Five SOL girls’ basketball teams were winners in Friday’s opening round of the PIAA 6A Tournament. PW/Pocono Mountain West photos provided courtesy of Larry Small. Pennsbury/Red Lion and CB West/Hempfield games provided courtesy of Darryl Rule of J&D Photography. Check back for galleries of photos.
#1-1 CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 49, #3-7 HEMPFIELD 32
Three minutes into the final quarter, with the outcome of the game long since decided, junior Lilly Evans – from the top of the circle – found a cutting Emily Spratt with a one-handed laser pass that resulted in an easy bucket.
It was a highlight reel play that not only gave the Bucks a 44-18 lead, it also underscored the teamwork that has been a trademark of the recently crowned district champions.
“It is a lot of team playing,” Evans said. “That’s how we win games – we play as a team.
“Emily cut down the lane – she did a perfect cut, I saw her and just gave her a one-handed pass. It was just natural, player-to-player. It’s like two people scoring – it’s awesome.”
“Lily had an awesome pass to me,” Spratt said. “All I had to do was make a layup. I would have never made a layup if she hadn’t passed me the ball.
“You just have to trust your teammates. Half of my shots that I made were off of fantastic passes, so you have to credit Maddie (Burke) looking up or Lilly (Evans) looking up. It’s really the whole team working together.”
Ten of West’s 18 baskets in Friday’s opening round win were assisted. It made for a relatively easy night for the Bucks, who took their largest lead – 46-18 – after Paige Gilbert turned a steal into an easy bucket.
Spratt led all scorers with 17 points, and in a preview of things to come, she turned an Olivia Irons pass into basket to put the Bucks on the scoreboard early in the first quarter.
“Emily had two of the greatest practices I’ve ever seen her have – she was getting after it,” West coach Zach Sibel said. “Reminded me of a Kobe mentality for sure. I think her confidence is really high.
“Just the amount this group plays together. Obviously, during the season – we’re on game 30, but also offseason too. They’re always working out, even if we’re not there and even if it’s not a called workout. I know Maddie (Burke) really pushed Emily in the summer, and you’re starting to see the fruits of that labor. I think that adds to it as well.”
Irons came up with a steal, and Paige Gilbert scored on a tough putback. Then it was Maddie Burke coming up with a steal and finding Spratt for a basket in close.
Spratt doesn’t play like a sophomore and admits she doesn’t feel like one either.
“I have been coming to workouts since I’ve been in fourth grade, so I honestly feel like I’m a super senior at this point,” she said with a laugh. “It’s still really cool to be here with all these seniors because they’re awesome.”
Spratt had six first-quarter points, and her third basket came after an Irons steal and gave the Bucks an 8-4 lead. The sophomore scored five straight points to open the second quarter with her fast break bucket spotting West a 15-4 lead.
“I think our press (worked) really well,” Spratt said. “It pushed them up a little faster, and it got us easy steals which got us baskets which got us more on the run. I think that’s what really helped us in the first quarter – our transition got us going out with more energy.”
The Knights pulled to within 15-8, but Irons scored on a drive, and then it was Anna Blue – after coming up with a steal on the defensive end – burying a baseline three that gave the Bucks a 20-8 advantage.
“I just come out and play for my team,” Blue said when asked about a shot that ignited an 8-0 West run to close out the half. “Once we get moving, things get rolling offensively and defensively, so it’s important to come out strong.
“We worked hard in practice, we prepared for this game well, so we knew no matter who we were playing we had to come out strong.”
The Bucks took a 23-8 lead into halftime and increased that to 36-13 after three quarters. The Knights never threatened and scored 14 of their 32 points in the final minutes of the game when the regulars for both sides were watching from the bench.
Gilbert also finished the game in double figures with 10 and led the Bucks on the boards with seven rebounds to go along with two steals. Irons
added nine points.
While there may have been a time that stopping Burke meant stopping the Bucks, those days are officially over. The Penn State-bound senior – once again face-guarded every second she was on the floor – had just two points and took only three shots, but the outcome was never in doubt.
“She showed incredible composure,” coach Zach Sibel said. “You have to think of it two ways, one – it’s the greatest compliment in basketball. It’s almost like teams are willing to lose rather than let her go off.
