D6 AA First Round Preview
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lhacbigfan
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D6 AA First Round Preview
I know Crimson did a preview already for the whole playoffs, but I am going to give a quick rundown of each game in the first round.
Monday, February 18th
#5 Northern Cambria Colts vs 12 Richland Rams at Bishop Carroll High School 7:30pm
Key Players
NC- Adam Polites (Sr, 22.3 ppg) Jeff Hogan (Sr, 13.8 ppg)
Richland- Kyle Flick (Jr, 15.4 ppg) Matt Shaffer (Jr, 12.4 ppg, 9.2 reb)
This may look like a mismatch on paper, but Richland has actually been very competitive this season. They have wins over Bishop McCort and Chestnut Ridge and a few close losses to Johnstown and Bishop Carroll. The Rams should not be taken lightly. Northern Cambria however has the experience. They return all five starters from last year's D6 A Championship team and are looking to make a return trip to the big game, but this time in AA. The road will be much tougher this year as Richland will not be an easy first round opponent. I think Richland puts up a good fight, but the Colts have been here before and know what it takes to advance. Prediction: Northern Cambria 65, Richland 57
#4 Tyrone Golden Eagles vs #13 West Branch Warriors at Hollidaysburg Senior High School, 8:00pm
Key Players
Tyrone- Brandon Gripp (Jr) Jordan Miller (Jr)
West Branch- Parker Emigh (Sr, 17.2 ppg) Kody Trude (Fr, 15.7 ppg)
This game will feature two teams that are getting hot at the right time. Since the return of sharp shooter Jordan Miller, the Golden Eagles had not lost a game and had won 10 straight before falling at Penns Valley tonight. This stretch has been more impressive for the fact that they have just dominated their opponents, including a 24 point thrashing of AA #1 seed Bald Eagle Area. West Branch started the season slow, but is also getting hot at the end of the year including a win over Bellwood-Antis. These teams do not meet often, if ever, so there will be a lot of unfamiliarity here. Brandon Gripp is one of the top players in this field, and you can not allow him to get open looks. Now that Miller has returned, it gives them a 1-2 punch of great shooting. I don't think West Branch has seen much of this in the ICC and I think they will struggle to slow them down. The Warriors will have to play a great game to win this, but Tyrone just looks too good right now.
Prediction: Tyrone 74, West Branch 59
Tuesday, February 19th
#3 Bellwood-Antis Blue Devils vs #14 Blairsville Bobcats at Central Cambria High School, 6:00pm
Key Players
Bellwood- Nathan Davis (Fr, 12.1 ppg) Steffan Wyland (Sr, 7.5 ppg)
Blairsville- Troy Williams (So, 19.1 ppg) Colton McMillan (Jr, 13.9 ppg)
Bellwood's chances to compete for the district title looked pretty good a month and a half ago after winning a holiday tournament with big wins over Tyrone and Penn Cambria. Fast forward to now, and things don't look as good for the Blue Devils after do it all senior Noah Davis went down with an injury and is expected to miss the rest of the season. However, BA has not folded and has only lost one game since his injury. Noah's brother Nathan, has picked up some of the slack for the Blue Devils and will now be counted on to lead the team as only a freshman. The competition will pick up tremendously at this point, and it is going to take a great effort for the Blue Devils to get to the finals. Their first step will be Blairsville, who is not a bad team for being seeded 14th. The top half of the Heritage Conference is tougher than people think, and the Bobcats showed their potential with a win over Northern Cambria a few weeks ago. However, they also have some head scratching losses to Penns Manor and Saltsburg that prevented them from having a higher seed. It is tough to know what to expect from Blairsville because of their inconsistency. Part of me wants to take the Bobcats for the upset, but my gut is telling me that Bellwood isn't going to lay down that easily. This should be a competitive game, but I think BA will make it through at least one round. Prediction: Bellwood-Antis 58, Blairsville 54
#6 Bishop McCort Crimson Crushers vs #11 Central Scarlet Dragons at Central Cambria High School, 8:00 pm
Key Players
McCort- Nemo Trexler (Jr, 19.6 ppg) Billy Hipp (Jr, 13.9 ppg)
Central- Austin Cunningham (Jr) Zach Slagenweit (Jr)
This might be the biggest mismatch of the first round. McCort is not your average 6 seed, and is looking to repeat as D6 AA champions. The Crushers have played a tough schedule that includes wins over Bishop Carroll and Johnstown, and tough losses to AAAA teams Hollidaysburg and Altoona, as well as WPIAL power Greensburg Central Catholic. This rugged schedule should have them prepared for these playoffs. Central is the complete opposite, having played a very average schedule in the Mountain League which is having a down year, along with beating up on some A schools in a couple tournaments. Despite having a 10-8 record, the Dragons have not beaten a team with a winning record since the season opening tip-off tournament where they took down Juniata Valley and Williamsburg. Lack of size does also not bode well for the Dragons as they are very guard oriented and will struggle to defend Trexler inside. Central will need a scorching hot shooting performance from their guards to have a shot in this game, and I don't see it happening. McCort will be too much.
