Upper Dublin & Pennsbury were winners in Friday’s opening round of the PIAA 6A State Tournament. Pennsbury/Mechanicsburg photos courtesy of Darryl Rule of J&D Photography, and UD/Cedar Cliff photos provided courtesy of Jon Sklut. Check back for photo galleries. CLICK HERE to go directly to Suburban One Sports’ GIRLS’ BASKETBALL GALLERIES.
PIAA Class 6A opening round
#1-1 UPPER DUBLIN 55, #3-7 CEDAR CLIFF 30
It was another big win for the recently crowned District 1 champions, whose average margin of victory in four district games was 30 points.
The Cards won Friday’s state opener by 25 – this despite struggling mightily from beyond the arc for three quarters,
connecting on just three of 24 shots. Still, the Cards had a comfortable 38-23 lead heading into the final frame when they buried 3 of 6 from 3-point range on their way to another lopsided win.
“It felt like we weren’t playing great because we weren’t making shots, but we were basically doing everything else pretty well,” UD coach Morgan Funsten said. “We took care of the ball – we only had four turnovers, and we turned them over 21 times. We had 21 points off of turnovers versus zero for them.
“We took 59 shots versus their 31, and of their 31 shots, we blocked eight, so the girls found other ways to win than making perimeter shots.”
Behind 11 first-half points from Emilia Coleman, the Cards, who led 12-8 after one quarter, took a 24-14 advantage into halftime. A 14-9 third quarter sent UD into the fourth quarter with a 38-23 lead, and they put an exclamation point on the win with a 17-point fourth quarter.
By the numbers: Emilia Coleman had another big game with a double-double that included 17 points and 13 rebounds to go along with six steals and two blocks. Megan Ngo added 13 points, four assists and three steals. Tamia Clark had 13 points and six rebounds. Bridget DiMartile had a team-high five blocks to go
along with four steals and four assists.
Upper Dublin coach Morgan Funsten:
–Senior captains stand tall: “I thought that Emilia Coleman is playing the best basketball she’s played in her life right now in the most important time of the year. She had a double-double for us, and she was all over the place.”
“Megan Ngo’s also been so steady at point guard, and obviously, she’s so important for us. It’s cool to see the two senior leaders just really taking their game to another level. That’s really exciting.”
–More props: “Cedar Cliff’s two best players are post players. They’re not a great size, but they’re both left-handed, which presents a unique situation, but Bridget did a good job of challenging them straight up. Bridget’s blocks are not usually very showy, they’re not very fancy. She just does a good job moving her feet and keeps her hands up. And a lot of her blocks – they just shoot them into her hands. Sometimes she catches them, and sometimes she just tips them to herself or tips them to a teammate. To be able to protect the rim and take away the Cedar Crest strength of finishing around the basket – Bridget did a great job with that.”
–Moving on: “We get to play at least one more game. Hopefully, we shoot a little better. It’s just been such a fun ride.
Maybe today’s poor shooting has to do with just the emotional high that we had from winning the district championship on Sunday.
“I thought we had great practices leading up to today, and our energy was great all night. They didn’t let poor shooting bring other parts of their game down, so that’s something I’m proud of.”
Up next: Upper Dublin (28-2, 10-0 SOL) will face District 1’s sixth place team, Perkiomen Valley, in a second round game Tuesday. PV defeated #3-3 Central Dauphin 54-51 in overtime.
“Perk Valley is dangerous because they have five girls on the court who can make a three at all times, and most teams don’t have that,” Funsten said. “It’s important we have two good days of practice, three good days of preparation. We’re looking forward to playing close to home again.”
Cedar Cliff 8-6-9-7 30
Upper Dublin 12-12-14-17 55
Cedar Cliff (30) – Rees Hall 1 2-2 5; Jillian MacIntire 1 0-0 2; Addison Baughman 1 0-0 3; Maddy Cavalier 1 0-0 3; Sam Beaver 0 1-2 1; Tirza Price 1 3-4 5; Lyla Kaercher 1 2-4 4; Paige Wehnert 3 1-2 7; TOTALS 9 9-14 30.
