiomen Valley and Methacton meet for a spot in the PIAA Class 6A quarterfinals Friday night, 7:30 p.m. at Spring-Ford.

Meanwhile the host school of the all-PAC encounter, District 1 runner-up Spring-Ford, are on the road to face District 3 fifth seed Central York at Garden Spot, in eastern Lancaster County, at 7:30 p.m.

It’s the first time three PAC girls teams have reached the PIAA round of 16 in the same season. The league has made itself known on the state stage in the past decade with two PIAA championship teams (Spring-Ford 2013, Boyertown 2017) and two finalists (Spring-Ford 2014 & 2021) but the success has never before coincided like this season.

It’s not the only significant PAC achievement on the table Friday night. Methacton senior guard Nicole Timko is just five points shy of the Pioneer Athletic Conference all-time scoring mark. Pottstown’s Jamell Beasley currently holds the record with 1,749 points (set in 2003). Timko ascended to 1,744 after her 26-point performance in Tuesday’s first-round win at Wilkes-Barre.

A breakdown of Friday’s 6A girls matchups featuring PAC teams:

Methacton (1-9) vs. Perkiomen Valley (1-6) at Spring-Ford, 7:30 p.m.

Records >> Methacton: 24-4 overall, PAC Liberty Division winner, District 1 ninth place; Perkiomen Valley: 22-7 overall, PAC finalist, District 1 sixth place.

PIAA playoff history >> This is Methacton’s fifth appearance in the PIAA tournament. Its first and deepest run was to the 4A quarterfinals in 2008. Its previous three trips (2013, 2014, 2020) ended in first-round exits. … Perkiomen Valley is making its third trip to the state tournament. It was District 1 champion in 2016 but knocked out in the second round. In 2018, the Vikings were ousted in the first round.

The path traveled >> Methacton won the PAC Liberty Division (9-1 division, 12-1 PAC) in the regular season. The Warriors were upset in the second round of the District 1-6A playoffs as the No. 3 seed by Garnet Valley. Methacton emerged from a must-win scenario against West Chester Rustin 46-43 in a playback, then routed Neshaminy and Great Valley to secure ninth place in District 1. Methacton handled District 2 champion Wilkes-Barre 56-44 in the PIAA first round. 

Perkiomen Valley placed second in the PAC Liberty Division (8-2 division, 11-2 PAC) and reached the conference tournament final, falling to Spring-Ford. As the No. 7 seed for districts the Vikings reached the quarterfinals but were sent to playbacks by No. 2 seed Souderton on Feb. 26. A 50-42 win over Garnet Valley earned PV a spot in the fifth place game where it fell to No. 5 seed Abington, 54-45. The Vikings trounced District 12 runner-up Central 64-24 in the opening round.

Head to head >> Methacton and Perk Valley split in the regular season. The Warriors won the first meeting 56-39 on Jan. 15 when four players scored double figures, including Mairi Smith who had 15 points and 14 rebounds. The Vikings returned the favor and spoiled Methacton’s Senior Night on Feb. 3 when Grace Miley’s 3-pointer with 25.1 seconds to play tipped PV to a 41-38 victory.

On Methacton >> The Warriors, under 20th year head coach Craig Kaminski, were the class of the PAC in the regular season but suffered an untimely blip when it lost back-to-back games in the PAC semifinals and District 1 second round. They’ve gotten back on track with four straight wins entering Friday. Senior guard Nicole Timko is putting the final touches on one of the great careers in area history. Just five points from becoming the PAC’s all-time scoring queen, the Christopher Newport University recruit is averaging 19.4 points per game with a league-best 68 3-pointers. Timko is complemented by sure-handed junior point guard Cassidy Kropp (9.7 ppg), junior forward Mairi Smith (7.8 ppg) and senior wing Tori Bockrath (7.6 ppg) while senior Kayla Kaufman rounds out of the starting lineup. Freshman Abby Arnold and junior Reana Torres also feature in the Warriors’ rotation.

On Perkiomen Valley >> The Vikings’ rise in coach John Russo’s second season is arguably the story of the season in the PAC. PV was an 8-7 team in 2020-21 and were an unknown commodity entering this winter with a talented but unproven freshmen class joining to aid senior pillars Jen Beattie and Emma Miley, both three-year starters. Those rookies are proven now after helping PV reach the PAC title game and finish sixth in the district for just the third state berth in school history. Sharpshooting Beattie is averaging a team-best 12.7 points per game (66 3s) while Miley (9.4 ppg) does it all and is the glue that congeals the Vikings. Freshman 6-2 center Quinn Boettinger averages 10.4 ppg and Grace Miley averages 7.6 ppg. The lineup also features freshmen Bella Bacani, Julia Smith and Lena Stein, along with junior Ella Stein.

