PIAA Girls’ Basketball: First-round preview capsules
Williams Valley's Sage Smeltz looks to put up a shot during Wednesday's non-league game against Minersville (Photo by Kelly Wiley).
Editor’s Note: Original story modified to update MaST Charter II’s information.
PIAA Girls’ Basketball Playoffs
First-Round Preview Capsules
Class AA First Round
11-1 Williams Valley (22-3) vs. 4-2 Northeast Bradford (20-7)
When: Today, 5 p.m.
Where: Williams Valley HS, Tower City
Tickets: All tickets are $8 (plus applicable fees) and must be purchased online at www.piaa.org. All spectators must purchase a ticket. There is no senior citizen discount.
Live updates: Follow T102 Sports Now Content Editor Leroy Boyer on X @pubsportsboss
Up Next: Winner faces either 12-1 SLA Beeber (12-2) or 3-2 Shalom Christian Academy (16-4) in Tuesday’s second round
About Northeast Bradford
Nickname: Panthers
Head coach: Ben Beebe
How they got here: Top seed in District 4 Class AA field, Panthers defeated East Juniata 53-34 and Canton 53-32 before losing to Muncy 48-37 in District 4 AA final.
Projected starting five: Leah Beebe, Lillie Maynard, Becca VanDerMark, Mallorie Maynard, Lilah Hughes
Key reserves: G Kara Dughi
Fun Facts: Northeast Bradford won sixth straight Northern Tier League Division II title, lost to Troy in Northern Tier league playoffs. Had gone unbeaten in league play the past five seasons until losing Feb. 4 to Canton. … NEB is in PIAA Class AA playoffs for second straight year. Lost to Marian 54-42 in first round last year.
About Williams Valley
Nickname: Vikings
Head coach: Shane Zellers
How they got here: Defeated Lincoln Leadership 65-15 and Marian 34-30 to win program’s first-ever District 11 girls’ basketball championship
Projected starting five: G Mallory Miller (jr., 12.1 ppg, 4.2 apg, 2.1 rpg), G Ella Kobularik (jr., 3.7 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 4.4 apg), G Ireland Kasper (jr., 7.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.1 apg), F Quin Smeltz (jr., 6.2 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 2.1 apg), F Sage Smeltz (sr., 14.8 ppg, 7.9 rpg)
Key reserves: None
Fun Facts: Vikings are in PIAA playoffs for first time since 2015. … Game time was moved from 7 p.m. to 5 p.m. due to Williams Valley also hosting musical “Mamma Mia!” this weekend, with opening show tonight at 8 p.m.
Game Notes / Breakdown
Game has a chance to be a 3-point shooting contest as both teams like to shoot the 3-pointer. Kasper had six 3s in Vikings’ win over Marian, scoring game-high 20 points. Panthers had seven 3s in loss to Muncy, with Beebe hitting four and Mallorie Maynard two. …… Beebe, Lillie Maynard and VanDerMark average in double figures (exact averages weren’t available). Panthers like to get up and down the court. ….. Williams Valley must be aggressive with its zone defense like it has in recent games and rebound well. A similar formula used in win over Marian could be game plan vs. Panthers.
Class AA First Round
11-2 Marian (21-4) vs. 12-2 MaST Charter II (2-3)
When: Today, 5:30 p.m.
Where: Bensalem HS
GPS Address: 4319 Hulmeville Rd, Bensalem, PA 19020
Tickets: All tickets are $8 (plus applicable fees) and must be purchased online at www.piaa.org. All spectators must purchase a ticket. There is no senior citizen discount.
Up Next: Winner faces either 4-1 Muncy (20-5) or 2-2 Elk Lake (22-3) in Tuesday’s second round
About Marian
Nickname: Fillies
Head coach: Damian Fritz
How they got here: Top seed in District 11 AA Tournament, Fillies defeated Shenandoah Valley 42-24 before losing to Williams Valley 34-30 in district final
Starting five: G Deanna Pugh (5-5 soph., 11.5 ppg, 34 3-pointers, 63 assists, 96 steals), G Carley Hasara (5-7 sr., 1.9 ppg), G Addy Fritz (5-11 jr., 14.2 ppg, 61 3-pointers, 5.1 rpg, 59 assists), F Olivia Serfass (5-10 jr., 11.0 ppg, 15 3-pointers, 5.9 rpg, 54 assists, 64 steals), F Addy Marek (5-11 fr., 10.1 ppg, 30 3-pointers, 7.1 rpg, 76 assists),
Key reserves: F Olivia Thomas (5-10 sr., 1.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg), G Emily Carone (5-6 soph., 2.6 ppg), G Brooke Hannis-Miskar (5-7 soph., 1.4 ppg), F Sophia Serfass (5-10 fr., 1.2 ppg, 1.9 rpg)
Fun Facts: Fillies are in PIAA playoffs for fourth straight year and has won at least one game in past three trips. Defeated Northeast Bradford 54-42 and Northern Lehigh 55-54 to reach Class AA quarterfinals last season before falling to District 6 champ and state runner-up Marion Center.
About MaST Charter II
Nickname: Voyagers
Head coach: Taylor Dillon
Team Information: Voyagers have record of 2-3 on MaxPreps, with wins over Jules E. Mastbaum Vo-Tech (43-11) and Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush (34-13) and losses to Frankford (44-16), Mariana Bracetti Academy (34-29) and Freire Charter (80-8). Dillon reports the Voyagers went 9-2 in regular season and are 11-3 after playoffs.
