City of Basketball Love

Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue)
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(Ed. Note: This story is part of CoBL’s “Prepping for Preps” series, which will take a look at many of the top high school programs in the region as part of our 2022-23 season preview coverage. The complete list of schools previewed thus far can be found here.)

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There was a youth movement in the Pioneer Athletic Conference last season. Instead of a veteran Methacton squad getting its turn atop the PAC, sophomore-led Spring-Ford and freshman-heavy Perkiomen Valley teams met up for the league title, the Rams claiming their fifth straight PAC crown. That Liberty Division pairing looks like the matchup that will decide the league for at least the next two seasons as both young cores return another year older.

Meanwhile in the Frontier, the small school division, there's been a lot more parity. Three different squads (Pottsgrove, Phoenixville and Pope John Paul II) have been atop the division over the last three seasons and this year seems much of the same with multiple squads capable of taking home a division crown:

Liberty Division

Predicted Top 3

1. Spring-Ford
2. Perkiomen Valley
3. Methacton

Favorites

Spring-Ford’s run as the league heavyweight was supposed to end last season. Instead the Rams figured things out late in the season for a fifth straight league crown, trip to the District 1-6A final and the PIAA quarters. Led by juniors Anna Azzara (14.1 ppg) and Mac Pettinelli (7.7 ppg), both three-year varsity players and AAU teammates, Spring-Ford will now have a target on its back. Only one player graduated, so even with microwave Aaliyah Solliday out for the season with an injury the Rams should have five starters back in juniors guard Katie Tiffan (7.2 ppg) and Siena Miller and senior forward Meg Robbins, an Elizabethtown commit. Coach Mickey McDaniel said the goal is to develop more depth behind them this season, which wasn’t the case a year ago. That could be key as the Rams already have talent, experience and chemistry that will make them tough to beat in the PAC and beyond.

Perkiomen Valley battled the Rams tough in last season’s title game and split the regular-season matchup before deep district and PIAA runs of its own. Unlike Spring-Ford, Perk Valley has two big holes to replace in all-league players Emma Milley and Jennifer Beattie and added another when sophomore forward Grace Miley went down for the season. Still, sophomore guards Bella Bacani and Lena Stein, sophomore forward Quinn Boettinger (a Drexel offeree) and senior guard Ella Stein return from last year’s core. The Vikings also add 6-foot wing Grace Galbavy, another Division I prospect, who moved into the school district from Upper Perkiomen after averaging 18.9 ppg last season — second most in the PAC. Time will tell how those pieces stack up against the Rams and the rest of the league.

Dark Horses

Before Perkiomen Valley’s ascension last season, Methacton was the perennial contender, falling to Spring-Ford in the league title games in 2020 and 2021. Led by Nicole Timko (Christopher Newport) the Warriors were the top team throughout last regular season before being upset by the Rams. This year’s team won’t come in with those expectations but senior guard Cassidy Kropp and senior forward Mairi Smith (Williams College) are a terrific duo to lean on. Senior guard Reana Torress and sophomore guard Abby Arnold are also back from the top six of the rotation. If some of that core and the rest of the roster can take a step forward, maybe the Warriors can find a way to stay in contention at the top.

Owen J. Roberts also lost its program’s all-time scoring leader as Avery White is now playing at Chestnut Hill College. The Wildcats have multiple Division I lacrosse commits in seniors Gabbi Koury, Alexa Vogelman and Ava Clemson who add a lot of athleticism and winning experience from various sports throughout their high school careers. Junior guard Asya Price was averaging 12.0 ppg through six contests before injuring her ACL. Her and sophomore guard Ashly White are will be tough on both ends. The Wildcats are an athletic group that could run some teams off the floor this season.

Others to watch

Boyertown and Norristown both have new coaches as longtime assistant Troy Sweisfort takes over for the Bears and Greg Bates heads the Eagles. Boyertown senior guard Carlie Schweizer (9.5 ppg, 42 threes) ranked third in the PAC in 3-point field goals last season.  The Bears have a mix of youth and experience with Schweizer and fellow seniors Cori Bieber and Chole Wolfe beginning the season in the starting lineup alongside sophomores Harper Glennon and Madelyn Weaver.

Norristown junior Azjiona Golston averaged 12.3 ppg in PAC play as a sophomore last season, while junior Briana Minick and sophomore Carly Douglas are a few others who might be able to help out this season.

Frontier Division

Predicted Top 3

1. Phoenixville
2. Upper Perkiomen
3. Pope John Paul II

Favorites

Very few in the area bring back more than Phoenixville who have the top six players in the rotation back. It’s the opposite from last season when a young, new-look Phantoms group surprised with a 7-3 third place finish in the Frontier. Senior guard Jaime Michaud (7.8 ppg) leads a still young group alongside classmate Caroline Flick. Sophomore 5-10 forward Emine Ulcay (7.7 ppg) and sophomore guard Neveah Latimore-Beasley (7.1 ppg) should take another step forward after strong freshman campaigns and sophomore guard Ava Gnias and junior forward Mali Warren also return to the mix. Add in a few more talented newcomers to the mix and expectations are high at Phoenixville.

After three combined wins in the previous three seasons, Upper Perkiomen made the jump to compete for a division title last season, finishing second to PJP, and also qualified for the district playoffs. UP’s chances to take home a division crown took a hit when Galbavy’s family moved school districts, but junior 6-foot forward Erin States (11.2 ppg) is the lone first team All-Frontier selection back in the mix. Senior guard Abby Pfander is another returner along with juniors Natalie Kearney, Bailey Cahill, Elena Fabian and Abby Davidheiser (a D1 lacrosse recruit). Senior point guard Jo Benensky is back in the district from PJP. The junior class went 12-1 together as middle schoolers and now with two more seasons to play together has a taste of winning at the high school level as well. 

Dark Horses

Pope John Paul II was rarely at full strength last season with their big guns Amelia Kennedy and Tess Crossan rarely sharing the floor together. The Golden Panthers won’t have either this season as a new-look group will hope to compete for a second straight division title, but there is some experience to build off for second-year coach Jack Flanagan. Junior guard Bella Tamaro (5.3 ppg) is the team’s top returning scorer, while senior forward Sarah Bell,  junior forwards Elena Collilouri and Katie Nilles and  junior center Nadia Platt all saw extended action last season. There are some young pieces in the mix who could help the Golden Panthers this season as well.

Upper Merion second-year coach Jen McCarthy brings back most of the squad that finished fourth in the division and will likely be led by senior Riley Anderson (8.8 ppg). Fellow senior Chloe Kokenberger and junior Olivia Smith and Addie Eaton also return from the starting lineup and should keep the Vikings competitive once again this season. Julianna Callison, a standout lacrosse player committed to East Stroudsburg, brings some more athleticism in her first season of high school hoops.

Others to watch

Pottstown graduated all-league player and 1,000-point scorer Trinell Watson from last season’s squad. Senior guard Tamya Jarett  (12.0 ppg) is a veteran presence and junior Mikyla Brandon (5.3 ppg) is a three-year starter poised for a breakout campaign.

Pottsgrove is coming off a year of rebuilding without a league win last season. The good news is the Falcons have plenty of returning to try to figure things out in 2022-23. Senior guard Aaliyah Freeman (11.9 ppg, 37 threes) has a nice jumper and junior Jessica Carroll (6.3 ppg) has been around at the varsity level for three seasons.