PW, Pennsbury & Abington were winners in Tuesday’s opening round of the PIAA 6A Tournament. PW/Manheim Township photos provided courtesy of Kim Supko. Pennsbury/Dallastown photos provided courtesy of Darryl Rule of J&D Photography. Check back for galleries of both games. All SOS photo galleries for GIRLS BASKETBALL can be viewed by clicking HERE.
#1-1 PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 63, #3-6 MANHEIM TOWNSHIP 32
A letdown might have been understandable for a PW squad that has won 29 straight and had just captured the program’s first district title since 1983. Understandable perhaps but definitely unacceptable for a team that appears to be on a mission and crushed District 3’s sixth place squad in front of a full house.
For Lainey Allen, Kaitlyn Flanagan, Fiona Gooneratne and Jordyn Thomas, Tuesday’s game was the final one on their home court. Appropriately, it was a win – the 50th on their home court during their four-year varsity careers and 31st straight. They have lost just four times at home, the most recent on Feb. 1, 2020, to Upper Dublin. Their career record is 94-13, and they’re not finished yet.
“This was special to them,” PW coach Daniel Dougherty said. “We had a huge crowd tonight that came out to support them in their last home game.
“We just didn’t miss, we did not miss. Abby Sharpe missed her first four shots, and then she went off in the second quarter.”
The Colonials delighted their home crowd by jumping out to a commanding 22-4 lead after one quarter. Erin Daley’s seven points led the Colonials. Allen and Thomas each had six in the frame.
“The slight heart attack – Flanagan hits a three in the corner in the first quarter, and the kid is boxing her out before she hits the ground, and Flanagan rolls her ankle,” Dougherty said. “No foul called or anything. She was fine, she just had her ankle taped and 
she was back out in five minutes, but that was the biggest heart attack tonight, seeing Flanagan go down with a rolled ankle.”
Sharpe was the catalyst in a 24-point second quarter, scoring 12 points in the frame. Allen had 10 points in the first half while Daley had nine and Thomas had eight.
Sharpe led the Colonials with 19 points, which included three 3-pointers. Allen added 16 points while Daley added 11, the third PW player in double figures. Thomas finished with eight points while Flanagan had seven assists to go with her three points.
“I really appreciated this group getting one more home game, especially after winning the district championship,” Dougherty said. “You could have put anybody out there tonight. I don’t think that team was losing. It was special to watch.”
Plymouth Whitemarsh (30-0, 16-0 SOL) will face District 11 runner-up Northampton in Friday’s second round game at a site and time to be determined.
Manheim Township 4-7-11-10 32
Plymouth Whitemarsh 22-24-13-4 63
Manheim Township (32) – Ava Byrne 5 0-0 13; Missy Welch 3 2-2 9; Nia Mountis 1 0-0 2; Gianna Smith 1 0-0 2; Keliah Santiago 3 0-0 6. TOTALS 12 2-2 32.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (63) – Angelina Balcer 1 0-0 2; Kaitlyn Flanatan 1 0-0 3; Remiah Stripling 1 0-0 2; Fiona Gooneratne 1 0-0 2; Erin Daley 5 0-0 11; Abby Sharpe 8 0-0 19; Lainey Allen 8 0-0 16; Jordyn Thomas 4 0-1 8. TOTALS 29 0-1 63.
3-point goals: Manheim Twp – Ava Byrne 3, Keliah Santiago 2, Missy Welch; PW – Abby Sharpe 3, Kaitlyn Flanagan, Erin Daley.
#1-3 PENNSBURY 62, #3-4 DALLASTOWN 46
Sofia Vitucci scored a career high 25 points while Ava Sciolla added 16 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, leading the Falcons to a no-doubt about it win. 
Nicole Pompili also finished in double figures with 11 points, and for Sciolla and Pompili, Tuesday’s game represented their final home game.
Appropriately, it was played in front of a packed house and was another win for two players that have been cornerstones of the program’s remarkable turnaround. During their four years with the program, the Falcons are 44-3 at home, 7-0 at home in the playoffs.
“They leave an unbelievable legacy of winners but even more so … as leaders, daughters, sisters and friends,” Pennsbury coach Frank Sciolla said. “Is there a place in Southeastern Pennsylvania that has an atmosphere like we do? If there is, I want someone to email me and show me. People were sitting in the aisles to watch a senior class that has transformed the dynamic of basketball in our community.
