Archbishop Wood

Jim Ricci and his Archbishop Wood girls' basketball players don't play basketball for the games in December. And they don't play for the games in January, or even in the first week or two of February. So that opening-season win over Bishop Ford? Yeah, it was nice. And losing only once during the Catholic League regular season? That was good, too. But the Vikings have bigger things in mind, such as defending their Class AAA state championship. Saturday at Archbishop Carroll, they took their first step toward that, defeating Pope John Paul II, 60-39, in the opening round of the PIAA tournament.

Friday night, Prep Charter and Cardinal O'Hara captured Division 12 girls' basketball titles, in the AAA and AAAA classes, respectively. The Huskies overcame Archbishop Wood, 47-41, while the Lions beat Central, 60-10. Prep Charter led the whole game, only allowing the Vikings to tie the game once, but the Huskies pulled away behind a 22-point effort from Hannah Timmons. The victory marked Prep Charter's second straight District 12 title and Ciani Cryor's second straight MVP performance.

Huddled even before warm-ups had begun, the four seniors on the Cardinal O'Hara girls' basketball team looked focused Monday night at the Palestra. Shanice Johnson, Mackenzie Rule, Libby Lannon, and Lisa Mintzer were all business, calmly talking with one another about their game plan. It had a simple objective, Lannon explained after the game. The pregame powwow was to discuss how the seniors would "lead by example, come together, and play hard. " Play hard they did, as the Lions went on to defeat Archbishop Wood, 31-25, in the Catholic League championship game.

By coach Jim Ricci's count, senior guard Jackie Pierson played about 28 minutes Thursday night. "Make sure she is in the game," Ricci had told his assistant coaches. Why did the Archbishop Wood girls' basketball team need Pierson in the game so badly? Because when she wasn't playing in the Catholic League semifinal against Archbishop Ryan, there was a noticeable difference. Pierson's presence was felt most on the defensive end, since she was tasked with marking Kalene Coffey, Ryan's standout senior guard.

Boys' Basketball CATHOLIC LEAGUE St. Joseph's Prep 63, Conwell-Egan 31 Roman Catholic 71, Cardinal O'Hara 39 Archbishop Carroll 54, Father Judge 40 Bishop McDevitt 56, Bonner-Prendergast 45 Neumann-Goretti 68, Archbishop Wood 58 Lansdale Catholic 58, West Catholic 42 Archbishop Ryan 57, La Salle 56 INTER-AC LEAGUE Germantown Acad 61, Episcopal Academy 39 SUBURBAN ONE AMERICAN Norristown 59, Cheltenham 38...

PAT SMITH can remember missing numerous shots as a youngster, and that many did not even hit the rim. Know why? There wasn't one. All part of dad's master plan. "When I was growing up," Smith said, "I didn't even shoot at a basket half the time. He'd make me grab the ball and just let it go. Make sure my hands were right. Make sure my release was right. Make sure my rotation was right. "He always stressed fundamentals. You had to have those. " Brian Smith, Pat's father, would have enjoyed himself immensely Monday night while watching a Catholic League basketball game involving his son's team, Archbishop Wood, and host Conwell-Egan.

1. MC&S Charter 16-0 2. Imhotep Charter 14-3 3. Ss. Neumann-Goretti 11-4 4. St. Joseph's Prep 13-3 5. Germantown Academy 14-4 6. Roman Catholic 11-4 7. Martin Luther King 16-0 8. La Salle 12-4 9. Archbishop Carroll 13-3 10. Roberts Vaux 10-5 Under Consideration: Communications Tech (9-4), Haverford School (13-5), Archbishop Ryan (12-4), Archbishop Wood (8-6).

The awards are piling up for Archbishop Wood's Fran Walsh. The senior two-way lineman received the Robert W. Maxwell Memorial Football Club's Jim Henry Award on Wednesday morning at an assembly in Wood's auditorium. Last Thursday, the 6-foot-1, 240-pound senior was selected as the Maxwell Club's high school player of the year for Pennsylvania. The Jim Henry Award is given annually to the Pennsylvania or New Jersey high school player who excels in both athletics and academics, and serves his school and community.