Can William Penn make another deep run in states?
The Bearcats’ run to the PIAA finals last year captivated the city. The two anchors from that 32-2 squad — Malik Generett and Malachi Leonard — are gone, but Troy Sowers’ team has no shortage of talent. Guards Kelvin Parker and Jevaughn Murphy should pick up the scoring slack, while senior Ryan Matthews returns to provide leadership. Can anybody stop Eastern York junior Andrew Nicholas? Not many have been able to stop the 6-foot-6 forward they call “Red,” who averaged 21.1 points per game last year en route to Division III/IV player of the year honors. Nicholas ended the recruiting chase for him this summer — he verbally committed to Rutgers in July — and can focus solely on his high school career. That’s a scary thought for opponents. Speaking of Nicholas, how far can the Golden Knights go? Considering the talent at coach Larry Fisher’s disposal, the answer is probably “pretty far.” Eastern lost one player to graduation and boasts the junior duo of Nicholas and guard Austin Tillot
