Super-early boys basketball thoughts for next year.
Posted: March 29th, 2018, 1:17 pm
District 6 sent its first boys team to a state championship game this year since 2005. Can there be a repeat of a local team going to Hershey? I'm just starting a thread of teams that, "hey maybe if the chips fall correctly they could do it." Nothing serious, but just a "for fun" idea. Basketball season is a loooooong ways away.
Class A
Bishop Carroll - The Huskies made it to the Western Final this year before losing to eventual state champion Kennedy Catholic. Do they have enough to get back to that point? I think so. 4/5 top scorers will be back including leading scorer Tristan McDannell.
Shade - The Panthers only had one senior on the roster this past season that saw them go 24-4. The Panthers return a lethal duo of Brady Fyfe and Vincent Fyock. They should be right there.
Shanksville - Lose 4 starters, and the Vikings still won 20 games and made it to the Elite 8. Robert Snyder is as good as they come. The Vikings will have five starters back next year including the sensational Dawson Snyder.
Class AA
I actually don't see a AA team having what it takes to make a run to Hershey. Bishop Guilfoyle should be tough to beat in D6, and Conemaugh Township should be the team to beat in D5. I don't think either team stacks up with Sewickley or OLSH out of District 7 though.
Class AAA
Ligonier Valley - Probably not a better returning duo in the area than Marrek Paola and Michael Marinchak. The Rams won D6 this year, and went toe to toe with Lancaster Mennonite in the first round of states and beat Richland in the D6 final. Those two teams went deep into states, and Ligonier was right there with them. Wouldn't shock me if they make a little run next season. Heard there is a younger Marinchak coming up through the system, that's apparently as good as Michael.
Richland - Replacing this senior class is going to be tough. But Caleb Burke and Collin Instone is a good foundation.
Class A
Bishop Carroll - The Huskies made it to the Western Final this year before losing to eventual state champion Kennedy Catholic. Do they have enough to get back to that point? I think so. 4/5 top scorers will be back including leading scorer Tristan McDannell.
Shade - The Panthers only had one senior on the roster this past season that saw them go 24-4. The Panthers return a lethal duo of Brady Fyfe and Vincent Fyock. They should be right there.
Shanksville - Lose 4 starters, and the Vikings still won 20 games and made it to the Elite 8. Robert Snyder is as good as they come. The Vikings will have five starters back next year including the sensational Dawson Snyder.
Class AA
I actually don't see a AA team having what it takes to make a run to Hershey. Bishop Guilfoyle should be tough to beat in D6, and Conemaugh Township should be the team to beat in D5. I don't think either team stacks up with Sewickley or OLSH out of District 7 though.
Class AAA
Ligonier Valley - Probably not a better returning duo in the area than Marrek Paola and Michael Marinchak. The Rams won D6 this year, and went toe to toe with Lancaster Mennonite in the first round of states and beat Richland in the D6 final. Those two teams went deep into states, and Ligonier was right there with them. Wouldn't shock me if they make a little run next season. Heard there is a younger Marinchak coming up through the system, that's apparently as good as Michael.
Richland - Replacing this senior class is going to be tough. But Caleb Burke and Collin Instone is a good foundation.