Perkiomen Valley-Methacton Part IV showcases resurgent PAC

FAIRVIEW VILLAGE >> There wasn’t much on the line when Perkiomen Valley and Methacton took the court on Friday night. There was no trophy to hoist at the end or championship to claim like the last time the teams met for the Pioneer Athletic Conference championship game.

The winner would earn District 1’s seventh seed in the PIAA Class 6A tournament and face the District 2/4 champion, while the loser would be represent the district as its eighth seed, drawing the District 11 champion in the first round of the state tournament next weekend.

It would have been hard to tell for anyone who walked into the gym at Methacton High School as the stands were packed pretty tightly with two loud student sections set to jeer each other throughout the contest.

In the fourth meeting between the two rivals this season, Methacton pulled out a 46-34 victory earning three games to one edge in the season series.

“It’s funny because we’re all friends,” Methacton senior David Duda said. “Everyone on both teams is friends with each other for PV and Methacton. We hate each other on the court, but we love each other off the court … It’s nice to get a win against a team you know real well.”

It was the second game in a row Perkiomen Valley played an opponent for the fourth time this season. The Vikings lost to Norristown in another district seeding game on Tuesday night.

After a very short postseason all around a year ago, the PAC has proven itself as one of the region’s top basketball leagues this season, sending three teams to the District 1-6A quarterfinals and qualifying four teams for the PIAA Class 6A tournament.

Previously, the conference has never sent more than one team to the state tournament in the largest classification. Add in Pottsgrove’s appearance in the District 1-5A semifinals and the Falcons’ state playoff berth, and it has truly been a banner year for PAC boys’ basketball.

“It shows that our league is tough,” Methacton junior Brett Eberly said. “All the teams are competitive. It shows how even it is. I think it’s a great accomplishment for the PAC itself, but it puts us to test and gives us real games in the regular season that we’re going to play later on.”

The PAC looked like it might have a special year with a good showing in the non-conference. Methacton defeated Philadelphia Catholic League powerhouse Neumann-Goretti and hung with eventual district semifinalist Lower Merion. Norristown picked up victories of Lower Merion and District 3’s Reading.

Perkiomen Valley head coach Mike Poysden said as early as the first week of the season he felt each league game had a heightened sense of playoff implications.

“We came from a league this year where four teams, and if you put Pottsgrove in, five out of 12 are in the state tournament,” Poysden said. “That’s awesome for the league. That’s awesome for each team. Every time we go to Methacton, every time we go to Norristown, Spring-Ford, Owen J., Boyertown, you know what you’re in for. It’s competitive backyard basketball.”

“It’s great for the league, great for our players to play in relevant February and March basketball,” he added.

There was not much unknown between the two teams when they matched up for a fourth meeting on Friday night.

It’s why Poysden likely wasn’t surprised that despite holding Methacton’s dominant junior forward Jeff Woodward to five points, his team still couldn’t completely shut down the Warriors’ offense. David Duda and Erik Timko tied for a team-high 13 points, while Ben Christian and Owen Kropp combined for 13 points off the bench.

It’s why Methacton head coach Jeff Derstine seemed in disbelief when Vikings’ seniors Tyler Strechay, who finished with 15 points, broke away from the Warriors’ defense, which faceguarded and double teamed him throughout the contest.

“There’s really no secrets with what both teams are going to try to do,” Derstine said. “It’s just about execution.”

Both teams will have a chance to get a look at their opponents for next Saturday’s games if they so choose. Parkland and William Allen play in the District 11 championship, while Hazelton, a state semifinalist last season, and Scranton square off in the District 2/4 championship on Saturday night.

Neither Methacton nor Perkiomen Valley have faced their potential opponents this season.

For Strechay that means not being faceguarded by the same handful of players … or at least having a new face shadowing him around the floor throughout the game.

“It’s always fun the big rivalry games, but after a while you’re itching to play someone new,” Strechay said.

“It can get frustrating, but I just have to trust my teammates so they can knock down open shots,” he added. “Sometimes they fall, sometimes they don’t. As far as playing someone new, I’m hoping I can get some shots, but if not we’ll work around it and hopefully find a way to win.”

Perkiomen Valley would have to make it to state semifinals to meet Norristown or Methacton for a fifth time. The Vikings could see Spring-Ford in the quarterfinals if both teams make it there. Methacton could draw Norristown for a third meeting if both teams take care of their first round opponent.

For at least one game, however, both teams will get a chance to face an opponent they don’t know and who doesn’t know them.

“What’s cool about strangers is you get a lot of your playbook back,” Poysden said. “They don’t know you as well as a Methacton or Norristown does. But listen, it’s going to be a district champion. There are no easy games in February and March.”