Girls Basketball Preview: Near miss has Garnet Valley hungry for states progress

CONCORD >> Garnet Valley coach Joe Woods said the 2016-17 season is about continuing a tradition of championship basketball. The Jaguars are targeting a fourth consecutive Central League title.

There’s one caveat, though. Despite their immense success last winter, the Jags feel as though they have some unfinished business.

In the PIAA Class 4A quarterfinals, the Jags were seconds away from a major upset of Cardinal O’Hara. Instead, Garnet Valley lost on a questionable last-second foul call that enabled O’Hara to win the game from the free-throw line with no time left. GV’s season ended with a 26-6 record.

“We were excited to be there. Nobody really expected us to be there,” junior guard Nicole Barnes said at practice Wednesday. “We could have won. It was an amazing year. But I think we can go farther this year.”

That’s precisely the kind of talk Woods loves to hear from his players. They are not content with Central League dominance and a surprise appearance in the state quarterfinals. This team can reach even loftier heights.

It’s never easy starting fresh. Everybody deals with losses to graduation, and the Jags know that replacing 1,000-point scorer and All-Delco Maddie Ireland may take time. Also gone is defensive and rebounding specialist Sam Tomasetti.

Barnes, a tri-captain alongside seniors Sydney Fail and Kathryn Eckhoff, started at the point as a sophomore. She learned a lot from playing with Ireland, who is continuing her career at Widener.

“I know the point guard (role), they are the ones who run the game. From watching Mini (Maddie Ireland) and Jordan (Ireland, Maddie’s sister and 2015 graduate), they taught me how to be calm with the ball and to set the offense,” Barnes said. “It’s a lot to fill their shoes, but I’ve got to be calm because if I’m not calm, everyone else will be frantic.”

Fail and Eckhoff were ancillary players in years past, coming off the bench and lending minimal scoring contributions. Both players should see their playing time increase exponentially.

“It’s definitely more exciting this year,” Eckhoff said. “Especially having the chance to play in the first two quarters (whereas) last year we were going in at the end more.”

“It’s exciting to have that chance to do more,” said Fail, who has committed to Ursinus. Eckhoff will play lacrosse at Ursinus.

Woods has a solid mix of veterans and underclassmen in his lineup. Sophomore forwards Emily McAteer, the team’s second-leading scorer last season, and Brianne Borcky were instrumental in helping the Jaguars in 2015-16. Both are primed to develop into complete players.

“I think having that experience from last year really helps us,” McAteer said.

Despite their youth, McAteer and Borcky are easily two of the most dynamic players in the Central League, capable of carrying the team on their shoulders.

“We’re in a position to help everyone,” Borcky said. “We want to do whatever we can make us a better team. But we’re still underclassmen and we have a lot to learn still.”

The Jaguars have the pieces to meet their standard of excellence, but they take nothing for granted.

“We don’t think that we’re just going to get there, that we’re just going to win,” McAteer said. “We have to work for it.”

That’s music to Woods’ ears.

Elsewhere in the Central League:

Springfield made big strides last season under Ky McNichol, the Cougars’ third-year head coach. The Cougars reached the Central League final and advanced to the district tournament with an 18-6 record. Senior sharpshooter Maggie O’Connell and sophomores Jordan D’Ambrosio and Belle Mastropietro give the Cougars plenty of offensive firepower.

Springfield, Conestoga and incumbent champs Garnet Valley are the presumed favorites to battle it out for this season’s crown.

Radnor looks to improve upon an 11-11 season under veteran coach Mark Jordan, who begins his 22nd season coaching girls hoops. Seniors Allison Lanzone (forward) and guard Nicole Massimino are entering their fourth seasons as varsity starters.

Like Radnor, Haverford had its shares of peaks and valleys in 2015-16. The Fords qualified for the district tournament, but were quickly ousted. Sophomores Annalena O’Reilly and Arden Guilfoil gained valuable varsity playing time last season. Robyn O’Halloran and Julia Clancy are two seniors on a relatively young squad that moves on without Mollie Reynolds (Catholic University).

Marple Newtown begins its second season under Ryan Wolski, who is counting on Nicole Ayoub (senior forward), Olivia Young (junior guard) and Halle Robinson (junior guard) to take the program to the next level.

“We were very young last year,” Wolski said. “ We are working together to build on the success we had at the end of last year.”

Penncrest went 11-11 and qualified for the district playoffs with a youthful roster. All of coach Bob Higgins’ starters from a season ago have returned, including senior Katherine Russo (guard), junior Grace Harding (forward) and sophomore Megan Arndt (guard).

After an 8-13 season, Strath Haven is moving on without Katie Fisher (West Chester) and Rachel Vresilovic (Swarthmore, volleyball). Senior guard/forward Morgan Crain and junior guard Liz DiCarlo are two of coach Allison Weiss’ top returners.

“We are adjusting after graduating two four-year starters,” Weiss said. “We have a lot of hardworking players who are going to get varsity experience this year. We hope to use our speed and toughness to disrupt other teams.”

Upper Darby is starting a new era under Tony Zambino, the former girls basketball coach at Unionville. Zambino inherits a program that has fallen on hard times in recent years.