GIRLS BASKETBALL: Philadelphia Catholic League Quarterfinals Preview

The Philadelphia Catholic League playoffs start Thursday with eight teams vying for spots in the semifinals Monday Feb. 17 at Villanova University.

The Reporter/Times Herald/Montgomery Media has three teams in the PCL playoff field – No. 2 Archbishop Wood, No. 3 Archbishop Carroll and No. 4 Lansdale Catholic.

Here’s a game-by-game look at the first-round matchups.

No. 8 Conwell-Egan at No. 1 Neumann-Goretti

Neumann-Goretti went a perfect 11-0 in PCL play during the regular season. Conwell-Egan finished 4-7. The two teams faced in the regular season finale on Feb. 4. Neumann-Goretti won, 81-26.

The Saints have three players that were selected to the All-Catholic First Team – Reginna Baker, Carryn Easley and Amya Scott. Lily Milewski represents Conwell-Egan on the first team.

No. 5 Cardinal O’Hara at No. 4 Lansdale Catholic 

Lansdale Catholic finished the regular season with an 8-3 PCL record while Cardinal O’Hara went 7-4. During the regular season the two teams met on Jan. 28. LC defended its home floor and won, 51-45. It was LC’s first win over O’Hara in program history. Sanyiah Littlejohn scored 21 points in the win.

Littlejohn and Grace McDonough (nine points on Jan. 28) earned spots on the All-Catholic First Team. O’Hara’s Molly Rullo (23 points on Jan. 28) is also on the first team.

LC won the league title in 2023. O’Hara won in 2022.

 No. 6 West Catholic at No. 3 Archbishop Carroll

Archbishop Carroll went 9-2 during the PCL season. West Catholic finished 5-6. They played almost two months ago on Dec. 18, when Carroll won, 54-26.

Carroll enters the playoffs on a three-game winning streak, including two hard-fought wins against Cardinal O’Hara, 45-41, and Lansdale Catholic, 37-34.

Alexis Eberz earned a first team All-Catholic spot for the Patriots while Kayla Eberz and Abbie McFillin were second-teamers. West Catholic landed two players on the third team – Nyla Coleman and Milan Trusty.

No. 7 Nazareth Academy at No. 2 Archbishop Wood

Archbishop Wood earned the second seed with a 10-1 record in the PCL regular season. Nazareth Academy went 5-6. On Jan. 7, Wood went on the road and beat Nazareth, 63-34, behind 15 points from Ryan Carter and 12 points from Colleen Besachio.

Carter and Emily Knouse earned first-team All-Catholic honors for Wood while Sophia Topakas and Besachio, who’s out with a knee injury, are on the second team. Nazareth’s Reese Power is also on the second team.

Wood is the defending PCL champion.