Seven SOL girls’ basketball teams will be in action in this weekend’s opening round of the PIAA State Tournament. Check back for recaps of all the games.
Unsung heroes.
It’s an oft used phrase that has become almost cliché, but every successful team has players who – whether starters or reserves – don’t find their way into the spotlight. By any name, they are important, and teams wouldn’t be the same without their contributions, whether those contributions are on or off the court.
The seven SOL girls’ teams in the state tournament all have players that fall into that category, and just a few of those players are highlighted below as the teams look forward to this weekend’s opening round of the PIAA State Tournament.
Class 6A
#11-3 NAZARETH at #1-4 PENNSBURY (Friday, 7 p.m.)
Emily Panaro has something few players on the Falcons’ roster have – some welcome height. At 5-10 (or maybe just 5 9 ½), the freshman power forward is the tallest player on the squad. She jumped from middle school basketball to the starting lineup of a team that was coming off three straight SOL Patriot Division titles as well as a
district semifinal and state quarterfinal appearance last year. After a successful regular season, the Falcons entered the District 1 6A Tournament as the 11th seed but pulled off an upset of #6 Abington in the district quarterfinals and advanced further than any other SOL squad.
Coach Frank Sciolla says: “Emily has started since the beginning of the year because of her attention to detail and her understanding of who she is and what we need from her. She picks up concepts quickly and that was important because we threw so many new things at her in the early going. She plays with poise beyond her years and she’s an outstanding teammate.”
Emily Panaro says: “It has been really fun. I would have to say the game speed and the crowd atmosphere are very different from my middle school and AAU seasons, so that took me some time to get used to, but now that we’ve had a few playoff games, I’m really prepared for the state playoff games, and I can’t wait for that.
“It was my goal to start – I put that on my first sheet saying I wanted to start for the varsity. When we played Neshaminy in our first game, I heard my name called, and I was like – ‘I’m really ready.’ I was super nervous, but when I got on the court, I relaxed, and I just played my game.
“People always doubt us, saying that we’re the underdogs, but they don’t see how good we practice, how hard we practice and how we play for each other. We never get too high, and we never get too low, and we always go on to the next play. We play to the last second, and I don’t think teams expect it, but we come back. I love this team.”
Pennsbury
- 20-8 overall
- 12-4 SOL Patriot Division second place to Neshaminy
- Junior Sofia Vitucci is having an outstanding year, averaging 15.5 points for a squad that has the ability to shut down opposing offenses.
- Layla Matthias averages six rebounds and two assists, Nevaeh Dash (5ppg, 3rpg, 2apg) and Daniella MacDonald (5ppg) also are key contributors.
How they got here: Pennsbury, seeded 11th in District 1 6A, defeated #22 Penncrest 48-12 in an opening round district game and then upset #6 Abington 51-39 in the second round. The Falcons upended #19 Upper Dublin 32-27 in the quarterfinals before falling to #2 Haverford 43-21 in the semifinals. In the third-place game, Pennsbury fell to #5 Spring-Ford 50-33.
Nazareth
- 14-12 overall
- 6-4 EPC East Division second place behind Easton
- Ninth consecutive trip to the state tournament
- Head coach Rich Bickert has won over 300 games.
- Led by 5-11 junior Sam Becker, a Binghamton University commit who averages 10 points a game.
- Senior Addison Kea, a Clarkson College commit, averages 8.3 points, and sophomore Megan Wells averages 9.1 points. they are supported by a 6’0-plus front line.
- 3-5 in last eight games
How they got here: Nazareth, the fifth seed in the District 11 6A Tournament, defeated #4 Emmaus 41-34 in a quarterfinal contest but then fell to top-seeded Easton 52-32 in the semifinals. Nazareth defeated #6 Northampton 38-35 in the third-place contest.
#1-5 NESHAMNY at #12-3 ARCHBISHOP CARROLL (Friday, 4:30 p.m.)