“We’re going to definitely work to get her more involved, going off screens, but in a game that was a little bit whacky – we were getting called for setting good screens, it was one of those things that you have to take what you can get. It’s other girls stepping up, other girls doing their thing.
“She’s a great kid. I can’t say enough about her character and her composure. She handled it like an absolute pro. That’s why she is the player she is and why she’s going to Penn State and why she’s going to be ridiculously successful.
“We’re definitely going to keep working to get her involved, but she does so many other things. She breaks pressure, she makes great passes, she doesn’t get flustered, she’s a calming factor, she’s a leader, she’s on the backboards. It’s frustrating, but she keeps it together.”
Things figure to get tougher when Central Bucks West (25-4, 12-0 SOL) faces District 11 runner-up Freedom in a second round game on Tuesday.
Hempfield 4-4-5-19 32
Central Bucks West 10-13-13-13 49
Hempfield (32) – Jessica Weinholdt 2 0-2 4; Sophie Herman 0 0-1 0; Olivia Richards 1 0-0 3; Ava Baer 1 0-0 3; Lindsey Durkota 1 1-2 3; Autumn Cook 3 1-1 7; Orianna Edmond 1 2-3 4; Lauren Moffatt 3 2-2 8; Totals 12 6-11 32.
Central Bucks West (49) – Tai Henkels 0 0-1 0; Paige Gilbert 4 2-4 10; Olivia Irons 3 3-4 9; Anna Blue 1 0-0 3; Emily Spratt 7 3-4 17; Jess Broskey 0 3-4 3; Maddie Burke 1 0-0 2; Ava Longo 1 0-0 3; Lilly Evans 1 0-0 2; Totals 18 11-17 49.
3-point goals: Hempfield – Olivia Richards, Ava Baer, CBW – Anna Blue Ava Longo.
#1-2 PENNSBURY 45, #3-4 RED LION 24
If a good start is what the Falcons were looking for, they certainly succeeded, scoring early and scoring often en route to an opening round win that wasn’t as close as the final score suggests.
Bella Arcuri raced in for a layup off the opening tap, and five seconds into the game, the Falcons had a lead they would not lose. Any nerves the Falcons may have had were gone pretty quickly.
“We were nervous for our first few playoff games, but now that we got to play at Temple, all the nerves are kind of gone,” Arcuri said. “I knew I was scoring on that play. My coaches told me exactly where to go and exactly what was going to happen, and that’s exactly what happened.”
Arcuri is one of five juniors on the Falcons’ roster that spent their Friday night playing basketball while their peers were enjoying the Junior Prom. Listening to the junior guard tell it, there will be other proms, and competing in states easily trumped the junior prom.
“It’s hard, but you only get to do this so many times in your life,” Arcuri said. “I’ve been to freshman formal, sophomore formal. I can go to prom next year, but you only get to be in state playoffs so many times, so this is something I want to be a part of.
“Not everyone gets to do it, so if you have the opportunity, you’re got to make the most of it.”
Arcuri’s early bucket was just the beginning. Mary Miller and Ava Sciolla followed with baskets, prompting Red Lion to call a hasty timeout. It didn’t help, and Mia Spinelli found a cutting Nicole Pompili for an easy bucket and an 8-0 lead less than three minutes into the game.”
“When you’re playing your first state playoff game, I think they came out and the game was moving really fast – they’ve played a lot of close games against good teams, but we were definitely prepared,” coach Frank Sciolla said. “The girls were able to take them out of what they wanted to run. We were able to be aggressive and attack in the early going.”
Back-to-back 3-pointers by Sciolla in the closing minute of the opening quarter gave the Falcons a 16-4 lead. Abbi Nassivera buried a pair at the foul line, and when Miller scored in close, the Falcons led 20-4. A drive by Spinelli and another Arcuri bucket put the Falcons on top 26-4. They took a 26-6 lead into halftime.
The Lady Lions outscored the Falcons 9-4 in the third quarter, but Pennsbury still led 32-15 and won going away.
“I was concerned at halftime – there was a general malaise in the locker room that told me that we felt we may have this game won,” coach Sciolla said. “That might be normal in mid-January, but in a state game, you have to keep the pedal to the metal. (Red Lion) did a good job in the third quarter. I’ve never seen us turn the ball over like that.”
