Mostly everybody who we expected to win in the first round did. Doubt there will be any second round surprises, but let's take a look anyway.
8 Howard vs. 9 Sussex Tech - Historical season for the Wildcats - first flight B title since 1998 (when young Gate was a student there) and the first Blue Hen Conference title in school history. Ronnasia Blatch-Huggins is the girl who gets the headlines and rightfully so - 6 feet even, can hit the outside shot and work in the paint. Kayla Rouse is her tag team partner on the block and when she plays well, Howard wins. Guards are gonna win or lose this game for either side - Aliyah Browning and Jayla Mullen vs. Na'Leigha Wright and Jaymail Hollis will determine who's moving on to the Bob who's going home. I'm a bus ride truther and Georgetown to the East Side of Wilmington is a HIKE. Can Tech overcome it? We'll see. For now, I'll take Howard in a squeaker 61-59.
7 Ursuline vs. 10 Padua - separated by three blocks and some championships, Padua's coming off an 80-20 demolition of Dickinson, which served as a scrimmage, basically. Ursuline needs all the rest they can get with Liv Mason and Kay Wulah battling knee injuries. Can Maggie Connolly will Ursuline to the Bob one more time? I say yes. Ursuline 53-44.
6 St. E vs. 11 Archmere - Archmere gives St. E the blues every time they play and while Ber'Nyah Ward-Mayo is a different kind of scorer than Zhan'e Snow, St. E has WAY better talent around her than Concord did Snow. Can Archmere keep track of Ber'Nyah AND hold down the Lee sisters, who had a story in the News Journal today that makes you want to root for them all the way through? My gut says take Archmere, but my head says St. E and I will go with my brain - Vikings take it 56-40.
5 St. Thomas More vs. 21 Sussex Central - A lot has happened since these two tipped off the season in early December. STMA finished 15-4 while Central needed a regular season finale win over Woodbridge to get in. Central benefited from the reseeding by drubbing Newark Charter, but it won't be that easy against Kayla and DahNaijah Barnes. I think STMA's learned from that earlier meeting, so I'll take the other Ravens 50-41.
4 Hodgson vs. 20 St. Mark's - St. Mark's lost a close game to Hodgson 42-38, but the Silver Eagles likely will runaway with this one - too much scoring (Kayla Braxton-Young and Ja-Naiah Perkins-Jackson) and better athletes on defense. Hodgson makes it two Vo-Tech schools at the Bob, 61-39.
3 Conrad vs. 14 Wilmington Christian - a wonderful story out on upper Lancaster Pike - the Warriors made the tournament AND won a game for the first time since GW Bush's 2nd term. This is where the joyride stops, as Conrad had the Kulesza sisters, Ny Whittlesey on the block and complementary role players. Red Wolves win 70-33.
2 Sanford vs. 18 CR - I like CR a lot. Sanford's missing Allie Kubek. Perfect storm? Unlikely, but it'll be close for about 2 1/2 quarters. Sanford wins 75-59.
1 Caravel vs. 16 St. Georges - the young Hawks won the first tournament game in school history Tuesday over Woodbridge, so they have that going for them. Caravel has everything else going for them and with the pressure on to win the championship this year, St. George's is facing a maroon and white buzzsaw. Bucs win 68-30.
8 Howard vs. 9 Sussex Tech - Historical season for the Wildcats - first flight B title since 1998 (when young Gate was a student there) and the first Blue Hen Conference title in school history. Ronnasia Blatch-Huggins is the girl who gets the headlines and rightfully so - 6 feet even, can hit the outside shot and work in the paint. Kayla Rouse is her tag team partner on the block and when she plays well, Howard wins. Guards are gonna win or lose this game for either side - Aliyah Browning and Jayla Mullen vs. Na'Leigha Wright and Jaymail Hollis will determine who's moving on to the Bob who's going home. I'm a bus ride truther and Georgetown to the East Side of Wilmington is a HIKE. Can Tech overcome it? We'll see. For now, I'll take Howard in a squeaker 61-59.
7 Ursuline vs. 10 Padua - separated by three blocks and some championships, Padua's coming off an 80-20 demolition of Dickinson, which served as a scrimmage, basically. Ursuline needs all the rest they can get with Liv Mason and Kay Wulah battling knee injuries. Can Maggie Connolly will Ursuline to the Bob one more time? I say yes. Ursuline 53-44.
6 St. E vs. 11 Archmere - Archmere gives St. E the blues every time they play and while Ber'Nyah Ward-Mayo is a different kind of scorer than Zhan'e Snow, St. E has WAY better talent around her than Concord did Snow. Can Archmere keep track of Ber'Nyah AND hold down the Lee sisters, who had a story in the News Journal today that makes you want to root for them all the way through? My gut says take Archmere, but my head says St. E and I will go with my brain - Vikings take it 56-40.
5 St. Thomas More vs. 21 Sussex Central - A lot has happened since these two tipped off the season in early December. STMA finished 15-4 while Central needed a regular season finale win over Woodbridge to get in. Central benefited from the reseeding by drubbing Newark Charter, but it won't be that easy against Kayla and DahNaijah Barnes. I think STMA's learned from that earlier meeting, so I'll take the other Ravens 50-41.
4 Hodgson vs. 20 St. Mark's - St. Mark's lost a close game to Hodgson 42-38, but the Silver Eagles likely will runaway with this one - too much scoring (Kayla Braxton-Young and Ja-Naiah Perkins-Jackson) and better athletes on defense. Hodgson makes it two Vo-Tech schools at the Bob, 61-39.
3 Conrad vs. 14 Wilmington Christian - a wonderful story out on upper Lancaster Pike - the Warriors made the tournament AND won a game for the first time since GW Bush's 2nd term. This is where the joyride stops, as Conrad had the Kulesza sisters, Ny Whittlesey on the block and complementary role players. Red Wolves win 70-33.
2 Sanford vs. 18 CR - I like CR a lot. Sanford's missing Allie Kubek. Perfect storm? Unlikely, but it'll be close for about 2 1/2 quarters. Sanford wins 75-59.
1 Caravel vs. 16 St. Georges - the young Hawks won the first tournament game in school history Tuesday over Woodbridge, so they have that going for them. Caravel has everything else going for them and with the pressure on to win the championship this year, St. George's is facing a maroon and white buzzsaw. Bucs win 68-30.
