Six SOL girls’ basketball teams will be in action Wednesday in the District One 6A Tournament. Check back for recaps of all the games.
The SOL National Conference apparently decided that three champions were better than one and crowned tri-champs for the 2017-18 seasons. Abington, Council Rock North and Neshaminy shared this year’s crown with identical 10-2 records.
Council Rock North defends conference crown
Defending a title they owned was high on the wish list of this year’s Rock North squad, but after a late-season loss to Abington, the Indians’ backs were pressed firmly against the wall heading into their second last conference game against Neshaminy.
Win and the Indians would be back in the driver’s seat, but a loss would knock them out of the running. The Indians rolled to a 61-39 win and a share of the conference crown.
“Coming off a win last year, which was great, we just wanted to keep that going and really get the program back to where it used to be,” senior Mackenzie Tinner said. “It was tough splitting it three ways – we didn’t even know that was possible, but we knew after losing to Abington, we had to come out and beat Neshaminy and play even harder than we played against Abington. We did really well in that game, and no matter what, winning is always good.”
Tinner is one of three senior captains, joining Becca Margolis and Kaelin Mealey to anchor this year’s squad. All three, according to coach Lou Palkovics, have their own leadership style.
“They’re like the three musketeers in practice,” the Indians’ coach said. “They’re each a role mode in a different way.
“Mackenzie is the goofy leader, Becca is the hardcore leader, and Kaelin is the one everybody goes to for advice. They each fit specific roles that I need.”
Welcoming the freshmen and incorporating them into the team was a point of emphasis for the three captains.
“We got them used to the program because they will eventually be leading the program,” Tinner said. “We had to be a good example.
"Becca and Kaelin are pretty serious where I'm more of the fun goofball. I think we've done a really good job so far."
Tinner, who will continue her basketball career at Gettysburg College, plans to walk away from her high school playing days at Rock North with no regrets.
“Knowing it’s my last time playing, I want to leave it all on the court with all my teammates and coaches and everything,” the senior tri-captain said. “It’s just important to play my hardest for my team and myself too.”
It's a mindset that has led the Indians to the top of the standings and a share of the conference crown.
“It’s three good teams, and we’ve kind of always beat up on each other," Palkovics said. “I just try to stress to my girls – you’re the only ones that can say you’re back-to-back champs.
“We have three very, very good seniors that mean a lot to the team, and they mean a lot to each other. I keep trying to stress to the girls, ‘Don’t say – well, maybe we’ll do it next year.’ I keep telling them – ‘This is the year. Next year we’re going to be very good. Everyone knows we’re gong to be very good, but you’re going to be missing some key pieces in those three seniors.’ I’m just stressing to them, ‘You better take advantage of the moment.’”
The Indians will host Upper Dublin in an all-SOL matchup on Wednesday.
Redskins win program’s fourth title in six years
While some might have said that the young Redskins – with no seniors in their starting lineup – were a year away from making contending, the players had other ideas.
“We knew we were young, but we knew we also had the talent level to take it to where we did,” junior Allison Harvey said. “We knew we could do it if we worked hard enough, really locking down on defense.
“Pretty much our main goal was our defense, and everything else came along with it. Even though we’re young, there are still a lot of girls on the team that have experience from the previous years.”
The Redskins rolled through the first go-round in conference play without a loss but fell to both Rock North and Abington in the second go-around, but their coach wasn’t complaining.
“For us, we know how good North is and we know how good Abington is,” coach Joe Lally said. “I don’t think anybody’s debating – both of them got a bye in the first round of the playoffs.
“For us as a young team to go in and compete with them – even just to be on the same floor in a tough game like that, it helps us prepare. Part of that growth was understanding that both of those teams the second time around – they brought it even harder. We’ll learn and we’ll grow from that, but that’s part of the experience, and the kids know that.”
According to Harvey, the Redskins entered the season with high goals.
“We knew where we wanted to go,” the junior tri-captain said. “We just made it clear from the very beginning that if we worked hard enough these goals could be achieved.
“We have to take each practice and keep pushing each other and working hard. Especially since we want to achieve those goals so bad, we have to push each other in practice, and I think we’ve been doing that this year.”
Lally credited tri-captains Harvey, junior Brooke Mullin and sophomore Kristin Curley for their roles in the team’s success.
