Three SOL teams have punched their tickets to the state tournament by notching wins on Wednesday. To view photos of the CR South/CB West game, please visit the Photo Gallery.
#1 Cheltenham 49, #17 Downingtown East 41
Coach Bob Schaefer knew his team wouldn’t be in for an easy time when it faced Downingtown East. Forget the fact that the Cougars were the tournament’s 17th-seeded team and had nine losses on the ledger.
It’s always a war when the two perennial district powers lock horns.
“It’s never an easy game against Downingtown East,” Schaefer said. “They worked very hard the whole game, and they were very disciplined.”
On the subject of disciplined, the Lady Panthers showed some discipline of their own, limiting the Cougars to just three foul shots.
“I was happy that we didn’t try to block shots, and we didn’t have any careless fouls,” Schaefer said.
The Lady Panthers took eight foul shots over the first three quarters and 22 for the game with many of those coming down the stretch when the Cougars were forced to foul. Ciara ‘CC’ Andrews was 7-for-8 from the line in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter, 10-for-12 in the contest as she led all scorers with 20 points.
“The refs let us play, not calling the normal hand checking and body contact they call all season,” Schaefer said. “Fortunately, it worked out okay, but that’s not the kind of officiating that benefits our style of play.”
As a result of the win, the Lady Panthers have clinched a berth in the state tournament.
“It’s very exciting because a lot of people were doubting us, especially this year,” senior Jiana Clark said. “It’s a great feeling.”
It didn’t take long to figure out this was going to be another war as the two teams battled to a 14-14 tie at the end of one quarter. Ming Seawright, who finished with 10 points, accounted for six of the Lady Panthers’ points.
Noelle Alicea had the hot hand for the Cougars, connecting for nine of her team’s point. She finished with 14 points but none in the second and third quarters.
“We were forced to change our defense to control her,” Schaefer said.
The second quarter was a struggle for both teams, and the Lady Panthers took a tenuous 18-16 lead into halftime.
“I think in the first half they wanted it more than we did,” Clark said. “I don’t know about the other four (players), but personally, I underestimated them.
“They came out strong. They ran back screens and ran picks and cuts to the basket, and we weren’t used to that. We were used to the basic pass the ball and shoot, but they had a different game plan going against us. I will give them credit. In the second half, we needed to execute better than they did.”
The Lady Panthers outscored the Cougars 17-14 in the third quarter to go on top 35-30. Christina Coleman scored six of her nine points in the quarter while Andrews added five and Seawright four.
The fourth quarter was a steady parade to the foul line. Clark, who had four of her eight points in the frame, sank two-of-two as the Lady Panthers connected on 10-of-14 in the fourth quarter.
“They are a much better team than their record shows, and (coach) Bob Schnure always has his team prepared. After the game, he congratulated me, and I expressed that it’s always fun playing Downingtown East, and I’ve enjoyed the competition we’ve had with each other.”
Schaefer’s squad improved to 23-1 on the season.
“I give the girls credit,” he said. “They usually find a way to win even though we’re not playing our best.
“They don’t quit and work as a team, each playing their role. I’m sure they’re all sleeping well tonight. They had to work real hard on defense.”
As a result of the win, the Lady Panthers earned a rematch against ninth-seeded North Penn. The Maidens handed Cheltenham its only loss of the season – a 56-43 setback – on Jan. 28.
“It’s very good,” Clark said of the opportunity to play the Maidens again. “A second chance is always better. I’m hoping that we come out better than we did the first time we played them.
“Their big girls down low killed us. We couldn’t adjust to them because they were much bigger than us, and number four (Erin Maher) had four three’s, and that also killed us. We have to shut them down.”
#2 Council Rock South 66, #15 Central Bucks West 37
Rock South upped its record to 24-0 on Wednesday night, and that number took on special significance for a Golden Hawk squad that was playing without its number 24 in the lineup.
“Twenty-four is Cait’s number, so it’s kind of a sentimental thing – ‘We won this for you, Cait,’” senior Alex Wheatley said of junior Caitlin Jackson, who is sidelined with a knee injury. “Now we’re going to states – I can’t even describe that feeling.”
The Golden Hawks will face seventh-seeded Upper Darby in Saturday’s quarterfinal round, but for one night, they were enjoying the fact that they’d ensured themselves a spot in the state tournament.
“We really wanted the win tonight,” Wheatley said. “It was a huge game. We got to states my sophomore year, but I don’t think we won this game. I think we fought for that last seed.
“We knew we were at home, we knew we had beaten CB West the first time but that they had really improved.”
Heading into Wednesday’s game, the Bucks had won eight of nine games, but the fun stopped in a hurry when they took the court against a Rock South squad that is on a mission and enjoying every minute of the ride.
“It’s fun,” Wheatley said. “That’s the main thing about it.
“We’re seeing each other on the floor. On defense, we’re talking, and we’re getting the ball and running and just playing the way we like to play. When we play together, games are fun. I love playing with my teammates.”
