Liberty has lasted longer than a lot of people have expected

FROM KEITH GROLLER

I admit it. I didn't see this run coming for Liberty.

I don't think many people did. Not after its struggles late in the regular season and in the LVC tournament.

In fact, back in January, after the passing of Patti Heffner, I was asked to speak on her behalf at the Via All-Star banquet. Since I admired Patti so much, I was quite honored to be asked and eagerly accepted.

I saw the date coinicided with the state 4A boys semis, but I will be honest -- I really didn't even give it a thought that there would be a basketball game for me to cover on the same night.

But thanks to Liberty's run, that's the situation and a hectic, crazy night is shaping up.

I am speaking at the Via banquet -- hopefully as early as possible during the ceremony -- and then will leave the stage, go out the door, get to my car and hit the road as quickly as possible.

I am not exactly sure where I am headed -- I have my directions in hand -- but I hope to get to Council Rock South as soon as I can.

No matter what set of directions I look at, it's targeted as an hour and 15 minute trip from Bethlehem (the Via banquet is at Freedom), minimum.

So, I may miss a quarter or more tonight. A halftime arrival wouldn't surprise, but I have to fulfill my commitment to Via and Patti.

I just hope when I get there, it's still a competitive game.

Liberty has played remarkably well over its seven-game winning streak, but this is not Whitehall, Allen, Nazareth and it's not even Penncrest, York or Hempfield. Penn Wood is at a different level. It's that simple.

It's going to take a spectacular effort by Liberty and a subpar effort by Penn Wood for the Hurricanes to pull off what would be as big an upset in PIAA basketball as Northern Iowa's stunner over Kansas was in the NCAA tournament.

I remember watching Penn Wood dismantle York in the 4A finals last March, and looking over its roster and seeing how many great players were coming back. And I was thinking, there's no way they don't repeat.

The only team capable of knocking them off might be Plymouth-Whitemarsh, the team Penn Wood beat in the District One finals a few weeks ago.

I hope I am wrong. I've really come to admire Anthony Gonzalez, Darrun Hilliard, Brandon Holland, Jarrod West and the entire team and staff. They have defied the odds and gone farther than any Liberty team has ever gone before.

It's quite an accomplishment for any District 11 team to reach the state's final four.

But I think this splendid journey ends tonight. I see a valiant effort on the part of the Hurricanes, but a 64-52 Penn Wood win.

FROM KEITH GROLLER