Upper Dublin (55) – Shannon Connaughton 1 0-0 3; Bridget DiMartile 0 2-2 2; Tamia Clark 5 3-5 13; Megan Ngo 4 3-3 13; Lexi Ngo 0 2-2 2; Emilia Coleman 7 1-4 17; Ella Morris 2 0-0 5; TOTALS 19 11-16 55.
3-point goals: CC – Rees Hall, Addison Baughman, Maddy Cavalier; UD – Megan Ngo 2, Emilia Coleman 2, Shannon Connaughton, Ella Morris.
#1-2 PENNSBURY 35, #3-6 MECHANICSBURG 27
They are, in a word, resilient.
The Falcons not only bounced back from a 43-18 loss to Upper Dublin in the District 1 6A title game Sunday but, five days later, rallied from a 10-2 deficit after not scoring a field goal in the first six-and-a-half minutes of the game to defeat
Mechanicsburg in an opening round game of the PIAA 6A Tournament.
“I think we just all knew we needed to keep moving forward and we couldn’t dwell on the past, and kind of look at it as just such a great opportunity for us,” sophomore Alyssa Thomas said of the Falcons’ loss to the Cardinals. “How great was that – that we were able to experience that in that environment and kind of just moving forward and knowing what we can do. We have much more ahead of us.”
Thomas scored her team’s first field goal with 1:25 remaining in the first quarter to make it a 10-4 game (Sammie Haws buried a pair of foul shots early on). It was a basket that gave the Falcons a much-needed boost.
“We were definitely in a drought for scoring and we weren’t making our shots, so I think (that basket) kind of helped get us going – the ball’s going in the basket, and we’re gonna make more shots, and it kind of got us started,” Thomas said.
The Falcons trailed 12-4 after one quarter but went on a 8-1 run to open the second quarter. Keira Socha and Haws connected on back-to-back 3s, and Socha buried a pair at the foul line to put the Falcons on top 13-12 midway through the quarter.
Mechanicsburg regained the lead, but a three by Haws and a conventional three-point play by Thomas knotted the score 18-18 at halftime.
The Wildcats opened up a 25-19 lead midway through the third quarter, but Joley Hohman was a perfect 4-for-4 at the foul line, and the Falcons trailed by just two entering the final frame.
Back-to-back baskets by Thomas and Haws put the Falcons on top 27-25, but the Wildcats evened the score with 4:52
remaining. A Haws three gave the Falcons a lead they would not lose, and Thomas sealed the Wildcats fate, connecting on 5-of-6 from the foul line in the final 70 seconds.
As a team, the Falcons were 15-for-18 from the free throw line for the game.
“We definitely pay a lot of attention to free throws,” Thomas said. “We know free throws win games, so we all made sure we were completely focused and made sure to knock them down.”
With Pennsbury’s Junior Prom looming on the schedule for Friday night, the game was a 4 pm start and was once again played in front of a large home crowd.
“This week was an absolute whirlwind,” Pennsbury coach Frank Sciolla said. “Coming down from the emotional whirlwind of Sunday with once again, for the eighth straight year, the looming specter of the Junior Prom tonight calls for a great deal of maturity.”
If it seems as though the veteran coach would be a fan of home playoff games, guess again.
“I’m not a believer that teams play home state playoff games,” Sciolla said. “It’s the third time we’ve had one, and it’s a massive advantage and I think takes away from the special feeling of making states. I also don’t believe in district semis being on a home floor. It deserves a neutral site and a special experience. That’s clear just by how few upsets we’ve seen in the district semis. But – as always, the Nest was hopping today and we needed it.”
Key players: Junior Sammie Haws led the Falcons with 14 points, which included three 3-pointers. Sophomore Alyssa Thomas added 12 points – eight in the fourth quarter that included a 5-for-6 effort at the foul line.