West’s game plan was to contain Wheatley, and while the Princeton-bound senior was held to 15, her teammates were happy to pick up the slack. Point guard Alexis Hofstaedter had a game-high 17 points to go along with seven assists and three steals while Courtney Brown torched the Bucks’ defense for 16 points. Taylor Dillon came off the bench to add nine.
“That’s the best thing – sure, go ahead and double me,” Wheatley said. “That’s okay. I’ll kick it out to Hof. I’m perfectly okay with her taking the three or driving or Court driving or taking the three. I have so much faith in them, and they showed themselves. They've been playing so well.”
Wheatley once again filled a stat sheet, also contributing 13 rebounds, seven steals, four assists and two blocks.
By the end of one quarter, the Golden Hawks led 17-7, and by halftime, they were on top 35-16. The Bucks, who were outscored 31-21 in the second half, never threatened.
“We have been working hard all season,” coach Monica Stolic said. “I would never have thought we would be 24-0.
“I said to them, ‘Remember how you felt leaving Wissahickon last year when we lost in overtime to Downingtown West. We’re better than that, and we don’t want to be playing for the ninth seed.’
“We played all year to get homecourt, which is so big. We had a lot of fans there.”
Freshmen Nicole Munger (eight points), Mackenzie Carroll (seven points) and Corinne Godshall (seven points) led the Bucks.
Underscoring Rock South’s tenacious defense was the fact that senior Jen Fabian, West’s top scorer, did not score a point and was plagued with foul troubles.
“I had Alex Wheatley on her,” Stolic said.
Last year, the Golden Hawks saw their season end when they fell to Upper Dublin playing for the ninth and final spot in states.
“I’m so proud of them,” Stolic said. “We set some goals. Winning the league was great, we’re in states now, but we feel there’s unfinished business still.”
Central Bucks West will host Boyertown in a playback game on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
To read Dan Dunkin’s complete game story on PhillyBurbs.com, please click on the following link: http://www.phillyburbs.com/sports/high_school/intel/cr-south-guards-shoot-down-cb-west/article_712aa8a4-0ce7-5980-92ab-3f60a8d2ec42.html
#11 Haverford 33, #6 Upper Dublin 28
Upper Dublin took a 22-12 lead into halftime and appeared to be well on its way to a win and a berth in the state tournament. Then came a second half the Flying Cardinals will want to forget. They did not score a point in the third quarter but still took a 22-17 lead into the final quarter since the Fords managed just five points. The final quarter proved to be their undoing as they were outscored 16-6.
Brianna Spector led the Flying Cardinals with seven points while Lauren Rothfeld and Taylor Bryant each scored six points. The Flying Cardinals will face Central Bucks South in Saturday’s playback game.
#9 North Penn 39, #8 Methacton 30
Brenda McDermott approached her team’s bench after Wednesday’s win and said to no one in particular, “I’m exhausted.”
McDermott and her teammates had every reason to be tired after doing battle with a feisty Warrior squad that pressured the Maidens the length of the court. For the better part of 32 minutes, the Maidens handled the pressure with the poise of the veteran team they are, opening up a 36-22 lead after senior Steph Knauer hit nothing but net on a foul line jumper with 5:29 remaining in regulation.
The Warriors staged a mini-rally that made it close, trimming the Maidens’ once 14-point lead to six (36-30), but the Maidens refused to be denied, holding the Warriors off the scoreboard for the final 1:45.
“The fourth quarter they really did come after us,” coach Maggie deMarteleire said. “I knew they weren’t going to give up. I was pleased with the way our kids played, and overall, our passing was good, but the turnovers and missed foul shots were a concern.”
The Maidens misfired on the front end of two one-and-one’s in the final 70 seconds of the game, but Knauer, who is usually money at the line, made up for her uncharacteristic miss on one of those by burying both ends of a one-and-one with 35 seconds remaining to put the Maidens on top 38-30 and all but seal the Warriors’ fate.
“I get in my own head,” Knauer said of her miss at the charity stripe. “Once I can calm myself down – I have to talk myself down.
“I have to tell myself each step on my foul shot, and that’s what I did at the end.”
Knauer led the Maidens with 13 points, and her 15 rebounds demonstrated the Maidens’ dominance in the paint over a smaller Warrior squad.
“The hardest part tonight was us getting the ball up,” Knauer said. “We just got so tired from going back and forth and back and forth from our turnovers at the end.”
Lauren Crisler and Erin Maher each added eight boards. Crisler also had 12 points.
“It’s so exciting,” Crisler said of earning a state berth. “We have worked so hard for this. Coach got us really prepared.”
The Maidens, who led 23-12 at halftime, also benefited from some timely treys from Emily Hagan, Vicky Tumasz and Maher.
“When we can hit some three’s, that opens up our inside a little bit more,” deMarteleire said.