Lindsay Little has been a spark from long-range for the Redskins, boasting the highest shooting percentage from beyond the arc (35 percent). The senior contributes off
the bench for a Neshaminy squad that captured the SOL Patriot Division title, averaging 25 minutes a game. On Saturday, Little will be playing in a game against world-famous the Harlem Wizards, who are coming to Neshaminy for a game to benefit the Neshaminy Education Foundation.
Coach John Gallagher says: “Lindsay has been a key contributor off the bench for us this year, leading the team in shooting percentage from both the three-point line and the area inside the arc. Lindsay’s role last year was growing as the year went on but then was suddenly stopped due to an injury costing her the last 14 games of the year. ‘Coach Linds,’ as her teammates call her, has the confidence of her teammates to knock down shots and keep the floor spread to run effective offense.”
Lindsay Little says: “It’s been amazing. We had great achievements so far – we were SOL champs, we made it to states, and we got our 20th win which is a great achievement. All that goes with how great my teammates are. They’re also talented, and the bond that we have makes it so easy to play together, and we just get each other, and that’s what helps us win on the floor.
“A game that stands out to me was winning the Lansdale Catholic game. We were definitely the underdogs in that game, and we just went into it with a good mindset. We did our job, and we won.”
NESHAMINY
- 21-7 overall
- 13-3 SOL Patriot Division champions
- First outright division title since 2019
- Senior Taylor Gurysh, a Kutztown University commit, is a 3-year captain and averages 8 points and 5.4 rebounds.
- Junior Reese Zemitis – who has a long list of Division 1 offers – has come on strong late in the season and leads the team with 14 points and 6.1 rebounds a game.
- Point guard Lola Iabarrondo averages 10.5 points and 3.6 rebounds and leads the team in assists.
- Sophomore Alena Cofield provides a spark and leads the team in offensive rebounds.
How they got here: After an opening round bye, Neshaminy, seeded seventh in District 1 6A, defeated #9 Unionville 42-35 before falling to top-seeded Perk Valley 48-27 in a quarterfinal contest. The Redskins defeated #4 Souderton 51-45 in a playback game and then upended #19 Upper Dublin 43-41 in the fifth place game. Alena Cofield’s career-high 20 points to go along with five steals ignited the Redskins.
Archbishop Carroll
- 11-11 overall
- 7-3 PCL fourth place
- Wilson sisters – Taylor a senior and Brooke a junior – are the undisputed leaders of the Patriots. The duo combined for 50 of their team’s 57 points in a win over Neumann Goretti this season.
- Taylor Wilson, who surpassed the 1,000-point milestone, is committed to continue her career at the United State Military Academy at West Point.
- Brooke Wilson has numerous Division 1 offers.
How they got here: Archbishop Carroll defeated Northeast 64-14 in the District XII third place game.
#1-6 UPPER DUBLIN at #11-2 BETHLEHEM LIBERTY (Friday, 7 p.m.)
Soccer has always been the number one sport for Alaina Sanders, who has not ruled out playing club soccer at the collegiate level, but despite her commitment to
soccer, she never considered walking away from basketball. This year’s UD squad started a pair of freshmen and was without all-league guard Amy Ngo for most of the season due to injury, but sparked by the return of Ngo and plenty of games to mesh together, the Cardinals – seeded 19th entering the District 1 6A tournament – finished sixth in districts and earned a berth to the state tournament to cap a remarkable season. UD came up with its biggest win of the season in the district quarterfinals, upsetting rival Plymouth Whitemarsh, the tournament’s third seed.
Coach Morgan Funsten says: “Alaina Sanders is a girl whose primary sport is soccer, but her role on our team this season has been instrumental to our team’s success. Our senior class is special. It is filled with several multi-sport athletes who compete every day at practice, and completely get the team concept. They have led the way off the court and helped the younger girls in the program more than they will ever realize. Alaina has helped lead the way in that department. Being a team-first player comes natural to Alaina. Her confidence has been growing as the season progresses and she has become more aggressive on both ends of the court. It has been a big reason why we are still playing and are hoping to extend this season as long as possible.”
