Girls Basketball- O’Hara-Garnet Valley: Delco fans’ dream matchup

After Tuesday’s 56-36 victory over Easton in the second round of the PIAA Class AAAA Tournament, it dawned on Cardinal O’Hara All-Delco Mary Sheehan that she has never faced a Central League team. It’s true. The Lions, like most Catholic League girls basketball programs, avoid the Central League altogether. Sheehan and O’Hara get their first crack against the Central’s top dog, Garnet Valley, in an all-Delaware County showdown Friday night at Spring-Ford High School. It’s the second half of a doubleheader with tip-off scheduled for 8 p.m. The winner advances to Tuesday’s PIAA Class AAAA semifinal round.

O’Hara (24-3) made it to this round a year ago with the same starting lineup of Sheehan, All-Delco Hannah Nihill, Maura Hendrixson, Kenzie Gardler and Molly Paolino. Sheehan (Saint Joseph’s), Nihill (Drexel) and Gardler (Villanova) are bound for Division I programs in a few years.

“I think we can only focus on us at this point,” Sheehan said. “We can watch film, we can see (Garnet Valley), but as long as we come out and play to our strengths and play with the same energy as we did (Tuesday), I think we’re going to score. It will come down to our defense and just playing hard. Once you’re in states, it’s one and done, so you just have to have the same energy and mentality every time.”

The Lions’ starting five all play in the same club ball organization (AAU Comets) with Garnet Valley senior guard Maddie Ireland, who leads the Jaguars into the quarterfinals on the heels of a 23-point performance against Conestoga in the second round of states. The Central League rivals battled for a fourth time this season, with the Jags winning every time, including a 60-42 rout Tuesday night. The Jags hadn’t won a state playoff contest before this season. In the opening round, they manhandled Governor Mifflin, as excellent freshman Emily McAteer led with 19 points.

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Garnet Valley’s Nicole Barnes, right, celebrates with teammates Brianne Borcky (42) and Sam Tomasetti (23) after the Jaguars’ PIAA Class AAAA Tournament second-round win over Conestoga Tuesday. Cardinal O’Hara presents one of the Jaguars’ toughest challenges of the season in Friday’s all-Delco quarterfinal round matchup at Spring-Ford High School. (ROBERT GURECKI – DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA)