Check out some of the players who will be patrolling the paint in the SOL this season.
By Mary Jane Souder
The SOL boasts its share of big-name point guards, but there’s plenty of talent under the basket as well.
In the American Conference, Upper Dublin senior Regan Gallagher, a returning first team all-league selection, has picked up where she left off last year, averaging a double-double in the season’s early games for the defending conference champions.
At the head of the class in the Continental Conference is Central Bucks East senior Courtney Webster, a first team all-league selection last year who has accepted a full basketball scholarship to LeMoyne College.
In the National Conference, Abington senior Michael Harris has made a verbal commitment to play basketball at American University.
There are others as well. Here are just a few of the players who will be patrolling the paint for their squads.
Regan Gallagher, Senior, Upper Dublin High School
The 5-11 senior captain averaged 10.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.4 blocks, 2.3 steals and 1.8 assists a game for the American Conference champion Flying Cardinals.
Coach Morgan Funsten says: “I don’t even know where to start with Regan. I called getting her last year a Christmas present. What I was most impressed with – without realizing it, she developed into a leader on the team. The most important quality in being a leader is leading by example. If you watch her practice, there’s no such thing as a bad practice with her, and it carries over to the game, and it’s contagious. To transfer into a school her junior year and to have the type of season she had last year was awesome, and it’s carried over to this year. She was voted a captain. She doesn’t know she’s as good as she is. If she eventually realizes how good she is and how good she can be, it’s going to be that much scarier for the other teams. She took a major step forward with her confidence as the season went along last year, and she’s playing with a lot of confidence.”
Eryn Brady, Junior, Upper Merion High School
At 6-2, Brady gives the Vikings something they had not had in recent years – a presence in the paint.
Coach Tom Schurtz says: “It has been over a decade since an Upper Merion girls’ basketball team started a center that is taller than its starting point guard. Eryn has found tremendous success as the middle blocker for the volleyball team, and if her progression on the volleyball court is any indication, she may become a stalwart for the Lady Vikings on the hardwood as well.”
Courtney Webster, Senior, Central Bucks East High School
A first team all-league selection last season, the 6-0 senior center averaged 13 points a game while leading the Patriots in rebounding.
Coach Liz Potash says: “Courtney is a player that draws a lot of attention on the offensive end due to her size and soft touch around the basket, but she can also change the opposition’s strategy on the other end with her shot blocking and rebounding abilities. In addition, Courtney is a great leader. She goes out of her way to work with the forwards who are underclassmen every day.”
Erin Maher, Senior, North Penn High School/ Mikaela Giuliani, Sophomore, North Penn High School
Maher, a third team all-league selection last year, averaged 6.6 points and more than five rebounds a game while Giuliani, who received honorable mention recognition, averaged 5.8 points and 5.5 rebounds a game.
Coach Maggie deMarteleire says: “Erin Maher is just a really difficult matchup for anybody because this year she’s become more aggressive going to the basket, but she can also shoot the three, and she’s developed a post game. Against pressure, she helps bring the ball up the court.
“Mikaela is a really good defender and an outstanding rebounder on both sides. In the playoffs last year, she was hit in the face and because of that was wearing a mask, and it had an impact on her game. The other night against Souderton it was just great to see her play so well on both sides of the ball.”
Lauren Mosher, Senior, Central Bucks South High School
A second team all-league selection last year, Mosher averaged a double-double last season, scoring 11 points and pulling down 10.2 rebounds a game.
Coach Beth Mattern says: “Lauren is a really easygoing, hardworking forward who can run the floor and loves to defend. Lauren can run drills and sprint with the guards but will bang bodies and rebound as a true post. Lauren is a natural leader on the court, and she is willing to do whatever the team needs to succeed. When Lauren is in a rhythm, she is really fun to watch because she is running the court to finish in transition, pulling down rebounds, and her jump shot is effective.”
Taylor Moylan, Senior, Central Bucks West High School
The 5-11 senior center might not find herself in the spotlight on a team loaded with high profile players, but she is a solid player that is being heavily recruited by Division III schools.
Coach Terry Rakowsky says: “Taylor is the heart and soul of our team. She is a very good all-around player and a good shooter out of our post offense, but on a team blessed with scorers, Taylor is asked to do all the ‘dirty work’ – setting screens, playing defense and rebounding.”
Ashlee Ruzicka, Senior, Quakertown High School
A four-year varsity veteran, the senior post player doesn’t have the resume of some of her counterparts, but she will be asked to lead a young and inexperienced team that is on the ground floor of a rebuilding process.
Coach Brittany Remmey says: “Ashlee works really hard every day. In practice, she is making the effort to make the team better. The team has gone through some difficult events over the years, and yet she still chooses to play basketball because she loves it.”
Sarah Derstein, Junior, Souderton Area High School
Derstein led the team with 9.2 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and 1.8 steals a game last year while also averaging 6.8 points and 1.7 assists.