“I’d love to say something about how many games we watched in scouting or how prepared we were or something that would tout my own genius, but ultimately, the game went as it normally does. It went on the shoulders of our senior leaders and our outstanding group that plays for each other every day.”
For one half, Dallastown kept it close. The two teams were deadlocked at 11-11 after one quarter, and the Falcons took a 27-23 lead into halftime. Vitucci accounted for 12 of Pennsbury’s points while Sciolla had 10.
The second half belonged to the Falcons. Sciolla and Pompili both had a pair of 3-pointers in a third quarter that saw the Falcons outscore their visitors 17-8 to go into the final quarter with a 44-31 lead. They added to that lead in the fourth quarter with Vitucci going 6-for-6 from the foul line and scoring 11 points while Pompili was 2-for-2 at the stripe with a 3-pointer.
“We are not the biggest team in the world,” Sciolla said. “Heck, half of our girls can’t get on all the rides at Sesame Place. Dallastown brings tremendous athleticism and length, but we were able to navigate that. We were extremely fortunate to be able to play at home in the state playoffs, and it certainly had an impact.
“Sofia Vitucci was outstanding again in scoring the basketball. She’s fearless and smart and a winner. Ava was tremendous in finding her. Nicole Pompili made big shots in her last game on that floor, and I’m always in awe of her mental and physical toughness. She’s a winner.”
The game marked the end of a special era as Sciolla coached his daughter for the final time at Pennsbury.
“Ava is obliterating any combination of balanced scoring, rebounds and assists that I’ve coached over the course of my career,” the Falcons’ coach said. “She’s clearly planted her flag in terms of county/state player of the year.
“Quite simply, she’s doing whatever is asked of her that night, and she kept us in the mix in the first half. She does so much more than score. She has max responsibility on defense and plays every role. She has the ability to dominate a game without taking a shot. That alone sets her apart.”
Also for the Falcons Nevaeh Dash added seven points.
“This is a unique team,” Sciolla said. “We don’t have the wow factor in layup lines, but when the ball goes up, we compete. Nevaeh Dash did a fantastic job guarding their outstanding point guard, and Layla Matthias was great on the backboards as usual.
“Every game is a gift with this crew. We are humbled by our chance to coach them and by the support our community gives us.”
Pennsbury (26-4, 14-2 SOL) will face District 11 champion Parkland in Friday’s quarterfinal round at a time and place to be determined.
Dallastown 11-12-8-15 46
Pennsbury 11-16-17-18 62
Dallastown (46) – Alonna Dowell 0 2-2 2; D’Shantae Edwards 6 0-2 12; Maggie Groh 1 0-0 2; McKenna Kelly 0 1-2 1; Abby Jacobs 2 0-0 6; Olivia Stein 4 0-0 11; Haley Jamison 1 0-0 3; Trishelle Guy 2 0-0 4; Praise Matthews 2 1-1 5. TOTALS 18 4-7 46.
Pennsbury (62) – Ava Sciolla 6 2-4 16; Layla Matthias 1 0-0 2; Daniella MacDonald 0 1-2 1; Sofia Vitucci 8 8-8 25; Nicole Pompili 3 2-2 11; Nevaeh Dash 2 1-2 7. TOTALS 20 14-18 62.
3-point goals: Dallastown – Olivia Stein 3, Abby Jacobs 2, Haley Jamison; Pennsbury – Nicole Pompili 3, Ava Sciolla 2, Nevaeh Dash 2, Sofia Vitucci.
#1-5 ABINGTON 60, #12 NORTHEAST 18
This one was over almost before it began.
The Ghosts – behind eight points from Jordyn Reynolds off the bench – opened up a 28-2 lead after one quarter. Jaida Helm added seven points while Cire Worley had six. By halftime, the Ghosts led 43-7 as they rolled to the opening round win.
Fourteen different players put their names in the scoring column for the Ghosts. Jaida Helm’s 11 points – nine in the first half – led the way. Abril Bowser added 10 points, including two 3s. Reynolds finished with eight, and Cire Worley added six points.
Abington (23-6, 13-3 SOL) will face District 3 champion Central Dauphin in Friday’s second round at a site and time to be determined.
