By Tom Fox
MaxPreps.com
Throw out the records.
Toss out the seeds.
Put together a winning streak, and you might end up cutting down the nets at the Bryce Jordan Center.
That’s what several Central and Northeastern Pennsylvania teams are hoping for.
Here is a quick look at the opening-round draws for PIAA boys’ and girls’ basketball tournaments:
AAAA Boys
Coming off a three-point victory over Hazleton Area in the District 2-4 championship game, the Williamsport Millionaires stay within District 4 for a meeting with District 3’s sixth seed Cedar Cliff at Shikellamy High School on Saturday.
It won’t be an easy road for the state-ranked Millionaires. Always-dangerous Chester looms as a possible second opponent, while Norristown, William Penn, Roman Catholic, Conestoga and Harrisburg are all on the top half of the bracket.
Hazleton, which also received a state berth, will be in the opening round – traveling to the Philadelphia area for a meeting with District 1 nine-seed Glen Mills. The bottom of the bracket is equally as difficult with Penn Wood, Central Dauphin East, Pennsbury, Peters Township and State College waiting in the wings for the Cougars.
AAA Boys
There’s no denying the success Shamokin Area has had this season.
A 23-1 record with its only loss coming to Williamsport, a Heartland Conference title and a District 4 AAA crown are all part of the resume.
Now, it’s a return to the state bracket with an old rival waiting.
The Indians start their trek to Penn State with former Schuylkill League foe Pottsville at Shikellamy High School. Danville, which lost to Shamokin in a lopsided district title game, will travel to Northampton for a meeting with District 11 champ Southern Lehigh (21-6).
District 2 champion Crestwood gets to stay close to home in the first round, hosting Eastern York at King’s College. Holy Redeemer will travel to Hershey for a showdown with AAA state runner-up Susquehanna Township, while the district’s third seed, Abington Heights, has a tough draw with District 3 champ York Suburban (24-3).
In the western half of the bracket, District 6 earned two bids in the tournament. Champ Greater Johnstown Area will tangle with Lancaster Catholic at Richland, while runner-up Somerset makes the long trip to Monroeville to face off with Highlands, the WPIAL runner-up.
The most interesting matchup of all is in AAA where District 12 champ Neumann-Goretti – considered by most as a favorite to win it all – takes on reigning champ Steelton-Highspire.
AA Boys
Holy Cross has been the dominant force in the Lackawanna League all season.
But if the Dunmore school has any hopes of a state crown, it’s going to need a little luck along the way.
The eastern half of the bracket is loaded, and Holy Cross has no gimme games along the way. It starts with one of the state’s best players in Rezin Davis and the Hughesville Spartans in the opening round.
Of course, you can’t help but pick the inner-city Philadelphia schools as the favorites.
Imhotep Charter is 27-1. Prep Charter has been in the title game several times. West Catholic could see Holy Cross in Round 2. And Strawberry Mansion, which lost to Jeannette in the title game last season, was the No. 4 seed coming out of District 12.
Loyalsock, the District 4 champ, plays Riverside to start, but could see Prep Charter in the second round. Troy beat Colin Klebon and Southern Columbia in the district’s third-place game and travels to Allentown for a matchup with District 11 champ Notre Dame-Green Pond.
In the western half of the bracket, Central Cambria – which entered the District 6 tournament as a No. 10 seed – faces off with Monessen. District titlist Cambria Heights brings its 21-5 record ironically to Central Cambria for its first game against WPIAL No. 7 seed Beaver Falls.
Penns Valley, which missed states by a game in the last four seasons, is in the play-in portion of the bracket and will host North Star. The winner of that game plays a very talented North Catholic team in Monroeville on Saturday.
A Boys
Millville brings a 25-0 record into the postseason.
But the road for the Columbia County boys is a bumpy one.
It starts with District 11 runner-up Marian Catholic and could include a meeting with the Scotland School (18-6) in the second round.
Lurking up the top of the bracket is District 12 champ Math, Civics and Science and District 1 champ Girard College.
District 2 champ Old Forge gets a matchup with District 4 third seed Mansfield at Pittston Area and will face either Reading Central Catholic or Faith Christian in the next round.
