Howdy, Chris,

I don't normally write letters to the editor but I can't let this one pass by without raising a few issues.

Last week's rundown of the top athletes at South Western was the epitome of what's wrong with this series. You've got young reporters and the people being used for references are young and don't have a clue who played what sport in the years prior to the 80's and as a result, you're missing some of the toughest athletes ever from that
school. You're also missing an important aspect with football in particular.

Posted in Prep sports YAIAA basketball YAIAA football Your Take

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Because it's summer and the prep sports scene is in hibernation, here is a link to a list from a web site ranking what they consider to be the top high school basketball players in Eastern Pennsylvania, Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey. The list was published in late March after the 2007-08 season.

I don't know how reputable a publication Hoop Scoop is, but it's notable that they listed a few YAIAA players fairly high, if only because it gives people like me and you a jumping off point to discuss their value.

The list breaks down the top players by class, and there are six returning players that particularly caught my eye because they cracked the top 100. Those names and my analysis of their past performances and potential after the jump.

Posted in Prep sports Sean McLernon YAIAA basketball

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There's little doubt to what the story of the day was here today in York County. Over the weekend, more than 20 teens -- most from York Catholic High School -- were cited for underage drinking at a party in East Hopewell Township.

Those cited, police said, included some notable York Catholic student-athletes -- Kelly Rhein, Jacob Iati, Angelina Ortenzio, Nick Falci and Steph Carr among them.

Whatever you might think of the news value and repercussions of this story, you can't deny that it has people talking. As of 7:40 p.m., there were already 144 reader comments tacked on to the story. Those comments themselves became part of the story and part of the community discussion. It would take you quite a while to read through all of them.

Here are 10 comments (lightly edited) that I thought were particularly illuminating or thought-provoking (though I don't necessarily agree with all of them):

Posted in Local sports Prep sports Sports Editor's Realm YAIAA basketball

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So if a York Catholic team that lost four of it's five starters can manage to win another YAIAA, District 3 and PIAA Class AA championships and goes 34-1, what happens when the program returns three of its starters, including the two leading scorers?

In other words, how can the Fighting Irish be considered anything but heavy favorites to win the school's fourth consecutive state title in girls' basketball?

"I think they can do it," senior Ashton Bankos said. "They have an extreme amount of talent on that team. You have Kady (Schrann), you have the McGanns. You have Brittany (Hicks). And then you have all those other players that didn't get as much playing time, but they work so hard at practice and they are going to be able to play so hard."

Posted in Our Take Prep sports Sean McLernon YAIAA basketball

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"I really want to play my computer games because I didn't get to play all week," Schrann said of her plans to celebrate Friday's 52-40 PIAA Class AA championship victory?

Computer games? Why didn't you get to play all week?

"I had homework," Schrann said. "My mom is really strict about it, so I couldn't play."

Posted in Our Take Prep sports Sean McLernon YAIAA basketball

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A final look at the 52-40 York Catholic state championship victory before I get to work on some material for tomorrow's 50-cent edition.

York Catholic had four players score at least nine points. Kady Schrann led the way with 12, Ashton Bankos scored 11, Jenny McGann had 10 and Brittany Hicks finished with nine, all in the first half.

Kelly Rhein was the game-high rebounder with nine, helping the Irish narrowly outrebound the Colts 29-28. Northern Cambria had a slight edge on turnovers, however, forcing 20 and giving up only 19.

The most glaring difference in the team's numbers? That would be field goal percentage.

Posted in Our Take Prep sports Sean McLernon YAIAA basketball

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York Catholic graduated four starters from a two-time state championship team. It is impossible to fathom they could win a third one.

You just don’t do that in high school basketball.

But that is exactly what the Irish did on Friday when they defeated Northern Cambria, 52-40.

Here in the media room at Bucknell, where I am covering the PIAA swimming and diving championships, I watched the Irish girls on TV and, quite frankly, I am absolutely amazed.

Posted in Prep sports Steve Navaroli YAIAA basketball

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The buzzer just sounded. The final score: York Catholic 52, Northern Cambria 40.

That's three consecutive PIAA Class AA state titles. Over the past three seasons, York Catholic has a 103-2 record.

And with three starters coming back, including top two scorers Kady Schrann and Brittany Hicks, it won't be much of a surprise if the Irish make it four in 2009.

Posted in Our Take Prep sports Sean McLernon YAIAA basketball

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A basket in the post by Kelly Rhein, a runner from Kady Schrann and several defensive stops has made the score 46-31 in favor of York Catholic with 3 minutes remaining in the game.

Northern Cambria has yet to score a point in the fourth quarter.

Posted in Our Take Prep sports Sean McLernon YAIAA basketball

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The first 1:38 of the fourth quarter has been sloppy on both sides, but the Irish are still finding ways to increase their lead.