Abington 28-15-12-5 60
Northeast 2-5-3-8 18
Abington (60) – Cire Worley 3 0-0 6; Abril Bowser 4 0-0 10; Jaida Helm 4 3-3 11; Maya Johnson 1 0-0 2; Dani Brusha 1 0-0 2; Maura Day 0 1-2 1; Piper McGinley 2 0-0 5; Jordyn Reynolds 3 0-0 8; Krysten Brown 2 0-0 4; Lila Stonehouse 1 0-0 3; Sarah Oleary 1 0-0 2; Harper Mcginley 1 0-1 2; Ashley Reilly 1 0-0 2; Carly Slavin 0 2-2 2. TOTALS 24 6-8 60.
Northeast (18) – Taslim Sabil 1 2-4 4; Tasnim Sabil 3 0-0 6; Lyric Ramsden 1 0-0 2; Shylynn Rivera 3 0-2 6. TOTALS 8 2-6 18.
3-point goals: Abington – Abril Bowser 2, Jordyn Reynolds 2, Piper McGinley, Lila Stonehouse.
#11-3 EASTON 42, #1-4 SOUDERTON 36
‘Wait till next year.’
That could well have been the Indians’ motto this year since they did not have a senior on their roster, but that was not the case.
“We were playing for this year,” junior point guard Casey Harter said. “From the beginning of the season, that was one of our big things to not say – ‘next year.’”
It was a long time before the players emerged from the postgame locker room, and there was no hiding their disappointment.
“We were just so sad in the locker room because of how close we are as a team,” Harter said. “None of us wanted the season to end. We all wanted to be playing Friday night. It’s sad for any team that loses like this. It’s only the first round – we wanted to go further, but we’re different than some other teams because we don’t have any seniors. We’re all coming back, and it’s not really a last good-bye. We’re all really motivated to get better in the offseason and come back as a really strong, better team and get further next year.”
The Indians knew they’d inherited a tough draw in an Easton squad that was the top seed entering the District 11 Tournament but was upset in the semifinals and forced to settle for third place.
“I knew we had to play extremely well to win the game, and we played extremely well for a lot of that game,” Souderton coach Lynn Carroll said. “The effort was there for 32 minutes. They are big, and they are strong. We knew keeping them off the offensive glass was going to be a key, which we did extremely well for most of the game.
“Being patient offensively is not a strength of ours, it’s not quite the style we have been playing this year, and we knew we needed to do that tonight. I was very, very happy with how we did that. We had a couple of defensive breakdowns…but their kids hit shots.”
The two teams battled to a 7-7 tie after one quarter, and the Indians – or more specifically Harter – opened the second quarter with a 7-0 run that included the junior point guard turning a steal into a layup, banking home a three and scoring on a fast break off an Easton miss to put the Indians on top 14-7. They still led by seven with 3:20 remaining in the quarter after Erin Bohmueller buried a three, but they did not score again in the half and found themselves clinging to a 17-15 lead at halftime.
A Harter three to open the second half gave the Indians a five-point lead, but the Red Rovers scored seven straight points to take their first lead of the game, 22-20. A Teya McConnaha three gave the Indians a one-point lead, and twice they tied the score on Grace McDonough baskets, the final time 27-27 at the buzzer ending the third quarter.
The fourth quarter belonged to the Red Rovers, who connected on 6-of-11 at the foul line and also buried three 3 pointers.
“It was a more emotional locker room than I was anticipating because they’re just extremely close to one another, but we’re not done yet,” Carroll said. “We’re done for now, but the talk in the locker room from everybody was that we need to and will have a very, very good offseason, so that we don’t feel this way again next year.”
And what will be the key to elevating their game?
“I think just the offseason work that we all are going to put in, playing AAU and what we’re all doing by ourselves until the next season comes – I think that will really elevate us to the next level as a team,” Harter said. “We’re all willing to put the work in because we all want what’s best for the team.”
The Indians did not take one foul shot in Tuesday’s loss as they struggled to generate offense against the Red Raiders’ zone.
“It’s a unique defense to play against – an extended 2-3 where the back line is 6-2, 6-foot and 6-2,” Carroll said. “Obviously, it takes away a lot of the types of shots that any team wants to get up. The girls put in a lot of work the last two practices to prepare to play them.
