Marian's Addy Fritz heads down the floor during a win over Mahanoy Area (Photo by James Gelatko).

Marian coach Damian Fritz was right on point as he talked with the media following the Fillies’ loss to Williams Valley in Friday’s District 11 Class AA girls’ basketball championship game at Blue Mountain.

Asked what Fritz told his girls after the 34-30 loss to the Vikings, Fritz displayed his vast knowledge of Marian and Schuylkill League girls’ basketball history:

“There’s a lot of banners in our building that don’t have a league championship or a district championship, but they have an Eastern final or a state final,” he said. “That’s something to look forward to.”

Fritz is correct, especially when it comes to the Marian Fillies.

The Schuylkill League has a long, storied history of girls’ basketball teams that didn’t win district titles advancing deep into the PIAA playoffs.

Going back to 1984, when the PIAA expanded to four classes, 23 Schuylkill League girls’ teams have reached the state semifinals — once upon a time called the Eastern final — after entering the PIAA Tournament as either the district runner-up or that district’s third-place finisher. Of those 23, nine advanced to the state championship game, with the 1994 Lourdes (A), 1992 North Schuylkill (3A) and 1990 Nativity (A) teams claiming gold.

The Schuylkill League’s last non-district champion to make a deep run was the last local team that made it to Hershey — Lourdes in 2023.

The Red Raiders were the No. 3 team from District 4 in 2023 after losing in the district semifinals. Lourdes then downed District 11 champion Nativity, District 5 No. 3 Shade, District 4 runner-up St. John Neumann and District 2 champion Mountain View to reach the state championship game, where the Raiders lost to Union Area.

Below is a list of Schuylkill League girls’ teams since 1984 that reached at least the state semifinals after not winning a district championship:

2023 —- 4-3 Lourdes makes PIAA A state final, falling to Union Area

2017 —- 11-2 Mahanoy Area makes A semis, losing to 11-1 Minersville

2016 —- 4-2 Lourdes makes PIAA A state final, falling to 7-2 Cardinal Wuerl

2012 —- 11-2 Marian makes A semis, falling to 3-1 Steel-High

2008 —- 11-2 Nativity makes A semis, falling to 11-1 Marian

2006 —- 11-2 Marian makes A semis, falling to 11-1 Nativity

2005 —- 11-3 Nativity makes A semis, falling to 11-1 Marian

2004 —- 11-3 Marian makes A semis, falling to 11-2 Nativity

2003 —- 11-2 Marian makes PIAA A final, falling to Bishop Carroll

2002 —- 11-3 Marian makes A semis, falling to 11-1 Nativity

1999 —- 11-3 Williams Valley makes A semis, falling to 11-1 Nativity

1998 —- 11-3 Marian makes A semis, falling to 11-1 Mahanoy Area

1997 —- 11-2 Marian makes PIAA A state final, falling to Williamsburg

1995 —- 11-3 Nativity makes A semis, losing to Lebanon Catholic

1995 —- 11-2 North Schuylkill makes PIAA 3A state final, losing to North Catholic

1994 —- 4-2 Lourdes wins PIAA A state title, beating Bishop Guilfoyle

1993 —- 4-2 Lourdes makes PIAA A state final, falling to Bishop Guilfoyle

1992 —- 11-2 North Schuylkill wins PIAA 3A state title, beating North Catholic

1990 —- 11-2 Nativity wins PIAA A state title, beating Bellwood-Antis

1988 —- 11-2 Minersville makes A semis, losing to 11-1 Mahanoy Area

1987 —- 11-3 Marian makes PIAA A state final, losing to Bishop Carroll

1987 —- 11-3 North Schuylkill makes 3A semis, losing to 11-1 ACC

1984 —- Class A East Final Four were all from Schuylkill League (11-4 Schuylkill Haven, 11-3 Shenandoah Valley, 11-2 Saint Clair, 11-1 Marian). 11-3 Shenandoah Valley and 11-1 Marian played in semifinals; 11-1 Marian won state title

During that span, the state semifinals featured a pair of Schuylkill League teams against each other a whopping 11 times — it happened seven times in an 11-year span from 1998-2008 — mostly in Class A.

Marian has had a lot of success in the state playoffs as a district runner-up or No. 3 seed, reaching the state semifinals eight times since 1984. The Fillies also won PIAA championships as a district champion in 1984 and 2007.

Granted, a lot of the Schuylkill League’s success as the District 11 No. 2 or No. 3 team came when the league dominated the Class A ranks and before the PIAA expanded to six classifications. A lot of it also came before the Philadelphia Public League and Philadelphia Catholic schools were admitted into the PIAA.

Believe it or not, it’s been eight years since the Schuylkill League has crowned a girls’ state champion — 2017 Minersville — the longest drought the league has ever had without a champ. The last boys’ team to do it was Nativity in 2021, winning the Class A crown.

After seeing his squad beat Northeast Bradford and Northern Lehigh to reach the PIAA Class AA quarterfinals last year as the District 11 No. 3 seed, Fritz is optimistic the Fillies can go on another run this season.

On paper, Marian has a better first-round draw than district champion Williams Valley. The Fillies face District 12 runner-up MaST Charter II (2-3), while Williams Valley hosts District 4 runner-up Northeast Bradford (20-7).

Marian also faced MaST Charter II, in the opening round of the 2023 PIAA Class AA playoffs. The Fillies won 76-9.

“There’s a lot of basketball still to be played,” Fritz said. “Last year we made the quarterfinals. You never know what could happen here the next few weeks.”

