Girls’ basketball: Sizing up the eight area teams in the PIAA state semifinals

As the state semifinals in girls’ basketball are set to tip off Friday and Saturday, eight schools from the area are one win away from earning a spot in the PIAA championships at the Giant Center in Hershey.

Six teams will travel to neutral sites to take on Western Pennsylvania schools, while two matchups will feature some local flavor. Here’s what to know about the semifinals.

» READ MORE: PIAA boys’ basketball semifinals: A look at the local matchups

Imhotep Charter will travel to Parkland High School on Friday to face Loyalsock Township of Lycoming County at 6 p.m.

The Panthers are making their deepest run in the state playoffs. They made a Public League final appearance this year but fell to Universal Audenried Charter. However, Imhotep earned its first District 12 championship since 2023 to keep its season alive.

It dominated Pequea Valley High School of Lancaster County, 55-25, in the quarterfinals. Now, the program is two wins away from securing its first PIAA Class 3A championship.

Catholic League champion Neumann Goretti and Public League champ Audenried will go head-to-head in a Class 4A semifinal Saturday at 1 p.m. at St. Joseph’s Prep.

These two teams squared off in the District 12 championship as the Rockets topped the Saints, 77-66.

Audenried, which has never won a state crown, will rely on Penn State-bound Shayla Smith, the city’s all-time girls’ scoring leader, while the Saints have a senior duo in Carryn Easley (Fordham) and Amya Scott (Delaware State).

There has never been a girls’ Public League team to win a state championship. Audenried or Imhotep could change that.

Lansdale Catholic will take on North Catholic of Pittsburgh on Saturday (1 p.m.) at Chambersburg High in the other Class 4A semifinal.

The Crusaders finished 8-3 in Catholic League play and fell to Cardinal O’Hara in the PCL quarterfinals. They last won a state crown in 2023, the year the team captured PCL, District 12, and state titles. It also marked the program’s first PIAA and Catholic League titles.

Archbishop Wood has the chance to earn its fifth consecutive state crown this season, but first the Vikings need to get past Crestwood of Luzerne County on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Parkland High School.

The Vikings finished 10-1 in the PCL but were knocked out by Archbishop Carroll in the semifinals. However, each year they tend to thrive in the state playoffs. Wood has won nine state crowns in 12 final appearances.

With its win over Bethlehem Catholic in the quarterfinals, Wood set a record with 23 consecutive state tournament wins.

District 1 champ Perkiomen Valley will meet PCL-runner up Archbishop Carroll on Friday at 7:30 p.m. in a Class 6A semifinal at Plymouth Whitemarsh.

Perkiomen Valley, which won the Pioneer Athletic Conference championship this season, has a standout roster filled with college-bound talent in seniors Bella Bacani (Jefferson), Quinn Boettinger (Navy), and Grace Galbavy (Wake Forest).

The Patriots, who last won a state crown in 2023, also have a star-studded lineup, including sisters Alexis Eberz, a junior, and Kayla Eberz, a freshman.

Garnet Valley will head to James Buchanan High in Mercersburg to face District 7 champion Upper St. Clair of Pittsburgh in the other 6A semifinal on Friday at 5 p.m.

The Jaguars, who won Central League title, beat defending state champ Cardinal O’Hara, 49-43, in double overtime in the quarterfinals. Garnet Valley hasn’t made a PIAA final appearance since 2019, when it fell to Peters Township.

This year’s group is led by seniors Kylie Mulholland, who scored 25 points against the Lions, and Haylie Adamski, a Lafayette pledge. Both surpassed 1,000 points this season. Sophomore Kylie Adamski, Haylie’s sister, is also a key contributor.