“It’s not easy to get it there through their length, but we knew if we were patient enough we could get it there. Yes, we would like to have a few of those turnovers back, but overall, based on the film we watched and the time we put in the last two days of practice, I’m sure it’s not clear what the game plan was offensively, but they were executed what we wanted them to execute most trips down the floor.”
“It’s hard,” Harter said. “They’re a really good team, and that’s another thing we’re going to work on during the offseason, figuring out how to not let that happen when teams play zone.”
Harter’s 15 points, which included three 3-pointers, led the Indians. She also had four assists. McConnaha had nine points, six rebounds and three steals. McDonough had three blocked shots and was a force on defense.
“There have been a lot of games this year where a girl would catch the ball and she would see Grace on her, and her eyes would light up – ‘Oh, I’m going to be able to blow by this girl,’ and she’s so quick, so athletic and just getting smarter and smarter defensively,” Carroll said. “She’s one of our best defenders at this point to end the season. She had some great, great stops defensively for us.”
Souderton closed out a successful season with a SOL Colonial Division title (15-1 SOL) and a 23-6 record overall.
Easton 7-8-12-15 42
Souderton 7-10-10-9 36
Easton (42) – Megan Elias 1 0-0 2; Sara Tamoun 2 4-6 9; Kierra smith 4 2-5 13; Evalyse Cole 2 0-1 5; Makenna Zimmerman 1 0-0 3; Kourin Carew 0 1-2 1; Anye Staton 3 2-2 9. TOTALS 13 9-16 42.
Souderton (36) – Brooke Fenchel 1 0-0 3; Erin Bohmueller 2 0-0 5; Casey Harter 6 0-0 15; Grace McDonough 2 0-0 4; Teya McConnaha 4 0-0 9. TOTALS 15 0-0 36.
3-point goals: Easton – Kierra Smith 3, Sara Tamoun, Evalyse Cole, Makenna Zimmerman, Anye Staton; Souderton – Casey Harter 3, Brooke Fenchel, Erin Bohmueller, Teya McConnaha.
#12-1 ARCHBISHOP CARROLL 53, #1-11 NESHAMINY 25
Reese Zemitis buried a three to give the Redskins an early lead, but that would be Neshaminy’s lone basket in the quarter as the Patriots came back to take a 7-3 lead after one frame. The Redskins were 6-for-6 at the foul line in the second quarter and benefitted from a pair of 3-pointers – one each from Zemitis and Mimi Smith, and they trailed by just a 22-17 score at halftime.
“In the second quarter, we were a little more aggressive getting to the rim, and we went to the foul line,” Neshaminy coach John Gallagher said. “(Carroll’s) Maggie Grant kept us at arm’s length with three 3s in the half.
“The second half belonged to Grace O’Neill. She took over at both ends of the floor, defensively and offensively getting her team into its offense. Taylor Wilson finished with 13 points in the second half, a lot of them due to the hard work of Grace O’Neill.”
Carroll also turned up its defensive pressure in the second half, and the Redskins managed just three points in the third quarter, eight in the entire second half.
“We lost our spacing and our aggressiveness we had in the second quarter, and that was due mostly to the tremendous defense Carroll put in front of us,” Gallagher said.
Zemitis led the Redskins with 10 points to go along with four rebounds, and Taylor Gurysh, who once again saw considerable action at point guard, had six points and five rebounds. Smith had four rebounds, two assists and two steals.
“Taylor Gurysh did a great job today,” Gallagher said. “She’s been doing really well the past couple of games, handling the ball and getting us in our offense. Being able to do that against a team like Carroll is a step higher, so I was really happy with Taylor.”
Lola Ibarrando, who has been sidelined due to illness, made a brief appearance in Tuesday’s state opener.
“We practiced on Monday, and Lola had trouble finishing drills and went over and sat down,” Gallagher said. “I didn’t think she’d be able to help us too much today. She gave me what she could coming off the bench.
“When I got on the bus, I thought – I’m probably not going to play her based on what I saw on Monday. After a brief conversation and looking in Lola’s eyes, I knew she wanted to get on the court in some manner, so we did bring her off the bench in the first half and also the second half.”
Gallagher also expressed appreciation to the players, parents and Neshaminy administration for their cooperation and assistance to both Gallagher and his staff in their first year.
