As the high school basketball playoffs begin, there’s one question on everyone’s mind: Can anyone beat the Patriot boys or Osbourn Park girls?
The Patriot Pioneers and the Osbourn Park Yellow Jackets enter the postseason, which began on Thursday, as the No. 1 seeds in their respective Cedar Run District tournaments, looking to maintain their run of local dominance.
The Pioneers’ boys have won the last seven district and the last three Class 6 Region B championships and enter the postseason at 17-5 with a retooled lineup that’s hungry for more glory.
Their toughest challenger appears to be Gainesville, which is also 17-5 and the No. 2 seed in the tournament. The Cardinals beat the Pioneers 78-73 in the regular season finale and are motivated to capture their first district crown after falling to Patriot in the district final last season.
On the girls side, Osbourn Park is targeting its fifth straight district and regional championship and enters the playoffs looking as dangerous as ever at 18-3.
The Yellow Jackets have defeated Gainesville in the last two district and regional finals, and with the Cardinals entering the postseason as the No. 2 seed in the district at 12-10, OP and Gainesville could be on a collision course for another championship showdown.
Elsewhere, the Cardinal District tournaments are much less straightforward.
On the boys side, Potomac and Forest Park have won the last two district titles and enter the playoffs as the top two seeds in the district at 17-4 and 17-6, respectively. Woodbridge is the No. 3 seed at 12-9, while Gar-Field is No. 4 at 15-9.
In the girls tournament, top-seeded Freedom-Woodbridge was the best team in the regular season with a 15-6 record ahead of No. 2 Potomac (11-4) and No. 3 Woodbridge (10-11).
The district semifinals are Friday, Feb. 14, and the finals and consolation games are Tuesday, Feb. 18. The regional tournaments begin Friday, Feb. 21.
Gainesville High junior Peyton White (left) and the Cardinals are the No. 2 seed in the Cedar Run District girls basketball tournament.
Photo by Doug Stroud
Cedar Run District Boys Basketball Tournament
No. 4 Battlefield at No. 1 Patriot, 6 p.m.
No. 3 Freedom-South Riding at No. 2 Gainesville, 7 p.m.
Final – Feb. 18, 6 p.m.
Cedar Run District Girls Basketball Tournament
No. 4 Battlefield at No. 1 Osbourn Park, 6 p.m.
No. 3 Freedom-South Riding at No. 2 Gainesville, 5:30 p.m.
Final – Feb. 18, 6 p.m.
Patriot High junior Elijah Gaskins (right) and the Pioneers are the No. 1 seed in the Cedar Run District boys basketball tournament. Forest Park junior Jaiden Perry (left) and the Bruins are the No. 2 seed in the Cardinal District boys basketball tournament.
Want to stay up to date on the best stories out of Prince William County? Sign up for the Prince William Times’ newly revamped daily newsletter, The JAM, online here.
