Allentown Central Catholic’s girls basketball team has a lot of success in the postseason. It was captured three straight District 11 4A championships and four of the last five.

The Vikettes (11-11) enter districts with a .500 win-loss record, but have faced some top competition during the regular season. They lost all six of their nonconference games this season and went 11-5 in the East Penn Conference.

Last season, Central was the fourth seed and won a district title, beating Northwestern 51-41 in the semifinals.

On Saturday, the two teams meet at Catasauqua High School in the quarterfinal round of districts.

The Tigers (20-4) reached the semifinals in each of the last three seasons and four of the last five, but have been unable to make it to the gold medal game. That one season when they did not go to the semis, they exited in the quarterfinals after a loss to the Vikettes.

That Central Catholic win was revenge for the previous season when the Tigers beat the Vikettes 52-41 in the quarterfinal round.

The last district championship for Northwestern came in the 2005-2006 season.

Sophomores will have a large role in Saturday’s contest.

Central Catholic has a pair of sophomores – Skyler Taylor and Alyssa Hursh - who figure prominently in their offense. Taylor averages 7.8 points per game and the Vikettes have gotten 6.1 per game from Hursh.

On the other side is Northwestern sophomore Natalie Conner, who averages just under 21 points per game.

Senior Morgan Seagreaves leads Central Catholic with 9.7 points per game and classmate Shamiya Roberts stands at 7.7 per game.

Conner has three seniors backing her up offensively with Hannah Gober (7.8 ppg), Olivia Reinhart (5.8 ppg), and Emma Freeman (5.6 ppg). Northwestern averaged 52.8 points per game this season while the Vikettes scored 45.2 per game.

If there is to be a difference maker in Saturday’s game, look to the Northwestern Lehigh defense.

The Lady Tigers have been limiting opponents scoring to 33.8 points per game while Central Catholic has allowed 42.6.

Northwestern head coach Chris Deutsch is known for stressing fundamentals and that could make the difference in not just this game but throughout the rest of the postseason.

Teams that lose in the quarterfinal round of districts are eliminated from the playoffs. Team that fall in semifinals will have a chance to reach the state tournament by winning a third-place game as three teams qualify for the state playoffs in girls Class 4A.