Alaina Sanders says: “In the beginning of the season, everything was new. Every starter wasn’t a starter the year before, so it was really different. I feel like we were all almost individual basketball players. We were all being good teammates, but we weren’t used to playing with each other. It definitely took time and a lot of work to become the team we are now, but I feel we all have really grown together as a team. It’s been really great to have Amy (Ngo) back. Not only is she an amazing player, she’s also a great captain and has a presence on the court.
“At the very beginning of the season, I would have been surprised to be here, but it’s not like I wouldn’t have believed it because we have such an amazing program. Our coaches are amazing, the players have always been amazing, and I knew from the start we had great players, and it was definitely possible we could make a great team. We just had to put a lot of work in, and that’s what we did. We all have our own roles on the team, even the people that aren’t playing in the games. At practice, everyone pushes each other, everyone’s making each other better.
“It’s been really great. Personally, my main sport is soccer, but I have always really enjoyed the school basketball season just because how amazing the team is. It’s just been so fun to become such a close team. We all play for each other – we don’t have one selfish person on the team. Everyone’s playing for each other and working their hardest all the time. Our coaches and players are putting in so much work to make us better. (A highlight of the season was) our game against PW just because they’ve always been a rival for us, and it was a moment where we realized we have gotten so much better, we are a good team, and we can do a lot – it’s the best team I’ve ever been on.”
Upper Dublin
- 17-10 overall
- 11-5 SOL Liberty Division third place
- A pair of freshmen – Megan Ngo and Colleen Besachio – led the young Cardinals until standout junior guard Amy Ngo, sidelined with a knee injury, received the green light to return to action late in the season.
- Besachio leads UD, averaging 11.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.0 blocked shots. Megan Ngo averaged 10.1 points and 4.5 assists while handling the point.
- Amy Ngo has averaged 11.1 points since easing her way back into the lineup.
How they got here: In an opening round game, Upper Dublin, seeded 19th in the District 1 6A Tournament, defeated #14 Council Rock South 53-48 and then upset #3 Plymouth Whitemarsh 40-33. The Cardinals fell to #11 Pennsbury 32-27 in a semifinal contest but bounced back to defeat #7 Springfield-Delco 37-23 in a playback game. In the fifth-place game, UD fell to Neshaminy 43-41.
Bethlehem Liberty
- 14-11 overall
- 5-5 East Penn Conference (East Division)
- Scored 1,206 points and allowed 1,062
- Led by freshman Ava Kopetskie, who averages 11.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and two steals.
- Other contributors include junior Emma Pukszyn (8.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.6 spg) and senior Layla Orth (6.8 ppg).
How they got here: In a quarterfinal game, Liberty, the fifth seed in District 11 6A, defeated #4 Emmaus 41-34 and then upended #6 Northampton 50-36. In the district title game, Nazareth fell to top-seeded Easton 56-34.
#1-7 SOUDERTON at #3-2 CENTRAL YORK (Friday, 7 p.m.)
Alexis Stefanowicz is part of a senior class that has won back-to-back SOL Colonial Division titles and is 30-2 in league play and has 46 wins in that time frame. Last year’s championship team did not have a senior in its lineup, and the Indians returned and repeated as Colonial champions this year. Stefanowicz, a captain of the
varsity soccer team in the fall, has given the Indians depth under the basket and has been a steady contributor at the post position.
Coach Lynn Carroll says: “Alexis is so coachable and is a great teammate who does all the little things for us in both practices and games. She’s willing to take on whatever role we’ve asked of her with a positive attitude. She’s been playing really well for us down this final stretch. She gives us so much defensively and has recently been contributing more on the offensive end. She’s playing the best basketball of her career at exactly the right time.”
Alexis Stefanowicz says: “Going into our junior year, it was really exciting because we (this year’s senior class) all got to play together. We’ve been playing together since sixth grade SHYBA travel team. That was really cool to experience. We were disappointed we didn’t go further in states, but we were obviously very happy winning the league and cutting down the net. When the season ended, we were all really excited for this season, and we put in the work in the offseason just to gear up for this season.
