Boys Basketball
District 1-6A Second Round
(7) Spring-Ford 55, (10) Conestoga 51
Teams on long win streaks strike zero fear into the hearts and minds of the Spring-Ford basketball team.
The Rams collided with Methacton in the PAC semifinals when the Warriors were on an 18-game win streak, sending the game to overtime at the regulation buzzer before Bryce Robinson’s layup as time expired in the extra session stopped Methacton in its tracks. Spring-Ford then took aim at Pope John Paul II, which had won 15 of 16, and knocked off the defending league champs in the PAC title game. So when Conestoga came to Royersford on a 12-game win streak Tuesday night, it was nothing the Rams had not previously encountered.
Spring-Ford junior Matteo Magazzolo tallied 10 points in his team’s 55-51 win over Conestoga in the second round of the District 1-6A Tournament on February 17, 2026. (Photo by Joe Evans/JoeEvansPictures.com)
Senior Syaire Barnes knocked down three 3-pointers and scored 16 of his team-high 18 points in the first half as the Rams (20-6 overall) mounted a 10-point halftime advantage. The lead swelled to 14 after three before the Pioneers stormed back behind a huge second half from Tygee Clark, who poured in 18 of his game-high 29 points after halftime, including nine in the fourth quarter in which Conestoga outscored the Rams 21-11.
Junior Matteo Magazzolo was next on the scoresheet for Spring-Ford with 10 points, while seniors Blake Turner and Jack Kennedy contributed eight and seven points, respectively. Shane O’Brien added 14 points in a losing effort for the Pioneers (19-8), as the defending district champs will head to playbacks to try to qualify for the PIAA Tournament. Conestoga will need to win two playback games, beginning with No. 18 Upper Darby on Friday.
On the other hand, head coach Joe Dempsey’s Rams punched their fourth consecutive ticket to states with the victory. Spring-Ford has won at least one PIAA game in each of the past three years.
Blake Turner (1) scored eight points in Spring-Ford’s 55-51 victory over Conestoga in the second round of the District 1-6A Tournament on February 17, 2026. (Photo by Joe Evans/JoeEvansPictures.com)
But before that can happen, the Rams will need to finish up their district run, and their Friday quarterfinals opponent is a very familiar one. The No. 7 Rams will head to PAC rival and No. 2 seed Methacton on Friday night with a berth in the district semifinals on the line. Methacton won both regular season meetings before Spring-Ford exacted revenge in the PAC playoffs. All three games were decided by five points or less.
(2) Methacton 71, (18) Upper Darby 55
A 10-day layoff from its last game – a buzzer-beating loss to Spring-Ford in the PAC semifinals – led to somewhat of a sluggish start for the No. 2 Warriors as they went into halftime against visiting Upper Darby with the score tied at 26. However, Methacton (20-4) heated up in a big way coming out of the locker room, winning the third quarter by six points and the final period by 10 to run away from the Royals (13-10), advance to the district quarterfinals and punch a ticket to the upcoming PIAA Tournament on Tuesday evening. It will be the first state playoff appearance in two years for head coach Pat Lockard’s crew.
Sophomore John Leet buried five 3-pointers to lead all scorers with 24 points, and the Warriors got plenty of balance behind Leet in the box score. Seniors Mason Conrad and Wes Robinson joined Leet in double figures with 12 and 11 points, respectively, while Ben DePaul and Jahmir Carter each produced eight points in the triumph.
Sileeh Armstrong’s 11 points paced Upper Darby, who will head to playbacks to try to reach the state tournament. The Royals head to No. 10 Conestoga on Friday and would need to win that game and beat the winner of Chester-Council Rock South on Tuesday to qualify for the 6A field.
District 1-4A Semifinals
(1) Pope John Paul II 71, (4) Lower Moreland 44
Shaking off last week’s loss to Spring-Ford in the PAC championship game, PJP senior Jason Green poured in 22 of his game-high 25 points after halftime as the Golden Panthers turned a still-competitive seven-point game at halftime into a 23-point lead through three periods. Pope (20-4 overall) advanced to its third consecutive 4A championship game, where it will take on No. 2 Bishop Shanahan on Saturday at Harriton High School. The Golden Panthers and Eagles have met in the last two district title games, with Shanahan winning last season and PJP capturing the title in 2024. The winner of that game will be District 1-4A’s lone representative in the PIAA Tournament.
Pope John Paul II senior guard Ayden Wise (white sweatshirt, holding sign) became the first player in program history to reach 1,000 career points in the Golden Panthers’ 71-44 win over Lower Moreland in the District 1-4A semifinals on February 17, 2026. (Photo courtesy Earl Wise)
Seniors Ayden Wise and Jack Kessler provided 11 points apiece in the win, while junior Lucas Pekofsky scored eight points for PJP. Wise now sits at 1,001 career points, becoming the first player in program history to reach that milestone.
Luke Wheeler’s 14 points were tops for Lower Moreland, which saw its season come to an end at 4-19 overall.
Girls Basketball
District 1-4A Semifinals
(4) Villa Joseph Marie 38, (1) Pope John Paul II 33
Sophie Vigliotta knocked down three 3-pointers en route to a team-high 11 points, but Pope John Paul II was eliminated by Villa Joseph Marie for the third consecutive season in the District 1-4A Tournament on Tuesday. Freshman Jakira Smith chipped in 10 points in a losing effort for the Golden Panthers (13-11 overall). With the loss, the careers of seniors Saydi Daye, Sadie Vigliotta, Rylee Derecola, Grace DiBricida and Jen Todd all came to a conclusion.
Kiki Hadgimallis led VJM (13-12) with 11 points, while Emerson Akright produced eight of her nine points in the second half. The Jems were clutch at the line in the fourth quarter, converting 8 of their 10 attempts as they overcame the Golden Panthers on the scoreboard. Villa Joe will take on No. 2 Springfield Township in Saturday’s district title game at Bensalem High School.
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