The Lancaster-Lebanon League girls basketball quarterfinals will tip off Monday, with all games starting at 7 p.m. Here’s a look at each of the four matchups.
![Breaking down the L-L League basketball playoff bracket in the 'Full Court Press' [podcast]](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mP8Xw8AAoMBgDTD2qgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=)
Section 3 runner-up Lampeter-Strasburg (7-3 L-L, 14-7 overall) at Section 1 co-champ Manheim Township (8-2, 17-4)
THE PIONEERS
Players to watch: Backcourt trio of Elaina Hostetter (9.3 points a game, 21 treys), freshman Trinity Carter (7.2, 27 treys) and Lucy Boyd (6.2, 23 treys) can all shoot it from deep and get out and run. Glass-attacker Morgan Dombach (8.4) has really come into her own as a paint presence.
Unsung heroes: Jillian Groff (6.6) can slither through traffic, and Carla Mann (4.1) helps out on the glass.
L-L playoff history: No titles for L-S, and its last championship appearance was in 2013, a loss against Lancaster Catholic. First L-L playoff trip since 2022 for the Pioneers.
Outlook: Finished tied for second in Section 3 with Manheim Central, but got in via a better District 3 power rating — 0.680 to 0.668 — and gets a rematch with Manheim Township; L-S won a nonleague clash in Neffsville 46-36 on Jan. 31. Dombach scored 14 points and Groff tacked on 12 points in that victory.
THE BLUE STREAKS
Players to watch: Sharpshooter Ciniya Robinson (17.2, 50 treys) is third in the league in scoring, Julia Weaver (5.1, 20 treys) is the defensive stopper and glue kid, and Toby Bergstrom (4.8) is the enforcer and rim protector. If there’s a multi-player pileup anywhere on the court, she’ll likely be involved.
Unsung heroes: Aniyah Williams (6.2, 22 treys) has become a reliable wing catch-and-shooter, and freshman Emi Brandt (4.7) is having a breakout season on the baseline and attacking the rim. She’s been a spot starter in the rotation — a rotation that has stepped up since catalyst Liv Parmer was lost to a season-ending knee injury in December.
L-L playoff history: Seven titles for the Streaks, and the last was in 2014. Manheim Township, which won three championships in a row from 1985-87, was the runner-up last year — falling to Section 1 rival Lebanon — and has been to 11 title games overall.
Outlook: Trailed Cedar Crest by two games late in the race, but beat the Falcons 45-39 on the road on Jan. 29 to cut into their lead, and then nabbed a co-crown on the last night of league play when Cedar Crest fell to Penn Manor and the Streaks clipped Lebanon. Athletic bunch. Gritty. Controlled chaos. And you better guard Robinson. Or else. She’s got one of the quickest triggers in the L-L.
Section 2 runner-up Warwick (11-1, 16-6) at Section 4 co-champ Pequea Valley (9-1, 19-3)
THE WARRIORS
Players to watch: Mia Warfel (14.6, 62 treys) is on the short list for Section 2 MVP; she’s been spectacular from the perimeter. Grace Myers (9.6) is a matchup nightmare in the paint, and Emerson Overly (7.7, 13 treys) and Sophia Dombach (6.1, 19 treys) can both get out and run.
Unsung heroes: Ally Burr (5.0) is a slasher, and freshman Jillian Flowers (4.1, 12 treys) has provided instant offense off the bench.
L-L playoff history: Three championship appearances for the Warriors, who lost to Manheim Township in 1986, beat Ephrata in 1991, and lost to Cedar Crest in 2001. Warwick is coming off its first section crown since that 1991 team.
Outlook: Opened the season 0-3 and 1-4, and then ripped off 11 wins in a row to leap to the top of the Section 2 charts. Warwick is 15-2 in its last 17 games, and its only section hiccup was at Ephrata on Jan. 28, a 51-40 setback. Can the Warriors continue this joyride? If Warfel continues to make shots, watch out.
THE BRAVES
Players to watch: Janae Patterson (19.8, 13 treys) is approaching 1,700 career points, and she’s an All-State performer, floor general and clutch scorer. Wing shooter Lauren Cazanave (6.7, 29 treys) is averaging 12.3 points with 10 3-pointers in the last three games. She will need marked at the arc.
Unsung heroes: Shelyce Burke (8.1, 15 treys), Olive Martin (8.1, 11 treys), Tilea Burke (5.4) and Carissa Lapp (3.8) all help make the Braves tick.
