PIAA-AAAA girls semifinal picks

Sammy Stipa and District 1 champion Spring-Ford face a stiff challenge from District 12 champ Cardinal O'Hara in Tuesday's PIAA-AAAA girls basketball tournament semifinal, set for William Tennent at 7:30 p.m.

By the Poopster
@BigPoppy_G on Twitter

The road to the state championship gets harder by the round, and so does the pickin' for the Poopster. The PIAA Class AAAA semifinals take place Tuesday, and here's his take on the Final Four:

Spring-Ford (30-2) vs. Cardinal O'Hara (24-5), at William Tennent, 7:30 p.m.
Two things that irritate the Poopster's ears are the screamo music his owner will sometimes blare and the sound of too many whistles during a playoff basketball game. Let 'em play, he says. This will no doubt be the toughest postseason challenge for the Pioneer Athletic Conference and District 1 champ Rams against a battle-tested Lions outfit rife with height, talent and experience. That said, seniors Sarah Payonk, Brittany Moore, Courtney Hinnant, Sammi Haas and the rest of the Rams have been waiting to get back to this stage since falling to Archbishop Carroll in last year's semis. This one could go either way, but as long as there's no funny business from the guys in stripes, the Poopster says ... Spring-Ford 48-44.

Cumberland Valley (25-6) vs. Chartiers Valley (22-7), at Altoona, 7 p.m.
The District 3 No. 5 seed Eagles, who start two sophomores, one freshman and just one senior, are maturing in a hurry and getting hot at the right time. They took out North Penn 53-36 in the quarterfinals, and have two victories over District 1 runner-up Mount St. Joseph Academy to their credit. The District 7 runner-up Colts, meanwhile, dispatched traditional power Mount Lebanon 48-37 in the quarters despite being without starters Mariah Wells (13 ppg) and Jenne Devinney due to injury. Interestingly enough, Chartiers Valley faced Spring-Ford in the KSA Classic in Orlando back in December, falling 43-37. ... Cumberland Valley 51-48

Last round: 2-2.
Overall: 18-10.