Yes, Springfield lost the District One Class AAA championship game Saturday. Yes, it was within reach. Yes, the Cougars have won only two district titles since 1945.

But, hey - why hang your head about a five-point loss to top-seeded Holy Ghost Prep? There's still the PIAA playoffs. It's new life for these Cougars.

"Maybe in a day or two, we can start talking about it and getting ready for it," said junior forward Adam Washington, who scored 15 points. "This was the game we wanted to win. We just didn't do it."

Junior guard Zack DeVito was so stung by the loss that, on two occasions in post-game interviews, he forgot the questions he was trying to answer.

"This one hurts because this was a goal of ours from the beginning of the season," said senior forward Wally Rutecki. "It didn't happen for us, but we can focus on states now."

Springfield (18-8) begins its PIAA journey Friday.

And just like that, Springfield's district-title aspirations were dashed.

The Cougars dropped a back-and-forth District One Class AAA title tilt to Holy Ghost Prep, 47-42, Saturday night at Villanova's Pavilion.

Adam Washington scored 15 points (on 6-for-10 scoring), Dave Carpenter had eight and Zack DeVito and Wally Rutecki had six apiece for Springfield (18-8), which faces District 12's Murrell Dobbins in the first round of the PIAA playoffs next week.

More to come...

For you Delco basketball fans out there looking to get caught up on some of the county's finest who have moved onto college, this semi-regular feature is for you. Today, we take a peak at Rahlir Jefferson:


It's not often that a freshman on Temple coach Fran Dunphy's squad gets minutes. But in Rahlir Jefferson's situation, he isn't just playing; he's making a difference.

The 2009 Chester graduate and All-Delco forward, Jefferson averages 16 minutes a game for the 16th-ranked Owls. He's become a defensive specialist, checking into the game late to lock down on the opposition's best scorer. Despite playing only 300 minutes, Jefferson is second on the team with 13 steals, and also fills out the stat sheet with 3.8 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.0 blocks.

Who knows? With the way he and the Owls (16-3) are playing, we might be talking about Jefferson deep into March.

But, hey -- this post isn't just about the past. Here's a closer look at some of the action from Wednesday night:

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It may be a couple months - and with less on the line - but Chester got some revenge on Williamsport.

The Clippers (8-3) easily handled the Millionaires in a game on a neutral court, at Coatesville High, as part of the Mid-Atlantic Shootout. Chester lost to Williamsport last winter in the second round of the PIAA Class AAAA playoffs.

Erikk Wright, a sophomore, continues to impress. He had 12 points and 15 boards. Tavaune Griffin had seven rebounds and three blocks and Mo Nelson led the way with 15 points

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EXTRA BOUNCES
---Five of Upper Darby's eight losses have come by two possessions or fewer. Count the Royals' 44-43 loss to Springfield tonight among them. The Cougars' Adam Washington had 15 for the victors.
---Radnor, which scored 12 points in the first quarter, scored only 11 in the second half of its 37-29 loss to Ridley.
---Marple Newtown's Soutiri Sapnas, already the leading scorer in Delco, filled up the rim with 46 points in an 80-74 loss to Conestoga. Sapnas, the Tigers' all-time and single-season scoring champ, fell short of his 49-point career high, however.

There was a heck of a Central League game played Wednesday between Strath Haven and Springfield.

It featured more turnovers (34) than made baskets (29). It featured an eight-point lead - in favor of the host Springfield - that turned into a one-point deficit. Check out Thursday's Daily Times for the game story, but here's A Closer Look at Wednesday's unsung stars:

STRATH HAVEN
Omar Randall – 10 points, 5 rebounds. While the junior forward didn't give the Panthers the lead for good, he hit the free throw with 62 seconds to go that represented the Panthers' final point. He was the silent difference-maker.
Pat Fisher – 8 points, 3 assists, 3 steals, 3 rebounds. The senior guard penetrated the lane, put the ball on his hip and put up a layup that helped Haven hold onto its lead late in the fourth. He showed some grit.

SPRINGFIELD
Adam Washington – 11 rebounds, 6 offensive. Although quiet on the scoreboard, the junior forward made his impression on the game off the glass. Coach Kevin McCormick believes the Cougars will be a different (read stronger) team when Washington starts scoring. I think McCormick's right.
Zack DeVito – 7 points, 7 steals, 4 assists. The junior guard was willing to grab the ball and shoot it when no one else was. That can go a long way for the Cougars, who shot 29 percent.

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30-SECOND TIMEOUT

****Haverford School, which beat Marple Newtown, 68-60, is off to its best start in four seasons. Hard to believe, considering the Fords (6-3) started the year with three straight defeats.
****Penn Wood, which lost to St. Frances (Md.), 63-61, at the City of Palms Classic, lost three of its four games down in Ft. Myers, Fla. Those three losses came by a combined five points. Keep in mind that last year, when they won the state title, they lost only four times. Tough breaks for the Pats.
****Chester's Mo Nelson had 38 points on six 3-pointers, seven shots within the arc and a 6-for-7 showing at the free-throw line. It's only Game 4, and Mo's already heating up.