“I think we settled for what the score was at halftime and thought ‘We’re up by 20, we can relax now,’” Arcuri said. “But we can never relax. We always have to be on top of our game. We can’t let down.”
Ava Sciolla led the Falcons with 12 points – eight in the pivotal first quarter – eight rebounds, four steals and three assists. Arcuri added eight points and four steals. Pompili added seven points and Miller had six. Nassivera added five points, five rebounds, two assists and one steal, and Spiinelli had four points, four rebounds, one assist and one steal.
“I think Mia Spinelli did a good job on the backboards for us in the first quarter,” coach Sciolla said. “She got off to a good start.
“We challenged her to rebound and she did. Lauren Dignan, who’s going to the prom, did a great job with the putback to change the momentum.
“For us the opportunity to get into the Sweet 16 is great for Pennsbury and for our community. We have the opportunity to keep playing. For us, it’s a really good win.”
Pennsbury (23-5, 11-1 SOL) will take on Owen J Roberts, the ninth place team out of District One, in a second round game Tuesday. The Wildcats defeated District 2 champion Hazelton 45-35.
“It’s awesome,” Arcuri said of playing in states. “I dreamed of this as a freshman. Freshman year we made the playoffs for the first time in 10 years, which was big back then. My sophomore year, we had our first home playoff game in over 12 years, and now to play at Temple and have a state run, it’s cool to see how much we grew as a team.”
Red Lion 4-2-9-9 24
Pennsbury 16-12-4-13 45
Red Lion (24) – Asia Eames 3 0-0 6; Makiah Shaw 2 1-3 5; Julia Beiler 3 0-0 6; Sarah Wolf 1 0-0 2; Madi Shellenberger 1 0-0 3; Rylee Estermyer 1 0-0 2; Totals 11 1-3 24.
Pennsbury (45) – Ava Sciolla 3 4-5 12; Bell Arcuri 4 0-0 8; Mary Miller 1 4-4 6; Mia Spinelli 1 2-2 4; Nicole Pompili 3 0-0 7; Abbi Nassivera 1 3-3 5; Lauren Dignan 1 0-1 2; Emily Friel 0 1-2 1; Totals 14 14-17 45.
3-point goals: Red Lion – Madi Schellenberger, Pennsbury – Ava Sciolla 2, Nicole Pompili.
#1-3 PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 68, #11-4 POCONO MOUNTAIN WEST 52
Anna McTamney had herself a night to remember, scoring 23 points in the first half en route to a career-high 32. Behind McTamney’s hot hand, the Colonials put 37 points on the scoreboard in the first half, but they still trailed a red hot Panther squad that connected on a barrage of 3-point shots.
All told, the Panthers connected on 10-of-11 shots from beyond the arc in the first half, turning an 18-13 first-quarter deficit into 40-37 halftime lead.
“We survived quite a scare tonight,” PW coach Dan Dougherty said. “This Pocono Mountain team – we had never seen them play in person, but we had lots of film on them. They have four really talented guards, and oh my goodness, did they shoot the lights out.
“Anna (McTamney) singlehandedly kept us in the game. The game was an absolute track meet. It was us driving to the basket and them hitting transition 3s. It was up and down the floor, up and down the floor. Credit their kids – their guards are pretty small, and they’re hitting shots from five feet beyond the 3-point line, and they’re hitting them in our press. We’re pressing them, and they’re whipping the ball across court and getting a three off it lightening fast.”
In the midst of the track meet that was the first half, it was easy to forget that the Colonials jumped out to a 7-0 lead to open the game.
“Our press was working, and next thing you know, this team goes on a barrage,” Dougherty said. “They hit 10 threes from five different players.
“To give up 40 points and 10 threes in the first half was scary, but whenever you’re a pressing team like we are, I told the girls – ‘You have to be ready to weather a storm.’ You’re going to give up shots, you’re going to give up runs. You’re hoping to wear the other team out, and we didn’t. We did not wear that team out. We had to completely change paths at halftime and adjust.”