The Maidens will travel to Cheltenham for a rematch with the Lady Panthers in Saturday’s quarterfinal round.
#5 Mount St. Joseph Academy 36, #12 Central Bucks East 27
The Magic opened up an 11-8 lead at the end of one quarter and took a 20-16 lead into halftime. The Patriots, who trailed 25-20 after three quarters, never could find their offense.
Lindsey Kelly led the Patriots with 13 points. Six of those came in the first quarter when East connected on four of its seven field goals for the game. Karoline White added six points, but no other Patriot had more than three points.
The Patriots will face Abington in a playback game on Saturday.
#4 Downingtown West 51, #13 Abington 30
Abington led 17-12 in the second quarter of Wednesday’s game, and no one – least of all coach Dan Marsh – could have envisioned a scenario that would see the Ghosts outscored 39-13 the rest of the way, but that’s exactly what happened.
When it was over, Marsh had a simple message he wanted to convey, and it had less to do with the outcome than his unwavering belief that there is a different standard when it comes to officiating girls’ basketball games.
“They have to start letting girls play basketball,” he said. “They’re athletes. They’re not your 1950s girls’ basketball players, and that’s not a knock against the 1950s girls’ basketball players. These are athletes that work hard, that train hard, and you’re doing a disservice to these girls when you don’t let them play.
“I went to a boys’ game the other night, and there were four fouls called in the first half. You come out here, and they call a million fouls. You can’t even breathe on somebody, you can’t look at somebody, you can’t touch somebody.”
Senior Aiyannah Peal was whistled for her fifth foul in the third quarter, and two other Ghost players had four fouls in a contest that saw the Whippets take 31 trips to the foul line while the Ghosts took seven.
“It’s no disrespect to Downingtown West – they’re a very good basketball team,” Marsh said. “They did what they needed to do to win the game.
“My statement is that these girls are athletes, and they have to let them play the way they let boys play. It’s a contact sport, it’s a physical game. I know that our team fouls, I know that we’re aggressive, and we’ve dealt with that. Instead of letting two good teams play basketball, the refs decided it was going to be a foul-fest.
“I’m an emotional person, and I know I’m going to hear this was sour grapes because we lost. I could care less that we lost. The problem is this was going to be a really good game, and it was a really good game for a quarter and a half. I’m not taking anything away from Downingtown West. They’re a very good team and deserve to be in the next round, but we need to recognize as a basketball community that girls can play basketball.
“They can handle the physicality of the game, and they need to allow them to play more. It’s not tennis. It’s not a non-contact sport. These girls are smart enough, they’re strong enough, and they’re good enough to play real basketball. My theme would be, ‘Let them play. Stop trying to protect them.’ Maybe we need more female referees who have played, who understand that girls can block a shot.”
Abington freshman Deja Rawls did a superb job of containing Whippet standout Brittany Sicinski, limiting the sharpshooter to just 10 points.
“We totally took them out of what they wanted to do,” Marsh said. “She could not shake Deja whatsoever.”
Sarah Listenbee led the Ghosts with 10 points while Peal and Rawls both added eight . Kayla Feairheller led the Whippets with 20 points.
To read Kevin Cooney’s complete game story on PhillyBurbs.com, please click on the following link: http://www.phillyburbs.com/sports/high_school/intel/marsh-fumes-as-abington-falls/article_e8281bb2-30ec-5d80-b82a-cbbafd7648cc.html
#3 Spring-Ford 68, Central Bucks South 49
A Titan squad best known for its defensive prowess put 49 points on the board on Wednesday. It wasn’t enough as the third-seeded Rams had just too much firepower.
“We would have won a lot of games tonight, just not at Spring-Ford,” coach Beth Mattern said. “I know we lost by 19 points, but the girls played hard. We gave up six or eight points in the last minute pressuring and trying to get the ball back.
“We battled. Spring-Ford is a good team. They’re going to be tough to beat.”
The Rams sprinted out of the gate to a 24-18 lead at the end of one quarter. They upped that lead to 38-24 by halftime. The Titans held a 15-14 edge in the third quarter, but the Rams came back to outscore the Titans 16-10 in the final frame.
“It was really a hard-fought game,” Mattern said. “Unfortunately, we gave up more points than I would have liked to, but Spring-Ford is a good team. When you make a mistake, they capitalize on it.
“We were limited too often to one-and-done, and offensively, they’re hard to shut down. When they came out and shot well from the outside, we took away the outside, and they beat us inside.”
The game was a far cry from the Dec. 30 meeting between the two teams that saw the Rams roll to a 68-29 rout.
“I thought we did a much better job of handling their pressure – in fact so much so that they came off their pressure a little bit,” Mattern said. “We needed to play a perfect game tonight and hope that they didn’t.
“We made a few too many mistakes, but we cut it to single digits for a while, and then they just pulled away. We always tell them – give us your best effort, and I really felt like they did.”
The Titans will face Upper Dublin in a playback game on Saturday.
- Log in to post comments
