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PIAA Preview: Local 1A-4A boys contenders

03/07/2023, 4:30pm EST
By Josh Verlin


Neumann-Goretti and junior forward Amir Williams, above, are looking to defend their Class 4A title. (Photo: Mark Jordan/CoBL)

Josh Verlin (@jmverlin) &
Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue)

The PIAA state playoffs begin this weekend, with more than 70 teams from the Philadelphia area still in the hunt for state trophies. All week long, CoBL’s staff will be taking a look at the teams to watch — local and not — who can compete for titles in all six boys and all six girls’ brackets. 

Here’s a preview of some local teams that could challenge in the ‘small-school’ classifications, which go from 1A up through 4A (District-Seed in parenthesis):

Class 1A
Chester Charter (1-1)
In just its sixth year of existence, CCSA (19-5) grabbed its second District 1 championship two weeks ago. A senior-led group is spearheaded by its backcourt of 5-10 guards Kevin Miller (17.0 ppg) and Jayden Williams (11.8 ppg, 5.0 apg). Senior 6-6 forward Azarhis Smith (7.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg) is a physical presence. Senior wings Samaad Powell (6-4) and Zach Howard (6-5) add some more size to the rotation. Sophomore guard Calvin Lewis (6-1) adds some scoring and shooting. The Sabers stormed to the quarterfinals in 2020 before COVID halted the program’s run. In the two seasons since, each of District 1’s Class A champs have combined for just one win in states since. A local squad hasn’t reached the state semifinals in the Class A field since Faith Christian in 2018 and hasn’t been to the state title game since Girard College in 2017, but the Sabers certainly seem to have the pieces in place and experience to suggest the possibility of a deep run.

City School (12-1)
If you don’t recognize the name, don’t worry — City School is only in its second year in the PIAA, though it’s two-for-two in state tournament appearances, beating Plumstead Christian in the first round last year. With four starters back from last year, the Lions (22-3) are feeling good entering the postseason, as head coach Barry DeVine said they’re a year ahead of schedule in his third at the helm. The City School, which has had a strong middle school program for a while now, is starting to reap the benefits of that success at the high school level, with 10th graders Jasin Custos (5-10) and Albert Davis (6-2) averaging a combined 18 points per game, while seniors Jasir Johnson (5-10) and Jamil DeSouza (6-2) average 19 and 16 points per game, respectively. Junior Shawn Murphy (6-2) rounds out the starting lineup, and junior Jaden Johnson (5-8) sees big minutes as well.

Class 2A
Constitution (12-1)
The Generals (17-8) are an annual contender in the PIAA field, finishing as the state runner-up in each of the past two seasons to the District 7 champion Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Chargers. There’s no OSLH in the 2A field this season so it wouldn’t be a leap to think District 12’s top seed is the state favorite as it looks for its first state title since 2018, even if the Generals are a little shorthanded due to PIAA transfer rules. Junior 6-4 guard Kyree Latimer is the type of talent who can carry his team on a run and senior guard Tymir Brown-Smalls (13.4 ppg, 8.3 rpg) isn’t a bad backcourt running mate. The Generals will have to have a few others step up however if they want to go on another deep, deep run.

Dock Mennonite (1-1)
Last year, in the 3A classification, Dock went 20-4 but ended up matched up with eventual state champ Devon Prep in the first round. Now back in the 2A classification, and on the backs of a 23-2 season that saw them go undefeated in the Bicentennial Athletic League and win the BAL and district tournaments, the Pioneers are on a 13-game win streak going into states, and they’ll have had exactly two weeks off to rest up and prepare for their state opener against Antietam. The last time Mike Fergus’ squad was in the 2A bracket, in 2020, they made it to the state quarterfinals before COVID hit. This year’s group is senior-heavy, with Nathan Lapp and Hoyt Bultje leading a group of nine seniors, though junior Vaughn Martin and sophomore Tony Martin also are typically among their leading scorers.