Only 10 teams left

Ten Schuylkill League boys’ and girls’ basketball teams qualified for the PIAA Tournament. First-round games are slated for Friday and Saturday at the home gym of the team on the upper leg of the bracket, unless that school’s gym is deemed unfit to host a PIAA game. Schuylkill Haven’s CACL Center is one of those gyms, so the Hurricanes will play at Martz Hall (where they are 5-0 this season).

Tickets cost $8 (plus applicable fees) and are only available only at www.piaa.org. All spectators must purchase a ticket, as senior citizens are not admitted free like the District 11 playoffs.

Here’s a list of this weekend’s schedule, with radio broadcasts in parentheses.

Remember, you can access the live radio broadcasts by clicking on the link buttons located in the upper right-hand corner of the T102SportsNow.com home page.

Complete coverage of this weekend’s games can be found the same day online at www.t102sportsnow.com.

PIAA Basketball Playoffs Day-to-Day Local Schedule

Friday, March 7

Boys’ A, 11-3 Nativity (16-10) vs. 3-1 High Point Baptist (15-6), Exeter Twp, 5 (T-102)

Girls’ AA, 4-2 Northeast Bradford (20-7) at 11-1 Williams Valley (22-3), 5

Girls’ AA, 11-2 Marian (21-4) vs. 12-2 MaST Charter II (2-3), Bensalem, 5:30

Boys’ 5A, 11-1 Pottsville (21-6) vs. 1-5 Penncrest (21-3), Martz Hall, 6 (WPPA)

Boys’ A, 4-2 Lourdes (8-17) vs. 3-2 Shalom Christian (12-6), Chambersburg, 7

Girls’ 3A, 11-2 Schuylkill Haven (22-6) vs. 12-4 Bodine (9-7), Martz Hall, 7:30 (WPPA)

Saturday, March 8

Boys’ 3A, 11-3 Mahanoy Area (21-4) at 12-2 Audenried Charter (11-14), 2 (T-102)

Boys’ AA, 3-2 Linville Hill Christian (19-5) at 11-1 Marian (13-11), 2:30

Boys’ 3A, 11-2 Minersville (22-5) vs. 4-2 Warrior Run (20-7), Loyalsock, 4 (T-102)

Girls’ A, 3-6 Veritas Academy (19-5) at 4-1 Lourdes (20-6), 4

Time Change

The celebration of Williams Valley’s first-ever District 11 girls’ basketball championship hadn’t even finished and athletic director Benny Ancheff had a problem.

With the win, the Vikings earned a first-round home game Friday night.

It’s also the opening night of Williams Valley’s musical, Mamma Mia!

Ancheff and the Williams Valley administration had originally scheduled the basketball game for 7 p.m., but that was the same starting time as the musical.

So, Williams Valley will now host Northeast Bradford in a PIAA Class AA first-round girls’ game at 5 p.m., with the musical to start at 8 p.m. Additional shows of the musical are slated for 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.

If you’re interested in the double dip Friday, advance tickets for the musical cost $8, with all tickets at the door $10.

You can live updates from the game by following me on X @pubsportsboss.

Odds and Ends

** Capsule previews for all 10 of the PIAA first-round playoff games involving Schuylkill League teams will appear on the website Friday morning.

** Both Marian and Lourdes are in the PIAA playoffs for the fourth straight season and have won at least one game the past three trips.

** Schuylkill Haven is in the PIAA playoffs for the first time since 1986, while Williams Valley is back for the first time since 2015.

In 1986, the Hurricanes were the No. 3 seed from District 11 and lost in the Class A first round to then District 12 champion Elk Lake 61-59. (Note: The old District 12 was absorbed into District 2 when the Philadelphia schools were admitted into the PIAA in 2008).

Williams Valley was the district runner-up in 2015 and won its first game in the Class A playoffs by beating District 12 champion West Catholic 67-43. The Vikes were ousted by District 4 No. 3 Lourdes 47-34.

** I know it’s not allowed in the playoffs, but it would be cool if the Pottsville pep band played during the two games Friday at Martz Hall.

PIAA playoff rant

Yes, I know the amount of qualifiers each district gets in the PIAA Basketball Tournament is based on numbers. I get it.

What I don’t get is the Philadelphia girls’ schools with records of 6-8, 2-3, 9-7 and 8-2 getting spots in the field, and Philly getting four teams in Class AA girls. (Yes, the PIAA says there are 13 AA girls’ schools in District 12. But if your runner-up is only 2-3, how many of those schools actually play a full, 22-game schedule?)

This is not just a one-year problem … District 12 has had teams forfeit games in the PIAA Basketball Tournament the past two seasons.

I think I would feel better if District 12 had a real tournament like the other districts in Pennsylvania and a website that posted brackets and scores. But they don’t.

It’s time that changed.

Without a doubt, the Philadelphia boys’ basketball teams are the cream of the crop in Pennsylvania. That’s the case every year. The girls, not so much unless you’re a non-boundary school like Neumann-Goretti or a big Catholic school like Archbishop Wood, Cardinal O’Hara, Archbishop Carroll and Lansdale Catholic.

So how about making District 12 put together an official district tournament like they do in District 11, 3, 4, 2, 1, etc. that follows the same rules as the other districts as far as criteria to qualify for districts, brackets, schedule, consolation games, etc.

Make every team have to earn state playoff berths through a district tournament, not just because they finished third or fourth in a league.