Pennsbury coach Frank Sciolla:
–The game: “Mechanicsburg is easily in the top three teams we’ve seen this year in terms of coaching. They are senior laden with their best players each playing 88 varsity games, so we knew they’d be ready. They came out very aggressive on the backboard, and we got some really good looks that didn’t fall but they started to work us inside. I liked how they played and communicated. I’m not surprised that they win 20 games every year.
“We were able to right the ship with 3s from Sammie (Haws) and Keira (Socha) and tied it up at the half after being down eight.
“In the third quarter, there was a big sequence on a foul where they had a chance to pull away and they went up six, but we dug in. We got some big free throws from Joley (Hohman) and hung tough.
“Midway through the fourth after they tied the game up, Sammie hit the biggest shot of her career from deep, and it was clutch. We continue to get stops and Alyssa was fantastic, icing the clock and knocking down free throws.
“From the three-minute mark in the fourth quarter until the final buzzer, they scored two points and that came on a turnover run out. The girls were fantastic, continuously switching defenses and giving different looks and playing them all and rebounding well.”
–A special postseason: “At Pennsbury, we always say we don’t turn the uniforms in on Valentine’s Day, we wait until St. Patrick’s Day.
“This team has maximized every piece of their ability. They defy statistical probability. We have won playoff games this year shooting 6-for-30 vs Neshaminy, 8-for-30 vs Downingtown West and 8-for-30 today. There is simply no rhyme or reason to it other than grit, unselfishness and a steadfast ability to avoid live ball turnovers.
“Years from now, they will look back at all of this in awe and truly appreciate it. And for a 4 pm game I truly appreciated that crowd. Hopefully the prom is just as fun.”
Pennsbury sophomore Alyssa Thomas:
–Staying alive: “It’s so exciting. These girls are all my best friends, and it just feels so amazing to be having this much success together. Especially since we work so hard, and all the work that we’re putting in is paying off.”
–Defense a calling card for Falcons: “I think we were just fully committed as usual. We give it our all defensively every time, and especially Shea Quenzer coming in – she’s our biggest defensive threat, and it’s just incredible having her be able to come in off the bench and pull down those rebounds and get deflections because it really sets the tone for us, especially when we’re having a hard time offensively.”
Up next: Pennsbury will face District 6 champion Altoona in a second round game Tuesday. Altoona defeated District 7 runner-up Norwin 59-54.
Mechanicsburg 12-6-7-2 27
Pennsbury 4-14-5-12 35
Mechanicsburg (27) – Maycee Yanoski 0 2-4 2; Asha Pratt 4 0-2 10; Lauren Lebo 2 0-0 4; Alaina Sweet 2 2-2 6; Mia Masser 2 0-0 5; TOTALS 10 4-8 27
Pennsbury (35) – Sammie Haws 4 3-4 14; Alyssa Thomas 3 6-9 12; Joley Hohman 0 4-4 4; Keira Socha 1 2-2 5; TOTALS 8 15-18 35.
3-point goals: M – Asha Pratt 2, Mia Masser; P – Sammie Haws 3, Keira Socha.
#11-2 EMMAUS 65, #1-6 CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 58
The Patriots scored enough to win on most nights, but Friday was not most nights.
An Emmaus team that has 15 times this season exceeded 60 points and seven times surpassed 70 points put 65 points on the board against a stingy Patriots’ defense in Friday’s state opener. It is the most points East has allowed this season.
The Patriots led 14-12 after one quarter, but the Hornets erupted for 19 points in the second quarter and took a 31-27 lead into halftime. It was still a four-point game heading into the fourth quarter when – behind the hot hand of Gabby DeVita – the Hornets outscored the Patriots 19-16. DeVita led the charge with 10 fourth-quarter points and 18 of her game-high 21 points in the second half.
For the Patriots, junior point guard Haley Moran had 20 points – 12 in the second half – and freshman Payton Williams added 16 points. Senior Natalie Berndt added 11 points, and senior Jess Lockwood had nine.
