Munger leads Central Bucks West into district final

Nicole Munger leaned to her left. Then she leaned to her right.

The Central Bucks West senior guard had already scored 21 of her game-high 23 points in a 69-44 win over Downingtown East in a PIAA District 1 Class AAAA semifinal playoff.

So Munger took her place on the bench and craned her neck around an official to see what was happening on the court.

It didn't matter that her team was up by 20 points in the third quarter of the contest at Council Rock South, or that she had just put on an impressive first-half performance. Munger wanted to see how her teammates were doing.

Munger likes talking about her teammates almost as much as watching them.

"I just saw what [Downingtown East] was doing, read it, and took it as it came," Munger said of her offense. "Then my teammates kept finding me. Once in a while, they went in."

With the victory, the Bucks (27-1) earned the program's first trip to the district final.

"It's huge," senior Mackenzie Carroll said. "We've had a great season so far, but really, nothing counts until playoffs."

Maggie Rakowsky defended Paige Warfel, a point guard who shoots from the outside, drives, and does everything in between for the Cougars (21-7).

Rakowsky, a 5-foot-5 sophomore, may not have looked like she'd be able to contain the 6-foot Warfel, but she pestered her all game.

"She really shut her down and did a great job on her," Carroll said. "She's honestly one of the most athletic people I've ever met, and she's so fast."

Munger has been a spectator at every District 1 final since her freshman year.

She won't be watching the championship this year. She'll get to step onto the Liacouras Center floor and play for one Friday at 6 p.m. against Abington.

"The big stage, I guess," she said.

She's ready.

Downingtown East 10 13 9 13 - 44

Central Bucks West 20 14 18 17 - 69

DE: Aryah Aungst 11, Lindsay Kent 10, Paige Warfel 9, Laura Ochsner 8, Kaelyn Johns 6.

CBW: Nicole Munger 23, Corrinne Godshall 12, Mackenzie Carroll 10, Meghan Tillger 7, Molly Rodenbaugh 6, Makenzie Mason 5, Maggie Rakowsky 2, Peyton Traina 2, Abby Spratt 2.

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