GRATERFORD >> The top billing of the matchup between Pioneer Athletic Conference Liberty Division co-leaders was the frontcourt battle between the league’s two most dominant bigs.

Instead what broke out was a career night for Quinn Boettinger.

Perkiomen Valley sophomore center Boettinger was unstoppable Tuesday night against undermanned Methacton and scored a career-high 30 points to carry the Vikings to a 70-44 home victory.

Perk Valley recorded the regular season sweep of Methacton – PV won 36-28 on Dec. 16 – and improved to 14-1. It’s scored back-to-back wins after taking its first loss of the year, 56-44 at Spring-Ford last Friday.

End 3Q: Perkiomen Valley 53, Methacton 37.

Buzzer has been about all that can stop Boettinger (video) tonight as her make to close quarter is late. Too much for Methacton to overcome without 2 of their top 4 pic.twitter.com/uELs3RCFHm

— Austin Hertzog (@AustinHertzog) January 18, 2023

Methacton, which was playing without standout senior forward Mairi Smith (illness), lost ground in the Liberty standings (4-2) and fell to 10-5.

Senior guard Cassidy Kropp scored 24 for Methacton in as ferocious an offensive performance as one will find in a blowout loss while Morgan Coupe scored 10 (three 3-pointers).

Vikings sophomore guard Bella Bacani found her shooting stroke and knocked down five 3-pointers on the way to 21 points while sophomore Grace Galbavy scored 16.

But the night belonged to Boettinger, who nearly reached her previous career high of 24 in the first half when she scored 22.

“Really!? I had no idea,” Boettinger said upon being told she almost scored that by halftime. “I knew I had a size advantage. Before the game we anticipated they’d play a zone (defense). Without Mairi there in the middle, that opened up both me and Grace being able to be in the middle of our offense. That’s really what got our offense going.”

Along with going 5-for-5 at the free-throw line, Boettinger swished a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to close the first quarter.

“Taking that shot, not only did it feel good, but I feel like I proved that if we need a shot, I can take it,” Boettinger said.

End 1Q: Perkiomen Valley 23, Methacton 16.

Center Quinn Boettinger with the buzzer beating 3 to close a superb quarter from her, 15 points pic.twitter.com/RltCs8V3fJ

— Austin Hertzog (@AustinHertzog) January 18, 2023

With its paint presence, Methacton went small and tried to rely on shooting threes early. It worked for much of the first half but PV still managed to lead 37-28 at the break.

Remarkably, Tuesday’s halftime point total was one higher than the entirety of their first meeting.

Methacton also had to go without starter Abby Arnold, who suffered a head injury following a collision and hard fall midway through the second quarter.

It was all PV in the second half, the margin maxing out at 30 (70-40) on a Bacani three with 3:20 remaining.

The showing gave the Perk Valley 4th grade girls teams that played an abbreviated game at halftime plenty to cheer about.

“We’ve done these youth clinics since August so we really know the kids. They’re all so fun,” Boettinger said. “They really look up to us so it’s great to show them ‘this is where you can go’ if you work hard.”

Ranked No. 3 in District 1-6A, PV’s week continues with a visit to Pottstown on Thursday before a non-league meeting with No. 5 Souderton on Saturday.

Methacton (No. 16) is home twice the rest of the week, a PAC crossover with Upper Merion Thursday before a Saturday visit from North Penn.