Prediction: Bishop McCort 65, Central 44
#8 Marion Center Stingers vs #9 Cambria Heights Highlanders at Bishop Carroll High School, 8:00pm
Key Players
Marion Center- Todd Fetsko (Jr, 19.9 ppg, 12.6 reb) Brodey Thompson (Sr, 12.6 ppg)
Cambria Heights- Isaac Vescovi (Sr, 21.2 ppg) Nathan Bearer (Sr, 15.9 ppg)
These two teams probably don't see each other often, but they have many similarities. Both teams boast talented big men who lead their teams in scoring and rebounding. Todd Fetsko is the go to guy for the Stingers, and he will be going at it with the Highlanders Isaac Vescovi. This will be a matchup to keep an eye on throughout the night and whoever comes out on top will most likely take their teams to victory as well. Cambria Heights has played a tough LHAC schedule but did not come out on top against any of the top caliber teams. A team they did beat though, was the Stingers in-conference Heritage rivals the Northern Cambria Colts. The Highlanders can be a dangerous team if they can put it all together. Marion Center has quietly put together a 10 game winning streak and has a chance to win the Heritage if they can beat Northern Cambria on Friday. This game should be very entertaining and it could come down to the last few minutes. I think that the tough schedule is going to pay off for da Heights and put them over the top in a thriller.
Prediction: Cambria Heights 58, Marion Center 57
#7 Penns Valley Rams vs #10 Ligonier Valley Rams at Tyrone Middle School, 7:30pm
Key Players
Penns Valley- Luke Weaver (Jr) Cameron Tobias (Jr)
Ligonier Valley- Alec Bloom (Jr, 16.0 ppg, 9.3 reb) Zach Yeskey (Sr, 15.7 ppg)
This game will be another one of unfamiliarity, as these two schools are seperated by about two and a half hours. Luckily for them, they get to meet somewhere in the middle for this playoff matchup. Penns Valley won't strike you as a great team in appearance, but they get it done by gritting it out with tough defense and ball control. They prefer the game to be in the 40s and if they can keep it at their pace, they can be tough to beat. They have quietly put together a 12-5 record and have not lost to anyone who has more than 6 losses. They also got a nice win against Tyrone tonight which will do wonders for their confidence heading into this tournament. Ligonier Valley will be a tough opponent, as they might have the tallest team in the field. The presence of 6'7" Alec Bloom and 6'5" Zach Yeskey will make it tough for anyone to take the ball inside. LV will have a big height advantage and should look to make it a point to get the ball inside. PV plays tough defense, but if LV can control the paint and the boards, I like their chances in this one.
Prediction: Ligonier Valley 53, Penns Valley 46
Good Luck to all teams!
