Now in its 11^th year. the SPORTSfever Challenge continues to add to its Tradition of Champions with the matchups in today’s Challenge XVIII at Susquehanna Township High School in Harrisburg..

The mission of SPORTSfever Challenges is to bring together the best basketball teams in Pennsylvania to “challenge” each other as a way to prepare for a serious bid to qualify for the state championship tournament , to win the state championship and to showcase their teams and their schools. The emphasis is on teams, not individual star players.

This focus has been the foundation for a decade of success for the events, the teams and the student-athletes. Since the first Challenge in 1999, 85 of 150 teams that have played in 81 Challenge games, have qualified for the PIAA state tournament.  Eight of those teams advanced to win PIAA state championships and eight others reached PIAA state finals. There has been at least one Challenge team playing for a PIAA state championship in each of the past five seasons.

On December 20, 2008 at Bucknell University, Challenge XVI featured the 2008 PIAA state AAA champion Steelton-Highspire, 2008 AAA runnerup Susquehanna Township, 2006 and 2007 state AA champion Prep Charter and 1999 state AAAA champion Williamsport.

At the Challenge boys tripleheader at Bucknell, Susquehanna Township defeated Montoursville 57-44, Prep Charter defeated Hughesville 58-43 and Williamsport defeated Steel-High 93-61.

On January 17, 2009 at Marywood University in Scranton, Challenge XVII included teams representing five PIAA districts (2, 3, 4, 11 and 12), including two of which were Top 10-ranked AA teams in Pennsylvania (Holy Cross and Communications Tech) and four other teams looking to make an impact beyond their local league and district.

In this boys tripleheader, Mountain View defeated Bishop McDevitt 49-36, Pocono Mountain West defeated Shikellamy 69-59 and Communications Tech defeated Holy Cross 53-45.

At today’s boys-girls Challenge XVIII, five of the 10 teams are considered among the best teams in their class statewide. The Susquehanna Township boys (12-3, No. 7 AAA) and Prep Charter boys (12-3, No. 3 AA) are ranked in their respective state Top 10s in the most recent weekly Harrisburg Patriot-News state rankings. Both the Delone Catholic boys (11-4) and girls (14-2) and Bishop McCort girls (10-2) were given an honorable mention in the state AA rankings.

Both the Prep Charter-Delone boys and the Delone-McCort girls Challenge games are potential state playoff matchups. Susquehanna Township boys, which is closing in on the Mid-Penn Keystone Division regular season championship, face a stiff challenge from Philadelphia Public runnerup in 2008 Frankford (13-3), which has always performed well in previous Challenge games.

The Challenge has been an opportunity for teams looking for statewide recognition. The West York girls were 13-4, Prep Charter 12-5, Imhotep Charter 11-4 and Susquehanna Township girls were 9-6 before last night’s game.

The Challenge has provided a sneak preview for fans of future professional stars. On this Challenge program cover are five professional athletes who played in Challenge games.

Atlanta Falcon quarterback Matt Ryan, who won the NFL Rookie of the Year award this season, Charlotte Bobcats guard Sean Singletary and Golden State Warriors forward Rob Kurz, were on the same Penn Charter team that played in Challenge V on January 18, 2003 and defeated Central Dauphin 66-46. Singletary, who went on to star at Virginia, scored 14 points. Kurz, who became one of Notre Dame’s top players, scored 13 points. Ryan, who moved onto a great collegiate career at Boston College, scored seven points. Looking back, that Penn Charter team, which won the Inter-Ac League with a 26-4 record, can now be considered one of the all-time top teams in Pennsylvania, considering this trio of super talent.

Orlando Magic guard Jameer Nelson and Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub both played in the first Challenge on January 2, 1999 . Nelson scored 12 points but his Chester team was upset by host Hempfield 60-38. The Clippers rebounded the next season to win the PIAA State AAAA championship in 2000. Schaub scored 15 points for West Chester East in a 52-42 win over Chambersburg.

Who are the next former Challenge alumni to join the professional ranks? Penn State defensive lineman Jared Odrick, who played in the 2004 Challenge for Lebanon?  Boston College tight end Ryan Purvis, who played in the 2004 Challenge for Lancaster Catholic?  Richmond tight end Joe Stewart, who played in the 2004 Challenge for Lewistown?