Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
West goes for 4th straight Ches-Mont title today
With the last two days of the baseball regular season remaining, there is still much to be decided.
If Downingtown West defeats Great Valley today, the Whippets will take home their fourth consecutive Ches-Mont National Division title. The Whippets chased Downingtown East for much of the season but have looked incredible in their last few games, beating Unionville, 16-0, and shutting out Downingtown East, 4-0. At the end of the Class 6A district playoffs, the top five 6A teams will go on to the PIAA playoffs.
Oxford has long ago clinched the Ches-Mont American Division race and the Hornets need a win today to possibly garner one of the top four spots in the District 1 6A playoffs. The top four seeds are granted first round byes in the 20 team 6A field. So we could see Downingtown West, Oxford and Downingtown East all hosting games.
In the 5A bracket, the top 16 teams will qualify for the postseason and there are no byes. West Chester Henderson has two games left and the Warriors sit at No. 8 right now, which is the last spot for a first round home game. Unionville is No. 10, West Chester Rustin is 11, and Bishop Shanahan sits 12th. This trio will likely have to start the playoffs on the road.
The last area team likely to make the playoffs is Kennett, which sits 15th right now. The Blue Demons have been a pleasant surprise this season, but it really should be no surprise as Joe Olekowski has taken over the reins of the Kennett program and is an excellent baseball man. At the end of districts, the top four 5A teams will move on to states.
Malvern Prep clinched another Inter-Academic League title last week with a win over Springside-Chestnut Hill. Friars coach Fred Hilliard had a young team but still found a way to win possibly the toughest baseball league in the state. The championship was the Friars’ fifth outright Inter-Ac title in eight years.