Conestoga girls basketball team downs Kennett in the first round of Districts

The Conestoga High School girls basketball team defeated Kennett, 61-24, in the opening round of the District 1 5A playoffs Friday. The 10th seeded Pioneers were led by Ryann Jennings (20 points, five assists), Marisa Francione (11 points, 10 rebounds), Janie Preston (14 points) and Ruth Lanouette (seven points). For the No. 23 seeded Blue Demons, Mikayla Kelly scored 15 points. Conestoga will face No. 7 seed Springfield Wednesday in the second round of the district playoffs.

Boys basketball METHACTON 48, CONESTOGA 38 >>

In this PIAA District 1 6A playoff opener Friday, the 24th seeded Pioneers fell to No. 9 seed Methacton. Brenden Styer collected 20 points and five rebounds for Conestoga.

MALVERN PREP 70, WESTTOWN 54 >>

Andrew Phillips led the Friars with 20 points, followed by Ronan Miller (17 points) and Ryan Williams (13 points). Jahmare led Westtown with 16 points.

Indoor track GREAT VALLEY GIRLS SHINE AT MEET OF CHAMPIONS >>

At the DVGTCA Meet of Champions girls competition Friday at Lehigh University, Great Valley had some strong showings. Senior Rachel Hubley was fourth in the 200 meter dash (26.24) and third in the 60 meter dash with a PR 7.94. Junior Briella Gorman was sixth in the 200 meter dash (26.60). In the 4x800 relay, the Patriot quartet of Aimee Dill, Natalie Dill, Megha Iyer and Kiley Mansfield placed 10th (10:12.92). In the 4x200 relay, the Great Valey foursome of Olivia Kramin, Julie Cristinzio, Stephanie Cristinzio and Julia Boyce finished 13th (1:52.82). The Patriots finished ninth in the 4x400 with a quartet of Briella Gorman, Kaitlyn Gianodonato, Boyce and Julie Cristinzio (4:12.81).

Haley Sambora was 11th in the pole vault (9-6) and Sydney Phillips was ninth in the triple jump (33-8).

CONESTOGA GIRLS RELAY 3RD AT MEET OF CHAMPIONS >>

At the DVGTCA Meet of Champions girls competition Friday at Lehigh University, the Conestoga 4x200 relay team of Tory Gauthier, Angelina Pierce, Lila Zeigler and Fure Abhulimen finished third with a clocking of 1:47.44.

Swimming MALVERN PREP MAKES WAVES AT EASTERNS >>

On the first day of the 2023 Eastern Interscholastic Swimming & Diving Championships Friday, Malvern Prep had some high finishes. Malvern senior Ben Kutufaris finished fifth in the boys 200 free (1:41.46), senior Tom Moul was fifth in the boys 100 fly (50.31) and junior Louis DelFra finished fifth in the boys 1-meter diving (212.05).

The Malvern quartet of freshman Connor Kirby, Kutufaris, Moul and senior Brady Tierney finished seventh in the boys 200 medley relay (1:33.89). The Friar foursome of Kutufaris, Moul, Tierney and junior Davis Woerner finished fourth in the 200 free relay (1:25.67).

College Women’s swimming

CAROZZA SHINES AT PSAC CHAMPIONSHIPS >> West Chester University maintained its first-place lead after the third day of competition Friday at the 2023 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Women’s Swimming Championships from the Graham Aquatics Center in York. With 1,233 points, the Golden Ram women ended Day 3 in first place, ahead of second-place IUP (743 points). West Chester East High School alum Ann Carozza broke the meet record in the 200 yard butterfly Friday. Carozza also finished first in the women’s 200 fly with a time of 1:57.52. Breaking a meet record in the women’s 200 medley relay, West Chester’s Lila DiCarlo joined last year’s group of McKenzie Hemingway, Carozza, and Sam Trumble for a first place finish with a time of 1:41.67. In the women’s 500 yard free, Keely Durkin defended her first-place title with a time of 4:54.56. Mikayla Niness was right behind her in second place with a time of 4:54.74. Sophie Gerhart finished third, Danielle Stewart was fifth, and Corinne McCall was sixth. DiCarlo finished third for West Chester in the women’s 100 yard backstroke (56.79). Hemingway was second in the women’s 100 breaststroke (1:03.10), Madelyn Koehle was fourth (1:05.37) and Isabella Kil placed first in the B Final (1:05.74).

Men’s swimming GOLDEN RAMS IN FIRST AT PSAC CHAMPIONSHIPS >>

After the third day of competition Friday at the 2023 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Men’s Swimming Championships from the Graham Aquatics Center in York, West Chester University ended Day 3 in first place with 716.5 points, ahead of second-place Gannon University (440.5). West Chester began the night with a first-place finish in the men’s 200 medley relay consisting of Dalton Fink, Nikita Pisarenko, Gabe Laslo and Nolan Benner with a time of 1:29.87. Paul Demesy took first place in the men’s 500 yard freestyle marking a time of 4:28.63. Kolos Nagy finished fourth at a time of 4:32.36. Fink, Logan Brockway and Chadd Corson were the first, second, and thirdplace finishers respectively in the 100-yard backstroke. Fink touched at 49.54, while Brockway finished in 50.04 and Corson in 50.77. The Golden Rams put three swimmers in the finals of the men’s 100 yard breaststroke. Pisarenko took second (57.03) and Benner was third (56.12), while AJ McClurkin finished in sixth (56.95). In the men’s 200 yard butterfly, Laslo placed fourth (1:50.39), Joel Dunnigan was fifth (1:52.11), and Ben Desclous was eighth (1:53.07).

Indoor track LIONS ROAR IN SOUTH CAROLINA >>

The Lincoln University men and women’s track program took eight student-athletes to the South Carolina Indoor Open meet that the University of South Carolina was hosting on Friday, with four of those making the top-eight in their respective events. Glenn Butler, Jr. finished first in the long jump with a distance of 7.58m, the only LU participant to finish higher than sixth. Aisha Carrington and Kamani Johns were the next-best placers on the day as each woman claimed sixth in the 60m hurdles (8.76) and 400m (57.06, PR), respectively. Jayden Rodriguez crossed the finish line during the 60m hurdles in a time of 8.25, good enough for seventh place and a new personal-record.

Women’s lacrosse MIGHTY MACS 3RD IN PRE-SEASON POLL >>

The Immaculata women’s lacrosse team, led by head coach Nicole Barretta, finished tied for third in the 2023 Atlantic East Conference Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Coaches’ Poll. Cabrini is the preseason favorite to repeat as Atlantic East Conference champions with 36 total points, Marymount finished second with 31 overall points and Immaculata finished tied for third place with Neumann with 22 points. The Mighty Macs open their eason today when they host Misericordia at Draper Walsh Stadium at 1 p.m. Immaculata will open Atlantic East Conference play April 1 when they host Gwynedd Mercy.