Central Bucks East coach Liz Potash:
–Special seniors: “Only one team is ever happy at the end of the season, and the toughest part is always saying goodbye to your senior class. We have a 4-year, 3-year and 2-year starter that have meant so much to this program. Nat (Berndt), Jess (Lockwood) and Emma (Penecale) have been staples for many years, and personally, I can still remember them being young campers at our annual summer camp.
“They have contributed tremendously to the team’s success these last three years, and while they will be missed on the court, who they are as people, teammates and leaders off the court is what really stands out most. They embody all that we want our players to aspire to and want to thank them for all their blood, sweat and tears that they left on the floor each night.”
Central Bucks East closed out its successful season with a 24-6 record overall and an SOL Colonial Division title with a 10-0 record.
Central Bucks East 14-13-15-16 58
Emmaus 12-19-15-19 65
Central Bucks East (58) – Haley Moran 9 1-1 20; Emma Penecale 1 0-0 2; Natalie Berndt 4 1-2 11; Payton Williams 7 0-0 16; Jess Lockwood 3 1-1 9; TOTALS 24 3-4 58.
Emmaus (65) – Olive Whitney 5 1-2 16; Eva Glover 5 3-4 14; Gabby DeVita 7 3-4 21; Gracie Ervin 5 1-1 11; Sierra Stevens 1 0-0 3; TOTALS 23 8-11 65.
3-point goals: CBE – Natalie Berndt 2, Payton Wiliams 2, Jess Lockwood 2, Haley Moran; E – Olive Whitney 5, Gabby DeVita 4, Eva Glover, Sierra Stevens.
#11-1 EASTON 35, #1-9 NESHAMINY 32 (OT)
A young Neshaminy squad with just one senior on its roster gave the Easton all it could handle, extending the District 11 champions to overtime where their shot for the tie in the closing seconds fell short.
Both teams got off to a slow start, and it was Easton with a 5-4 lead after one quarter. The Red Rovers opened up a 16-10 lead at halftime, but the Redskins battled back, sending the game to OT where they came up just short.
By the numbers: Hayley Kolk’s 13 points – eight in the second half – led the Redskins. Ashlyn Duffy added nine points on three 3-pointers. Grace Weyler led the ‘Skins with six rebounds, six steals and three assists.
Neshaminy coach John Gallagher:
–Players of the game: “We have had five girls who have played less than two minutes since our Feb. 3 last regular season game vs Bensalem. In the last month, these girls have come to each and every practice and team event and gave our program everything they had. Honestly, that has not been the case previously, and these five girls had as much as us making a state run as anyone else. I want Ella Hoyas, Kate Cieri, Bella Gautier, Alex Cannon, and Kaitlyn Wolf to know how much that helped us in the last month.”
–The game: “Our preparation in advance of playing Easton was pretty thorough. However, there are some things you cannot game plan for…
“We got off to a slow start shooting the ball but were able to stay with Easton because of our defense in the first quarter. It took us a little longer than I would have liked to get comfortable, and that contributed to a 16-10 deficit at halftime. In our previous two games against Conestoga and Bensalem, we trailed by five points in each of those games and were able to overcome those deficits. We had a similar situation this evening and were able to extend the game into overtime.
“Hayley Kolk came up big in the third quarter while scoring eight points, and Camryn Rodriguez went 2-for-2 from the free throw line in the quarter to get us within one point at the end of the third quarter. Ashlyn Duffy hit a big 3-point basket to give us a brief one-point lead in the fourth quarter, and it was back and forth from that point on.
“The Easton senior guard combination of Amato and Wismer had a very strong game on both sides of the floor. Nicole (Trespalacios) did a terrific job shadowing Wismer and at the same time drew several fouls that saw Wismer foul out in the overtime.
“Trailing by five in the overtime, Grace Weyler hit a mid-range jumper and drew a foul. After making the free throw, we were able to cut it to two points with forty seconds left. We sent Easton to the line in an effort to regain possession, but they went 3-4 in the last minute of overtime.”
