PIAA state titles up for grabs in Mechanicsburg

At least one team will be riding the bus back to the Philadelphia area state champions this weekend but the question will be how many other teams might join them in the joyful commute home from Mechanicsburg.

Dock Mennonite and Conestoga girl are both making a return trip to Eagle View Middle School but two Delaware County programs are also looking to bring home a trophy to their schools for the first time in at least two decades.

Radnor boys will play Moon Area boys in the first state final kicking off at 10 a.m. Friday morning. They are after the program’s first state title since 2004. It was the only Delaware County state title in soccer for 19 years when Delaware County Christian brought home the Class A boys title last year. Radnor was last in the final in 2018 when they lost 1-0 to Wilson on a controversial goal. The title was later vacated due to an ineligible player that played for Wilson.

Strath Haven girls are after their program’s first state title since 2002 but they face a talented and more seasoned Lower Dauphin squad that will have a shorter commute to the stadium for the 1 p.m. kickoff on Friday. Strath Haven also won the title in 1997. This would be a first girls title for Lower Dauphin.

Dock Mennonite takes on WPIAL school Springdale in the last game Friday at 7 p.m. in the Class A girls final, looking to repeat as state champions.

A surprise 4A Class boys final will start the day at 10 a.m. Saturday with Parkland – which knocked off Philadelphia Public champions Northeast and undefeated Henderson slayers Great Valley in succession – will play event host Cumberland Valley. In all of the years Hershey hosted the state finals, Hershey only made and won their first state title the first year it was moved to Mechanicsburg. It’s taken Cumberland Valley three seasons to break that pesky host curse.

The Conestoga vs Downingtown West game is slated for a 1 p.m. kickoff followed by two identical match-ups in the Class 2A boys and girls finals between Northwestern Lehigh and Cathedral Prep. The 4A girls final matches up two programs that won four of the five 3A girls championships from 2004-2008. Conestoga last won the state title in 2007, Downingtown West in 2006.

Cathedral Prep and Dock are the only 2023 state champions in the field this year.

All eight finals will be streamed live on the PCN Network ($).