SOL Girls’ Basketball District Preview (3-1-17)

Wednesday’s District One 6A semifinals will feature four SOL teams. Nine SOL teams will be in action Wednesday. Check out the preview capsules.

What a difference a year makes.

Last year two SOL teams – Central Bucks South and Upper Dublin – advanced to the District One 4A semifinals. Both lost. CB South fell to Downingtown East (57-47) and Upper Dublin dropped its game to Perk Valley (30-29). This year, Downingtown East and defending district champion Perk Valley were both first round casualties, and Wednesday’s District One 6A semifinals at Bensalem High School will be an all-SOL event.

At 6 p.m., second-seeded Plymouth Whitemarsh will take on seventh-seeded Central Bucks South.

“They’re very excited,” PW coach Dan Dougherty said. “The opportunity is in front of them. The saying we keep saying to them is ‘Never take the chance to do something special for granted because it’s never guaranteed again.’”

Last year’s trip to the semifinals was the first in program history for CB South. They made it two in a row this year.

“It’s a little bit of a different feeling,” South coach Beth Mattern said. “Last year it was just so exciting to get there for the first time.

“It was still business-like, but just the whole aura of how we got there with Jordan (Vitelli’s) half court shot last year to take it to overtime and winning in overtime (against top-seeded North Penn). Everything that went into it – there was so much buzz whereas this year, it’s like, ‘Okay, we won the game. Now we’re there.’ We’re able to focus a little bit more, and hopefully, we’ll have a different result at the end of it.”

In the 7:30 p.m. contest, fifth-seeded Central Bucks West will face ninth-seeded Abington. The game is a rematch of the 2015 District One 4A title game that West won en route to a state runner-up finish.

The Ghosts are the lowest seeded team in the final four, and their journey is perhaps the most unique. On Jan 5, Abington saw its record drop to 6-4 after a 50-44 loss to Central Bucks East. The Ghosts are 14-1 since then and are coming off an upset of top-seeded North Penn in the district quarterfinals.

“After the CB East game, we completely changed our style,” coach Dan Marsh said. “That was the straw that broke the camel’s back when we lost that game.

“We tried to play these half court wars with these teams, and we weren’t playing to our strengths. We didn’t stop our diamond press against North Penn the whole game. We watched a lot of film on North Penn, and I think teams were afraid to press them because of transition threes, but we want that stuff to happen. We want the pace to pick up.

“Going back to our first Neshaminy game, Neshaminy on two possessions had the ball a minute and 45 seconds. Our kids get bored, they’re not engaged, and it’s hard for them to stay focused that long. We said, ‘We’ve got to up the tempo.’ We made that switch permanently after the CB East game, and we’ve lost one game since then.”

Marsh pointed to point guard Britney James as the catalyst.

“She’s very, very important in the way that she finds kids well in space,” the Ghosts’ coach said. “I was a little worried about (forwards) Lizzie (Oleary) and Kassondra (Brown) having to go 90 feet the whole game, but they both do it really well.

“I think the kids have more fun, and I think it’s more fun for people watching, it’s more fun for the coaches. I’ve literally had referees come up to me and say, ‘I need a timeout.’”

Marsh pointed to his team’s pressure as the key in its upset of North Penn.

“What I noticed in the North Penn game was – they were tired,” he said. “We wore them down. By the fourth quarter when they were trying to hit those threes, they didn’t have as much in their legs.

“Obviously, Sam (Carangi) going out of the game (with four fouls) was a factor for them, and it changed the momentum, but we did the same thing to Souderton. We were down five in the third quarter, and we turned it around. We’re not going to change how we play. We want to play fast. I really do think Britney is the key, and I don’t think she gets enough credit.”

Abington will take on a CB West team that also prefers the up-tempo game. The Bucks, according to coach Terry Rakowsky, might be a year ahead of schedule, but with the SOL Tournament title already under their belts, the Bucks have proven that they belong with the elite in the district.

