Top seeds remain, but underdogs eye upsets as PIAA District 1 playoffs continue

Top seeds Conestoga, Strath Haven and Radnor and undefeated Henderson boys are all still alive as the PIAA District 1 3A and 4A playoffs continue on Saturday and Monday, but so too are double-digit underdogs Neshaminy boys and Owen J. Roberts girls and unlikely semifinalists Marple Newtown boys and Harriton girls.

Conestoga girls face a test with 4 seed Lower Merion visiting Saturday afternoon while the top-seeded boys team will host Phoenixville in the first of a double-header kicking off at noon.

Radnor has both of their teams still alive in 3A with the boys hosting Penncrest and the girls visiting top seed Strath Haven in the 3A semifinals on Monday night. Class 4A No. 2 boys seed Henderson hosts Souderton at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

Marple Newtown are the surprise team in the 3A boys semifinals. The 7th seed won their first playoff game since 2010 upsetting No. 2 seed West Chester Rustin and plays at Lower Moreland for a spot in the Wednesday final. The Marple Newtown girls saw their Class 4A playoff run end in a PK shootout against 5 seed Spring-Ford, which visits 4 seed Garnet Valley on Saturday. On the 3A girls side, No. 6 Harriton is the lowest seed left after upsetting No. 3 Villa Maria Academy. They take on 2 seed West Chester Rustin, which knocked out Penncrest on penalties.

Defending girls state champs Pennridge (No. 3 seed) got by Central Bucks West 2-0 and will take on a Downingtown West team that dispatched Council Rock North 4-0. The 2 seed in Class 4A Central Bucks East knocked out Henderson with a 2-0 win to earn a clash with 10 seed Owen J. Roberts, the lowest seed left on the girls side after they beat Neshaminy. Neshaminy boys pulled the upset on penalties at Lower Merion on Thursday and will take on No. 2 seed Central Bucks South on Saturday afternoon.

Meanwhile in Class 2A and A the District 1 finals are set on the girls side with defending state champs Dock taking on 2 seed Faith Christian on Tuesday and Pope John Paul II playing Villa Joseph Marie on Tuesday.

Unbeaten Faith Christian boys await the runner up from District 12 for the 2A final on November 2 while Class A boys semifinals are today between top seed Calvary Christian and defending state champs Delaware County Christian and New Hope and Plumstead Christian.