Key Players: C Jordyn Bolds (5-10 sr.), PG Asha Kaba (5-6 fr.), G Eva Foster (5-2 soph.)
Remainder of roster: F Jess Tanio (5-6 sr.), F Ervisa Canole (5-9 jr.), C Sam Rios (6-0 soph.), F Liliya Verdanidze (5-8 soph.), F Trinity Birkholz (5-8 soph.), F Ava Foster (5-7 soph.), F Mama Fofana (5-4 soph.), G Shanila Ramirez (5-2 fr.), G Maleehah Johnson (5-2 fr.), G Milana Verdanidze (5-5 fr.), F Gabby Williams (5-6 fr.), G Ida Hansford (5-0 fr.)
Fun Facts: Voyagers are in state playoffs for third straight season. Last season, MaST Charter II went 13-12 and was District 12 champion, losing 79-16 to Northern Lehigh in first round. In 2022, MaST went 8-8 and was District 12 runner-up, losing 76-9 to Marian in opening round.
Game Breakdown
Fillies enter as a heavy favorite, with a score similar to the Voyagers’ last two trips to PIAA playoffs possible. …. MaST Charter II roster includes two seniors and one junior, with six sophomores and six freshmen. So, a very young team. … Fillies need to get their offense going, especially freshman Marek, who scored just two points in the district tournament and was scoreless in the district final. … Fillies are 89-19 in three-plus seasons with Fritz at the helm, 4-3 in state playoff games. … While Marian is heavily favored to win opener, Fillies have some heavyweights waiting down the tournament trail. Both District 4 champion Muncy (20-5) and District 2 runner-up Elk Lake (22-3) are formidable foes, while District 3 champion York Catholic (22-2) and District 5 champ Berlin Brothersvalley (22-2) loom as possible opponents in quarterfinals.
Class 3A First Round
11-2 Schuylkill Haven (22-6) vs. 12-4 William W. Bodine (9-7)
When: Today, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Martz Hall, Pottsville
Tickets: All tickets are $8 (plus applicable fees) and must be purchased online at www.piaa.org. All spectators must purchase a ticket. There is no senior citizen discount.
Radio: WAVT 1360 AM/105.9 FM
Up Next: Winner faces either 3-2 Pequea Valley (22-3) or 12-3 Masterman (12-11) in Tuesday’s second round
About Schuylkill Haven
Nickname: Hurricanes
Head coach: Tony Sanders
How they got here: Second seed in District 11 Tournament, Hurricanes defeated Mahanoy Area 46-26 and New Hope-Solebury 51-26 before losing to top-seeded Notre Dame-Green Pond 32-28 in championship game
Projected starting five: G Audrey Hutchinson (jr., 7.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 5.0 steals per game), G Kylie Siket (soph., 6.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.3 apg, 3.5 steals per game), G Alea Porter (sr., 7.5 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 4.0 steals per game), F Anna Schaeffer (sr., 7.3 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 2.5 apg, 4.1 steals per game), F Mckenna Runkle (soph., 11.2 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 3.1 apg, 4.9 steals per game)
Key reserves: F Kelly Ulsh (soph., 2.3 ppg), G Ava Terefencko (soph., 2.7 ppg), G Taylor Haag (soph.), G Lilly McDonald (soph.)
Fun Facts: Hurricanes have won 11 of last 13. Captured first-ever Schuylkill League championship with victories over Lourdes, Marian and North Schuylkill. Haven is 5-0 this season at Martz Hall. Hurricanes are in PIAA playoffs for first time since 1986 when they lost 61-59 to Elk Lake in first round.
About William W. Bodine
Nickname: Ambassadors
Head coach: Michael Schieber
How they got here: Fourth seed from District 12
Projected Starting Five: F/C Hanifah El-Martini (5-8 sr., 10 ppg), F/C Kaylin Manley (5-4 soph., 5 ppg), G Alina Smith (5-1 soph., 5 ppg), G Savannah Farlow (5-4 soph., 4 ppg), G Mayonna Smith-Flowers (5-4 fr., 4 ppg)
Key reserves: F Ana Perez (5-4 sr., 2 ppg), F Kiyari Taylor (5-3 soph., 1 ppg), F Ulani McKie (5-5 jr., 1 ppg), G Jade Haynes (5-0 jr., 1 ppg)
Fun Facts: Officially called William W. Bodine High School for International Affairs, school is located on North 4th Street in Philadelphia. … Ambassadors compete in Liberty Division of Philadelphia Public League. … Schieber is also school’s athletic director and director of recruitment.
Game Notes / Breakdown
Ambassadors’ schedule posted on MaxPreps lists their last game as Feb. 11. If correct, Bodine hasn’t played in 24 days. … Bodine suffered losses this season to Germantown Friends (49-3) and Abraham Lincoln (45-9) in which it was held to single digits. … Schuylkill Haven returns to its home away from home, Martz Hall, where the Hurricanes are 5-0 so far this season. How quickly Bodine adapts to Martz Hall setting will be a big factor. … Hurricanes need to continue to play their aggressive defense, generate offense from defense and gain momentum from what should be a large crowd. … Pottsville faces Penncrest in Class 5A boys’ first-round game in first game of doubleheader.