Monday, February 18th
#5 Northern Cambria Colts vs 12 Richland Rams at Bishop Carroll High School 7:30pm
Key Players
NC- Adam Polites (Sr, 22.3 ppg) Jeff Hogan (Sr, 13.8 ppg)
Richland- Kyle Flick (Jr, 15.4 ppg) Matt Shaffer (Jr, 12.4 ppg, 9.2 reb)
This may look like a mismatch on paper, but Richland has actually been very competitive this season. They have wins over Bishop McCort and Chestnut Ridge and a few close losses to Johnstown and Bishop Carroll. The Rams should not be taken lightly. Northern Cambria however has the experience. They return all five starters from last year's D6 A Championship team and are looking to make a return trip to the big game, but this time in AA. The road will be much tougher this year as Richland will not be an easy first round opponent. I think Richland puts up a good fight, but the Colts have been here before and know what it takes to advance. Prediction: Northern Cambria 65, Richland 57
#4 Tyrone Golden Eagles vs #13 West Branch Warriors at Hollidaysburg Senior High School, 8:00pm
Key Players
Tyrone- Brandon Gripp (Jr) Jordan Miller (Jr)
West Branch- Parker Emigh (Sr, 17.2 ppg) Kody Trude (Fr, 15.7 ppg)
This game will feature two teams that are getting hot at the right time. Since the return of sharp shooter Jordan Miller, the Golden Eagles had not lost a game and had won 10 straight before falling at Penns Valley tonight. This stretch has been more impressive for the fact that they have just dominated their opponents, including a 24 point thrashing of AA #1 seed Bald Eagle Area. West Branch started the season slow, but is also getting hot at the end of the year including a win over Bellwood-Antis. These teams do not meet often, if ever, so there will be a lot of unfamiliarity here. Brandon Gripp is one of the top players in this field, and you can not allow him to get open looks. Now that Miller has returned, it gives them a 1-2 punch of great shooting. I don't think West Branch has seen much of this in the ICC and I think they will struggle to slow them down. The Warriors will have to play a great game to win this, but Tyrone just looks too good right now.
Prediction: Tyrone 74, West Branch 59
Tuesday, February 19th
#3 Bellwood-Antis Blue Devils vs #14 Blairsville Bobcats at Central Cambria High School, 6:00pm
Key Players
Bellwood- Nathan Davis (Fr, 12.1 ppg) Steffan Wyland (Sr, 7.5 ppg)
Blairsville- Troy Williams (So, 19.1 ppg) Colton McMillan (Jr, 13.9 ppg)
Bellwood's chances to compete for the district title looked pretty good a month and a half ago after winning a holiday tournament with big wins over Tyrone and Penn Cambria. Fast forward to now, and things don't look as good for the Blue Devils after do it all senior Noah Davis went down with an injury and is expected to miss the rest of the season. However, BA has not folded and has only lost one game since his injury. Noah's brother Nathan, has picked up some of the slack for the Blue Devils and will now be counted on to lead the team as only a freshman. The competition will pick up tremendously at this point, and it is going to take a great effort for the Blue Devils to get to the finals. Their first step will be Blairsville, who is not a bad team for being seeded 14th. The top half of the Heritage Conference is tougher than people think, and the Bobcats showed their potential with a win over Northern Cambria a few weeks ago. However, they also have some head scratching losses to Penns Manor and Saltsburg that prevented them from having a higher seed. It is tough to know what to expect from Blairsville because of their inconsistency. Part of me wants to take the Bobcats for the upset, but my gut is telling me that Bellwood isn't going to lay down that easily. This should be a competitive game, but I think BA will make it through at least one round. Prediction: Bellwood-Antis 58, Blairsville 54
#6 Bishop McCort Crimson Crushers vs #11 Central Scarlet Dragons at Central Cambria High School, 8:00 pm
Key Players
McCort- Nemo Trexler (Jr, 19.6 ppg) Billy Hipp (Jr, 13.9 ppg)
Central- Austin Cunningham (Jr) Zach Slagenweit (Jr)
This might be the biggest mismatch of the first round. McCort is not your average 6 seed, and is looking to repeat as D6 AA champions. The Crushers have played a tough schedule that includes wins over Bishop Carroll and Johnstown, and tough losses to AAAA teams Hollidaysburg and Altoona, as well as WPIAL power Greensburg Central Catholic. This rugged schedule should have them prepared for these playoffs. Central is the complete opposite, having played a very average schedule in the Mountain League which is having a down year, along with beating up on some A schools in a couple tournaments. Despite having a 10-8 record, the Dragons have not beaten a team with a winning record since the season opening tip-off tournament where they took down Juniata Valley and Williamsburg. Lack of size does also not bode well for the Dragons as they are very guard oriented and will struggle to defend Trexler inside. Central will need a scorching hot shooting performance from their guards to have a shot in this game, and I don't see it happening. McCort will be too much.
