Patient Pope John Paul II awaits first state game since 2013

Pope John Paul II senior Drew McKeon was up in the press box this fall as the Golden Panthers football team made history, claiming the program’s first District 1 championship and making the state playoffs for the first time.

McKeon, a 6-foot-3 sharpshooter for the Golden Panthers’ boys basketball team who also is one of the radio broadcasters for the school’s football games, couldn’t help but think that his turn was next.

“We knew we had to step it up a little bit and fill in their footsteps,” McKeon said.

The PJP boys captured the program’s first District 1 gold since the school opened in 2010 when the Golden Panthers’ defeated Lower Moreland, 67-56, at Lower Merion High School on Feb. 22.

Pope John Paul II, which qualified for the state tournament in each of its first three seasons, will break a six-year absence from the PIAA tournament when it faces Philadelphia Public League school John Bartram, the fourth seed in District 12, at Coatesville High School at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.

“It’s definitely cool because we both support each other a lot,” junior Justin Green said of the football team. “The best players on both teams we’re all friendly. We support each other, so we knew the run they went on. It’s like, ‘Yeah, we want to go on that same run.’ We knew they lost in the first round of states, we’re hoping we can get farther in states.”

It’s been a patient wait for the Golden Panthers (19-6), who had an 11-day break between their 74-49 Pioneer Athletic Conference championship loss to Methacton on Feb. 11 and the District 1-4A title game.

By the time Friday rolls around PJP will not have played a game in 13 days. The Golden Panthers will also only have played one game in more than three weeks.

In the meantime, they’ve spent a lot of practice time focusing on competition, second-year head coach Brendan Stanton said.

Rather than splitting their normal top six and going against the scout team, Stanton has matched up players like Green and McKeon, the team’s top two scorers, which has brought an added energy to this long stretch without a game.

“We’ve just been worrying about our offense, our stuff, the stuff that we can control,” McKeon said. “You can’t do anything about having two weeks off, but we’re just trying to fine tune the little things and make sure we’re ready for next Saturday.”

“They’re pretty locked in, and I don’t think there’s anything new I can teach them between now and then,” Stanton said last Friday. “So I think we’re just being competitive, getting shots up and just really enjoying still being in the gym together.”

For the Golden Panthers, the delay is worth it. This group has waited quite some time for the moment.

After falling to Lower Moreland, 49-48, in last year’s District 1 title game, winning the district and getting to the state playoffs were talked about often this offseason.

Stanton said the chatter was probably a little much for his liking, but it was clear his squad headed into its 2019-20 campaign with a mission.

“Before our first practice, we met outside the gym,” Stanton said. “We met as a group and wanted to come up with goals and sort of put an action plan in place for what we needed to do to be better. We knew we were successful last year, and we sort of raised the bar from where we had been the past couple years, but I think everyone came in pretty hungry.

“They set those goals from Day 1 and it’s sort of been cool to see them work towards it all year. Obviously we had nice win streak there in the middle of the year, and there were some moments where I thought maybe we wouldn’t get there, but these guys were resilient all year, and they were focused, even all summer that was their goal … They knew what they wanted and they’ve been able to do it. I’m really proud of them.”

Stanton’s tenure at PJP started last season with a game against Bartram in the opening round of the Father Judge Tip-Off Tournament.

The Golden Panthers’ 60-58 win in their 2018-19 opener was the first time the core of this year’s group made significant contributions to a victory at the varsity level. More than 15 months later the group has more than 50 games together under their belts.

Entering this year, the Golden Panthers, who finished 12-13 in 2018-19, hadn’t had a winning season since 2013-14. They’ve now won back-to-back PAC Frontier Division championships as well as set the program record for regular-season wins and overall wins in a season.

“It’s been great. We’re the best team in PJP history,” senior Dave Smrek said. “Best record, PAC (Frontier) champs, it’s all good. Crazy season for us.”

It’s a fact Smrek has made clear to PJP assistant Paul Tagliatella, who was on the only Golden Panthers’ team to win a state playoff game in 2012-13.

“He’s not too happy about it but it’s true,” Smrek said, followed by a smirk.

McKeon said he followed the Lower Moreland team the Golden Panthers lost to last season as they advanced all the way to the PIAA Class 4A semifinals after their District 1 championship win.

Although the focus is still one game at a time, seeing the success of that squad which had a similar physical makeup and playing style as this PJP group gives McKeon confidence his squad will be able to compete with everyone they face.

When the ball goes up Friday night, McKeon, Smrek and fellow seniors Evan Yasneski and Christian Simpson will be playing for more than leaving their mark on the program. They’ll be playing to keep their impressive high school careers alive at least one more game.

“Playing for tomorrow, that’s something we talked about the week leading up to districts even before we found out who we’re going to play,” Stanton said. “We have to practice like we don’t want it to be our last practice. These seniors, Dave’s done a great job, Drew, Evan and even Christian Simpson, who’s hurt right now, he still shows up everyday and is still super positive.

“None of these guys want it to end. I know me and coach (Kevin Moratelli) don’t want it to end. I know there’ll be a lot of tears when it does and I think it’s because of how much these guys enjoy being around each other.”