Matchup >> For a tournament that’s typically about big road trips, the 5.9 miles between the schools and less than 10 miles to their neutral location of Spring-Ford is pretty unique. (Not unheard of though: Springfield-Delco and Marple Newtown, separated by 6 miles, meet in a 5A girls second round game Saturday). It’s a familiar enough venue – Spring-Ford hosts the PAC tournament – but the stakes have never been higher with seasons and careers on the line. Both teams can carry a chip on the shoulder after losing to one another in the regular season. The Senior Night setback is extra motivation to Methacton. “I’m excited to get redemption from our last loss to them and play our best game against them now that we’re playing well,” Timko said after the opening round win. Timko is the matchup’s most capable scorer but needs her teammates to carry some scoring load too, like they successfully did in the closing stages Tuesday at Wilkes-Barre when Bockrath and Smith each had key contributions. Perk Valley, to its credit, has found a nice scoring blend with Beattie, the Miley sisters and Boettinger capable of double figures each outing. The matchup between Boettinger and Smith down low will be one to watch, as will the tactics PV employs to limit Timko’s influence. Their seasons will go down among the best each program has experienced regardless the outcome … but PIAA quarterfinalist does have a nice ring to it. 

Central York (3-5) vs. Spring-Ford (1-2) at Garden Spot, 7:30 p.m.

Records >> Central York: 22-6 overall, 12-2 York-Adams League (second place), District 3 fifth-place; Spring-Ford: 24-6 overall, PAC champion, District 1 runner-up.

PIAA playoff history >> Central York has enjoyed a run of recent success, reaching the District 3-6A title game in three of the last five seasons and qualifying for states in all but 2019 in that span (excluding the champions-only 2021 tournament). It ousted Methacton in the first round in 2020. … Spring-Ford were PIAA 6A finalists in 2021, its third finals appearance in a 10-year span (champion 2013, runner-up 2014, 2021). The Rams are making their fifth straight appearance in the state tournament.

The path traveled >> Central York entered the District 3 tournament as the No. 5 seed and was dropped by playbacks by eventual champion Central Dauphin. The Panthers rallied with a pair of wins over Penn Manor and Manheim Township to earn D3’s fifth and final state spot. CY upended Upper St. Clair, the District 7 runner-up, 46-43 in the first round. … Spring-Ford made a run to the District 1 final as the No. 11 seed with wins over Rustin, Garnet Valley and Souderton before running into top-seeded Plymouth Whitemarsh in last Saturday’s final at Temple University. Spring-Ford won the rematch of last year’s PIAA semifinal with Nazareth in the first round, 43-32.

On Central York >> The Panthers, coached by Scott Wisner, are led by junior guard Bella Chimienti, who scored 14 points in the win over USC. Chimienti is averaging 14.1 ppg. Mackenzie Wright-Rawls, a 6-0 junior forward, follows with 9.1 ppg. 

On Spring-Ford >> The Rams rounded into form just as the postseason hit and have a PAC title and District 1 final appearance to show for it, as well as wins in 10 of their last 11 outings. Spring-Ford’s discipline on both ends of the floor has allowed its sophomore core to make an early impact on the district and state stage. It begins with sophomore point guard Anna Azzara (14.3 ppg) who is as consistent a two-way impact player as the PAC has. The sophomore starting group also features Mac Pettinelli (7.5 ppg), Katie Tiffan (7.5 ppg) and Siena Miller (5.8 ppg). Lone senior Kamryn Pufko rounds out the starting lineup while junior center Meg Robbins and sophomore guard Aaliyah Solliday (6.3 ppg) are first off the bench.

Matchup >> The Rams and Panthers are no strangers to postseason success as programs. It’s fair to envision Spring-Ford being the better tested team considering there are three PAC teams still alive while the York-Adams League went 1-7 in the opening round of states (all classes), Central York the only winner. Considering only unbeaten powerhouse Plymouth Whitemarsh has had the measure of Spring-Ford of late, the Rams’ disciplined play and volume of shotmakers make them a good bet to reach the Elite Eight.