Those adjustments produced immediate results. The Colonials outscored the Panthers 17-5 in the third quarter and 31-12 overall in the second half.
“In the second half, we stopped pressing and just played them half court in a man,” Dougherty said. 
“Gabby Cooper was just outstanding in the second half defensively, and Abby Sharpe really came on in the second half and made some big plays. She made a deep three and made a couple nice drives to the basket and really added that complementary scoring piece to Anna.”
In addition to scoring 32 points, McTamney also had 10 rebounds, three steals and three assists in a dazzling outing.
“She finished at the basket,” Dougherty said. “She was able to finish at the basket in transition and in the half court as well. They had to guard Anna with a post player, so we were trying to get Anna in spots where she could attack that post player off the dribble.
“She did an excellent job. She was going right, she was going left, she was pulling up, and she was also 10-for-12 at the free throw line. She was 7-for-8 in the first half. She carried us in the first half. It was great.”
Also for the Colonials, Sharpe added 15 points, and Kaitlyn Flangan added eight.
“I’m very proud of our girls,” Dougherty said. “Our team is so young. We had such a successful year, and we forget that sometimes. We’ve suffered some big injuries with Erin Daley and Lainey Allen, and I’m really proud of them for calming themselves down at halftime and really coming out strong in the second half. It was exciting. Everybody got their money’s worth.”
Pocono Mountain West suffered an unimaginable tragedy when longtime coach Stacy Perryman lost her battle with cancer on Jan. 20, 2020. She was 45 years old and in her 14th year at the helm. Chrissy Campos, Perryman’s sister and longtime assistant, is the interim coach.
“They’re a team that plays with a lot of emotion after the tragedy that team has gone through, and they came out and played like they had nothing to lose,” Dougherty said. “They were shooting with reckless abandon. I credit their coach. I talked to her a long time before the game.
“She had them absolutely ready to play. They had a great game plan. Game plans really look good when you have kids that can make shots like that.”
Plymouth Whitemarsh (24-4, 13-1 SOL) will face Baldwin, District seven’s fifth place squad, in Tuesday’s second round. Baldwin upset District 3 champion Central Dauphin 42-35.
Pocono Mountain West 13-27-5-7 52
Plymouth Whitemarsh 18-19-17-14 68
Pocono Mountain West (52) – Caroline Weirich 3 0-0 9; Paige Knecht 3 0-0 8; Taliyah Malone 3 0-0 9; Jada Bowen 1 2-2 5; Azahni Simmons 2 0-0 6; Vatijah Darby 3 0-2 6; Tiera Hudson 2 0-0 4; AI Owens 2 1-4 5; Totals 19 3-8 52.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (68) – Kaitlyn Flanagan 2 4-7 8; Abby Sharpe 5 4-10 15; Gabby Cooper 2 0-0 4; Anna McTamney 12 10-12 32; Jordyn Thomas 2 1-3 5; Deja Evans 2 0-0 4; Totals 25 19-32 68.
3-point goals: PMW – Caroline Weirich 3, Talijah Malone 3, Paige Knecht 2, Azahni Simmons 2, Jada Bowen, PW – Abby Sharpe.
#1-5 UPPER DUBLIN 42, #3-2 CUMBERLAND VALLEY 19
The Flying Cardinals continue to confound opponents with their suffocating defense. Cumberland Valley was the latest victim, managing just one field goal in a four-point first half. They had two field goals and eight points heading into the final quarter as the Cardinals put on a defensive clinic.
“You have to game plan around Julie Jekot – the third of the Jekot family,” UD coach Morgan Funsten said. “I thought Sarah Eskew set the tone early on that nothing was going to come easy for her. Defensively, we were as good as we’ve been all year.”
Friday’s opening round win came on the heels of a 48-26 win over North Penn in the district’s fifth place game.
If their tenacious defense wasn’t enough to bring the Eagles to their knees, their offense was as the Cardinals buried 7-of-11 shots from beyond the arc with Dayna Balasa connecting on four en route to a game-high 12 points.
“Dayna Balasa got hot – she went 4-for-5 from 3-point range, and every one of her 3s was just a dagger, came at big times and never made them feel like they could stay in the game,” Funsten said.