Defending A champ Serra Catholic is in the western half of the bracket and will face off with District 6 third-place finisher Conemaugh Valley to begin. District 6 champ Homer Center faces Vision Quest, while third seed Conemaugh Valley and fourth-place finisher Harmony are both in the eastern half of the bracket.
AAAA Girls
The eastern side of the bracket appears wide open, and the Hazleton Area Cougars are hoping to capitalize.
The team begins its journey at Weatherly High School against Central Dauphin East.
There will be some formidable foes along the path in Downingtown East (25-2), Cardinal O’Hara (23-2) and Lower Merion (24-3).
Should Hazleton win, the Cougars would face either Red Lion or Central Bucks East next.
In the western half of the bracket sits defending champion Central Dauphin (28-1). The Rams will meet either Great Valley or Scranton High on the opening round.
District 6 champ State College, District 10 champ Erie McDowell and District 7 titlist Mount Lebanon (26-0) are all in the same side with Central Dauphin as well as District 1 runner-up Cheltenham (25-2).
AAA Girls
Archbishop Carroll is 25-1 and cruising coming into the state bracket.
Mount Saint Joseph is 26-1 and also playing some pretty good hoops.
A game fit for a state-title tilt could end up as an Eastern Final.
But there’s plenty of work before that.
District 2 champ Holy Redeemer is 23-2 and opens with 23-3 Muhlenberg in the opening round. The winner faces either Allentown Central Catholic and Selinsgrove in Round 2.
The surprising District 4 winner, Milton, draws a tough Bangor in the opening round, and possibly Mount Saint Joseph in the next round.
District 2 runner-up Nanticoke Area travels to New Holland to face Eastern York, while third-place finisher Abington Heights matches with Trinity.
Mifflin County rivals Indian Valley and Lewistown will head to different parts of the state on the western side.
Indian Valley, champs of District 6, makes the short trek to Altoona for a matchup with Palmyra. The winner plays either Lampeter-Strasburg or Villa Marie in the next round.
Lewistown heads to Monroeville for a matchup with West Mifflin. The winner will most likely draw General McLane in the next round.
Defending AAA champ Mercyhurst Prep will start its title defense against South Park.
AA Girls
Lauren Carra is a 2,000-point scorer at Dunmore High School. Now, the senior is hoping to finish her senior season with a state title.
Dunmore, champs of District 2, starts with District 4 Cinderella story Lewisburg in the opening round. The Dragons, one of the lowest seeds coming into the district tournament, will look to upset the Bucks.
District 4 champ South Williamsport (24-1) is also in the top half and starts off with Wilkes-Barre Meyers in the first round at Williamsport High School.
The district’s third-place finisher Loyalsock travels to Pottsville to face Tamaqua, while District 2 third-placer Mid Valley meets up with District 1 champ Saint Pius X in Royersford.
AA champ York Catholic begins its title defense in Landisville against Bodine.
Southern Huntingdon, which was undefeated heading into the District 6 championship game, was upset by Bishop McCort and has a tough road to Penn State. The Rockets start with OLSH, but also have WPIAL champ Sto-Rox (24-1) in their half of the bracket. McCort starts in Richland against Jeannette
A Girls
The state’s top-ranked team, Bishop Guilfoyle, is in the western side of the bracket and is prepared to make a deep run into the postseason.
Guilfoyle (25-1), champs of District 6, begins with Eisenhower and would face the winner of Elk County Catholic and Rochester in the next round.
The district’s runner-up was Northern Cambria, and it will stay close to home – traveling to Ebensburg for a tussle with Lancaster Country Day. The winner faces a Schuylkill League team in the next round – either Lourdes Regional or Tri-Valley.
The always-dangerous Nativity BVM (23-3) starts in Pottsville against East Juniata, while District 2 champ Old Forge was a tough draw with Benton (23-3), which was upset by Lourdes in the District 4tournament.
District 6’s third-place finisher Ferndale is in the western half of the bracket and will open with Mount Alvernia, while the fourth seed, Bishop Carroll, starts with District 3 champ Lebanon Catholic.
Tom Fox is Sports Editor at The Lock Haven (Pa.) Express andcovers Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania for MaxPreps. He can be reached at tfox@lockhaven.com.