Wednesday promises to be an interesting night of basketball that will set the stage for an all-SOL district final at Villanova University on Saturday.

#3 PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH vs. # 7 CENTRAL BUCKS WEST (at Bensalem High School, Wednesday, 6 p.m.)
Plymouth Whitemarsh

24-1 overall
14-0 SOL American Conference champion
First solo championship for program since 1983
Won 22 straight before falling to #5 Central Bucks West in SOL Tournament semifinals (73-63)
Junior Taylor O’Brien, who surpassed the 1,000-point milestone, is the SOL’s top scorer, averaging 21.6 points a game.
Junior Lauren Fortescue (10.5 ppg), junior Ali Diamond (8.0 ppg) and senior Lauren Coscia (7.3) add to a dangerous attack.

How they got here:

After an opening round bye, Plymouth Whitemarsh earned a 59-48 win over #14 Coatesville in the second round. Taylor O’Brien scored 17 of her game-high 28 points in the first half as the Colonials used an 18-6 second quarter to go into halftime with a 34-16 lead. Lauren Fortescue added 15 points.
In a quarterfinal game, Plymouth Whitemarsh defeated #11 Council Rock North 56-48, rallying from a six-point halftime deficit to outscore the Indians 34-20 in the second half. Taylor O’Brien – who had 12 of her team’s 22 points in the first half – led all scorers. Ali Diamond (15 points) and Lauren Fortescue (12 points) also came up huge.

Coach Dan Dougherty says: “We’re trying to stress to them a sense of urgency that we can’t keep coming out and digging ourselves a hole to start a game. CB South is too good to let that happen. They have five very talented starters plus a couple of really nice kids coming in off the bench. We expect them to be ready for us because they made it there last year. I know some of the players from that team moved on, but they have the experience of being there and being in the environment last year. We don’t expect the moment to be too big for them.
“Obviously, we know (Alexa) Brodie, their point guard, is someone that makes the team go, but you have to respect all five players. They have an absolute knockdown shooter in (Meghan) Kuypers, and (Haley) Meinel has such an explosive first step to the basket. Their fourth and fifth starters can hurt you too. They can all shoot the ball very well, which makes them tough to defend. We’re excited for the opportunity. We’re trying to draw from our experience against CB West and learn you can’t dig yourself a big hole against a really good team, but I also think we’ve gained a lot of confidence from the two playoff wins we’ve had. We beat a really good Council Rock North team and a really good Coatesville team. The kids are going to come out with confidence.”

Central Bucks South

19-5 overall
7-5 SOL Continental Conference fourth place behind North Penn, Central Bucks West and Souderton
Led by junior Haley Meinel (11.8 ppg) and sophomore point guard Alexa Brodie (10.1 ppg)

How they got here:

After an opening round bye, Central Bucks South defeated #10 Neshaminy 45-37, turning a 10-10 tie after one quarter into a 22-18 halftime lead. The Titans took a 33-25 lead into the fourth quarter and won by that margin. They were led by Haley Meinel (15 points), Meghan Kuypers (12) and Alexa Brodie (9 points).
In a quarterfinal contest, Central Bucks South upset #2 Boyertown 35-32. The Titans, who managed just 10 points in the second half, won the game with an 11-0 tear to close out the first half, turning a three-point deficit into a 25-17 halftime lead. Alexa Brodie’s 19 points led the Titans while Meghan Kuypers added 10. Senior Melissa Veal was defensive star, limiting high-scoring Abby Kapp to just two points over the final three quarters after the Bucknell-bound senior scored nine in the first quarter.

Coach Beth Mattern says: “We know we’re in for a battle because PW is a very high-scoring team. The key will be sticking to the game plan and staying in the moment. We’ve tried to preach that all season – one game at a time, and even one possession, getting a stop, getting a score. I think it’s really going to come to if we’re able to do that and stay within ourselves and execute on the defensive end the way we want to, and hopefully, good things will happen.”

