Check out the recaps for SOL girls’ basketball teams in action Tuesday. CB East/PW photos provided courtesy of Tracy Valko. Abington/Methacton photos provided courtesy of Kim Supko Photography. Check back for galleries of both games.
Non-league
UPPER DUBLIN 43, SOUDERTON 36
Dayna Balasa reached a personal milestone in style on Tuesday. The UD senior needed just six points to reach the 1,000-point milestone, and she made it look easy. She buried a 3-pointer on her team’s first possession from the top of the key.
“You hear so many stories about players when they’re going for a thousand missing their first however many shots – Dayna got her six out of the way on her first two shots and didn’t hit the rim on either one,” UD coach Morgan Funsten said. “It speaks to Dayna’s career. I always describe her as a fearless shooter – a quiet, confident shooter. The moment was big and she delivered. There have been many times throughout her career she’s been in similar situations.”
Sparked by Balasa’s two 3s and five points from Geena Sarnoski, the Cardinals opened up a 14-4 lead after one quarter.
“We really rode the emotion of Dayna early on,” Funsten said. “We got up 14-2 and looked like a well-oiled machined, and then we came back to earth.”
The Indians cut into UD’s lead with an 11-4 second quarter to make it an 18-15 game at the intermission. Erin Bohmueller accounted for five of Souderton’s second-quarter points.
Upper Dublin extended its lead with a 14-9 third quarter and took a 32-24 lead into the final quarter.
“Souderton just kept fighting,” Funsten said. “To open the second half, we went on another run and we got up 30-19. We made two big runs at the beginning of each half, and that was the difference.
“Credit to Souderton – they stuck around and they made some tough shots. Jess Polin made 3-of-4 four fouls shots down the stretch, and Bliss Brenner made both ends of a one-and-one to seal the game.”
Sophomore Amy Ngo led a balanced UD attack with 11 points. She also had a pair of steals. Sarnoski added nine points and three rebounds.
“Another bright spot – Geena Sarnoski came off the bench and had nine points for us,” Funsten said. “She had five in the first quarter. We went on a run in the third quarter, and they fought back to get it to six.
“At the end of the third quarter, Geena Sarnoski made a buzzer beater – a runner in the lane – to keep it at eight. We needed some momentum right there because they had the momentum going into the fourth quarter, and Genna made a big basket to get it back to eight. We kind of kept it there the rest of the way.”
Also for the Cardinals, Balasa had eight points, six rebounds and two steals. Jess Polin had six points as well as a team high seven rebounds to go along with eight assists, three deflections and one steal. Brenner added four rebounds and three assists.
For the Indians, Casey Harter’s 10 points led the way while Bohmueller added eight points.
Upper Dublin (17-3, 8-2 SOL) – the fourth seed in the latest District One 6A power rankings – will host Methacton in a non-league game Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. It will be the Warriors seventh game in eight days. For the Cardinals, it will be their sixth in nine days.
Souderton (6-8, 6-4) – 21st in the latest district power rankings – will host Council Rock North in a non-league game Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. Rock North is 25th. Only 20 teams will make the field
Upper Dublin 14-4-14-11 43
Souderton 4-11-9-12 36
Upper Dublin (43) – Bliss Brenner 1 2-2 4; Geena Sarnoski 4 0-0 9; Jess Polin 1 3-4 6; Amy Ngo 5 0-0 11; Sarah Eskew 2 0-0 5; Dayna Balasa 3 0-0 6; TOTALS 16 5-6 43.
Souderton (36) – Jordan Zimmerman 2 0-0 4; Erin Bohmueller 3 1-2 8; Olivia Schneider 1 1-1 3; Casey Harter 5 0-0 10; Teye McConnaha 2 3-4 7; Mikayla McGillian 1 0-0 2; Hayley Fenchel 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 15 5-7 36.
3-point goals: UD – Dayna Balasa 2, Jess Polin, Geena Sarnoski, Amy Ngo, Sarah Eskew, Souderton – Erin Bohmueller.
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 32, PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 29
It was the story of two halves.
That overused phrase effectively summed up Tuesday’s non-league battle between the SOL division champions. The Colonials – who took a 23-12 lead into halftime – appeared to be in command only to watch that lead slip away in a second half that saw them manage just six points.
Absent from the Colonials’ lineup was senior point guard Kaitlyn Flanagan.
“I don’t want to take anything away from the game, but that really hurt them,” East coach Liz Potash said. “It’s a shame we had to play this game without their point guard because they struggled. They struggled to handle the ball.