“I think we felt the pressure more this year, and this is it. This is our last chance to play as a team together, but I think the team has been handling it well. Just our team bonding – everyone is really close. It’s really a unique experience. I haven’t experienced a team like this ever. I’ve played soccer and basketball since I was five for soccer and eight for basketball, and this team is really special. The camaraderie between the upperclassmen and underclassmen – offering rides, having team dinners – it’s really neat to see. It’s really cool to be a part of – even the parents are close. Everyone has a great bond.”
Souderton
- 23-6 overall
- 15-1 SOL Colonial Division champion for second consecutive year
- Lost to SOL Liberty champion Plymouth Whitemarsh 47-40 in OT in SOL Tournament title game.
- Defense is a trademark of the senior-heavy Indians, who have length at every position.
- Led by Northwestern-bound point guard Casey Harter, who averages 16.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.7 steals.
- Senior Teya McConnaha, a McDaniel College commit, is a force in the paint, averaging 11.7 points and 10.1 rebounds during the regular season. Senior Erin Bohmueller, a threat from long range, averaged 6.5 points and 3.8 assists, and senior Mikayla McGillian gives the Indians another reliable post player (6.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg).
- Junior Brooke Fenchel (3.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.5 apg) is the lone underclassman in the starting lineup and is also a solid contributor at both ends of the floor.
How they got here: After an opening round bye, Souderton, the number 4 seed in the District 1 6A Tournament, defeated #12 Garnet Valley 53-31 but then fell to #5 Spring-Ford 41-37 in a quarterfinal contest. The Indians lost to #7 Neshaminy 51-45 in a playback game but then defeated #7 Springfield-Delco 39-32 in the seventh-place game. Teya McConnaha’s 17 points led the Indians.
Central York
- 23-4
- 12-1 York-Adams Division 1 champion
- Scores an average of 51.1 points and allows 32.3
- 6-0 senior forward Mackenzie Wright-Rawls averages 7.9 points, seven rebounds, five assists & three steals. The NJIT commit was the YAIAA Player of the Year.
- Senior point guard Bella Chimienti, a Shippensburg University commit, is the leading scorer, averaging 11.4 points a game.
How they got here: After an opening round bye, Central York, seeded second in District 3 6A, defeated #7 Manheim Township 60-49 and followed that with a 48-34 win over #11 Dallastown in a quarterfinal contest. Central York fell to top-seeded Cedar Cliff 47-37 in the district title game. Bella Chimienti’s eight points led the Panthers.
#1-9 ABINGTON at #2-1 WYOMING VALLEY (Saturday, 3 p.m.)
Sophomore Piper McGinley is the Ghosts’ defensive stopper and is routinely assigned the opposing team’s best player unless it’s the point guard -in which case the task
is assigned to Abril Bowser. McGinley is a three-sport athlete and was a key member of Abington’s SOL Liberty Division championship soccer team this fall, and she is also a member of the girls’ lacrosse team in the spring.
Coach Dan Marsh says: “If the best player on the opposing team is not a point guard, (the defensive assignment) goes to Piper because she’s just an extremely hard worker. She and Abril Bowser are our energy on defense. Piper can also do things for us offensively. She can hit an open 3, and she can drive to the basket, and it just gives us another scoring option when we need it offensively. Really, she’s our defensive catalyst. She’ll take a charge, and she sets the best screens on the team. A lot of the plays we have to move her into a spot. If we want to get Cire (Worley) open, we need to use Piper to set the screen. She does the dirty work, that’s for sure.”
Piper McGinley says: “I love switching sports especially when we have a good year in soccer, and now we’re having a good year in basketball. It’s great – I don’t even know how to explain it.
“On defense, I just want to get in their space and make them uncomfortable. I know personally – no one likes having someone in their face and in their space when they’re trying to do something offensively, so I just try and bother them as much as I can.
“Our whole team is so close – we love to be around each other. We have fun, we love to win, and we all want to win, and it makes the whole experience better.”
