Playoff history

1989: First Round, Columbia 58, Lebanon Catholic 45; Championship, Columbia 67, McCaskey 61.
1990: Quarter-finals, Columbia 64, McCaskey 62; Semi-finals, Columbia 67, Penn Manor 57; Championship, Columbia 52, Warwick 50.
1991: First Round, Conestoga Valley 55, Columbia 43.
1992: Quarter-Finals: Columbia 72, Annville-Cleona 53; Semi-Finals: Conestoga Valley 64, Columbia 56.
1993: Quarter-Finals: Lebanon, 60, Columbia 55.
1994: Quarter-Finals: Columbia 66, Hempfield 62; Semi-Finals: Conestoga Valley 66, Columbia 59.
2000: Quarter-Finals: Garden Spot, 68, Columbia 65.
2001: First Round: Columbia 100, Garden Spot 74; Semi-Finals, Lancaster Catholic 68, Columbia 61.
2005: First Round: Manheim Township 73, Columbia 63.

Thanks to LL Hoops.com

Keep the wagon full

Maybe it wasn’t the appropriate headline, but, I needed to get a point across, that despite Monday’s loss to Lancaster Catholic, there is still plenty of basketball left for the Crimson Tide boys.
There’s the playoff game with Lancaster Catholic, either tomorrow night or Saturday; the L-L League playoffs next week; the District 3 playoffs the week after and then the state playoffs.
So those of you who joined the bandwagon during the streak, my advice is stay on it.
In the past, I’ve seen the bandwagon fill up and overflow, only to see the wagon become baron after a few losses.
These kids and their coaches have worked hard to get into the position they are in. I’ve enjoyed the season as have many others. Although I didn’t hear anything Monday, I’m sure the doubters were questioning what happened.
So be it.
Here are some other observations:
• One of my concerns is always the officiating.
As I’ve said previously, there are a number of good officials in the L-L League. I don’t want to say that was a factor Monday, but one of the officials I can’t remember the last time he did a Columbia game.
My concern is that if you haven’t seen a team play much, you don’t know the style they play. But, the Tide needs to get use to it because they will start seeing different stripes next week.
• Enjoyed the energy inside the “hot” gym.
Didn’t hear too much out of the ordinary, but I don’t think administrators should be sitting in the middle of student sections leading the cheers.
They are there to administer the game and not help create problems. But then at the other end, sometimes administrators go overboard in not letting the kids have fun as well.
• I felt bad for the girls’ teams between Columbia and Lancaster Catholic.
That one should have been played on an off night to give everyone a chance to attend both games.

Bracket update

L-L Playoff Pairings
First Round
Section 1 champ vs. Section 3 runner-up
Section 4 champ vs. Section 2 runner-up.
Section 2 champ vs. Section 4 runner-up
Section 3 champ vs. Section 1 runner-up.
NOTE: Girls playoffs will be held Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Boys playoffs will be held Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Sites and times to be announced.

Playoff is possible

The streak might be over, but the goal of winning a section championship in the Lancaster-Lebanon League is still alive.
Before a packed house of more than 1,000 fans, Lancaster Catholic ended Columbia’s 20-game winning streak with a 73-65 win over the Tide Monday night.
What the loss means that the Tide and Crusaders, who have both qualified for the Lancaster-Lebanon League playoffs, are now tied for the lead in Section 4, with one game left to play.
Tomorrow, Columbia closes out the regular season with a home game with Annville-Cleona, while Lancaster Catholic traveled to Pequea Valley.
Barring any major upsets, round three of the best rivalry in the Lancaster-Lebanon League will be tomorrow night or Saturday, when a one game playoff will be played at a neutral site, to decide the section title.
Readers can check out the Columbia School District web site: www.columbia.k12.pa.us, or our blog, Tide Talk, for more information regarding the playoff game. If there is a playoff, a site and time is expected to be announced early this morning.
Columbia entered the game with a one-game lead over the Crusaders and winners of 20 straight games. The Crusaders dominated Monday’s showdown early, before the Tide took control of the game in the second quarter, leading 36-31 at the half. At one point in the second quarter, Columbia led the game by eight points, but failed on four possessions to increase its lead.
The Tide also had a five-point lead in the third quarter, before Lancaster Catholic rallied in the final minute to take the lead for good.
The section playoff game is important because of who will play who in the Lancaster-Lebanon League playoffs, which begin Tuesday night.
The winner of Section 4 will get the second place team from a weak Section 2 in the opening round of the playoffs. Heading into the final game of the regular season. Elizabethtown and Cocalico are tied for second place in Section Two.
The loser of the playoff game draws the Section 2 champ, probably CV.
Now, its time for the Tide to start a new streak that hopefully will last into March.