City of Basketball Love

By Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue)
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The hierarchy of the Ches-Mont League on the girls side was hard to predict heading into this season, and after a full regular season, it’s still pretty difficult to separate any teams from the pack. 

Unionville and Kennett shared the American Division crown with West Chester Rustin a game behind. In the National Division, West Chester East and West Chester Henderson both claimed a share, finishing a game ahead of Coatesville.

The path to a league crown begins for four teams on Thursday, while top seeds West Chester East and Unionville await the winners in Saturday’s semifinal matchups at West Chester University.

Here’s a quick preview of the league’s teams and matchups:

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A1) Unionville (15-7, 8-2 American)
The Longhorns were undefeated in the American Division when they took down last season’s league champ West Chester Rustin for the second time on Jan. 23 and followed with a victory over Great Valley. Unionville hit a rough patch after that, dropping four of their last six, including a loss to Kennett on Feb. 1 that made the Longhorns share the division crown. Senior 5-6 guard Milana Amoss, junior 5-10 guard Elle Johnson and senior 5-9 forward Shannon Megill have taken turns leading the way this season.

N1) West Chester East (16-6, 9-3 National)
East sat  at the top of the National Division all season — a loss to Downingtown East in their finale forcing a share of the division title with Henderson. They’re a balanced group that likes to share the ball with junior guard Annalise Kubasko and sophomore guard Carly Bickle spacing the floor with shooting. Junior forward Sofia Keith has a game that stretches out to the midrange. The Vikings should get a boost by the return of senior Annie Kerns from injury as well.

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A2) Kennett (16-6, 8-2) vs. A3) Coatesville (15-7, 8-4)
Kennett dropped four straight in early January, but the Blue Demons have turned things around, winning nine straight. The win streak included victories over Unionville, West Chester Rustin and West Chester — three of the other five playoff teams. Senior 5-10 wing/forward Mia Matthews is the team’s go-to player. Senior point guard Mary Carroll and classmate Greta Burns bring experience in the backcourt alongside junior Quinn Simmons, a capable shooter. 

Senior 5-7 guard Serenity Burgess has followed in the footsteps of Danae Ellzy and Dejah Morris as a lethal scorer for the Raiders. Senior guard Alexis Fields is another experienced guard and senior forward Kate Ward brings back experience from a Ches-Mont semifinal appearance last season. The Raiders also have a big win recently, knocking off American Division champion Unionville on Saturday.

N2) West Chester Henderson (17-5, 9-3) vs. A3) West Chester Rustin (16-6, 7-3)

West Chester Henderson goes as its senior guard Whitney Evans goes. The 1,000-point scorer went off for 35-plus in wins over Kennett and West Chester East this season. Senior forward Jackie Shea has been her running mate for several years, and provides an inside punch on both ends for the Warriors, who get contributions from a handful of others.

A three-point loss to Kennett in their last game spoiled a four-game win streak for Rustin. Golden Knights senior guard Riley Stackhouse, a Widener commit, is the team’s top option, a capable driver and shooter and impactful defender. Junior 6-foot forward Sara Betchyk can put up double-digit points and rebounds inside. Speedy sophomore guard Jenna Kraft and senior Gia DiMichele are two of the others to keep an eye on. 

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First Round
Thurs., Feb. 8
A2) Kennett vs. A3) Coatesville 
N2) West Chester Henderson vs. A3) West Chester Rustin

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Semifinals
Sat., Feb. 10
At West Chester University
A1) Unionville vs. TBD
N2) West Chester East vs. TBD

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Championship
Tues., Feb. 10
At West Chester University