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West Catholic and senior guard Shemar Wilbanks-Acqui, above, hope to improve on last season's semifinal finish. (Photo: Mark Jordan/CoBL)

Class 3A
West Catholic (12-1)
Miguel Bocachia
’s squad already claimed its first championship of any kind since the 1950s, beating Math, Civics & Sciences 77-60 in the District 12 3A title game, known as the ‘City Title,’ snapping a 70-year drought. The Burrs have never won a state championship, but the Catholic League semifinalists have a senior-led group that’s determined to end their careers on top. Point guard Adam ‘Budd’ Clark is the engine that makes it go, the Coppin State commit an excellent scorer, distributor and defender; 6-4 Temple-bound wing guard Zion Stanford brings gallons of toughness and versatility to boot. Senior guard Shemar Wilbanks-Acqui can go for 20+ on any night, and they’ve been getting great production as the season’s gone on from senior guard Amyr Walker, while senior wing MJ Branker gives them additional length and two-way ability. They got knocked out last year in the quarterfinals by Devon Prep as the 12-2 seed, but will have a different path this time; District 2 champs Holy Redeemer (25-2) should be a tough matchup in the second round.

Devon Prep (12-3)
The defending 3A state champs took some lumps this season, starting the state playoffs with an 11-12 overall record after missing out on the Catholic League playoffs entirely. The Tide are without a few of the keys pieces from last year’s run, including Allen Cieslak (Susquehanna) and IV Pettit (Phelps School post-grad), but they have a good bit back including senior wings Lucas Orchard and Jacen Holloway, who combined for 33 points in last year’s state title win over Aliquippa, plus junior guard Ty Mishock, who added 13 more. Whether they can make a run will depend on the likes of the supporting cast — Shane Doyle, Ty Mishock, Tyler Scarpulla, Zane Conlon and Ben Costello. But they’re still extremely well-coached by Jason Fisher and his staff, and if they get hot they could absolutely get back to Hershey; they also wouldn’t have to face West Catholic until the semifinals.

Math, Civics & Sciences (12-2)
The Mighty Elephants (16-10) are a little shorthanded this postseason, without their top two scorers in Rashan Locke-Hicks and Nasseem Wright, both ineligible as they each transferred over from Lincoln last summer, while junior Azeem Murphy came over from West Catholic. But Lonnie Diggs’ program has a history of making deep runs in the state playoffs, with a couple titles under their belt, and he’s still got some pieces to make noise, including senior guards Chauncey Presley and Nayeem Johnson, plus senior Jeff King III, sophomore Alantay Dawson, and senior wing Isaiah Griffin (6-5). The second-round game that they’d almost certainly have against District 3 champs Trinity (21-3) would be a major challenge, but if they can get past the Shamrocks, anything can happen.

Class 4A
Neumann-Goretti (12-1)
The defending PIAA 4A state champs, Neumann-Goretti’s 2022 title was its ninth, all under head coach Carl Arrigale, who’s been there since the end of the 20th century, a few years before the Philadelphia Catholic League even joined the PIAA. So it won’t be a surprise to many around the state that Arrigale has once again the pieces needed to win a 10th state championship, and they’re a group that’s playing angry after giving away the Catholic League title in the last minute (and overtime) to Roman Catholic. Junior guard Robert Wright III, already committed to Baylor, is one of the best lead guards around, and he’s got plenty of talent around him in 6-8 senior forward Sultan Adewale, 5-11 junior guard Khaafiq Myers and 6-6 junior wing Amir Williams, all Division I recruits, plus 6-1 senior Bruce Smith and Wright’s younger brother, 6-0 freshman Stephon Ashley-Wright, who just picked up his first D-I offer this month.

Cardinal O’Hara (12-3)
The Lions come in after finishing seventh place in the Catholic League, with wins over the likes of St. Joe’s Prep, Allentown Central Catholic, West Philly and others under their belt — including Rutgers Prep (N.J.), which folks from the Keystone State might not know as well, but which might be their most impressive of the season. Head coach Ryan Nemetz has himself a veteran team led by Iona-bound senior wing Izaiah Pasha, senior guard Josh Coulanges and junior forward Pearse McGuinn though senior guard Christian Cervellero and junior wing Miles Johnson are key pieces as well. If they can get past District 3 runner-up Fleetwood (22-4) in the first round, they could very well make it out of their quadrant, setting up a rematch with Neumann-Goretti — who only beat them by a point in the regular season — in the state semifinals. 


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