“We felt like we had to go into a zone because we were in some foul trouble. Originally, I really did think we could loosely match up with them, but we really struggled in the man. Normally, you’re not going to go into a zone when you’re down 11, but we had to stay with it.”
And stay with it they did, turning in a glittering defensive effort in the second half that allowed them to crawl back into the game. The Patriots outscored the visiting Colonials 20-6 after the intermission.
“Emily Barry and Mia (Salvati) really picked up the pressure at the top of the zone,” Potash said. “It was a pretty aggressive zone, and we let them trap at times when they felt like they could, and they got a lot of turnovers up there. It really hurt them not having their point guard, and I know that.
“I’m not taking anything away from our team because I think it’s a really good win.”
Early on, the Colonials opened up an 11-6 lead after one quarter. Abby Sharpe accounted for eight of PW’s points, burying a pair of 3s. They added to their lead with a 12-6 second quarter to go into halftime with an 11-point lead. Anna McTamney had five points, and Erin Daley, four.
“We were down 23-12, and (assistant coach) Monica (Stolic) and I were talking and we said, ‘It should be a four-point game, not 11,’” Potash said. “We told the kids, ‘You’re getting good looks. We just need to finish.”
In the third quarter, the Colonials managed just a pair of Daley foul shots. The Patriots only put six points on the board – four by Mia Salvati, but they had trimmed four points off PW’s lead and trailed 25-18 heading into the final frame.
The Patriots’ comeback continued in the fourth quarter. With five minutes remaining, Salvati buried a three to knot the score 25-25. Emily Chmiel, who had just three points through three quarters, delivered a block on the defensive end and then buried a three to give the Patriots their first lead, 28-25, with just under four minutes remaining. A Daley foul shot pulled the Colonials to within two.
Another Chmiel block gave the Patriots possession, and with 1:18 remaining in regulation, Salvati found Chmiel for an easy layup that gave East a 30-26 lead. Anna McTamney answered with a three-point play that made it a 30-29 game with just over a minute remaining.
The two teams exchanged turnovers with East – clinging to a one-point lead – taking possession after the second with 13 seconds remaining. With 11.9 seconds remaining, Salvati, who was fouled, hit both ends of a one-one to put the Patriots on top 32-29.
PW managed a deep corner three that fell short, and Chmiel pulled down a rebound as time expired.
“We held them to six points in the second half, and that’s going to win you some games,” Potash said. “We started hitting some shots. We got a couple of things to go, Mia (Salvati) had a big offensive day, but we still missed a lot of shots.
“I would not say it was pretty, but I do think defensively we really did some good things in the second half. We told the girls, ‘We made just enough shots to be able to win.’”
Salvati’s 16 points led the Patriots, and Chmiel had 10 – seven in the fourth quarter.
For the Colonials, McTamney’s 11 points led the way. Sharpe added nine, and Daley had seven.
“Give CB East all the credit for fighting back,” PW coach Dan Dougherty said. “Their kids wanted it more than ours.”
Central Bucks East (14-1, 10-0 SOL) is third in the latest District One 6A power rankings, and Plymouth Whitemarsh (14-1, 10-0) remains second in power rankings.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 6-6-6-14 32
Central Bucks East 11-12-2-4 29
Plymouth Whitemarsh (29) – Erin Daley 2 3-4 7; Abby Sharpe 3 1-2 9; Anna McTamney 2 6-8 11; Jordyn Thomas 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 8 10-14 29.
Central Bucks East (32) – Mia Salvati 5 4-4 16; Elise Duffy 2 0-0 4; Emily Chmiel 4 1-2 10; Emily Barry 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 12 5-6 32.
3-point goals: PW – Abby Sharpe 2, Anna McTamney, CBE – Mia Salvatti 2, Emily Chmiel.
ABINGTON 75, METHACTON 66
Cire Worley had a hot hand for the Ghosts and couldn’t miss. At least that’s what it must have felt like to the Warriors after a first half that saw the sophomore guard put on a dazzling display of long-range shooting. Worley – who had seven points and one 3 in a 20-point first quarter for the Ghosts – buried four 3-pointers in the second quarter, sending the Ghosts into halftime with a 37-30 lead.
She finished a brilliant performance with 29 points, which included six 3-pointers.
“They sat back in a zone, and they just let her shoot,” Abington coach Dan Marsh said. “She got it going early, and then it was over. Once she gets it going, she’s pretty tough to stop.”
To say this game was played at Abington’s tempo would be an understatement. The Ghosts love to go up and down the court.
“They’re big – they have a 6-2 kid and a 6-1 kid, and then they have (Nicole) Timko, who’s a junior and is really good,” Marsh said. “We’ve been trying to do this forever. We don’t always successfully do it, but we just pressed the whole game and kept the tempo up.
