When I first started to compile the history of the District 1 basketball playoffs more than a decade ago, one record stuck out as "unbreakable."

Proving that even "unbreakable" records can be approached and even broken, Chester can tie that record Tuesday -- and break it on Friday if it wins Tuesday.

That record is Most Consecutive Wins in the District 1 Playoffs.

From 1930 through 1946, Lower Merion won 35 consecutive games in the tournament, earning 12 District 1 titles in the process. Four of those teams then went on to win the state title.

It's never easy to win that many games in a row, much less under the pressure-packed circumstances of a playoff game. But the Aces of that era dominated District 1 and defeated all comers en route to those championships.

One advantage Lower Merion had was that only its best teams went to districts. In that era, the only teams that advanced to the postseason were the league champions; second place stayed home. Thus the Aces didn't go to districts in 1932, 1935, 1938 and 1945 because it was not the Suburban One champion. (As a point of information, Lower Merion was a charter member of the Suburban League and left when the Central League was formed in 1967.) But when it did win its league, no one could beat the Aces in the District 1 playoffs for a decade and a half. Lower Merion's streak ended in 1946 in the Class A semifinals, and the team that ended the streak was its ancient rival, Radnor, 46-39.

Chester has won 34 straight District 1 playoff games in an era where making it to districts is easier than it was in Lower Merion's day; almost every school with a winning record makes the playoffs today, and some that are under .500 do, too. But it's a lot harder to win a district title now than it was then: In the 1930s and 1940s, a school had to win two or three games to win the district title. Today, a Class AAAA school has to win five straight games to win the title.

The Clippers' streak began when they won the third-place game in the 2001 tournament. Since then, they have won six straight District 1 titles and have ended the title dreams of 24 different schools, ranging alphabetically from Abington to Wissahickon.

Though it's easier to make states than it was when Lower Merion was winning its 35 straight games (back then, only the district champions advanced), it's a LOT harder to win the district title today. So the historian in me is truly astounded that Chester is in the position it is in right now, and I have nothing but admiration for its feat.

Lower Merion's 35-game win streak:

1930 A Semifinals: Palmerton, W 45-19
1930 A Final: Allentown, W 23-18
1931 A Quarterfinals: Palmerton, W 29-26 (2OT)
1931 A Semifinals: Allentown, W 19-10
1931 A Final: Mahanoy City, W 22-11
1933 Quarterfinals: Ridley Park,W 28-16
1933 Semifinals: Pottstown, W 39-19
1933 Final: Pennsburg, W 33-13
1934 Quarterfinals: Pottstown, W 28-17
1934 Semifinals: Darby, W 32-21
1934 Final: Jenkintown, W 26-18
1936 Quarterfinals: Ridley Park, W 32-18
1936 Semifinals: Conshohocken, W 26-22
1936 Final: Morrisville, W 39-15
1937 Quarterfinals: Chester, W 28-18
1937 Semifinals: Coatesville, W 26-22
1937 Final: Quakertown, W 33-18
1939 Semifinals: Nether Providence, W 32-12
1939 Final: Pottstown, W 39-15
1940 Quarterfinals: Bristol, W 35-12
1940 Semifinals: Bridgeport, W 33-24
1940 Final: Radnor, W 22-15
1941 Quarterfinals: Clifton Heights, W 47-19
1941 Semifinals: Coatesville, W 29-28 (OT)
1941 Final: Ridley Township, W 34-25
1942 Quarterfinals: Sell-Perk, W 52-29
1942 Semifinals: Chester, W 29-20
1942 Final: Yeadon, W 39-25
1943 Quarterfinals: Morrisville, W 57-18
1943 Semifinals: Pottstown, W 53-30
1943 Final: Chester, W 40-28
1944 Quarterfinals: Yeadon, W 35-32
1944 Semifinals: Radnor, W 31-17
1944 Final: Coatesville, W 38-25
1946 A Quarterfinals: Springfield (Montco), W 55-46

Chester's 34-game win streak:

2001 AAAA Third place: Central Bucks West, W 61-44
2002 AAAA First round: Penncrest, W 73-45
2002 AAAA Second round: Ridley, W 66-48
2002 AAAA Quarterfinals: Neshaminy, W 77-66
2002 AAAA Semifinals: Upper Dublin, W 64-62
2002 AAAA Final: Coatesville, W 81-79
2003 AAAA First round: Neshaminy, W 78-53
2003 AAAA Second round: Abington, W 55-42
2003 AAAA Quarterfinals: Bensalem, W 58-55
2003 AAAA Semifinals: Coatesville, W 79-64
2003 AAAA Final: Council Rock North, W 71-61
2004 AAAA First round: Hatboro-Horsham, W 68-42
2004 AAAA Second round: Norristown, W 80-61
2004 AAAA Quarterfinals: Wissahickon, W 60-45
2004 AAAA Semifinals: Plymouth-Whitemarsh, W 63-46
2004 AAAA Final: Cheltenham, W 62-55
2005 AAAA First round: Central Bucks West, W 75-52
2005 AAAA Second round: Spring-Ford, W 93-51
2005 AAAA Quarterfinals: Conestoga, W 83-54
2005 AAAA Semifinals: Plymouth-Whitemarsh, W 73-63
2005 AAAA Final: Cheltenham, W 63-48
2006 AAAA First round: West Chester East, W 60-51
2006 AAAA Second round: Downingtown West, W 59-41
2006 AAAA Quarterfinals: Wissahickon, W 72-51
2006 AAAA Semifinals: Cheltenham, W 80-74
2006 AAAA Final: Lower Merion, W 83-80 (OT)
2007 AAAA First round: Bishop Shanahan, W 73-36
2007 AAAA Second round: Interboro, W 68-51
2007 AAAA Quarterfinals: Ridley, W 79-53
2007 AAAA Semifinals: Souderton, W 85-57
2007 AAAA Final: Plymouth-Whitemarsh, W 70-62
2008 AAAA First round: Methacton, W 68-56
2008 AAAA Second round: Perkiomen Valley, W 87-41
2008 AAAA Quarterfinals: Council Rock South, W 76-50