Check out the recaps for SOL girls’ basketball teams in action Monday.
Non-league
QUAKERTOWN 57, LOWER MORELAND 23
As endings go, it was a good one for the Panthers, who notched a no-doubt-about-it win over the visiting Lions in their regular season finale. Carolyn Sipprell had a big night, leading all scorers with 17 points, and the sophomore is part of a strong nucleus that will be returning next season.
“There is definitely light at the end of the tunnel,” said Quakertown coach Brittany Bamford. “There are some kids coming up through our jayvee program, and there’s a bright future for the kids and to want to come back and work hard in the offseason.”
The Panthers played 16 games in the shortened season.
“Especially at the beginning of the season, it was scary,” Bamford said. “We had to quarantine and other schools did as well. We had Senior Night immediately when we came out of quarantine because you didn’t know if it was going to be your last game.”
In Monday’s finale, the two teams were deadlocked 9-9 after one quarter, but the Panthers began to seize control with a 20-10 second quarter to go into halftime with a 29-19 lead. They outscored their visitors 28-4 in a dominant second-half performance.
“We just switched to a more aggressive defense,” Bamford said. “We need to work on our man-to-man desperately. We switched out of man-to-man and went zone.
“We just tried to get the girls to be more aggressive. Carolyn (Sipprell) obviously killed it for us offensively tonight, but just stepping in the passing lanes for her, just making easy buckets. Katie Offner – the same thing, attacking the zone.”
In addition to scoring 17 points, Sipprell also had eight rebounds, five steals and seven deflections. The sophomore was 7-for-9 from two-point range and connected on 1-of-4 threes.
“She has a lot of talent, but I don’t think she knows how good she is,” Bamford said. “She’s so young to the game, but she’ll get the confidence, knowing it’s okay to shoot and it’s okay to score.”
Offner added 12 points, which included a 4-for-4 effort at the foul line. Katie Catalano added eight points, including a pair of 3s. She also had five rebounds and two steals. Kayla Horning added six points, three steals and four deflections. Laney Mitchell’s five steals led the Panthers. Abby McClaskey had three steals and five deflections.
Bamford had nothing but good things to say about the seniors who played their final high school game.
“Abby (McClaskey) is going to be tough to replace for rebounds. Kayla (Horning) is going to be tough to replace for her energy, jumping into the passing lanes,” Bamford said. “Others were really good leaders like Kennedi (Pellegrini) and her communication with the team. Rachel Sanchez was at every single open gym, workout, whatever – she always made it. Fallon Grandinetti is a shooter and is going on to play at Gwynedd Mercy.
“I did get a little teary-eyed in the locker room. I was like, ‘I can’t even look at your seniors.’ They’re really a special group, not just the seniors but all these kids. I really enjoy coaching them. They’re just good kids, good people. It makes you want to come back.”
Quakertown closed out its season with a 4-12 record (2-8 SOL). Lower Moreland (5-6, 5-4) will host New Hope-Solebury on Tuesday.
Lower Moreland 9-10-0-4 23
Quakertown 9-20-11-17 57
Lower Moreland (23) – Tori Finnegan 3 1-4 7; Ofek Gur 0 0-2 0; Jess Shein 1 0-0 2; Liz Neeld 2 2-4 6; Jess Dugo 0 4-4 4; Sam Mushinski 1 0-0 2; Amelia Brown 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 8 7-16 23.
Quakertown (57) – Carolyn Sipprell 8 0-1 17; Katie Hagerty 0 2-2 2; Katie Catalano 3 0-0 8; Kayla Horning 2 2-4 6; Kennedi Pellegrini 1 0-0 2; Rachel Sanchez 1 0-0 2; Fallon Grandinetti 2 0-0 5; Abigail McClaskey 1 1-4 3; Katie Offner 4 4-4 12; TOTALS 22 9-15 57.
3-point goals: Quakertown – Katie Catalano 2, Fallon Grandinetti, Carolyn Sipprell.
HATBORO-HORSHAM 59, BENSALEM 48
Sparked by the glittering 23-point effort of Alice Hall, the Hatters closed out the regular season on a high note.
“Bensalem has been playing well,” HH coach Dennis Steinly said. “They were a scary team coming in, and I didn’t know what kind of response we would give.
“The girls pulled together, picked each other up and really did what they had to do to win.”
The Hatters, who led 10-6 after one quarter, took a 21-16 lead into halftime with all of their points coming from two players. Emily Thomas jumped started the Hatters with eight points in the first quarter and 10 in the half. Hall had 11 points, nine in the second quarter.
