We're getting there.
And while only two of the Mid-Penn Conference's four divisional titles have been decided -- only four schools remain mathematically solvent for divisional titles -- another could be wrapped up tonight and No. 4 could be secured sometime Friday night. Yes, we're getting there.
Remember: Should there be a tie for a divisional championship, both teams would be declared co-champions and a playoff game held to determine which club advances to Mid-Penn tournament play.
If needed, those divisional "play-ins" will be held on Feb. 8 or Feb. 9.
The Mid-Penn Tournament will open on Feb. 12 at neutral sites, with the championship game held two nights later. One matchup is set with Commonwealth Division champion Harrisburg (19-1, 13-0) scheduled to tip against Colonial Division winner Gettysburg (16-5, 11-0).
As for the other work that's left to do, we'll get to that in a moment.
We promised a Tri-Valley League update and you'll get one, even though there's still lots to sort out in the sprawling nine-team loop that stretches across three PIAA districts. Greenwood appears to have a grasp on its fifth consectutive TVL crown -- Kent Houser's Wildcats lead second-place East Juniata by two-plus games -- but there's four teams still mathematically buoyant with several possessing faint title hopes.
OK, here we go.
COMMONWEALTH
CLICK HERE FOR COMMONWEALTH DIVISION STANDINGS
Harrisburg (19-1, 13-0) secured its fourth Commonwealth Division championship in five seasons on Tuesday night with a 73-70 victory at State College. No. 3 in the latest PennLive.com/Patriot-News state-wide rankings (Class AAAA), Kirk Smallwood's Cougars will carry a 16-game winning streak into Friday night's scrap with visiting Chambersburg.
COLONIAL
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Gettysburg (16-5, 11-0) locked up its first Colonial Division title -- the Warriors' first regular-season championship in 19 seasons -- by riding Cody Kiefer's double-double (21 points, 14 rebounds) to a 64-50 win over visiting Big Spring. Jeff Bair's club will wrap up regular-season play on Saturday night at home, entertaining league rival Boiling Springs.
CAPITAL
CLICK HERE FOR CAPITAL DIVISION STANDINGS
While this has been a two-team race for some time, nothing has been settled between Steel-High (16-2, 12-0) and Milton Hershey (12-6, 11-1). Well, that could dramatically change later tonight at the Spartan Center.
Unless winter weather intercedes -- as it did last week when these sides were originally schedule to meet and again Monday night -- we could have a champ crowned tonight. Then again, this thing could stretch a little longer.
Should Tramayne Hawthorne's Rollers (at Milton Hershey, East Pennsboro) prevail, Steel-High will claim the Capital Division title and advance to next week's Mid-Penn Tournament and play the Keystone Division champ.
Should Mark Zerbe's Spartans (Steel-High, at West Perry) celebrate victory, they'll pull into a tie for the Capital lead with Steel-High. If that happens, both sides would need wins (or losses) to wind up co-champions and a playoff game to determine the Mid-Penn rep would be needed.
And while Steel-High is riding a sparkling 16-game winning streak -- Hawthorne's Rollers defeated Milton Hershey 66-62 when they met just before Christmas -- Zerbe's Spartans have played the last five games without standout forward Ibn Short (school suspension).
Milton Hershey is 3-2 during that stretch.
KEYSTONE
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Although Susquehanna Twp (19-1, 13-1) and Trinity (14-3, 10-3) are the only teams that can lay claim to a Keystone Division title -- Susquehanna Twp. clinched a share on Tuesday night with its 63-53 win over Palmyra -- the Indians need a victory over visiting Mechanicsburg on Friday night (or a Trinity loss at Palmyra) to capture their first league championship since 2009.
Should Susquehanna Twp (Mechanicsburg, at Trinity) not get it done Friday night at its cozy Field House -- Vince Rogers' seventh-ranked Tribe (Class AAA) have won nine straight games -- the Indians will have another opportunity on Monday ... at, of all places, Trinity.
Trinity (at Palmyra, Susquehanna Twp., at Bishop McDevitt) must win out and hope Susquehanna Twp. loses out to claim a share of the Keystone crown and force a playoff game to determine which side advances to the Mid-Penn Tournament. Once there, the Keystone rep will meet the Capital champ.
TRI-VALLEY
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With a commanding lead and just four league games remaining, Greenwood (16-2, 12-0) appears to have its fifth consecutive TVL championship all but locked up. Yet even though their title chances appear slim -- Greenwood's magic number is 3 -- East Juniata (14-3, 9-2), Upper Dauphin (11-6, 8-3) and Line Mountain (10-7, 8-3) remain mathematically viable.
Lugging a 16-game winning streak, Greenwood (at East Juniata, Halifax, at Line Mountain, Millersburg) will haul that impressive run to Cocolamus Friday night for a matchup with second-place EJ. Should Kent Houser's Wildcats win at EJ, they'd lock up a share of the TVL crown.
And while East Juniata (Greenwood, Line Mountain, Lancaster Country Day, at Millersburg, Newport) obviously needs to beat Greenwood to have a legitimate chance at the TVL title, Brock Anders' Tigers need help.
EJ also is looking to improve its seed in an upcoming District 4-AA tournament -- the Tigers already are in the field -- that uses only winning percentage to determine its bracket and lay out the matchups.
Upper Dauphin (Millersburg, Lancaster Country Day, at Newport, at Juniata, at Line Mountain) obviously needs plenty of help.
No. 7 in the latest District 3-AA power rankings, several victories could help Anthony Weaver's Trojans earn a bye into the quarterfinals and avoid a first-round playoff matchup -- even though the latter would probably be at home.
Like Upper Dauphin, Line Mountain (at East Juniata, Greenwood, at Lancaster Country Day, at Halifax, Upper Dauphin) also needs plenty of help.
At the same time, Craig Reichard's Eagles need just one victory to clinch a berth in the District 4-AA tournament.