#4 CENTRAL BUCKS WEST vs. #9 ABINGTON (at Bensalem High School, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.)
Central Bucks West

21-4 overall
9-3 SOL Continental Conference second place
Defeated #1 North Penn 43-35 to capture SOL Tournament title after downing #3 Plymouth Whitemarsh 73-63 in the tournament semifinals.
Balanced attack led by freshman Maddie Burke (9.8 ppg), senior Maggie Rakowsky (9.7 ppg), sophomore Tori Abelson (9.4 ppg) and sophomore Diane Nicholson (8.3 ppg)

How they got here:

After an opening round bye, Central Bucks West defeated #12 Upper Dublin 54-42, turning a 10-5 deficit after one quarter into a 28-16 halftime lead after a 23-6 second quarter surge. Maggie Rakowsky (12 points), Tori Abelson (10 points) and Diane Nicholson (10 points) led the Bucks.
In a quarterfinal game, Central Bucks West earned a 61-31 win over #4 Garnet Valley, blowing the game wide open with a 21-4 second quarter. Freshman Maddie Burke led the way with 18 points, which included four three-pointers, and senior Maggie Rakowsky added 13 with three threes in a contest that saw the Bucks connect on 10 three-pointers.

Abington

20-5 overall
10-2 SOL National Conference second place behind Council Rock North
Led by University of Delaware-bound Lizzie O’Leary (13.7 ppg), junior Sam Brusha (11.4 ppg) and sophomore Kassondra Brown (11.1 ppg)
Ghosts have won 14 of their last 15 games with only loss to #2 Boyertown (49-54).

How they got here:

In the opening round, Abington raced to a 45-9 halftime lead on its way to a 66-23 rout of #24 Kennett. Lizzie O’Leary (16 points), Sam Brusha (13) and Kassondra Brown (10) all finished in double figures while Britney James (7), Tamia Wessels (6) and Camryn Lexow (6) also contributed.
In the second round, Abington defeated #8 Souderton 44-36, outscoring the Indians 13-4 in the fourth quarter. Point guard Britney James led the Ghosts with 11 points while Kassondra Brown and Jordyn Allen had eight each.
In a quarterfinal game, Abington defeated #1 North Penn 51-44, opening up a one-point halftime lead and closing out the game with a 26-13 run. Sam Brusha’s 16 points led the Ghosts while their bigs, Lizzie Oleary (14 points, 10 rebounds) and Kassondra Brown (10 points, eight rebounds), dominated the paint.

Playback Games (5^th through 8^th)
#4 GARNET VALLEY at #1 NORTH PENN (Wednesday, 7 p.m.)
North Penn

21-4 overall
10-2 SOL Continental Conference champion
Fell to CB West 43-35 in SOL Tournament title game, snapping a 14-game winning streak.
Led by senior captains Sam Carangi (Villanova), Jess Huber (University of the Sciences) and Irisa Ye (University of the Sciences). All three were part of the Knights’ district title run when they were freshmen.
Huber (14.7) is second only to PW senior Taylor O’Brien in scoring in the SOL. Ye (11.4), Bri Hewlett (11.1) and Carangi (8.1) also are dangerous offensive weapons

How they got here:

After an opening round bye, North Penn crushed #16 Spring-Ford 60-21 in Wednesday’s second round. Jess Huber scored 10 of her game-high 20 points in the first quarter to spark the Knights to a 15-2 lead, and by halftime that lead had grown to 32-9. Sam Caranagi, who finished with 15 points and four three-pointers, had three threes in the opening half. Irisa Ye added nine points.
In a quarterfinal game, North Penn fell to #9 Abington 51-44. The Knights, who led by six with three-and-a-half minutes remaining in the third quarter, trailed by two heading into the final frame when they were outscored 18-13. Sam Carangi (11 points) and Bri Hewlett (10 points) finished in double figures.