The Cardinals connected on three 3-pointers in a first quarter on their way to an 11-3 lead. The two teams combined for just three points in the second quarter – the Cardinals’ lone points came on a Grebe bucket, and the Cardinals took a 13-4 lead into halftime.
“Offensively, it was a slow start, and then we strung together three 3s in the middle part of the first quarter, and that was pretty much the entire offense for both teams,” Funsten said. “Kara Grebe got us started with a three, Bliss Brenner hit a three, and Dayna hit a three, and then we went cold.
“You’re obviously going to hit some tough stretches offensively during games. It’s important that you continue to get stops. We think a place we’re improving is looking to extend leads instead of letting teams back in. I think the last two games against North Penn and again tonight were great examples of going on a little bit of an offensive run like we did in the third quarter and being able to get stops defensively.”
The Cardinals’ offense – behind a pair of Balasa 3s – came to life in the third quarter as they scored 16 points to go on top 29-8.
In addition to leading the team in scoring, Balasa also pulled down a team-high eight rebounds. Grebe added seven points seven rebounds and two blocked shots. Vargas scored just two points but finished with seven rebounds and five blocked shots. Jess Polin once against spent the night setting up her teammates, finishing with eight assists to go along with five points and six rebounds
“What was really cool about tonight was that no player on our team attempted more than five shots,” Funsten said. “We had balanced shot attempts, we had great balanced scoring.
“They did a good job of collapsing on Jackie Vargas. She only had two points, but for us to score 42 and she only had two – it speaks to the other girls stepping up. It’s always the best when you get contributions from everybody, and I thought everybody did their job tonight extremely well.
“Kara Grebe was great all night defensively against their second leading scorer. Jackie Vargas protected the rim so well, altering shots, blocking shots. She had three or four blocks in the first quarter, and that set the tone for the rest of the night that players were not going to be able to score inside against us. It was another fun, balanced team effort. We are always at our best when we are balanced.”
Upper Dublin (21-8, 12-2 SOL) will face District 7 runner-up Bethel Park in a second Round game Tuesday. Bethel Park made easy business of District 3’s fifth place team, Governor Mifflin, rolling to a 46-28 win.
Upper Dublin 11-2-16-13 42
Cumberland Valley 3-1-4-11 19
Upper Dublin (42) – Bliss Brenner 1 2-3 5; Anajae Smith 1 3-5 5; Rachel Bilger 1 0-0 2; Jess Polin 1 2-2 5; Kara Grebe 3 0-1 7; Sarah Eskey 1 2-2 4; Dayna Balasa 4 0-0 12; Jackie Vargas 1 0-0 2; Totals 13 9-13 42.
Cumberland Valley (19) – Abbie Miller 3 0-0 6; Julie Jekot 1 3-6 6; Kylie Holcomb 1 0-0 3; Lydia Krause 1 0-0 2; Sam Murphy 0 2-2 2; Totals 6 5-8 19.
3-point goals: UD – Dayna Balasa 4, Kara Grebe, Jess Polin, Bliss Brenner, CV – Julie Jekot, Kylie Holcomb.
#1-7 CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 62, #12-2 CENTRAL 22
The Patriots wasted little time before seizing control of Friday’s state opener at South Philadelphia High School, opening up an 18-7 lead after one quarter and extending that to 33-15 by halftime. Emily Chmiel scored 15 of her game-high 23 points in the opening half.
East outscored Central 29-7 in the second half on their way to the mercy-rule win.
Also for the Patriots, Elise Duffy added nine points – seven in the second half. Emily Barry and Mia Salvati both had eight, and Devon Burns chipped in six points. Many of the Patriots’ baskets came with assists – East finished the game with 19 assists.
Central Bucks East (19-9, 8-4 SOL) will face District 2 runner-up Central York in a second round game Tuesday. Central York used a buzzer beater to defeat Methacton, District One’s eighth place team, 51-49.
Central Bucks East 18-15-16-13 62
Central 7-8-3-4 22
Central Bucks East (62) – Katie Finnan 1 0-0 2; Devon Burns 3 0-0 6; Gabby Wilga 2 0-0 4; Mia Salvati 3 1-2 8; Elise Duffy 4 1-1 9; Emily Chmiel 11 1-1 23; Emily Barry 4 0-1 8; Aubrey DeAngelis 0 0-2 0; Bella Haurin 1 0-0 2; Totals 29 3-7 62.
