District 1-6A playoff preview: Perkiomen Valley girls, Lower Merion boys poised for title

The District 1 tournament fields were officially announced earlier this week. The 24-team Class 6A boys and girls bracket typically have the most intrigue with the District 1 winner often looked at with the potential to make a state run and 12 total squads advancing to the PIAA bracket.

Reigning champion Perkiomen Valley is the top seed in the girls bracket, trying to become the first back-to-back champ since 2013, while the boys bracket has a handful of viable candidates chasing the district crown.

Both tournaments begin Friday. The boys continue into next week, playing on Feb. 20, Feb. 23, and Feb. 27 before the championships take place in March.

Here’s a look at how the field stacks up.

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Favorites: Lower Merion, Coatesville, West Chester Henderson

Top seeds typically go deep in District 1 as the No. 1 seed has reached the semifinals six straight years, while the No. 3 seed has reached the semifinals in five of the last six tournaments. The Nos. 2 and 4 seeds have made four appearances each during that stretch. A team outside the top three seeds hasn’t won since No. 6 Abington did in 2015.

The Lower Merion boys won championships in 2021 and 2022 before Plymouth Whitemarsh knocked the Aces out in the district semis last season on the way to its own title. Outside the program, it was expected to be a down year for Lower Merion with their stars gone, but coach Gregg Downer has put together one of his best coaching jobs to date, leading Lower Merion to a 22-1 mark. Senior Adam Herrenkohl is one of the surprise stars of the district.

Often on par with District 1′s historic powers, Coatesville hasn’t been to a district title game since 2019 and hasn’t won a championship since 2001. Senior guards Dior Kennedy and Zuri Harris have the pieces to match up with anyone after winning a Ches-Mont League title Tuesday.

West Chester Henderson returned the star backcourt of Nyle Ralph-Beyer (committed to Sacred Heart) and Connor Fleet this season — two of the district’s most lethal scorers. Senior 6-foot-7 forward Nelson Lamizana gives the Warriors an inside presence few in the district can match. Three of Henderson’s four losses have come to Lower Merion and Coatesville (twice).

Contenders: Chester, Spring-Ford

A backcourt of senior E.J. Campbell and junior Jacob Nguyen, a Division I recruit, is capable of leading Spring-Ford to a district crown finishing as runner-up last season. The Rams have a win over Coatesville and took care of business for much of the Pioneer Athletic Conference regular season outside an eye-catching 71-49 loss to Methacton Jan. 30.

The Clippers are among the District 1 heavyweights after missing the tournament for the first time in 53 years last season. Senior 6-foot-5 forward Dominic Toy is a UConn football recruit, while senior guard Datne Atkinson-Payne is a name to know. Circle a potential quarterfinal with Coatesville as a must-see as a Jan. 26 game against the Raiders was paused with Coatesville ahead 66-62 with 1:35 left in the fourth quarter and never completed.

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Favorite: Perkiomen Valley

The top seed has won the last three District 1-6A championships and five of the last six overall, including last season. The reigning champion Vikings entered the season as the clearcut favorites and nothing has happened to change that. Junior wing Grace Galbavy and junior forward Quinn Boettinger, a Navy commit, are two of the top players in the district.

Contenders: Haverford, Conestoga, Upper Dublin, Spring-Ford, North Penn, Neshaminy

Despite graduating a Division I player, the Fords are back as one of the top seeds, led by senior guard Aniya Eberhart (Millersville) and junior wing Caroline Dotsey.

Senior guard Marisa Francione (Scranton) and sophomore wing Ryann Jennings are two of five starters back looking to carry Conestoga on a deep run after a disappointing second-round loss last season. Senior Amy Ngo (Holy Family) and classmates Brighid and Nora Brady (Neumann) look to overcome the loss of point guard Megan Ngo to injury and lead the Cardinals on a deep run.

North Penn had its 21- game win streak snapped in the SOL playoffs by Neshaminy, but Caleigh Sperling (Jefferson) and co. are still equipped for a deep run.

Neshaminy and seniors Reese Zemitis (Bucknell) and Lola Ibarrondo (Holy Family) look scary too as they enter on an eight-game win streak that included multiple double-digit wins against playoff teams and an SOL title.

This story was produced as part of a partnership between The Inquirer and City of Basketball Love, a nonprofit news organization that covers high school and college basketball in the Philadelphia area while also helping mentor the next generation of sportswriters. This collaboration will help boost coverage of the city’s vibrant amateur basketball scene, from the high school ranks up through the Big 5 and beyond.