“They didn’t turn it over a lot, and that’s where our kids sometimes get confused – well, the press isn’t working. It worked tonight because we were able to keep the tempo up. We got them to shoot quick shots, and we were able to get up and down the floor. For us to be able to score 75 points on a team that probably averages in the 30s and 40s – this is how we want to play all the time, but we can’t always pull it off. Our youth sometimes bites us, but tonight we were able to stick with it.
“A lot of it is me because I get bent out of shape when we’re giving up easy buckets, but when we want to play this pace, you’re going to give up points. We just have to be okay with it and go right back down the other way. That’s what we were able to do. They got tired. There’s no doubt, they got tired.”
The Ghosts never trailed in the game although the Warriors did rally to knot the score 43-43 early in the third quarter.
“We had a little bit of a lapse, and that’s where they caught up,” Marsh said. “That’s where this team would have lost this game last year, but we showed some character. They had all the momentum, and we were able to come right back at them, regained the lead, and we never looked back. It was a 10-point game for most of the game.”
Abril Bowser also burned the Warriors from the outside. The sophomore guard had eight first-half points, including a pair of 3s, and finished with 17.
“Cire and Abril both got open looks against their zone, and they buried them,” Marsh said.
Khalis Whiting added 14 points – 10 in the fourth quarter to seal the Warriors’ fate. The Temple bound junior was 5-for-6 from the foul line in the quarter. Jaida Helm was the fourth Ghost in double figures with 10.
“This is the way we want to play,” Marsh said. “It’s what’s successful for us. We knew we would have a tough time matching up with them in the half court, so we decided we were going to go with it. Cire obviously had an awesome game, and so did Timko.
“It was a good game. We were sharing the ball. It was a lot of fun.”
Timko led all scorers with 32 points. She matched Worley with six 3-pointers in a contest that saw the two teams combined for 22 baskets from beyond the arc. Cassidy Kropp added a pair of 3s and 11 points while Tori Bockrath had 10 and Mairi Smith, nine points.
Abington (12-4, 6-4 SOL) is the ninth seed in the latest District One 6A power rankings. The top 12 teams will receive an opening round bye.
Abington 20-17-18-20 75
Methacton 13-17-18-18 66
Abington (75) – Cire Worley 10 3-5 29; Abril Bowser 6 1-1 17; Jaida Helm 5 0-0 10; Maura Day 1 0-0 3; Khalis Whiting 4 5-6 14; 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 27 9-12 75
Methacton (66) – Cassidy Kropp 3 3-4 11; Nicole Timko 12 2-2 32 Tori Bockrath 4 0-0 10; Mairi Smith 4 1-2 9; Allison Hazlett 1 2-3 4; Totals 24 8-11 66.
3-point goals: Abington – Cire Worley 6, Abril Bowser 4, Maura Day, Khalis Whiting, Methacton – Nicole Timko 6, Cassidy Kropp 2, Tori Bockrath 2.
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 49, WISSAHICKON 37
Taylor Hinkle scored eight of her game-high 19 points in the first quarter, spotting the Titans an early 11-8 lead and effectively setting the tone for the non-league win.
“It was a strong team effort,” South coach Beth Mattern said. “We battled for four quarters, especially during the times we struggled to score. Wissahickon played hard, and we had to match their energy and intensity.”
The Titans took a 24-19 lead into halftime. Hinkle’s 11 points led South in the half while freshman Yoyo Samayoa added seven, including a pair of 3s in the second quarter. Leah Dubin kept the Trojans within striking distance with nine first-half points.
Hinkle scored eight points in a third quarter that saw the Titans edge their visitors 11-10, and they sealed the Trojans fate with a 14-8 quarter to close out the game.
In addition to Hinkle, Samayoa also finished in double figures with 12 points. Kaitlyn McGeary’s 12 points led the Trojans. Dubin finished with nine.
Central Bucks South (8-8, 4-6 SOL) is 19th in the latest District One 6A power rankings. Wissahickon (5-15, 1-9) will host Bensalem in a non-league game on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.
Wissahickon 8-11-10-8 37
Central Bucks South 11-13-11-14 49
Wissahickon (37) – Lily Hyatt 2 0-0 5; Eva Schools 1 0-0 3; Leah Dubin 4 0-0 9; Kylie Friedman 3 0-0 6; Julian Vernier 1 0-0 3; Kaitlyn McGeary 5 2-2 12; TOTALS 16 2-2 37.