Central (22) – Jordan Carrier 1 0-0 3; Elle Baker 1 0-0 2; Bene Butler 0 1-3 1; Sara Hogan 5 0-2 10; Charlotte Carlies 3 0-0 6; Maya Hananel 0 0-1 0; Totals 10 1-6 22.
3-point goals: CBE – Mia Salvati, Central – Jordan Carrier.
#11-2 FREEDOM 60, #1-6 NORTH PENN 49
The Knights found themselves staring at a 10-0 hole before Val McGriff connected on her team’s first bucket. They trailed 15-2 at the end of one quarter and never could make up the ground they lost.
“As the final minute was winding down – and we were fouling at the end and they were making foul shots, I turned to the assistants, and I said, ‘What were we down in the first quarter?’ They said, ’10-0.’ I said, ‘Look at the scoreboard right now.’ That was the game,” NP coach Jen Carangi said. “At this level, you can’t get behind by 10 and think you’ll be able to fight your way back. These teams are too good.
“It’s one of those things – my heart breaks for the seniors. We played so well all season. I feel like part of it was nerves. That first quarter – it’s not like they were playing lockdown defense. We were getting great looks at the basket. We just weren’t making them.”
The Knights found their offense in the second quarter with Alli Lindsay’s six points leading the way. They scored 15 points, but the Patriots matched them point for point and took a 30-17 lead into halftime.
“In the second quarter, our offense started coming from our defense,” Carangi said. “To get behind so far, it was frustrating.
“Once they start making some shots and we’re coming down missing, missing, missing, they have all the confidence in the world, so the shots for us that are rolling in and out – for them, they’re just knocking them down. That’s what happens. It’s one of those things when you’re in state playoffs – to try and rebound from that is really, really tough.”
The Knights outscored the Patriots 32-30 after halftime, but the Patriots sealed the Knights’ fate by burying 9-of-12 at the foul line in the fourth quarter.
“We had some foul trouble, and my two freshmen – Ali Johns and Abby Plaugher – got some crucial minutes tonight,” Carangi said. “Looking ahead, I hope this is something that will propel them forward so they know what to expect, so that next year we don’t take a few steps back because we’re losing our seniors but we can stay where we are now.”
The Knights’ coach bids farewell to five seniors – four starters.
“It’s such a shame because I felt like after that CB East game where we probably played our best game of the season (in a 58-41 playback win), we came out against Upper Dublin and we really wanted to get the five seed because we knew the five seed would send us out west, and we wanted to be in the bottom part of the bracket,” Carangi said. “It wasn’t obviously winner-go-home because we knew if we didn’t get the five seed we would get the six seed, but we were playing for something.
“The team didn’t respond as well as I would have thought my senior-led team would have responded. I think there was some carryover. We never had a game this season where we had everybody missing shots. Usually we have one or two people keeping us in it until everything else starts clicking. At Upper Dublin, we never got that, and I’m sure a part of that is a credit to them. Their smothering defense certainly doesn’t give you the open looks that some of the other teams do, but I thought against Upper Dublin we got some great looks at the basket. We just did not convert. To have our final two games be like that, I’m disappointed for the seniors.”
McGriff led the Knights with 13 points while Lindsay added 11. Carley Adams and Rachel Dunn both had seven points.
“I said to them tonight, ‘Thirty-two teams start the state playoffs, and everyone but one team goes home disappointed.’ We have to remember that and keep it in perspective,” Carangi said. “We had a great season. I’m super proud of them for what they did. It’s a credit to them and their work ethic that we got to where we did.”
North Penn (8-4 SOL) closed out its season with an 18-9 record.
North Penn 2-15-14-18 49
Freedom 15-15-15-15 60
North Penn (49) – Abby Plaugher 2 1-1 6; Alli Lindsay 4 1-2 11; Rachel Dunn 2 3-3 7; Imani Plaza 1 0-0 2; Alaina Mullaly 1 1-2 3; Carley Adams 3 0-0 7; Val McGriff 6 1-1 13; Totals 19 7-9 49.