–A bright future: “The season had several ups and downs as most high school seasons have. What was most joyful for me was how the upper-class players went out of their way to incorporate 10 freshmen into the program. This started with a Labor Day team gathering organized by Ashlyn Duffy and continued to this evening as I heard them making plans to stay together. Our current juniors learned that from Reese (Zemitis) and Lola (Ibarrondo) and understand the importance of that part of being a program.
“Last year Easton was a junior heavy roster and lost to a strong Haverford team in the first round of states. Perhaps we can look at what they accomplished and try to emulate that next year.”
Neshaminy closed out its season with a 20-8 record, 7-3 in the SOL.
Neshaminy 4-6-10-7-5 32
Easton 5-11-6-5-8 35
Neshaminy (32) – Grace Weyler 1 3-3 5; Ashlyn Duffy 3 0-0 9; Nicole Trespapacios 1 1-4 3; Hayley Kolk 5 0-0 13; Camryn Rodriguez 0 2-2 2; TOTALS 10 6-9 32.
Easton (35) – Natalie Amato 4 2-2 14; Gabby Wismer 0 3-6 3; Melina Cole 4 1-2 11; Ava Muhammad 2 0-0 5; Dena Brunetti 1 0-2 2; TOTALS 11 6-14 35.
3-point goals: N – Ashlyn Duffy 3, Hayley Kolk 3; E – Natalie Amato 4, Melina Cole 2 , Ava Muhammad.
#12-1 ARCHBISHOP CARROLL 51, #1-10 BENSALEM 24
The Owls knew they faced a daunting task going against the Philadelphia Catholic League champions. The Patriots opened up a 17-11 lead after one quarter and extended that to 32- 16 by halftime on their way to the win.
The Patriots – who were without Villanova-bound senior Alexis Eberz – were led by the 19-point effort of Kayla Eberz, the number one ranked player in the Class of 2028 in PA.
Grace McShane’s 13 points led the Owls.
Bensalem coach Steve Johnson:
–The season: “I am extremely proud of the season our girls put together. This group accomplished something that hasn’t been done in our program for 43 years, and that means the world to me and to Bensalem Girls’ Basketball.”
Tribute to the seniors: “Our three seniors: Gianna (Creque), Mary (Beck), and Grace (McShane) have been four-year program players, and they should confidently be able to close their Bensalem Basketball chapter knowing they left this program ten times better than they found it. Their leadership, commitment, and belief in what we are building set the standard for everyone who will come after them.
“Grace McShane has been aces for us all year. She’s such a special player and competitor, and she consistently stepped up for us in big moments.”
–More props: “I’m also incredibly proud of our girls who bought into the team-first mentality that helped us reach this point. The underclassmen gained valuable experience this season, and they’ll carry forward the standard that our seniors helped establish.
“It was awesome seeing so many community members, teachers, administrators, and parents at our game these last few weeks during our playoff run. While it’s always tough to see a season end, this group accomplished something special.”
Bensalem closed out its season for the record books with a 20-9 record overall, 6-4 SOL Patriots.
Bensalem 11-5-7-1 24
Archbishop Carroll 17-15-12-7 51
Bensalem (24) – Mary Beck 1 0-0 2; Mischa Ellzy 1 2-2 5; Grace McShane 4 1-4 11; Jordyn Bell 1 0-0 3; Falyn Savage 0 1-2 1; TOTALS 8 4-8 24.
Archbishop Carroll (51) – Olivia Hermanovich 1 0-0 2; Haley Clark 0 1-2 1; Evie Lawrence 4 0-2 11; Abigail McFillin 5 0-0 10; Caitlin Shumacher 2 1-2 5; Kelsey Eberz 0 1-2 1; Kayla Eberz 6 4-5 19; Bridget Grant 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 19 7-13 51.
3-point goals: B – Grace McShane 2, Jordyn Bell, Mischa Ellzy; AC – Evie Lawrence 3, Kayla Eberz 3.
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