The District 3 playoffs are nearly upon us.
Admit it: You can’t wait to make the trip to the Giant Center over and over and over again. Seems like there’s a three – or four-week stretch every year when I’m in the Giant Center literally every day. Sometimes I feel like I should just pitch a tent. Heck, I could probably drive there blindfolded.
Anyway … the latest District 3 power rankings are out (thanks to Geoff at the Harrisburg Patriot-News for keeping track of all of this stuff), and the Lancaster-Lebanon League is well represented – and includes a No. 1 seed (Cedar Crest).
Here’s a look:
QUAD-A – Cedar Crest (17-2) is No. 1, McCaskey (17-2) is No. 3, Hempfield (15-4) is No. 6, Warwick (14-5) is No. 8, Manheim Township (12-7) is No. 10 and Conestoga Valley (11-8) is No. 13.
CV, the Section 2 frontrunner, needs one more victory to become playoff eligible.
McCaskey is the defending champ in this bracket. By the way, the team the Red Tornado beat last year (Red Lion) is 18-2 and ranked No. 2. Rematch, what?
Also in Quad-A, Solanco (8-11) and Garden Spot (8-11) both need to run the table to become playoff eligible. A tall task, but doable.
TRIPLE-A – Two-time defending champ Lancaster Catholic (17-2), already the Section 4 winner, is No. 3, behind top-seeded Boiling Springs (18-2) and No. 2 Muhlenberg (15-3).
Must admit that I know very little about Boiling Springs – other than that they have the very cool nickname of the Bubblers – or Muhlenberg (and I reside in Berks County, shame on me).
But I do know that neither of them has likely seen a press quite like Catholic’s. But that argument is for another day.
Back to the rankings, where Lampeter-Strasburg (14-5) is No. 9, Lebanon (13-6) is No. 14 and Lancaster Mennonite (13-6) is No. 15.
Elco (11-8) and Manheim Central (11-8) need one win apiece to become playoff eligible, but the way things are going, the Raiders and the Barons could be looking at play-in games just to get into the bracket. Fun, fun.
DOUBLE-A – Once again, just one L-L League team (Columbia, at 5-14) made the list. The Crimson Tide is currently 12th. Pequea Valley (5-14) and Annville-Cleona (3-16) could make if not enough teams finish at .500 or better. Keep your fingers crossed.
It will likely make no difference, considering two of the best teams in the state – Trinity and defending state champ York Catholic – are in this bracket. York Catholic (21-0) is No. 1, followed by the Shamrocks (15-3) – which, like the Bubblers, is one of my favorite nicknames in the state, along with the Danville Canaries and the West Philly Speedboys.
SINGLE-A – Several local teams are ranked, including Lancaster Country Day (14-3) at No. 2, Lititz Christian (12-4) at No. 4, Lancaster Christian (10-7) at No. 6, Lebanon Catholic (6-13) at No. 7, Living Word Academy (6-9) at No. 12 and Dayspring Academy (4-7) at No. 15.
Reigning champ Reading Central Catholic (15-3) is No. 1.
Lititz Christian, which reached the state playoffs for the first time in school history last season, is led by senior forward Angie Rapchinski. She’s the young lady in the photo at the top of this post, if you were wondering. I got to meet Rapchinski last year. She’s a wonderful player; a true hidden gem in Lancaster County. So when the postseason gets cranking, do yourself a favor and go and watch Lititz Christian so you can see Rapchinski. Trust me.
Get your brackets ready.
JEFFREY REINHART
