The Central League will have to wait one more night to crown its champions.
The boys and girls championship doubleheader scheduled for Monday night at Marple Newtown was postponed because of a facility issue at the high school. Both games have been pushed to Tuesday at Lower Merion, with tipoffs set for 6 and 7:45 p.m.
The night opens with the girls final between No. 3 Haverford (17-6) and top-seeded Conestoga (16-7). Haverford is chasing its third Central League title in four years, winning over both Conestoga in 2023 and 2024.
This season, though, Conestoga has had the upper hand. The Pioneers won both regular-season meetings, including a 41-38 victory earlier this month to close the regular season and earn the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.
Tuesday will mark Conestoga’s fourth straight trip to the title game. The Pioneers are looking to finally get over the hump after coming up short in each of the last three finals, including last year against Garnet Valley.
Haverford’s path to the championship game was anything but easy. The Fords needed double overtime to get past Marple Newtown in the quarterfinals, then followed it up with a 46-43 decision over No. 2 Garnet Valley in the semifinals. Senior center Maura Gilroy dominanted in the semis, finishing with a career-high 26 points, 22 of them coming after the first quarter.
Conestoga advanced with a 61-56 double-overtime win over fifth-seeded Radnor in a semifinal that instantly became part of league lore. Senior Ryann Jennings, the reigning Central League MVP, poured in 47 points and scored all 10 of the Pioneers’ points in the second OT. She also banked in a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to force the second extra session. The Pioneers are trying to capture their first league crown since winning three straight from 2006 to 2008.
The Fords know slowing Jennings as much as possible is paramount.
“Ryann’s a great player, she’s extremely talented,” Gilroy said after Friday’s win over Garnet Valley. “I do think it’s an even playing ground right now. I think we both have the talent and it’s up to who wants it more. We just have to come out strong and play our best game.”
The boys championship features a pair of teams that pulled off surprises in the semifinals. No. 4 Garnet Valley (18-5) will meet third-seeded Conestoga (15-7).
Garnet Valley knocked off No. 1 Penncrest, 41-38, in the semifinals after beating defending league champion Lower Merion in the quarterfinals. The Jaguars are looking to capture their first Central League title since 2021, when they beat Conestoga on its home floor.
Conestoga reached the final with a 28-25 defensive slugfest win over No. 2 Springfield in the semifinals. The Pioneers opened the tournament with a 56-45 victory over No. 6 Upper Darby and enter play Tuesday riding a 10-game winning streak. They are the reigning District 1 Class 6A champions.
The teams split their regular season meetings in wildly different fashions. Garnet Valley pulled out a 52-49 road win Dec. 18, while Conestoga responded with a 64-35 blowout at GV on Jan. 31.
Conestoga is searching for its first Central League title since the postseason tournament format began. The Pioneers last claimed the championship in 2008, when they shared the crown with Ridley.