L-L playoff history: One championship trip for the Braves — they fell to Lancaster Catholic in 2020 — but they’re back after defending the Section 4 title, a co-crown with Columbia.
Outlook: Patterson is worth the price of admission alone; she won the L-L scoring title last winter, and picked up right where she left off. The Braves have a league-best 19 wins heading into the playoffs.
Section 4 co-champ Columbia (9-1, 15-7) at Section 2 co-champ Ephrata (11-1, 17-4)
THE CRIMSON TIDE
Players to watch: Lexie Droege (11.8) is the leading scorer, and she’s been solid off the bounce with a nice mid-range game. Four-year starter Delaney Burke (4.1) has battled some injuries, but she certainly knows her way around a playoff bracket.
Unsung heroes: When she’s dialed in, arc threat Marianha Crawley (8.1, 16 treys) can make buckets in bunches, and opposing defenses must keep an eye on Ava Broome (5.8) and Brynn Bigler (5.7, 16 treys) at the arc. Boo Crawley (5.5) is having a breakout ninth-grade season in the paint for the Tide.
L-L playoff history: Two titles for Columbia, in 1995 over Manheim Central and in 2023 over Lebanon. The current seniors were freshmen on that squad, so this stage shouldn’t spook them.
Outlook: Shared the Section 4 crown with Pequea Valley after splitting their season series with the Braves, each team winning at home. The Tide will certainly be battle tested; they beefed up their nonleague schedule.
THE MOUNTAINEERS
Players to watch: Leah Caldwell (12.1) recently joined the 1,000-point club, and she’s been a slasher du jour. Alyssa Caldwell (7.9) is the defensive stopper. And freshman rim-attacker Jazzlin Sanders (7.6) has made an instant impact in the starting five. Remember her name moving forward.
Unsung heroes: Emily Bender (5.2) on the glass, Maura Clark (4.8, 20 treys) from the arc, and Sophia Devonshire (3.5, 11 treys), another freshman making waves, have been terrific complementary pieces.
L-L playoff history: Three championship trips for Ephrata, all resulting in setbacks; 1982 against McCaskey, 1991 against Warwick, and 2022 against Lancaster Catholic.
Outlook: A co-crown, but a third straight section title for Ephrata, which did it minus all-star point guard and 4-year starter Marie McCracken, who was lost for the season with a knee injury back in mid-December. Resilient bunch. The energizer bunny Caldwell sisters make them go.
Section 1 co-champ Cedar Crest (8-2, 12-10) at Section 3 champ Lancaster Catholic (8-2, 15-6)
THE FALCONS
Players to watch: Paint protector Kaila Francis (12.3) reached the 1,000-point plateau this week, and she’s heading to Colgate. Mid-range standout Elli Malinoski (13.6, 37 treys) was last spotted in a walking boot, so her status is TBD. She’s been great from the wing.
Unsung heroes: Ali Groff (5.2, 12 treys) is the traffic cop, and Ryan Stopper (4.7) is the defensive spark plug. If Malinoski can’t go, they’ll need to help out in the scoring column.
L-L playoff history: Eight titles in the case for the Falcons, but none since 2017. Cedar Crest has been to 11 championship tilts, and beat section rival McCaskey four times for L-L gold.
Outlook: Bad timing on the injury front — Malinoski is a legit scorer — especially with a trip to Lancaster Catholic’s storied gym staring the Falcons directly in the face. They’ll have to survive the Crusaders’ defensive onslaught.
THE CRUSADERS
Players to watch: Dribble-driver Nevaeh Kennedy (13.6, 21 treys) and freshman point guard Mia Bonafede (12.1, 11 treys) have become quite the 1-2 punch.
Unsung heroes: Vet Morgan Gaylord (4.3) is dangerous in the paint, and Jacy Shane (3.7, 14 treys), Emma Stefanow (3.5) and Charlotte Albertini (2.8) all do a little bit of everything in Lancaster Catholic’s rotation.
L-L playoff history: The Crusaders own a league-best 17 championships, the last was in 2024 with a win over Lebanon. Lancaster Catholic is coming off its ninth straight section title — and 29th overall — so this is familiar territory for this crew.
Outlook: Old hat for the Crusaders, who always seem to flip the right switches when February rolls around. Kennedy and Bonafede have been fabulous. They must be curtailed.
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