Prediction: Bishop McCort 65, Central 44
#8 Marion Center Stingers vs #9 Cambria Heights Highlanders at Bishop Carroll High School, 8:00pm
Key Players
Marion Center- Todd Fetsko (Jr, 19.9 ppg, 12.6 reb) Brodey Thompson (Sr, 12.6 ppg)
Cambria Heights- Isaac Vescovi (Sr, 21.2 ppg) Nathan Bearer (Sr, 15.9 ppg)
These two teams probably don't see each other often, but they have many similarities. Both teams boast talented big men who lead their teams in scoring and rebounding. Todd Fetsko is the go to guy for the Stingers, and he will be going at it with the Highlanders Isaac Vescovi. This will be a matchup to keep an eye on throughout the night and whoever comes out on top will most likely take their teams to victory as well. Cambria Heights has played a tough LHAC schedule but did not come out on top against any of the top caliber teams. A team they did beat though, was the Stingers in-conference Heritage rivals the Northern Cambria Colts. The Highlanders can be a dangerous team if they can put it all together. Marion Center has quietly put together a 10 game winning streak and has a chance to win the Heritage if they can beat Northern Cambria on Friday. This game should be very entertaining and it could come down to the last few minutes. I think that the tough schedule is going to pay off for da Heights and put them over the top in a thriller.
Prediction: Cambria Heights 58, Marion Center 57
#7 Penns Valley Rams vs #10 Ligonier Valley Rams at Tyrone Middle School, 7:30pm
Key Players
Penns Valley- Luke Weaver (Jr) Cameron Tobias (Jr)
Ligonier Valley- Alec Bloom (Jr, 16.0 ppg, 9.3 reb) Zach Yeskey (Sr, 15.7 ppg)
This game will be another one of unfamiliarity, as these two schools are seperated by about two and a half hours. Luckily for them, they get to meet somewhere in the middle for this playoff matchup. Penns Valley won't strike you as a great team in appearance, but they get it done by gritting it out with tough defense and ball control. They prefer the game to be in the 40s and if they can keep it at their pace, they can be tough to beat. They have quietly put together a 12-5 record and have not lost to anyone who has more than 6 losses. They also got a nice win against Tyrone tonight which will do wonders for their confidence heading into this tournament. Ligonier Valley will be a tough opponent, as they might have the tallest team in the field. The presence of 6'7" Alec Bloom and 6'5" Zach Yeskey will make it tough for anyone to take the ball inside. LV will have a big height advantage and should look to make it a point to get the ball inside. PV plays tough defense, but if LV can control the paint and the boards, I like their chances in this one.
Prediction: Ligonier Valley 53, Penns Valley 46
Good Luck to all teams!
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Crimson's Ghost
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Re: D6 AA First Round Preview
Awesome!
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WPIAL~Titan
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Re: D6 AA First Round Preview
Fantastic previews. Well done.
"Those who say it can't be done are being interrupted by those who are doing it."
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lhacbigfan
- Official BleacherCoach
- Posts: 1718
- Joined: April 27th, 2006, 8:16 pm
Re: D6 AA First Round Preview
5-1 for the first round... Another preview to come for the quarters.