Garnet Valley

22-3
17-0 Central League regular season champions
Defeated Conestoga 41-36 to capture the program’s fourth consecutive Central League crown.
Led by sophomore forwards Emily McAteer (6-0) and Brianne Borcky (5-11)

How they got here:

After an opening round bye, Garnet Valley downed #13 Methacton 51-42 in the second round, opening up a 14-3 lead after one quarter and never looking back. Emily McAteer led the Jaguars with 17 while Brianne Borcky (12 points) and Camryn Faith (nine) also contributed.
In a quarterfinal game, Garnet Valley fell to #5 Central Bucks West 61-31. The Jaguars, who were without Brianne Borcky (illness), trailed 35-14 at halftime and never threatened. Emily McAteer was held to just six points.

#11 COUNCIL ROCK NORTH at #2 BOYERTOWN (Wednesday, 7 p.m.)

Council Rock North

17-8 overall
11-1 SOL National Conference champions
First conference title since 2011
Led by junior point guard Becca Margolis (12.0 ppg) and sophomore Dana Bandurick (11.7 ppg)

How they got here:

In an opening round game, Council Rock North defeated #22 Cheltenham 55-22. The Indians took a 27-15 lead into halftime and then blew the game wide open with a 17-2 third quarter surge. Becca Margolis (13 points, 6 steals) and Dana Bandurick (13 points, 5 steals, 5 rebounds, 3 blocked shots) led the Indians. Mackenzie Tinner (7 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks) and Hannah Weiler (7 points, 5 rebounds) controlled the paint.
In the second round, Council Rock North crushed #6 Conestoga 58-26. The Indians, who led 24-16 at halftime blew the game open with a 20-4 third quarter. Becca Margolis (17 points, 8 steals) and Dana Badurick (17 points, 4 blocks, 3 steals, 4 offensive rebounds) were the catalysts in a contest that saw the Indians force 35 turnovers and collect 21 steals. Megan Haggerty had five steals.
In a quarterfinal contest, Council Rock North lost to #2 Plymouth Whitemarsh 56-48. The Indians took a 28-22 lead into halftime but were outscored by 14 in the second half. Emily Mackin and Dana Bandurick led the Indians with 10 points each, and Becca Margolis added nine.

Boyertown

22-4 overall
9-1 Pioneer Athletic Conference Liberty Division champion
Captured Pioneer Athletic Conference title with 47-44 win over Methacton after defeating Spring-Ford in semifinals
Led by senior Bucknell commit Abby Kapp, who averages 15.5 points a game and has 30 three-pointers. Also receive contributions from Katie Armstrong (9.4 ppg, 23 threes), Peyton Graham (7.7 ppg) and senior point guard Alli Marcus (7.5 ppg). Marcus is an Albright commit.
Winners of 13 straight before falling to Central Bucks South in the district quarterfinals.

How they got here:

After an opening round bye, Boyertown jumped out to an early 12-2 lead over #15 Central Bucks East. The Bears led by just six at halftime but outscored the Patriots 30-21 in the second half. Abby Kapp (19 points), Victoria Boalton (11) and Alli Marcus (8) led the Bears.
In a quarterfinal contest, Boyertown fell to #7 Central Bucks South 35-32. The Bears – behind nine points from Abby Kapp – opened up an 11-6 lead, but the Titans closed out the half with a 19-6 run. Allie Marcus led the Bears with 12 points while Kapp added 11.

Playback Games (9^thto 11^th)
#12 UPPER DUBLIN at #8 SOUDERTON (Wednesday, 7 p.m.)
Souderton

18-6 overall
8-4 SOL Continental Conference third place behind North Penn and Central Bucks West.
Balanced attack led by junior Kate Connolly (10.4 ppg), junior Alana Cardona (9.4 ppg) and sophomore Megan Walbrandt (8.6 ppg).

How they got here:

After an opening round bye, Souderton fell to #9 Abington 44-36. The Indians, who trailed 19-17 at halftime, used a 15-12 third quarter to go on top 33-31 but were outscored 13-4 in the final quarter. Sophomore Megan Walbrandt (13 points) and junior Tori Dowd (nine points) led the Indians.
In a playback game, Souderton defeated #16 Spring-Ford 44-28. The Indians led 25-15 at halftime and won all four quarters. Alana Cardona (13 points) and Kate Connolly (10 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks) led the Indians.