Freedom (60) – Brenna Ortwein 1 1-2 3; Corinn Gill 4 4-6 13; Kailey Turpening 5 5-5 17; Kayla Jefferson 1 1-2 3; Jennifer Kokolus 8 6-8 24; Totals 19 17-23 60.
3-point goals: NP – Alli Lindsay 2, Abby Plaugher, Carley Adams, Freedom –Jennifer Kokolus 2, Kailey Turpening 2, Corinn Gill.
#12-1 CARDINAL O’HARA 50, #1-10 SOUDERTON 30
Souderton coach Lynn Carroll knew her team hadn’t done itself any favors when the Indians fell to Owen J Roberts in overtime in the district’s ninth place game, earning an opening round date with a Cardinal O’Hara team that holds its own in the tough PCL.
The Indians’ coach was right.
The Lions roared out of the gate to a 28-8 halftime lead and never looked back, although the Indians played a much better second half.
“It was a very tough draw, and at halftime down 20 and really struggling to score, I was just thinking, ‘I don’t want it to end this way for Mikaela (Reese) or for the young kids,’” Carroll said. “Our kids went out and battled in the second half.
“We were down 13 in the third quarter, and we had a 3-pointer that hit the rim. We had an opportunity to be down 10. Our girls just did not quit, played without fear. They played hard. What happened in the first half didn’t continue in the second half.”
In the opening half, the Indians were not hurt so much by O’Hara’s big guns as they were by players off the bench.
“I do think they shot the ball exceptionally well in the first half, which they do in stretches,” Carroll said. “And it was two kids off the bench. (Sydni) Scott got her second foul halfway through the first quarter, and I thought ‘This is what we need.’
“In the second quarter, they had one starter on the court and it was 18-4.”
Senior Mikaela Reese’s 12 points led the Indians. Freshman Erin Bohmueller added seven.
“It was an invaluable experience for our young kids,” Carroll said. “You want to be able to play at that level. For them to see one of the top teams in the state early in their careers for the freshmen – you can’t give them that experience in practice or watching game film. That’s something they have to experience.
“I just think for our younger kids – they shouldn’t settle for less than this moving forward. If we didn’t set the standard this year, maybe next year our goals aren’t high enough. It’s just great. I’m happy for the kids.
“The postgame locker room was tough. The kids had nice things to say about Mikaela. We’re going to miss her. Yes, we’re only graduating one senior, but those are pretty big shoes to fill. We have some work to do in the offseason. I’m really proud of the girls.”
Souderton (7-5 SOL) closed out its season with a 19-9 record.
“Just to have been (in states), to wake up today and we were still in season – I think everybody played their own part,” Carroll said. “It all starts with Mikaela (Reese), but also (freshmen) Casey Harter and Erin Bohmueller and how they’ve grown over the course of the season.
“Olivia Schneider and Jordan Zimmerman – Olivia saw some action last year but Jordan very limited. They took on bigger roles and embraced those roles. Then we have kids like Hannah Alderfer and Haley Fenchel whose roles would change depending on the game and how they were able to handle that. All of those pieces – you put them together, and it turned out to be a really special season. We weren’t sure going in what it was going to be like. We can definitely say it was successful.”
Souderton 4-4-12-10 30
Cardinal O’Hara 10-18-8-14 50
Souderton (30) – Jordan Zimmerman 1 0-0 2; Erin Bohmueller 2 3-3 7; Olivia Schneider 0 3-4 3; Casey Harter 1 0-0 2; Hayley Fenchel 2 0-0 4; Mikaela Reese 5 1-2 12; Totals 11 7-9 30.
Cardinal O’Hara (50) – Nicole Blanch 2 0-0 6; Amaris Baker 5 1-1 12; Sydni Scott 2 1-2 5; Siobhan Boylan 1 3-4 5; Kaitlyn McPeak 1 0-0 3; Annie Welde 2 0-0 4; Maggie Doogan 2 2-2 6; Sam Randazo 2 2-2 7; Totals 18 9-11 50.
3-point goals: Souderton – Reese, O’Hara – Nicole Blanche 2, Amaris Baker, Kaitlyn McPeak, Sam Randazo.
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