Souderton captured its first ever Suburban One League Tournament title, thanks to its 48-29 win over Central Bucks West on Monday. Photos provided courtesy of Donna Longacre…CLICK HERE to go directly to the GIRLS' BASKETBALL GALLERY.
SOUDERTON 48, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 29
Megan Bealer was in a zone.
The Indians’ junior guard buried her first three shots from the floor – two from beyond the arc and the third a short jumper she banked home off the dribble. She accounted for eight of her team’s first 10 points.
“When I hit my first shot, my team was like – this is your game,” Bealer said. “When we were on offense in front of CB South’s bench, I could hear them say, ‘She’s a shooter, she’s a shooter,’ and (my defender) really wasn’t getting out on me, so I was like, ‘All right, this is my game.’ I did have some shots that were off, but I didn’t let it get to me.”
Thanks to Bealer’s hot hand, the Indians led 10-2 just over three minutes into the game.
“When she’s making shot after shot, knocking them down – unstoppable, it’s a confidence boost for everyone,” senior Alana Cardona said.
Bealer might not steal headlines in a lineup that includes four returning all-league players, but the junior guard has established an identity of her own this season.
“When people talk about our team, she’s fifth because of the name that the rest of them have made over the course of their careers, especially last year,” coach Lynn Carroll said. “But what she does – it’s such a long list. I don’t know where to start.
“She’s our leading rebounder at 5-8, she’s always good for a couple steals a game.
“Tonight she hits a three, gets another shot – looks, fakes, drives, and then hits another three. I don’t think she ever really gets the credit she deserves on both ends of the court.”
The Titans made it a 12-7 game after Maddie McShane connected on an outside shot, but Kate Connolly found Cardona for an easy bucket, and as time expired, Connolly scored on a drive to put the Indians on top 16-7.
It’s the kind of start the Titans could ill afford against a Souderton squad that has kept its opponents under 30 points in seven of its last eight games.
“Souderton came out and hit a couple of shots and we didn’t,” South coach Beth Mattern said. “I think that made us a little tight, and we didn’t quite execute the way we’d like, but a lot of that is a credit to their defense because their defense was fantastic tonight.”
The Indians’ suffocating defense made life difficult for the Titans all night, and if they dared venture into the paint, the Indians were waiting, blocking 10 shots.
“It’s kind of funny – we all have really long arms,” Connolly said. “Putting them up in the air, it’s really helpful to have that extra length. I think we all have that sense – when to tip it and when to let it go.”
Connolly led the Indians with four blocks while Cardona and Megan Walbrandt had three each.
“Obviously, the shot blocking is huge,” Carroll said. “When you go to the basket and you get your shot blocked a couple of times, you hesitate the next time, or you’re not as confident, and maybe you’re going up for a shot but you don’t finish because you’re waiting for someone to come over and block your shot.
“If you’re good at driving to the basket, we do a nice job of making that difficult for teams.”
It was still a nine-point game late in the first half, but Walbrandt scored off the dribble, and Megan O’Donnell buried a pair at the foul line to send the Indians into halftime with a 24-11 lead.
The Indians opened the second half with a 7-1 run that included a Bealer three and a Cardona drive that put the Indians on top 31-12. Haley Meinel connected on her team’s first field goal of the second half, and after a Meinel block, Alexa Brodie converted a fast break bucket to make it a 31-16 game.
Moments later, Brodie went down hard after drawing a charge. She left the game and did not return, but according to Mattern, the standout point guard was fine.
The Indians led 34-16 after Cardona – fouled taking a three at the buzzer – connected on three straight foul shots. Early in the fourth quarter, Bealer found Cardona for an easy bucket, and after a Titan miss, Walbrandt buried a three to put the Indians on top 39-16. The program’s first ever tournament title was all but in the books.
“It’s kind of surreal,” Cardona said. “Freshman to junior year, you see all these other teams playing in this tournament, and you’re saying, ‘It would be so cool if it was us,’ and this year it was.
“We definitely made a few mistakes this game, but it’s nothing we can’t fix. We’re just taking it one game at a time because every game we have to come out strong and play tough.”
“It’s awesome,” Connolly said. “I think the energy is really there. We’re really getting fired up every game, and we’re bringing the intensity, so it’s a lot of fun.”
Cardona led a balanced Indian attack with 15 points while Bealer had 11. Connolly added nine points. Walbrandt and Sami Falencki added seven each.
Point guard Tori Dowd led the Indians under the backboards with nine rebounds.
For the Titans, Meinel’s 13 points led the way, and McShane added eight.
Monday’s game was the third meeting between the Continental Conference powers, who are seeded one and two in the District One 6A power rankings. The teams split the two regular season meeting.
“It’s really tough playing a team three times, and I have a feeling we might see them again,” Dowd said. “Just knowing how good our defense is – locking down and all five of us playing together, it just really motivates us and pushes us to the offensive end too.”
Both teams have a first round bye and are off until the second round of districts on Wednesday, Feb. 21. Souderton, the tournament’s top seed, will face the winner of the game pitting (16) Haverford against (17) Methacton. CB South, seeded second, will face the winner of the (15) Great Valley versus (18) Oxford contest.
Central Bucks South 7-4-5-13 29
Souderton 10-14-11-8 48
Central Bucks South (29) – Caroline McSorley 0 0-0 0; Allie Burke 0 1-2 1; Haley Meinel 5 3-4 13; Natalie DiSandro 1 0-1 2; Alexa Brodie 2 0-0 4; Maddie McShane 4 0-0 8; Sofia Sonnet 0 0-0 0; Mackenzie Ehresman 0 1-2 1; Madison Aldinger 0 0-0 0; Totals 12 5-9 29.
Souderton (48) – Tori Dowd 0 1-4 1; Megan Bealer 4 0-0 11; Alana Cardona 6 3-3 15; Megan Walbrandt 2 0-0 5; Erica Stephens 0 0-0 0; Jordan Zimmerman 0 0-0 0; Sami Falencki 2 0-0 5; Megan O'Donnell 0 2-2 2; Kate Connolly 2 5-7 9; Mikaela Reese 0 0-0 0; Totals 16 11-16 48.
3-point field goals: S-Megan Bealer 3, Megan Walbrandt, Sami Falencki.
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