If you like rematches, you’ll love the first round of the District 3 Quad-A boys basketball playoffs, where four Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 1 rivals will meet again — this time with their seasons on the line.
In back-to-back games at Conestoga Valley on Feb. 21, Section 1 champ McCaskey, the No. 7 seed, will take on Warwick, the 10th seed, followed by Manheim Township, the No. 6 seed, meeting Penn Manor, the 11th seed.
This is the third year in a row McCaskey and Warwick will tangle in the first round of Districts.
The Warriors shocked the Red Tornado two years ago. Last season McCaskey knocked off Warwick on the way to the district semifinals.
McCaskey and Warwick spilt their series this season: Warwick won 56-52 at home on Jan. 16, and McCaskey won 64-58 at home on Feb. 2.
Manheim Township and Penn Manor also split their series this season: Penn Manor won the opener 72-58 on Jan. 16 at Township, and the Blue Streaks won 70-63 on Feb. 2 in Millersville.
In another rematch featuring L-L League teams, Section 4 champ Lancaster Catholic, the No. 9 seed, will take on Lampeter-Strasburg, the No. 8 seed, in a Triple-A first-round game on Feb. 20 at Garden Spot.
The Crusaders topped the Pioneers 69-59 in a crossover game on Jan. 22 at Catholic.
L-L League and CCAC teams are well represented in Districts, with 19 teams in the field.
No local team earned a No. 1 seed, and several local teams must win pigtail games this weekend to advance into the 16-team brackets.
Those first-round games begin Feb. 20.
Here’s a closer look:
QUAD-A
McCaskey, Warwick, Manheim Township and Penn Manor will all play against each other, while Hempfield (No. 13 seed), Solanco (14) and Cedar Crest (18) must win pigtail games Friday to get in.
Hempfield will host York High (20), and the winner gets Reading (4) on Feb. 21.
Cedar Crest is at Cumberland Valley (15), and the winner gets Red Lion (2) on Feb. 21.
And Solanco, the Section 2 champ, will welcome Mechanicsburg (19), with the winner getting Wilson (3) on Feb. 21.
The No. 1 seed is Harrisburg.
TRIPLE-A
Joining Catholic and L-S in the field are Lancaster Mennonite (16) and Lebanon (5).
The Blazers will host Oley Valley (17) in a pigtail game on Friday, and the winner gets West York, the No. 1 seed, on Feb. 20.
Lebanon, the Section 3 champ, will take on Greencastle-Antrim (12) on Feb. 20.
DOUBLE-A
Just three L-L League teams in this bracket — Annville-Cleona (3), Columbia (8) and Pequea Valley (11).
In first-round games on Feb. 21, A-C will take on Wyomissing (14), Columbia will meet Biglerville (9) and Pequea Valley will square off against Milton Hershey.
The No. 1 seed is York Catholic, and that’s who Columbia would get if the Crimson Tide gets past Biglerville.
SINGLE-A
Mount Calvary has the best seed among the local teams (7), and will face another local team, No. 10 Living Word Academy, in the first round on Feb. 20.
Meanwhile, No. 9 Lancaster Christian will take on Millersburg (8); No. 12 Lancaster Country Day will meet High Point (5); No. 13 Dayspring Academy will face Scotland (4); and Lebanon Catholic (16) gets top seeded Greenwood in first-round games on Feb. 20.
JEFFREY REINHART