“Assistants Nick Reisig and Meg Gallagher were invaluable to everything we accomplished,” the Redskins’ coach said. “With saying that, I feel we left some things on the table we would have liked to accomplish, but I’m sure that most coaches feel that way when the last game of the season comes about.”
He also paid tribute to seniors Skylar Lall and Maya Lewis.
“Maya and Skylar were everything you could want in your seniors, and they will be sorely missed next year,” Gallagher said. “Good luck to the remaining SOL teams moving forward.”
Neshaminy closed out its season with a 19-10 record overall (13-3 SOL).
Neshaminy 3-14-3-5 25
Archbishop Carroll 7-15-17-14 53
Neshaminy (25) – Taylor Gurysh 1 4-4 6; Maya Lewis 0 2-2 2; Mimi Smith 1 0-0 3; Lola Ibarrondo 1 2-3 4; Reese Zemitis 3 2-2 10. TOTALS 6 10-11 25.
Archbishop Carroll (53) – Chloe Bleckley 0 2-2 2; Kate O’Neill 1 0-0 3; Meg Sheridan 0 2-2 2; Brooke Hippert 1 0-0 2; Taylor Wilson 7 5-6 19; Grace O’Neill 3 4-5 12; Maggie Grant 5 0-0 13. TOTALS 17 13-15 53.
3-point goals: Neshaminy – Reese Zemitis 2, Mimi Smith; AC – Maggie Grant 3, Grace O’Neill 2,Kate O’Neill.
#3-1 CENTRAL DAUPHIN 47, #1-12 UPPER DUBLIN 23
A gutsy postseason run came to an end for a shorthanded Flying Cardinal squad that earned a state berth despite the loss of Amy Ngo to an injury during district play.
The Cardinals struggled to find their offense against the District 3 champions, scoring just five points in the first quarter – all by Geena Sarnoski – and only one in the second, falling behind 26-6 by halftime.
“Central Dauphin jumped on us early by making some perimeter shots,” UD coach Morgan Funsten said. “If they have a weakness, it would be their perimeter shooting, but they are very well rounded and you have to pick your poison.
“We hoped they would miss some shots early on, so we went zone from the start, but they made us pay. They also have great size and beat us up on the offensive glass. We knew that was going to be a key, and it wasn’t for a lack of effort, but we just couldn’t seem to get a defensive rebound in the first half.”
In the third quarter, The Cardinals battled gamely, scoring 13 points. Colleen Klammer had five points, including a three, while Sarnoski and Bliss Brenner each added a 3-pointer. Both teams scored just four points in the fourth quarter.
“Despite being down a bunch at half, our girls put up a good fight in the second half as expected,” Funsten said. “I couldn’t be more proud of the accomplishments of our team this year, and I think that so much of it has to do with our seniors.
“Qualifying for states is always at the top of the list of our goals, and the seniors found a way to get us to our goal. Their leadership and perseverance were on display all season. Their ability to respond to adversity in the rollercoaster of emotions that we have experienced the last few weeks is impressive. I am so thankful for what Bliss, Geena, and Colleen have given to the program and feel very lucky to have coached them. They all come from great families and these seniors are going to be very successful in whatever they decide to pursue in the future.”
Sarnoski’s 10 points led the Cardinals. Brenner’s seven rebounds led the Cardinals on the boards.
Upper Dublin closed out its season with a 17-12 record overall (12-4 SOL).
Upper Dublin 5-1-13-4 23
Central Dauphin 13-13-17-4 47
Upper Dublin (23) – Bliss Brenner 1 0-0 3; Kaylee Fitzkee 0 0-1 0; Aditi Foster 1 0-0 2; Geena Sarnoskii 2 4-4 10; Lilli Kleiman 1 0-0 2; Colleen Klammer 2 0-0 5; Nora Brady 0 1-2 1. TOTALS 7 5-7 23.
Central Dauphin (47) – Marlie Dickerson 3 2-2 9; Megan Cavoli 6 2-2 17; Caroline Shiery 5 3-3 13; Alexis Buie 2 0-0 4; Alexis Ferguson 1 0-2 2; Amelia Green 1 0-0 2. TOTALS 18 7-9 47.
3-point goals: UD – Geena Sarnoski 2, Bliss Brenner, Colleen Klammer; CD – Megan Cavoli 3, Marlie Dickerson.
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