ABINGTON
- 20-5 overall
- 14-2 SOL Liberty Division second place behind Plymouth Whitemarsh
- Ghosts are led by University of Massachusetts-Lowell commit Cire Worley, who is the program’s all-time leading scorer and averages 20 points and 6.2 rebounds a game. She also holds the program’s 3-point career scoring record.
- Junior Abril Bowser (10.0 ppg, 3.0 spg) is a long-range sniper, and junior Maya Johnson (5.5 ppg, 4.5 apg) is the Ghosts’ floor general.
- Piper McGinley (6.1 ppg, 1.8 spg), Jordyn Reynolds (7 ppg, 1.6 spg) & Mikiaya Durham (5.2 ppg) are all playing well and will look to make an impact for a Ghost squad that boasts talent up and down its lineup.
- The Ghosts make up for their lack of height with their speed and long-range shooting with close to 200 made 3s this season.
How they got here: After an opening round bye, Abington, the sixth seed in District 1 6A, was upset by #11 Pennsbury 51-39. The Ghosts won three straight playback games, upending #3 Plymouth Whitemarsh (46-38), #10 Conestoga (60-48) and #9 Unionville (67-56) in the ninth-place game. Cire Worley’s 30 points led the Ghosts.
Wyoming Valley West
- 16-8 overall
- 9-5 Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 third place
- Program’s first district title in 45 years
- Led by junior guard Mackenzie Perluke, a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 first team all-star
- Freshman point guard Thalia Irizarry and 6-0 junior Kiersten Rinehimer are also key players.
How they got here: Wyoming Valley West defeated Williamsport 48-32 in the District 2/4 Subregional contest, outscoring Williamsport 22-10 in the middle two quarters. Freshman Thalia Irizarry led the way with 16 points and junior Mackenzie Perluke added 13. WVW defeated Wilkes-Barre 47-39 in the semifinals.
Class 5A
#1-5 UPPER MORELAND at #11-1 BETHLEHEM CATHOLIC (Saturday, 3 p.m.)
Senior Alyssa Wiley was a welcome addition to the lineup this season for a UM team that captured a share of the SOL Freedom Division title for the second straight year,
bouncing back to consistently contribute after suffering an ankle injury. Wiley is also a member of the softball team in the spring.
Coach Matt Carroll says: “Alyssa has been the definition of perseverance. In the spring of 2021 (her sophomore season), she had a pretty bad ankle injury playing softball. It took her a while to get back to the player she was, and her junior year of basketball was very difficult for her. She had high aspirations of playing an important role for us last year, but it never really came to fruition. Many kids I know would feel bad for themselves, get annoyed with the coach, and throw in the towel. She turned disappointment into motivation and had an amazing offseason. That hard work has paid dividends to our team’s success. She went from not playing meaningful minutes her junior year to not coming off the court her senior year. She’s a great role model for hard work and determination and a big reason why we are where we are today.”
Alyssa Wiley says: “Last year was so rough. I never wanted to quit, but there were times when I was like – I don’t want to go, but it was a lot of motivation for me to be better this year. I went to everything in the offseason, and I worked really hard at recovering. It was fulfilling to come back and get an opportunity finally.
“It’s just been so much fun to be playing with everyone and being able to do everything. I got close with a lot of different teammates this year. We’re all best friends.”
Upper Moreland
- 21-6 overall
- 13-3 SOL Freedom Division co-champions with New Hope-Solebury
- Third straight year UM has won at least a share of the division crown.
- First trip to the state tournament in 20 years
- Led by two-time first team All-SOL Freedom honorees junior Holly Gohl (12.8ppg, 9.3rpg,1.6spg) and senior EmmyFaith Wood (10.4ppg, 4.5apg, 1.7spg).
- Deep squad also includes starters Mikel Lancit, Alyssa Wiley & Allie LaRocco and bench contributors Lilly Hansen and Marie Meyers – all have scored in double-digits in a game at one point this year.