“It’s unique because personality-wise they each bring something different, so that’s what really makes it work,” the Redskins’ coach said. “They’re all liked and respected by their teammates, and that helps too.
“For Kristin as a sophomore, it’s been an opportunity to grow, and she’s taken that responsibility, and she’s running with it. Brooke and Ali are there to help her, and she has them to fall back on.”
This year’s championship was the fourth in six years for the Redskins.
“The whole tri-championship is great for our girls, great for our team, great for our program because there are so many young players still playing on the team, and just to understand what we’re capable of – hopefully that helps us, and we can make a little run here,” Lally said.
Neshaminy will travel to seventh-seeded Perkiomen Valley on Wednesday.
#1-16 HAVERFORD at #1-1 SOUDERTON (Wednesday, Feb. 21, 7 p.m.)
Souderton
- 22-2 overall
- 11-1 SOL Continental Conference champions
- Won program’s first conference title since 2004
- SOL Tournament champions with 48-25 win over #2 Central Bucks South
- Balanced attack directed by point guard Tori Dowd and led offensively by Alana Cardona (11.5 ppg), Kate Connolly (10.8 ppg), Megan Walbrandt (10.2 ppg) and Megan Bealer (8.0 ppg)
- Split regular season series against #2 Central Bucks South (25-40, 41-30)
- Regular season wins over #5 Abington (53-36), #6 Plymouth Whitemarsh (66-26), #12 Central Bucks East (38-29, 48-45), #14 Central Bucks West (38-17, 53-38), #17 Methacton (54-38), #20 Coatesville (62-25), #21 Pennridge (65-20, 62-26) & defending PIAA 3A state champion Neumann Goretti (48-28).
- Indians have allowed less than 30 points in seven of last eight games.
- Winners of 16 straight games heading into district tournament
How they got here: Opening round bye
Haverford
- 16-8 overall
- 12-5 Central League third place behind Conestoga and Springfield-Delco
- First district playoff berth since 2012
- Junior guard Erin Doherty leads the Fords in scoring
- Regular season wins over Class 5A #4 Springfield-Delco (39-33), #6 Penncrest (38-35) and #9 Radnor (53-47).
How they got here: In an opening round game, Haverford edged #17 Methacton 47-45. Erin Doherty’s 3-pointer with 40 seconds remaining proved to be the game winner. Doherty and Annalena O’Reilly led a balanced attack with eight points each.
#1-15 GREAT VALLEY at #1-2 CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH (Wednesday, Feb. 21, 7 p.m.)
Central Bucks South
- 21-3 overall
- 10-2 SOL Continental Conference second place
- Fell to #1 Souderton 48-25 in SOL Tournament title game
- Led offensively by Jefferson University-bound senior Haley Meinel (15.0 ppg) and junior point guard Alexa Brodie (12.5 ppg).
- Split regular season series with #1 Souderton (40-25, 20-41) & #12 Central Bucks East (37-49, 36-34)
- Regular season wins over #5 Abington (43-39), #6 Plymouth Whitemarsh (58-52), #7 Perk Valley (59-47), #8 Council Rock North (48-42), #9 Upper Dublin (30-24), #10 Neshaminy (35-32), #14 Central Bucks West (53-47, 43-31) and #21 Pennridge (53-29, 59-40).
- Opened season with 13 straight wins
How they got here: Opening round bye
Great Valley
- 14-8 overall
- 6-4 Ches-Mont American Division third place behind WC Rustin and Oxford
- Led offensively by Sadie Buzan (14.3 ppg)
- Regular season wins over #18 Oxford (44-37), #17 Methacton (38-32) and Class 5A #7 Academy Park (55-43).
How they got here: In opening round action, Great Valley defeated #18 Oxford 37-24. Ashley Sullivan’s 15 points led the Patriots while Tessa Liberatosciolli added nine.
#1-11 DOWNINGTOWN EAST at #1-6 PYMOUTH WHITEMARSH (Wednesday, Feb. 21, 7 p.m.)
Plymouth Whitemarsh
- 20-3 overall
- 14-0 SOL American Conference champions
- Second consecutive undefeated American Conference season for Colonials, who have won 28 straight games in conference play.
- Program’s first back-to-back conference titles since 1978 & 1979.