Upper Dublin

19-6 overall
12-2 SOL American Conference second place behind Plymouth Whitemarsh
Saw its string of four consecutive conference titles snapped by PW
Led by seniors Nicole Kaiser (14.0 ppg) and Josie Barrett (9.3 ppg)
Winners of 13 of last 15 games

How they got here:

In a district opener, Upper Dublin defeated #21 Harry S Truman 49-39, erasing a 22-16 halftime deficit with a 20-4 third quarter burst. Nicole Kaiser led the Cardinals with 18 points while Josie Barrett added 16 – which included 11 straight points in the third quarter. Jackie Vargas led the Cards under the basket with 10 rebounds.
In Wednesday’s second round, Upper Dublin fell to #5 Central Bucks West 54-42. The Cardinals, who led 10-5 after one quarter, trailed 28-16 at halftime. They opened the second half with a 10-3 run to pull to within three, but the Bucks answered with a 10-3 run of their own. Maggie Weglos led the Cards with 17 points – 15 in the second half, Nicole Kaiser had nine, and Josie Barrett contributed eight. Jackie Vargas had 12 rebounds.
In a playback game, Upper Dublin defeated #13 Methacton 47-44. The two teams were tied after one quarter, and behind eight points from Josie Barrett, the Cardinals opened up a 26-23 halftime lead. They led by five heading into the final quarter. Nicole Kaiser (14 points) and Barrett (13 points) led the Cardinals.

#15 CENTRAL BUCKS EAST at #15 COATESVILLE (Wednesday, 7 p.m.
Central Bucks East

15-9 overall
6-6 SOL Continental Conference fifth place behind North Penn, Central Bucks West, Souderton and Central Bucks South
12-4 after a 1-4 start to open the season
Led by seniors Bridget Birkhead (11.8 ppg) and Bri Talbot (10.6 ppg)

How they got here:

In an opening round game, Central Bucks East defeated #18 Perkiomen Valley 53-30. Junior point guard Bailey McManus scored 10 first-half points to propel the Patriots to a 28-20 halftime lead. McManus finished with 15 while senior Bri Talbot led all scorers with 17. Bridget Birkhead added six.
In the second round, Central Bucks East fell to second-seeded Boyertown 46-30. The Patriots, who were led by the 18-point effort of Bridget Birkhead, fell behind early and spent the rest of the game playing catch up.
In a playback game, Central Bucks East defeated #10 Neshaminy 62-55. The Patriots, who led 28-15 at halftime, took a 46-27 lead into the final quarter. Senior Bri Talbot scored a game-high 27 points, which included a 16-for-24 effort at the foul line in a contest that saw the Patriots take 42 trips to the charity stripe. Bailey McManus added 11 points, and Grace Stewart had nine.

Coatesville

20-7 overall
10-2 Ches-Mont National Division champions
Fell to Bishop Shanahan 47-39 in Ches-Mont League title game.
Led by senior guard Dee Dee Irwin and 6-0 senior forward Brianna White. Irwin surpassed the 1,000-point mark in the Raiders playback win over Conestoga.

How they got here:

In an opening round game, Coatesville found itself in an early 17-3 hole against #19 Unionville but trimmed that deficit to eight by halftime (28-20) and rallied for a 59-56 come-from-behind win. Freshman Amaya Douglas led the Raiders with 17 points and seven rebounds while Dee Dee Irwin and Brianna White both added 12 points. White also had seven boards.
In a second round game, Coatesville lost to #3 Plymouth Whitemarsh 59-48, falling behind 34-16 by halftime and never threatening. Dee Dee Irwin (17 points) and Amaya Douglas (12 points) led the Raiders.
In a playback game, Coatesville defeated #6 Conestoga 60-47. Dee Dee Irwin led all scorers with 21 points while Brianna White added 12 and Sarah Huston, 10 points.