How they got here: Upper Moreland, the fifth seed in District 1 5A, defeated #12 Strath Haven 52-35 in an opening round game but fell to #4 Gwynedd Mercy 48-34. The Golden Bears defeated #7 Mount St. Joseph 30-26 in the fifth-place game. Holly Gohl’s 13 points led UM.
Bethlehem Catholic
- 17-9 overall
- 5-5 East Penn Conference (East Division)
- Becahi has scored 1,319 points and allowed 1,122.
- Junior point guard Cici Hernadez averages 14.6 ppg and can put points on the board. She is also an outstanding facilitator.
- Kendra Rigo (8.8 ppg), a 6-0 wing, can shoot from the outside, and Akasha Santo (8.4 ppg) is a long, athletic post who can stretch the floor and finish inside.
- Not uncommon for Golden Hawks to use 10-plus players.
How they got here: Bethlehem Catholic, the top seed in District 11 5A, defeated #4 Whitehall 58-33 in the semifinals and went on to defeat #2 Bangor 48-35 in the title game. Kendra Rigo’s 10 points led a balanced attack, and Cici Hernadez added nine.
Class 3A
#12-3 MASTERMAN at #1-1 NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY (Friday, 7 p.m.)
New Hope Solebury has just one senior in its lineup, but Reagan Chrencik is a good one. The senior is joined in the starting lineup by three sophomores and a freshman. Sophomores Emily Wilson and Izzy Elizondo have been consistent contributors since they stepped on the court for a Lions’ squad as freshman. They were consistent
contributors for a New Hope team that captured a share of the SOL Freedom Division title as well as the District 1 3A crown.
Coach Steve Polinsky says: “Emily Wilson has played so well this season, and her leadership working with Reagan (Chrencik) has been great. The program is in good hands with Emily leading the way.
“Izzy Elizondo – I really like Bella’s demeanor on the court. She’s never too high or too low. She has hit some huge shots this year for us. She is a baller.”
Emily Wilson says: “It has been so much fun this year. Coming into this season, I knew we would be able to go far and make a lot of good runs. It’s just been fun with the team. I feel like we’ve become so close, especially because the season has been going on for a while. All the good games we’ve gotten to play – it’s been a lot of fun.
“A big (highlight) for me was probably beating Abington because it came along because of how hard we’ve been working all season, and it went a lot into that game, and then obviously, winning leagues and winning districts – those are all memories I’ll always hold close. All the practices all built up to that, and you get there, and it’s really cool.”
Izzy Elizondo says: “This season has been super exciting – obviously, winning districts and winning the league has been a lot of fun to be a part of, being with the team every day and just working for our goal.
“(A key) has been how close we are as a team. We all hold each other accountable, and we just play really hard at practice. Our communication – if someone is having a bad day, we just know how to pick each other up.
“(A highlight) was definitely winning districts but also the Abington game – that was one of my fav games.”
New Hope-Solebury
- 17-7 overall
- 13-3 SOL Freedom Division co-champions with Upper Moreland.
- District 1 3A champions – third district title in program history
- Senior Reagan Chrencik – committed to Gettysburg College – is the anchor of a young squad and averages 17 points and 10 rebounds.
- Freshman point guard Gabby D’Agostino made an immediate impact and averages 13 points and six assists.
- Sophomores Emily Wilson and Izzy Elizondo both are double-digit scorers.
How they got here: New Hope-Solebury defeated #4 Morrisville 59-31 in the District 1 3A semifinals and then rolled to a 53-28 win over #2 Bristol in the title game. Reagan Chrencik’s 18 points led the Lions.
Masterman
- 18-1 overall
- 14-0 Philadelphia Public League
- Led by sophomore center Jocelyn Goldstein, who averages 16.7 points a game.
- Sophomore Sophia Brunelli (6.7 ppg) and senior Elena Giannoumis (6.2 ppg) also contribute.
How they got here: Masterman defeated Palumbo 41-29 but then suffered its first and only loss of the season to Audenried 65-29 in the District XII semifinals. Masterman came back to defeat Mastery Charter North 40-26 in the third-place game.
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