“That was tough for us, but they came up big when they needed to,” Steinly said. “Emily scored our first eight points.”
The second half was another story as several Hatters stepped up. Ava McKinney scored all 11 of her points in the second half. She had eight in an 18-point third quarter, including a pair of 3s. Caroline Shegogue had eight points in the second half.
“Ava (McKinney) hit a couple of 3s, and she was guarding Delaney Bell and working real hard,” Steinly said. “Bell scored 19 – she made some big time shots. It was almost like every time we lost track of her she made a shot. She really came up big.
“I thought Caroline (Shegogue) played real well offensively and defensively. She’s a leader on the floor. Sam Hollish didn’t score but did all the little things – rebounded, defended inside real well.
“One of the biggest plays – they hit a three to cut it to eight or nine in the third quarter, and Caroline drove and kicked to Leah Harrington. She didn’t even hesitate and knocked down a three from the left wing. To answer a three with a three to get our lead back over double figures, I thought was a big shot for us.”
Hall’s 23 points tied a career high and included a 7-for-8 effort at the foul line.
“Alice played like she was the best player on the court,” Steinly said. “She demanded the ball inside and finished strong.”
Thomas added 14 points.
“Emily Thomas started strong after missing our previous game due to a death in the family,” Steinly said. “I was happy for her to hit a couple shots early. She does more than score though – she was active on defense, disrupting Bensalem’s offensive flow.”
For the Owls, Bell’s 19 points, which included three 3-pointers, led the way. Amber Howard added 13, and Mackenzie Kramer had six.
Hatboro-Horsham closed out its regular season with a 7-9 record (3-7 SOL). The Hatters are 23rd in the latest District 1 6A power rankings.
“I think we’re pretty well resigned to the fact that we’re on the outside looking in,” Steinly said. “We’ll keep looking at the numbers and see what happens.
Bensalem (7-12, 2-8) is scheduled to host Pennridge on Tuesday in a non-league game.
Hatboro-Horsham 10-11-18-20 59
Bensalem 6-10-12-20 48
Hatboro-Horsham (59) – Caroline Shegogue 3 2-4 8; Ava McKinney 4 1-2 11; Alice Hall 8 7-8 23; Leah Harrington 1 0-0 3; Emily Thomas 5 4-6 14; TOTALS 21 14-20 59
Bensalem (48) – Delaney Bell 6 4-4 19; Amber Howard 5 2-4 13; Kylie Smith 2 1-2 5; Sam Daut 1 0-0 2; Mackenzie Kramer 2 2-2 6; Gianna Paglaicetti 1 0-0 3; TOTALS 17 9-12 48.
3-point goals: HH – Ava McKinney 2, Leah Harrington, Bensalem – Delaney Bell 3, Amber Howard, Gianna Paglaicetti.
ABINGTON 77, ABINGTON FRIENDS 55
Jaida Helm turned in a monster performance to lead the Ghosts to the convincing non-league win over the defending PIASAA champions, scoring 26 points and pulling down 16 rebounds in a dominant outing. Khalis Whiting posted a Ben Simmons-like double-double with 10 points and 12 assists.
Behind seven points from Helm and six from Jordyn Reynolds, the Ghosts led 19-16 after one quarter and then blew the game open with an 18-8 second quarter to go into halftime with a 37-24 lead. Helm was the catalyst, scoring 11 points.
Abington went on to outscore AFS 40-31 in the second half.
In addition to Helm and Whiting, Reynolds had 11 points.
On the other side of the court, Ty’Lah Washington – who is Whiting’s cousin – scored a game high 35 points.
Abington (11-4, 6-4 SOL) – ninth in the latest District 1 6A power rankings – will travel to Methacton for a non-league game Tuesday.
Abington Friends 16-8-14-17 55
Abington 19-18-11-29 77
Abington Friends (55) – Aniyah Hayward 2 2-4 8; Kyleigh Kilpatrick 0 1-2 1; Hanna Rhoades 4 2-2 11; Ty’Lan Washington 14 4-7 35; TOTALS 20 9-15 55.
Abington (77) – Cire Worley 8 2-2 20; Abril Bowser 1 0-0 3; Jaida Helm 12 4-7 29; Khalis Whiting 2 5-8 10; Piper McGinley 0 0-2 0; Lila Stonehouse 2 0-0 4 Jordyn Reynolds 4 1-2 11; TOTALS 29 12-21 77.
3-point goals: Abington – Cire Worley 2, Jordyn Reynolds 2, Abril Bowser, Jaida Helm, Khalis Whiting, AFS – Ty’Lan Washington 3, Aniyah Hayward 2, Hanna Rhoades.
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