Mary McGann hit a 3-pointer from the left wing to make the score 42-31. Northern Cambria's Jen Valeria picked up a steal at midcourt and had what looked like was going to be an easy layup, but Kelly Rhein came sprinting up and Valeria missed the shot.

You can credit Rhein with an intimidation on that play. It's too bad they don't keep statistics on that.

Posted in Our Take Prep sports Sean McLernon YAIAA basketball

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Photos by Christopher Glass

Posted in Prep sports Sean McLernon YAIAA basketball

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York Catholic is inching closer and closer to its third straight title.

The Irish turned a seven-point halftime lead into an eight-point advantage at the end of three quarters after Northern Cambria's Brenna Kochinsky's 30-foot heave at the buzzer was just off the mark, bouncing off the backboard and the rim.

Kelly Rhein scored the last basket of the quarter, which should be her first points of the game.

Posted in Our Take Prep sports Sean McLernon YAIAA basketball

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The Irish are still leading, taking a 37-29 advantage. York Catholic coach Kevin Bankos called a timeout with 3:54 left in the quarter.

Schrann and Bankos have both cracked double digits, with 10 points each so far.

Posted in Our Take Prep sports Sean McLernon YAIAA basketball

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Hicks is the leader for the Irish with nine points on 3-of-6 shooting. Schrann has eight and Bankos has eight as well. Northern Cambria is lead by Brittany Sedlock's eight points.

York Catholic has the advantage on turnovers, committing only six and forcing 10, but the Colts are outrebounding the Irish 14-13.

The Colts are shooting slightly better than the Irish, 43 percent to 42 percent, but York Catholic is a perfect 6-of-6 from the foul line.

There also aren't any Irish players in foul trouble. Hicks is the only player to have more than one foul, finishing the half with two.

Posted in Our Take Prep sports Sean McLernon YAIAA basketball

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During my conversation with York Catholic athletic director Rick Luckman before today’s game he said then when he coached with former YC boys’ basketball coach Mike Keesey, he would always say that the first portion of the third quarter was “the most important 4 minutes” of the basketball game.

Luckman presented the rationale like this: If you have a big lead, it gives you a chance to close out the opponent. If you are trailing, it gives you a chance to get back into the game before it’s too late. If the game is close, it gives you a chance to get a big edge down the stretch.

In this case, it would seem like the Irish need to stop the Colts from making a similar run to their own against Trinity on Tuesday. This is where Northern Cambria's inexperience could show.

Posted in Our Take Prep sports Sean McLernon YAIAA basketball

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It didn't take the Irish long to find their shooting stroke.

After that mediocre first quarter, York Catholic racked up 20 points over the next eight minutes to establish a relatively comfortable eight-point lead at the half.

Those McGann field goals and Schrann free throws midway through the quarter gave the Irish their first multi-possesion lead of the game and an Ashton Bankos layup pushed the lead to 26-18. York Catholic stayed stong from that point on, answering every Northern Cambrian basket with one of its own.

Kady Schrann hit a long basket with about a minute left in the half to make it 30-23, and put up another attempt from long-range at the buzzer, but her shot feel short.

Posted in Our Take Prep sports Sean McLernon YAIAA basketball

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With 4:33 remaining in the second quarter, Northern Cambria called a timeout with the Irish leading 23-18. Kady Schrann is on the foul line and has another free throw to shoot after making her first.

After the Colts took an 18-17 lead, the Irish answered back with a Jenny McGann jumper, a defensive stop, a McGann 3-pointer, a Schrann steal and then the freshman’s free throw.

Posted in Our Take Prep sports Sean McLernon YAIAA basketball

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After Northern Cambria upped its lead to 16-11, York Catholic sophomore Brittany Hicks responded.

The 5-foot-8 forward hit a pair of jump shots on consecutive possesions and then came up with a steal, drove to the basket, drew a foul and hit both foul shots to put the Irish ahead 17-16.

Hicks has nine points so far.

Posted in Our Take Prep sports Sean McLernon YAIAA basketball

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The Fighting Irish have missed a handful of wide-open looks, including a couple of layups, but are still keeping it close after one quarter of play.

Kelly Rhein has been strong on the boards, already grabbing four rebounds, but Northern Cambria has picked up their share of offensive rebounds and had at least four second-chance points.

York Catholic has elected to penetrate on most of its offensive possessions against the Northern Cambria man-to-man defense, but the Irish have struggled to convert their chances.

Posted in Our Take Prep sports Sean McLernon YAIAA basketball

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About two minutes after the Northern Cambria team stepped out on the court for warmups, the Fighting Irish emerged from their locker room to an eruption of cheers from behind their bench.

I'm not sure if this was planned or not, but the girls walked casually past the Colts to their warm-up basket, maintaining a slow pace the whole time. None of them looked at the crowd. Some of them talked to each other and their were a few smiles here and there. But most of them were emotionless, staring straight ahead.