Pennridge hoping for one more win in historic PIAA run

Three days out from the first state championship in program history, the Pennridge boys basketball team spent part of Wednesday’s practice playing Wiffle ball.

So, it’s safe to say the Rams are feeling pretty loose as they get ready for Saturday night’s PIAA 6A title game against powerhouse Kennedy Catholic, set for 8 p.m. at Hershey’s Giant Center. Their community has rallied behind them and by reaching a point of the season no other team has, they can be a little relaxed.

That doesn’t mean they aren’t going to Hershey expecting anything less than a win.

“This win is for all the guys who ever played Pennridge basketball,” Rams coach Dean Behrens said after Tuesday’s semifinal win over La Salle.

“There’s just excitement from everybody within the school,” point guard Sean Yoder said. “We’re ready for Saturday to come around and we’re just preparing mentally and getting ready.”

Statewide, there probably aren’t too many people picking the Rams to beat the loaded District 10 champions. After winning three straight Class A titles, Kennedy jumped all the way to Class 6A this year.

The Golden Eagles are simply put, stacked. Their centerpiece is 6-foot-9 senior center Oscar Tshiebwe, a West Virginia recruit who was recently selected to the prestigious McDonald’s All-American game. He’s not the only standout on the roster.

Guard Maceo Austin, a 6-foot-5 senior, is a three-star recruit committed to Duquesne. Senior Mattia Acunzo, a 6-foot-8 forward, hails from Italy and has signed with Toledo.

Yoder said he’s impressed with what he’s seen on film, citing Kennedy’s length and size adding the Rams have seen it during the season but not at this type of extent.

By any metric, it’s a tall task for the Rams and they’ll be considered the underdogs. That’s also nothing new, after beating Lincoln, Abington, Methacton and La Salle in order to get to Hershey.

“For us, we just have to control what we can control,” Yoder said. “We can control the pace of the game and play how we want to play. Defensively, we have to box out and rebound everything, try to limit them to one shot.”

Pennridge’s state playoff history isn’t a very long one. The Rams have played in seven PIAA games, all of them coming within the last five years. Prior to this run, Pennridge had made states just twice and advanced out of the first round one time.

A community with a rich football and baseball history, Pennridge has also emerged recently as a strong soccer school. Building the basketball program was a process and for many years, most the team’s top players played hoops second. There were lean years, and Behrens went through back-to-back one-win seasons at one point.

“I never even dreamed we could get to Hershey, I always thought ‘if we could win one division, that would be awesome,’” Behrens said. “Pennridge had never won a division before. We hit some tough times, we had a five-year stretch with back-to-back one-win seasons but since 2010, we’ve really turned a corner because of the type of players we have.”

“It’s meant a ton to the team, it brings a lot of energy to the gym,” Yoder said. “It’s cool seeing the people you’ve grown up with, everybody you know in the community and even the little guys that look up to you. It’s been neat.”

Yoder, who is averaging more than 20 points per game, is the catalyst for Pennridge with his scoring, passing and defending. But he’s not a one-man show and is very quick to make that known when talking to him.

Yoder and senior Jon Post are the only two players back who played major minutes last year. Around them, a group of largely seniors playing their first meaningful varsity minutes have bought in completely. Guys like John Dominic, Nick Dunn, Jack Gillespie and Pat Gillespie, juniors Trent Fisher and Luke Yoder have taken on specific roles.

“All five guys have to be able to do everything and this year, we have a close-knit team,” Yoder said. “The team chemistry is awesome and that’s really what propelled us so far.”

Yoder said the Rams are planning to get to Hershey early on Saturday, spend the day together and hopefully get the jitters out before they hit the court.

“It’s going to be crazy, I think it’s finally going to hit me when I get out there that we’re in the state championship,” Yoder said. “It’s going to be an incredible moment to take in but once the tip goes up, it’s basketball.

“Honestly, the week’s gone by slow since the La Salle game, I’d hoped it would have gone a little faster but we can’t wait.”

ARCHBISHOP WOOD SEEKS SECOND TITLE

Two years ago, Archbishop Wood’s boys basketball program capped its rise to prominence with a resolute win in Hershey for its first state title.

Friday night, the Vikings will try to win a second in three years when they take on District 7’s Moon Township at 8 p.m. in the Giant Center. Senior Julius Phillips is the only holdover from the last state title team, which sent seven players on to college basketball.

Phillips’ teammates have said this run is to get him a second state title, but after defeating defending state champion Abington Heights in overtime Monday, the senior said it was more than that.

“This is for the whole school,” Phillips said. “It’d be great to come back and be able to get another banner up.”

Moon’s top threat is 6-foot-7 forward Donovan Johnson, who brings an impressive inside-outside game to the floor and is coming off a career-high 28 point outing in the semifinals against Mars.

Aside from Phillips, Wood is led by a core of talented sophomores. Rahsool Diggins and Daeshon Shepherd have been strong all season while guard Jaylen Stinson is playing his best basketball in the state tournament.

CARROLL LOOKING FOR BREAKTHROUGH

The Philadelphia Catholic League will have a representative in the girls’ 5A title game but unlike years past, it won’t be Archbishop Wood.

Instead, Archbishop Carroll will be in Hershey chasing its first title since 2012. The Patriots knocked Wood out in the quarterfinals, then outlasted a good Southern Lehigh team in overtime in the semifinals.

Carroll faces undefeated Chartiers Valley out of District 7. Chartiers Valley coach Tim McConnell is in his first year leading the girls after a long run as boys coach that saw him coach sons Matty and TJ, now a backup guard for the Sixers.

Megan McConnell, TJ and Matty’s younger sister, is a junior guard for Chartiers Valley averaging about 11 points per game.

The Patriots are led by junior Erin Sweeney, senior Harlem Jennings and freshman Grace O’Neill. Senior guard Mary deSimone has also been on a tear of late, hitting five 3-pointers against Wood and knocking down clutch free throws against Southern Lehigh.