Central Bucks South (49) – Maddy White 1 0-1 2; Taylor Hinkle 7 3-4 19; Maddie Tantum 2 1-4 5; Samantha Schiesser 0 2-4 2; Allison Sauers 1 0-0 2; Yoyo Samayoa 4 1-2 12 Sam Waltrich 1 0-0 2; Caroline McSorley 2 0-0 5; TOTALS 18 7-15 49.
3-point goals: Wissahickon – Lily Hyatt, Leah Dubin, Julia Verrier, CBS – Yoyo Samayoa 3, Taylor Hinkle 2, Carolyn McSorley.
SOL Freedom Division
NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY 56, LOWER MORELAND 24
It’s official.
The Lions – as a result of Tuesday’s win – clinched a share of the SOL Freedom Division title in the program’s first year in the SOL. They will share the crown with Upper Moreland.
“I’m so proud of this team and how they handled their first year in SOL as well as the COVID issues,” NHS coach Steve Polinsky said. “To win a championship share of an SOL division is incredible. We are sharing the championship with Coach (Matt) Carroll and his outstanding Upper Moreland team, and I have a ton of respect for him and his players.”
According to the Lions’ coach, the team’s title run began well before preseason workouts started.
“Our SOL journey started in the summer and fall with virtual workouts with Coach Jesse Krasna and Coach Pam Rosanio,” Polinsky said. “The players were focused on having a successful first year in SOL.
“I can’t say enough about my senior captains – Rachel Saxton, J Covino and Kate Dougherty. They set the standard for our program, and I’m blessed to have them on our team. My assistant Coach Sara O’Hara did a great job with fall workouts outside with masks. This year has been a total team effort with my AD Kris Foulke getting us through COVID protocols and lining us up with excellent competition in SOL. I love coming to practice and working with this special group of young ladies.”
The Lions were impressive in their final regular season outing, opening up a 13-7 lead after one quarter and then using a 17-point second quarter to go into halftime with a commanding 30-12 lead. Saxton was the catalyst for the strong start, scoring 11 points in the half. Reagan Chrencik added a pair of 3s, and Kate Dougherty also had six points.
In the third quarter, the Lions went on an 18-2 tear. Saxton accounted for seven points, and Madi Fasti had five.
Saxton led all scorers with 22 points while Chrencik and Dougherty both had eight. Madi Fasti chipped in seven.
LM coach Rich Becker had nothing but good things to say about his opponent and his squad.
“Lower Moreland played their final game of the year and lost 56-24 to a better team,” the Lions’ coach said. “In addition to New Hope having a talented team, they have, in my opinion, one of the better coaches out there. That’s a tough combination to beat. As much as you struggle to contain a player like Rachel Saxton and dread having to defend her, as coach, it’s a joy to watch her play and compete.
“On our end, I felt we exceeded our expectations. This season has always been about developing a sense of family within the team and laying the groundwork to be more competitive. The girls have improved so much this year. Jess Dugo through her words and actions has grown into a leader, Liz Neeld’s basketball talent is starting to meet her athletic talent, and our other three starters – Tori Finnegan, Ofek Gur and Jess Shein started the year as JV players who had to start varsity and worked hard to become legitimate varsity players. All of the girls and coaches are sad the season is over. From my 17 years as a head coach, that’s a sign that you had a successful season.”
Amelia Brown’s seven points led the Lions. Finnegan added six.
New Hope-Solebury (15-3, 9-1 SOL) – second in the latest District One 4A power rankings – will travel to Central Bucks East for a non-league game Friday. Lower Moreland closed out its first season in the SOL with a 5-7 record overall (5-5 SOL).
New Hope-Solebury 13-17-18-8 56
Lower Moreland 7-5-2-10 24
New Hope-Solebury (56) – Madi Fasti 3 0-0 7; Reagan Chrencik 3 0-0 8 Juliana Covino 2 0-0 5; Kate Dougherty 3 2-2 8; Rachel Saxton 9 2-2 22; Emily Primavera 0 2-2 2; Emma Ives 1 0-0 2; Anna Leisure 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 22 6-6 56.
Lower Moreland (24) – Tori Finnegan 2 2-2 6; Ofek Gur 0 1-2 1; Liz Neeld 2 0-0 4; Jess Dugo 1 0-0 3; Kayla Romanick 1 0-0 3; Amelia Brown 3 0-0 7; TOTALS 9 3-4 24.
3-point goals: NHS – Rachel Saxton 2, Reagan Chrencik 2, Madi Fasti, Julian Covino, LM – Jess Dugo, Kayla Romanick, Amelia Brown.
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