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The PIAA softball playoffs commence Monday, featuring three teams from Delco: Archbishop Carroll, Cardinal O’Hara and Marple Newtown.
In the Class 5A tournament, Marple Newtown (19-4) hosts Mechanicsburg (20-6), the third-place team from District 3, at 4 p.m. The Tigers captured the program’s first District 1 title in 18 years with Wednesday’s 4-2 victory over West Chester East.
Leading Marple Newtown are slugging freshman Nicole Semerjian, sophomore pitching ace Maggie Coupe, senior catcher Grace Corner and senior shortstop Amanda O’Keefe, who turned an unassisted double play to close out the district final.
MN coach Mike Snow has appreciated his team’s ability to find new ways to win games. The Tigers enter states winner of seven of their last eight decisions.
“We were in the 10th inning down 4-2 to Garnet Valley (April 18). It’s 9:30 at night, under the lights, and you think, all right, you can pack it in,” Snow said. “Next thing you know we’ve got a runner on base, RBI double, winning run on second and boom … game over and we win. They just have a lot of fight. They come to play and it’s so much fun to be a part of.”
If the Tigers advance to Thursday’s quarterfinal round, they will face either District 2 champion Pittston Area (18-1) or District 12 runner-up Little Flower (6-8).
O’Hara (9-6) also joins the Class 5A tourney, claiming second place in District 12. The Lions host Shippensburg (13-11), the fourth-place team from District 3. O’Hara is anchored by junior pitcher and All-Delco Hayden Sissons, who boasts over 400 career strikeouts. Sissons and junior Avery Groh were named first-team All-Catholic League this year. O’Hara hasn’t seen competition since it was eliminated by Archbishop Wood in the Catholic League playoffs May 13.
The winner of O’Hara-Shippensburg will face either District 3 champ South Western (24-0) or District 1 third-place finisher West Chester Rustin (19-5) in Thursday’s quarterfinal round.
In the Class 4A tournament, Archbishop Carroll (11-7), the second-place team from District 12, hits the road to face District 11 champion Blue Mountain (23-1).
The Patriots are led by sophomore pitcher Dakota Johnson, the Philadelphia Catholic League’s Most Valuable Player, who is hitting .536 with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs. Junior Madison Long was selected All-Catholic first team.
Carroll has responded nicely after a 1-5 start to its season. The Patriots haven’t played since May 15 when they suffered a 10-3 defeat to Conwell-Egan in the Catholic League semifinals.
The Carroll-Blue Mountain winner will play either District 1 champ Pope John Paul II or District 3 runner-up Kennard-Dale in the quarterfinals Thursday.
It has been a decade since a Delaware County school won a PIAA championship in softball. Springfield claimed Class 3A crown in 2014, back when there were just four enrollment classifications. Haverford in 2021 reached Penn State’s Beard Field at Nittany Lions Softball Park, but the Fords fell to North Penn in the final.
