Garnet Valley girls earn highest seeding
Joe Woods keeps telling his Garnet Valley girls' basketball team that two really is just a number. But what a number it is for the Jaguars, who earned the second seed in the District 1 Class AAAA tournament, the highest seeding in the history of the program.
Joe Woods keeps telling his Garnet Valley girls' basketball team that two really is just a number.
But what a number it is for the Jaguars, who earned the second seed in the District 1 Class AAAA tournament, the highest seeding in the history of the program.
On Saturday, Garnet Valley will have host Council Rock North at 7 p.m., in the first round of the district playoffs.
After last season, in which the Jaguars qualified for the state tournament - a campaign that Woods called "magical" - Garnet Valley has had a more impressive season, going 22-1 overall and 16-0 in the Central League and winning its first league title.
"We are scrappy, we don't give up, we have good team speed, and we share the basketball," Woods said. "That's our hallmark."
For the Jaguars, it starts with senior cocaptain Haley Warden, whom Woods can't praise enough.
"She is a terrific team leader, is relentless, and has a nose for the ball," he said. "She's a rebounder, a defender, just battles tremendously and often plays the biggest girl on the opposition."
Also paramount to the success of the Jaguars, who ride a 15-game winning streak into the tournament, are sisters Jordan and Madison Ireland.
Jordan, a junior, and Madison, a sophomore, have contributed on offense and been tough on the press.
"We are still not satisfied," Woods said. "We are not letting them pat themselves on the back."
Elsewhere in District 1 Class AAAA first-round action, top seed Mount St. Joseph (22-2), fresh off a second straight Catholic Academies title, will host 32d seed Great Valley at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
The Magic, led by seniors Alex Louin and Carly Monzo, are looking to return to the district final, a game they lost to Spring-Ford last season.
Speaking of Spring-Ford, the Rams (19-5), the reigning two-time district champs and fourth seeds, will host 29th seed Chester at 1:30 Saturday.
Some other teams to watch out for in the AAAA district tournament are No. 5 seed Central Bucks West (17-5), which will host No. 28 Norristown (11-11) at 7 p.m. Saturday, and No. 7 West Chester Rustin (20-4), which will host No. 26 West Chester East (14-8) on Sunday.
On Saturday, at 1 p.m., No. 23 Strath Haven (13-9) will head to Neshaminy (17-3) to face a 10th-seeded Redskins team that has lost once since late December. Neshaminy is led by a balanced attack featuring senior Sarah Oliveira, junior Madison Murray, and sophomore Morgan Goldenbaum.
Also on Saturday, third seed North Penn (19-3) will host No. 30 Council Rock South (10-12) at 1 p.m.