Rams reach District One semifinals

Andrew Eross, Sports Editor

The Spring-Ford Girls Basketball Team clearly was not satisfied with their fifth straight PAC Final Six Tournament win. With a win on Saturday, the Rams have now achieved the feat of reaching five straight District 1-6A semifinal games. 

The Rams advanced to the final four in the district with a 40-30 victory over 14th-seeded Garnet Valley on Saturday. 

After upsetting the Methacton Warriors and clinching a State playoff bid, Garnet Valley had momentum within the underdog mindset as they were set to face off against the higher seeded Rams at Spring-Ford. The Jaguars are a team that has given Spring-Ford fits in past District games, so the Rams were playing for revenge. Then again, the team’s mindset was to not worry so much about how Garnet Valley has won the past four matchups between the two teams (including a semifinal victory in 2019) and for the Rams to just go play the team-oriented basketball they have played all season long.

The Jaguars carried this momentum into the first half with a stifling defense forefronted by a 2-3 zone that kept the Rams to just 12 points in the first half while Garnet Valley had 20.

However, coming out of the halftime break, the Rams were a new team.

Sophomore Katie Tiffan stepped up at the right time, as her individual 12-point run beginning the third quarter matched her team’s first half score. Tiffan proceeded to finish with 19 points on four three-pointers to outpace the Jaguars zone, a beyond solid follow up from her crucial 15 points just a game before against Rustin.

Tiffan’s third quarter outburst completely shifted the dynamic of the game, as when Mackenzie Pettinelli drained a late third quarter three, it seemed as if there was no turning back from there for the Rams.

The Rams were in the driver’s seat the entire fourth quarter, as Anna Azzara’s dagger three coupled by the team’s suffocating press on defense solidified the comeback for a 40-30 Spring-Ford win.

The Rams now will hit the road where they meet a very tough Souderton team who recently defeated Perk Valley 47-41 in their quarterfinal matchup. Souderton will host Spring-Ford on Wednesday, March 2, as both teams seek a District 1-6A championship game berth.