The basketball season is over, but not before three Delaware County teams brought home state championships.

Penn Wood, picked as favorites at season's outset, stepped up to that high praise and claimed the Class AAAA crown by topping William Penn-York, 72-53, at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center Saturday.

Senior All-Delco Duane Johnson and sophomore Aaron Brown chipped in with 20 points apiece, Tyree Johnson had 14 and Will Brown added 12 for the Patriots, who wrapped up their first state-title season with a 28-4 record.

The Archbishop Carroll boys did it Friday, then the girls followed suit by beating Lampeter-Strasburg for the Class AAA championship.

Erin Shields and Hollie Mershon each put in 13 points for the Patriots, who finished their season 30-1 with the 68-45 rout of the Pioneers. Kerri Shields tallied 12 in the last game of her fantastic Carroll career.

That's all there is to report from Happy Valley. Make sure to read it all in the Sunday Times and thanks for your readership through basketball season, both at Gettin' Schooled and Live at the PIAA Championships.

The spring sports season is here, but I need a blogging breather. I'll take a few days off from the blogosphere but keep reading the Daily Times until I get back.

The expression by Penn Wood senior Will Brown (pictured) should say everything. In case it doesn't here is what Brown felt immediately following the Patriots' 52-49 loss to Norristown in the District One Class AAAA championship game:

"It felt good," said Brown, whose potentially game-tying shot rimmed out at the buzzer. "It just didn't go in. It didn;t drop. I really wish it would have gone in."

The Patriots had tons of chances to secure their first district championship since 1992 - and only their second in school history. They had plenty of unforced errors in the game, however:

• They committed 19 turnovers.
• They committed 20 personal fouls.
• They shot just 5-for-16 from the free-throw line.

Making matters worse was the exceptional play of Norristown senior Khalif Wyatt. The 6-3 guard, a Temple signee, did just about everything for the Eagles. He scored 19 of their first 20 points. He finished with a game-best 25 points and (deep breath) hauled in five rebounds, grabbed five steals, dished out two assists and even blocked a pair of shots to boot.

It didn't matter who the Patriots threw at him - and Penn Wood coach Clyde Jones tossed everything but the kitchen sink at Wyatt - there just was not stopping him. Wyatt got the upper hand, even if it looks like otherwise in these excellent photos by Daily Times photographer Bob Gurecki.

The win made the Eagles' return to the district-title game a memorable one. They lost to Chester last year, ending their undefeated season.

Wyatt was impressive throughout. He knocked down five 3-pointers. Two of them stick out:

1. On one right before halftime, he faded to his right and jumped off only his right foot. The shot, which looked offbalance, banked off the glass and in.

2. Chided by Penn Wood's fans all game for airing a layup in the paint, Wyatt drilled a 3 with Penn Wood junior DeQuan Pelzer draped all over him. After hitting the shot, Wyatt looked at the crowd and thumped his chest with a closed fist.

OK, enough about this game. After all, the only way these two will see each other again is in the PIAA Class AAAA championship. (One can dream.)

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In the District One ninth-place game:

Glen Mills did it. The Bulls pulled off the impossible, improbable, unbelievable route to their first state-playoff berth since 2004: they beat Central Bucks West, 60-57, in double overtime to secure the district's ninth and final slot.

Reggie Miles was huge, stepping up with a team-best 23 points. Aaric Murray had 16 more, and Lavander Johns had nine in the win. It seems like a different player is stepping up each night for the Bulls this postseason.

What really bites about this whole process is that the Bulls - as a "reward" for winning three elimination games in a row - are required to play a play-in game this Tuesday just to get into the PIAA first round, which is held next Saturday. That's where the PIAA screwed up. This needs to be fixed, because the Bulls (or any team that follows them as the No. 9 seed) does not deserve that.

The losing hasn't worn on Tom Brennan. It affects the Sun Valley senior, of course. He'd be lying if he said it didn't.

But the 6-3, 195-pound forward has kept his head up. He averages 23.3 points per game this year, nearly identical to what he did on a game-to-game basis as a junior.

His future looks bright, too, with either a collegiate career in either basketball (his first passion) or baseball. (Editorial Note: Brennan was the last player left off the Daily Times' baseball All-Delco team last spring. He had a stellar season in which he saved five games on the mound, batted better than .330 and knocked in 19 runs for the District One Class AAA champs.)

But I digress. Brennan is an interesting subject, in that he succeeds while his team flounders. Get a glimpse into his life on the hardwood.

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THURSDAY NIGHT RECAP
Glen Mills 60, Academy Park 38: The Battlin' Bulls (12-4, 4-2) went up by 40-18 at halftime and never looked back. They got 19 from All-Delco Aaric Murray.

Penn Wood 86, Chichester 50: Sophomore forward Aaron Brown, a Roman Catholic transfer, had his second 20-point game in the last seven to boost the Patriots (14-1, 5-1). All-Delco Duane Johnson had 16 as did super sub Will Brown, the lastest in a long line of talented bench players at Penn Wood.

Chester 69, Interboro 42: Twelve different Clippers (that's an unreal number, folks) scored at least a point to keep Chester (15-1, 6-0) undefeated in league play. Erikk Wright and Rahlir Jefferson led the way with 12.

For all the rest, check out Friday's Daily Times.