The situation may feel similar to last year for Chester boys basketball.

A year ago, the Clippers entered the District 1 Class 6A tournament as the No. 15 seed. Hovering in front of the winner of that game was a potential second-round matchup with fellow traditional power Coatesville, the second seed.

Chester never got that far, losing for a second time on the season to Downingtown West at the Fred Pickett Gymnasium. Just like that, the eight-time PIAA champion went one-and-done in the District 1 tournament.

This time around, Chester will host the first round as the No. 14 seed. This time around, No. 3 Coatesville is on the horizon for next Tuesday’s second round.

But the Del Val champs need to get past Wissahickon, the 19th seed, for any of that to matter when the District 1 tournaments open Friday night.

Chester (14-7) clinched its third straight Del Val title this year and eighth in nine years. The Clippers took time to warm to the season, rebuilding depth once football players from Chester’s District 1 Class 5A runner-up squad were reintegrated. Chester was 10-2 from Jan. 6 until a season-ending setback to New Jersey’s Elizabeth High.

The Clippers have losses to sixth-seeded Abington and No. 13 Cheltenham this season, but they dominated No. 11 Penn Wood in both meetings.

Wissahickon (13-9) has a win over Cheltenham, and they’ve played tough in games against Abington and top-seeded Plymouth Whitemarsh.

Also in the Class 6A tournament:

No. 18 Upper Darby at No. 15 Great Valley >> The Royals (12-10) are in districts for the first time since 2023, when they made states. They finished sixth in the Central League, and with veteran guard Tahli Murray, they’re a tough out for any team.

The Patriots (17-6) are not a great matchup this far down the standings. They’re led by Chris Woodard, a high-powered scorer and Muhlenberg commit against whom the Royals will have a difficult defensive matchup.

But they have experience with it this year, winning at Great Valley on Dec. 6, 56-48, in a game in which Woodard scored 21 points. Great Valley is 1-3 against Central League teams, falling at home to Conestoga and Haverford.

No. 22 Council Rock South at No. 11 Penn Wood >> A 7-0 start helped the Patriots to a first-round home game as it seeks to return to states for the first time since 2022. That includes a win over Garnet Valley in early December.

But the Patriots (16-5) didn’t get close to Chester in two losses. The Garnet Valley win is their only victory over a team in the District 1 Class 6A field, though they have a schedule heavy on teams outside of the district.

CR South (14-8) has won seven straight games since a Jan. 13 loss to Wissahickon. Both teams played Garnet Valley, the Jaguars beating the Golden Hawks in December.

In Tuesday’s second round, No. 8 Garnet Valley could get a third meeting with Lower Merion if the No. 9 Aces take care of business against No. 24 Pennsbury in Friday’s first round.

Teams that lose in the first round of Class 6A are done. Winners advance to the second round, where the eight winners advance directly to states and the eight teams that lose can playback for spots nine and 10.

District 1 Class 5A

An All-Delaware County matchup beckons, with No. 11 Academy Park visiting No. 6 Marple Newtown on Friday night.

Both teams are 11-11. Marple has been feast or famine, a team whose 3-point shooting can cause problems for anyone but leaves the Tigers struggling if shots don’t fall. The Tigers lost five straight games in January before a three-game winning streak over Radnor, Harriton and Penncrest vaulted them into the postseason. A loss to Strath Haven in the finale is an illustration of the downs to pair those ups.

Marple made states last year as the sixth-place team in District 1.

The Knights are in districts for the first time since 2020, first-year coach Kevin Stewart leading a young roster for whom a districts appearance may be ahead of schedule. AP’s berth owes to nonleague wins at Strath Haven and Rustin, the latter in an uncharacteristically down year, and at home against Sun Valley in January.

The winner gets Springfield, the third seed, in the quarterfinals Wednesday. Six teams make states.

No. 12 Sun Valley at No. 5 Upper Moreland >> The Vanguards (11-12) are looking to get back to states for the second time in three years. But they’ll have to do so away from home. Sun Valley is 2-6 on the road this year.

Upper Moreland (14-8) is tested against some big-school teams like Souderton, Abington and Cheltenham. Seven of their eight losses have come to teams that qualified for the District 1 Class 6A tournament, and they beat 6A qualifier CR South.

The winner gets No. 4 Upper Dublin. Second-seeded Penncrest awaits the winner of No. 10 Springfield-Montco and No. 7 Pottstown.