Alas, unabashed chest-pounding is not advised, because D-12 remains sorely lacking in the most important classification, AAAA.
None of its titles has come therein, and no teams have advanced as far as a final. D-1, meanwhile, enjoyed big-school success by Lower Merion in 2006, Chester in '08, Penn Wood in '09, Plymouth-Whitemarsh in '10 and Chester again in '11.
Will things change this year? Doubtful. Chester enters the tournament perfect at 27-0, and a team that, perhaps, could have caused some consternation because of its three-point sniping, St. Joseph's Prep, is without star junior Miles Overton (thumb surgery).
Anyway, D-12 has 15 entrants - four apiece in AAAA and AAA, five in AA and two in A. All will play tonight or tomorrow in locales near or somewhat far. Last year, the first round produced a 10-5 record.
N-G, off its fourth consecutive CL crown, must be considered a favorite in AAA. Though MC & S is lurking, entertaining many thoughts of revenge, Constitution looks good in A. Class AA is something of a mishmash, but maybe some squad will get hot.
One last tidbit: The PIAA went to four classifications for the 1983-84 season. District 1 captured 18 titles in the 28 campaigns through '11. All but four came at the AAAA level, with Chester bagging six of them.
The first-round schedule for D-12 teams:
TONIGHT
CLASS A FIRST ROUND
Camp Hill (3-3) vs. Constitution (12-1), at Southern, 7:30
Math, Civics & Sciences (12-2) vs. Pius X (11-1), at Easton Area Middle School, 7:30
CLASS AAA FIRST ROUND
Greencastle-Antrim (3-6) vs. Neumann-Goretti (12-1), at Ryan, 7
Pope John Paul II (1-3) vs. Boys' Latin (12-2), at Southern, 6
Carroll (12-3) vs. Trinity (3-2), at Milton Hershey, 6:30
Phila. Electrical (12-4) vs. Berks Catholic (3-1), at Gov. Mifflin Int. School, Shillington, 7:30
TOMORROW
CLASS AA FIRST ROUND
Columbia (3-3) vs. Comm Tech (12-1), at Southern, 6
Shenandoah Valley (11-2) vs. McDevitt (12-2), at Ryan, 3:30
Vaux (12-3) vs. York Catholic (3-2), at New Oxford, 6
Imhotep (12-4) vs. Delone Catholic (3-1), at New Oxford, 7:30
Del-Val Charter (12-5) vs. Pine Grove (11-1), at Martz Hall, Pottsville, 4:30
CLASS AAAA FIRST ROUND
C.B. West (1-8) vs. SJ Prep (12-1), at Ryan, 5
Central Dauphin East (3-4) vs. Bartram (12-2), at Southern, 3
Roman (12-3) vs. Parkland (11-2), at Bethlehem Freedom, 4:30
Fels (12-4) vs. Harrisburg (3-2), at Milton Hershey, 4:30
Contact Ted Silary at silary@phillynews.com.
Online high school coverage at philly.com/rally.
