Catholic League roundup: Archbishop Wood girls slated as the top seed ahead of quarterfinals

The top eight girls’ basketball teams in the Catholic League will compete in the quarterfinals on Thursday.

While PCL defending champion Lansdale Catholic downed Neumann Goretti on Tuesday for the No. 4 spot, Nazareth Academy flipped the table by beating the Crusaders on Thursday, not only giving the Saints the fourth seed, but moving LC to sixth in the standings, and giving the Pandas the No. 5 seed in their first PCL playoff run.

Archbishop Wood, which remains unbeaten in league play, takes the top seed while Cardinal O’Hara claimed the second spot after its win over Archbishop Carroll.

The higher seeds will host the quarterfinals. The semifinals will be played on Tuesday at St. Joe’s University City campus. And the championship will be on Feb. 26 at the Palestra.

Here’s a breakdown of Thursday’s matchups.

Wood has played in four of the last five PCL championship games. The four veterans — seniors Ava Renninger, Alexa Windish, and Lauren Greer plus junior Emily Knouse — are also the team captains. Renninger (Fairleigh Dickinson) and Knouse (St. Joe’s) have been the team’s top options offensively while Windish (Kutztown) and Greer have been steady in their first season as full-time varsity contributors.

Conwell-Egan’s veteran group will be looking to capture a big upset. The Eagles need to win out in order to extend their season into the PIAA 4A bracket. Senior twins Brooke (TCNJ) and Brianna (Gwynedd Mercy) McFadden enter their final run as teammates. Brianna has been a steady hand as a point guard while Brooke is a consistent scorer. Junior Lily Milewski can also cause matchup problems with her ability to score in the post or out on the perimeter and senior Mya Aizen has given CEC a boost since returning from injury late last month.

The Saints are more than capable of making a run with guard-heavy lineups. Juniors Carryn Easley and Amya Scott can score and facilitate while creating all sorts of pressure on defense. Sophomore Kamora Berry is a solid outside shooter while freshman Regina Baker has been an impact player all season.

» READ MORE: Carryn Easley becoming an ‘unreal’ floor general for Neumann Goretti

The Pandas will lean on a junior-heavy lineup that features several multisport athletes. Guard Reese Power is the team’s leading scorer, while Gracie Sullivan is aggressive on the glass, and Abby Rock will look to knock down a few from the perimeter.

The Lions enter the postseason healthy, which makes them a contender to reach the Palestra. Senior Joanie Quinn missed a month with a broken hand, but the La Salle recruit is back and has taken some of the scoring burden from junior Molly Rullo (Drexel). Senior Carly Coleman and Greta Miller have been solid on both ends of the court. Sophomore Megan Rullo has also been more of a factor this season.

West Catholic draws the same quarterfinal opponent as last season. The young Burrs will need their best performance of the season to advance to the semifinals. Sophomore Ciani Scott is a strong player in the post, Ciana Blake will run point, and Nyla Coleman will look to get downhill and finish around the rim.

Carroll senior Brooke Wilson (Army) sets the pace at point guard and sophomore Alexis Eberz has taken on the role of the leading scorer. Junior Maddie McFillin seized a spot in the starting lineup around midseason, joining her older sister Felicity. Younger sister Abbie, a freshman, has led the Patriots’ bench unit. Junior Olivia Nardi rounds out the starting lineup.

Lansdale Catholic junior forward Grace McDonough has taken on some of the scoring load this season. Junior Sanyiah Littlejohn and senior Olivia Boccella, who is known for her three-point shooting, have been the leaders for the Crusaders.

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.