Coach Lynn Carroll says: “Sarah has the innate ability to do things on the basketball court that are very difficult to teach. She has a great sense for how to get her hand on the ball on defense, has incredible instincts and has really grown into a quality defensive player. Offensively, she sees the floor extremely well and does a nice job of finding open players on the perimeter when she has the ball on the low post. Her ability to score and create her own shot continues to improve each season. Last season, Sarah consistently filled up the stat sheet in every column and does all of the little things that coaches look for in a player.”
Sajanna Bethea, Senior Pennsbury High School
A first team all-league selection last season, Bethea is a versatile player who is as comfortable playing on the outside as she is in the paint. Last year she averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds. She has signed a letter of intent to play basketball at St. Peter’s University.
Coach Keith Gabor says: “I got involved with the program her sophomore year, so I didn’t know her in ninth grade, but from what I heard, she was a post player. When I got there, she had all the footwork and the ball handling skills to play away from the basket. From 10th to 11th grade, she really figured out she could play outside of the post. Through her development in AAU and high school, it really made her a complete player. If we need to bring up the ball, she can bring up the ball. If we need a big rebound, she’s getting the big rebound. Everything runs through her, whether we set her up on the post or we set her up on the wing.”
Michael Harris, Senior, Abington High School
A second team all-league selection as a junior, Harris was coming back off a torn ACL last year but still was a force defensively in the paint and under the backboards. She caught the eye of college coaches with a strong AAU season and has made a verbal commitment to play basketball at American University.
Coach Dan Marsh says: “Michael has worked extremely hard and has improved every part of her game. She has verbally committed to American University and is hungry to show everyone what a force she has become.
Sarah Oliveira, Senior, Neshaminy High School
The Redskin senior received honorable mention all-league recognition last season while averaging 11.4 points and 6.8 rebounds a game.
Coach Joe Lally says: “Sarah is a very talented post player. She can play with her back to the basket or facing the basket and is capable of making plays off the dribble. Sarah possesses a unique combination of good post offense and good post defense. Regularly, she is undersized against the player she is guarding and still does a great job. Sarah is one of the hardest working kids at practice and has done a good job making our post players better.”
Nikki Alden, Senior, William Tennent High School
The senior post player, who received honorable mention all-league recognition, led the Panthers under the basket last year, averaging 7.2 rebounds a game to go along with 10.39 points a game. She tallied five double-doubles and scored in double figures in 13 games.
Coach Paul Veltre says: “Nikki is a true example to her teammates with how hard and physical she practices. Her work ethic simply doesn’t allow her to take off a single drill. Yet despite this, she is a genuinely humble kid with a soft heart. We are fortunate to have her as a part of our program.”
Players to Watch
AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Cheltenham – Amarri Trueheart (Jr.), Ashley Jones (Fr.)
Norristown – Briana Hedgepath (Sr.), Keifonna Ferguson (Sr.), Brianna Schools (Jr.)
Plymouth Whitemarsh – Asia Baker (Sr.), Rachel Konowal (Sr.), Alynna Williams (Jr.)
Springfield – Meghan Wheatley (Sr.)
Upper Dublin – Regan Gallagher (Sr.), Kayla McAneney (Sr.)
Upper Merion – Regie Robinson (Jr.), Eryn Brady (Jr.)
Upper Moreland - Karli Lynch (Sr.), Lindsey Walder (Sr.)
Wissahickon – Donyea Tate (Sr.)
CONTINENTAL CONFERENCE
Central Bucks East – Courtney Webster (Sr.), Karoline White (Sr.)
Central Bucks South – Alysha Lofton (Sr.), Lauren Mosher (Sr.), Jordan Vitelli (Soph.)
Central Bucks West – Taylor Moylan (Sr.), Mackenzie Carroll (Jr.), Corrine Godshall (Jr.), Nicole Munger (Jr), Peyton Traina (Jr.)
North Penn – Bri Cullen (Sr.), Erin Maher (Sr.), Vicky Tumasz (Sr.), Mikaela Giuliani (Soph.)
Quakertown – Ashlee Ruzicka (Sr.)
Pennridge – Jess Tennett (Sr.), Devan Rimmer (Soph.)
Souderton – Allison Gallagher (Sr.), Katie O’Connor (Sr.), Bianca Picard (Sr.), Sarah Derstein (Soph.)
NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Abington – Michael Harris (Sr.), Deja Rawls (Jr.), Sammy Lochner (Soph.)
Bensalem – Bridget Watson (Jr.)
Council Rock North – Michaela Finneyfrock (Jr.), Jessica Gerber (Jr.)
Council Rock South – Taylor Dillon (Sr.)
Harry S Truman – Khristaijah Jackson (Sr.)
Neshaminy – Megan Schafer (Sr.), McKenna Mullin (Sr.), Sarah Oliveira (Sr.)
Pennsbury – Sajanna Bethea (Sr.), Kaitlin Kelly (Sr.)
William Tennent – Nikki Alden (Sr.), Angie Pomponio (Jr.)
- Log in to post comments
