Girls Basketball: Garnet Valley gets a little consolation in win over Neshaminy

CONCORD — It’s been a deja vu kind of girls basketball playoff for Garnet Valley.

One year ago, the Jaguars fell in the second round of the District One Class AAAA tournament to land in the playback bracket. After a Wednesday loss to Abington, Garnet Valley is playing for its life once again. Last season resulted in a playback resurrection and PIAA state tournament berth. This year? Well, the Jags are still trying to prove they can do it again.

Garnet Valley outlasted visiting Neshaminy, 44-40, Saturday night to prolong its season. The Jaguars host Central Bucks South Wednesday night in a playback semifinal. Win and their return trip to states will be confirmed.

It’s never easy.

“We were frustrated,” Jaguars coach Joe Woods said with a reference to the Abington loss. “We shot very poorly (that game). Neshaminy won their league. We won ours. It was a game of champions. We knew that going in.”

After a slow first quarter that saw the Redskins hold a 12-9 lead, Garnet Valley got hot. Maddie Ireland connected on two corner threes, Macy Goldbach buried another from the wing, and Jordan Ireland chipped in eight first-half points to give the Jaguars a 25-20 lead at intermission. The cold streak was seemingly behind them.

“Last game we had a rough time shooting,” said Jordan, the elder Ireland. “We worked on it in practice all week. When we had open shots tonight, we took them.”

With the Redskins respecting the outside shot, the Jaguars started to find lanes to the hoop. Goldbach made a strong move to the middle and finished with a layup to start the third quarter. On Garnet Valley’s next possession, she drained her second 3 of the night to give the Jaguars a 30-20 edge. That lead grew to 11 midway through the frame before the Jags, in their coach’s view, grew weary.

“Our girls were getting tired,” Woods said. “That was an aggressive, strong team.”

Garnet Valley was also shorthanded, playing but six players.

“We have some injuries, some illness,’ Woods said. “We were kind of holding on.’

To make matters worse, Jordan Ireland, who finished with 10 points, five rebounds and four assists, got entangled with Neshaminy’s Megan Schafer and came out limping. But with the season on the line, she wasn’t going to come out.

“I felt something in my groin area. It popped a little. I couldn’t move off the floor,” the junior guard said. “But I’m fine. It’s just a little sore.”

Still, the Redskins continued to chip away at the lead and got within two points late in the fourth quarter. Sarah Oliveira led the Redskins with a game high 15 points, and Devon Storms came off the bench to score four crucial points in the final period.

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