Jenkintown bows out in PIAA Class A first round
A loss in the District One A final a week ago against Delco Christian stung Jenkintown, but it did not end its season. The Drakes got an opportunity to play in the PIAA Class A playoffs for the first time in 24 years. Jenkintown overcame a brutal start to the game to comeback in the second half to force overtime. Perhaps the Drakes just ran out of gas but their season did officially come to an end Friday night with a 57-54 loss to Halifax.
“Our shot selection and our have-to and our want-to in the first half simply was not there,’ Jenkintown coach Wes Emme said.
In the district final game the Drakes got off to a slow start as well, seemingly entering the game a little too amped up. Friday night was a bit different; the Drakes looked tight and struggled to find rhythm or flow.
“(The guys were) noticeably down,’ Emme said. “Our practices and our preparation and our training have not been what it was going into the district final.’
There have been two players on Jenkintown that have served as microcosms of the game and the season . Scoring extraordinaire Colin Mulvaney scored a team high, as always, 22 points Friday night; none of those coming in the first half, epitomizing the slow Jenkintown start. Mulvaney might have had a slow start but he blazed the comeback trail.
Although Mulvaney is the Drakes undisputed best player, point guard Frank Sobolewski might be the most important. Sobolewski sets the tempo and runs the offense for the Drakes and when he is on the Drakes are a dangerous team and when he is not it changes the dynamic of Jenkintown. Sobolewski played well Friday night but just did not have his ‘ A’ game.
“He’s been instrumental in us getting to this point,’ Emme said. “When he’s on, we are special. When he is off we are a middle of the pack (class) A team.’
On paper Jenkintown should be poised for a return trip to the state playoff next year as it loses only three seniors and returns key players such as Mulvaney, Sobolewski and Jamison Kolb but Emme warned his team post-game that nothing is guaranteed.
“There is no guarantee that we will get to this point again, despite returning four starters and eight contributors and a boatload of talent on the bench that we didn’t even get to use this year.’ Emme said.
Emme also gave props to his three seniors, Seth Parker, Jamie Griffin and Aiden Lorenz who as freshmen did not even get into the district playoffs to now leading a team to a rare state birth.
“They were kids when I got them and now they’re men,’ Emme said. “They went from 4-18 and they built and they trusted and they worked as a unit to get to this point. All the time and effort they put in, these sophomores, juniors and freshmen are going to have to have to match or exceed to get past where we are right now.’