- Led offensively by a pair of 1,000-point scorers – Bucknell-bound and first team all-state selection Taylor O’Brien (23.0 ppg) and Lauren Fortescue (11.0 ppg)
- Regular season wins over #9 Upper Dublin (57-55, 35-31), #23 Cheltenham (73-35, 67-19) & #21 Pennridge (52-46).
- The Colonials, who won 18 of first 19 games, had a 15-game winning streak snapped late in the season by #5 Abington.
How they got here: Opening round bye.
Downingtown East
- 17-7 overall
- 9-3 Ches-Mont National Division second place behind West Chester Henderson
- Lost to West Chester Henderson 49-44 in the Ches-Mont title game
- Regular season wins over #10 Neshaminy (42-38) and #22 Owen J Roberts (62-40). Split season series with #20 Coatesville (64-45, 43-50).
- 6-5 sophomore center Bella Smuda is a force in the paint.
How they got here: In an opening round game, Downingtown East defeated #22 Owen J. Roberts 44-36, outscoring the Wildcats 21-10 to turn a three-point halftime deficit into an eight-point win. Bella Smuda (12 points, eight rebounds) and Olivia Williams (11 points, nine rebounds) led the Cougars.
#1-9 UPPER DUBLIN at #1-8 COUNCIL ROCK NORTH (Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018)
Council Rock North
- 17-5 overall
- 10-2 SOL National Conference tri-champions with Abington and Neshaminy
- Led by senior point guard Becca Margolis, who surpassed the 1,000-point mark this season and averages 12.0 points a game.
- Junior Dana Bandurick (11.7 ppg) and senior Mackenzie Tinner (11.0 ppg) are key contributors offensively as well as under the backboards
- Split regular season series with #5 Abington (57-50, 48-54) & #10 Neshaminy (29-41, 61-39).
- Swept regular season series with #24 Pennsbury (51-10, 47-17)
- Won 11 of 12 to close out regular season.
How they got here: Opening round bye
Upper Dublin
- 19-4 overall
- 12-2 SOL American Conference second place behind Plymouth Whitemarsh
- Young Cardinals’ offense led by sophomore Jackie Vargas (12.6 ppg), senior Nicole Kaiser (11.3 ppg) and freshman Dayna Balasa (7.9 ppg)
- Regular season wins over #12 Central Bucks East (56-33), #23 Cheltenham (55-10 & 57-33).
- UD ranked in top 10 of the district in five of six seasons under coach Morgan Funsten
- Won 11 of last 12 games
How they got here: In an opening round game, Upper Dublin defeated #24 Pennsbury 54-24, racing to a 35-6 halftime lead and never looking back. Nicole Kaiser’s 14-point effort led the Cardinals. Freshman Dayna Balasa had 12 points on four threes while Meg Barbera (9 points) and Jackie Vargas (8 points) also contributed.
#1-10 NESHAMINY at #7 PERKIOMEN VALLEY (Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018)
Neshaminy
- 17-5 overall
- 10-2 SOL National Conference tri-champions with Council Rock North & Abington
- Redskins have won a share of conference title in four of last seven years
- Led by captains Brooke Mullin, Allison Harvey and Kristin Curley.
- Regular season wins over #12 Central Bucks East (35-31), #21 Pennridge (63-42) & #24 Pennsbury (56-31, 42-15)
- Split season series with #5 Abington (60-53, 35-49) & #8 Council Rock North (41-29, 39-61)
How they got here: In Saturday’s opening round, Neshaminy opened up a 49-16 halftime lead on its way to a 59-19 win over #23 Cheltenham. Four players – Olivia Scotti (14 points), Allison Harvey (12), Kelli Kowalick (11) and Brooke Mullin (10) – finished the game in double figures.
Perkiomen Valley
- 19-6 overall
- 9-1 Pioneer Athletic Conference Liberty Division regular season co-champs with Spring-Ford
- Fell to #3 Spring-Ford 54-45 in the PAC championship game
- Led by the dangerous duo of Megan Jonassen (17.3 ppg) and Taylor Hamm (14.0 ppg).
- Alex Blomstrom (8.9 ppg) and Kely Owens (5.5 ppg) have combined for 65 threes
- Won 10 of 12 games to close out regular season
How they got here: Opening round bye.
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