Check out the recaps for SOL girls’ basketball teams in action Friday. New Hope-Solebury/Cheltenham photos provided courtesy of Karla Donohoe. Check back for a gallery of photos. (CB East/Pennsbury photos provided courtesy of Diane Barry/CB East basketball) All SOS photo galleries for GIRLS’ BASKETBALL can be viewed by clicking HERE.
SOL Patriot/Colonial crossover
NESHAMINY 51, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 39
Reese Zemitis scored 18 points and teammate Lola Ibarrondo added 13 to lead the Redskins, but it might well have been the 11-point effort of Lindsay Little that was the difference in the game.
“She was really good,” Neshaminy coach John Gallagher said of Little. “She’s been coming off the bench for us. Mimi (Smith) is still hurt, so we put Lindsay in her starting spot. You would have thought this was no big deal to her. She had 11 of our first 15 points on four shots – three 3s and a pull-up step-back jumper in the lane.
“It was a great aspect to have. We’ve gotten on her about defense and rebounding, and she was very good rebounding today, and defensively, she showed up also. I’m really happy for her. She does everything right at practice. She’s always there, she’s grinding away, she’s pushing the girls that start, and for her to have that moment was special.”
The Redskins and Titans were deadlocked at 10 apiece after one quarter, but the Redskins held an 18-10 advantage in the second quarter and went into halftime with a 28-20 lead. The Titans erased most of that with a 15-9 third quarter. Taylor Hinkle was the catalyst for the Titans, scoring 10 of her game high 19 points in the frame.
Losing a lead, according to Gallagher, is something the Redskins have struggled with this season.
“We’ve been up five at the end of the first half against Lansdale Catholic, Souderton by six, and today we were up eight,” the Redskins’ coach said. “Our third quarters have been miserable, more so for the other team playing well not us playing poorly, but don’t you know it – CB South comes back and ties us despite us not wanting to do that.
“I said to myself before the game – against Lansdale, I called a timeout in the third quarter, and they just continued their run after the timeout, the same thing with Souderton. I told my assistant – ‘If it happens today, I’m not calling a timeout,’ and we didn’t. They did tie us, but Anna Soska drove the lane early in the fourth quarter, got fouled and hit two foul shots. They never tied or (led) after that. Those were two big foul shots.”
Zemitis led the Redskins with a glittering 18-point effort that included a perfect 7-for-7 effort at the foul line. She also had a team-high seven rebounds, four assists and three blocked shots. Earlier in the day, the standout sophomore – who already had an offer from Drexel University on the table – received an offer from St. Joseph’s University.
“Reese really played well,” Gallagher said. “Today she was in the low post at one point early in the game, and she turned and threw a seed crosscourt to Lindsay (Little) for a skip pass. She had about five feet of distance to shoot the ball, and she hit it. The skip pass was on a rope, hit her right in stride, and that was one of Lindsay’s 3-pointers.
“We’re up five with about four minutes left, and Taylor (Gurysh) hits Reese on a back cut. Reese makes a great catch in traffic, she’s fouled for an and-one. She hits the foul shot and puts us up eight. We kind of coasted from there. They fouled us, and we were 16-for-19 at the free throw line – 10-for-11 in the fourth quarter.”
Lola Ibarrondo added 13 points, which included a 7-for-9 effort at the foul line. She also had four rebounds, two assists and a steal.
“She had the ball in her hands 90 percent of the game,” Gallagher said. “There’s just going to be colleges lining up for her sometime over the spring I would imagine.
“She’s just been fabulous with the ball, understanding her teammates and getting the ball to them in the right place. She had a couple of really big baskets for us also tonight, especially in the fourth quarter when we were taking in water a little bit. She is just getting better and better. She’s another kid that works so hard at practice.”
Gurysh scored just two points but had three assists, two rebounds, two steals and a block, and on a day when the Redskins had some unlikely heroes, a sophomore came off the bench and hit a big bucket.
“Maddie Stockunas, who has not played one meaningful minute of varsity play, came off the bench and hit a 14-foot jumper for us,” Gallagher said. “We went a little deeper on our bench, and Maddie hit a very meaningful basket for us.
“It was so great. She played really, really well. She stepped out and hit a jumper like it was meant for her. This was a really huge game for us. We were on a two-game losing streak. Sometimes you lose a third, and it’s easy to lose them after that, so this was a really big game for us.”
Neshaminy (9-3, 7-2 SOL) will travel to Central Bucks West on Saturday for a 4:30 p.m. contest. Central Bucks South (9-5, 5-5) will be on the road at Council Rock South on Tuesday.
Neshaminy 10-18-9-14 51
Central Bucks South 10-10-15-4 39
Neshaminy (51) – Maddie Stokunas 1 0-0 2; Taylor Gurysh 1 0-0 2; Anna Soska 0 2-2 2; Jessica Purdy 1 0-0 3; Lindsay Little 4 0-0 11; Lola Ibarrondo 3 7-10 13; Reese Zemitis 5 7-7 18; TOTALS 15 16-19 51.
Central Bucks South (39) – Taylor Hinkle 9 0-0 19; Alyssa D’Orazio 1 0-0 2; Mackenzie Erb 2 0-0 4; Maddie Tantum 0 1-2 1; Sammy Schiesser 2 0-0 4; Yoyo Samayoa 2 1-2 6; Kristen Conway 1 0-0 3; TOTALS 17 2-4 39.
3-point goals: Neshaminy – Lindsay Little 3, Jessica Purdy, Reese Zemitis; CBS – Taylor Hinkle, Yoyo Samayoa, Kristen Conway.
SOUDERTON 50, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 36
Mikayla McGillian has not been a headliner for a Big Red squad near the top of the District One 6A rankings, but in Friday’s game at Rock South, the junior forward had a breakout game, scoring a game high 16 points – 15 in the first half.
“I’ve been saying all season, and Mikayla and I have talked about it several times that it’s only a matter of time before she has a breakout game,” Souderton coach Lynn Carroll said. “She’s a good basketball player with solid post moves and played great for us this summer and fall and has just had a hard time finishing.
“I know it’s been frustrating to her. She’s been getting good looks. From the start, she was finishing tonight. It was another night where teams are all over Casey (Harter), doing whatever they can to not let her get the ball back. They don’t want Teya (McConnaha) to get any looks, and that’s okay because I know we have other kids that can step up, and tonight was Mikayla’s night. I’m really happy for her. She works really hard. I knew it was only a matter of time.”
The Indians also threw some serious defense at the Golden Hawks, holding them scoreless in the first quarter, Thanks to six points from McGillian the Indians led 13-0 after one frame.
“Obviously, they couldn’t make anything in the first quarter, but our defense was also very good, and the shots they did get were contested or somebody with long arms was running out on shooters.”
The Indians took a 25-8 lead into halftime. McGillian scored 15 of them. In the third quarter, the Golden Hawks began to find their offensive stride. Fiona Reckner hit a pair of 3s, and Marissa Smedley had six points.
“They started making their shots,” Carroll said. “They had three 3s, they turned us over a few times, and they actually cut it to nine at one point. We regrouped and were able to pull away at the end and hit some foul shots.
“We were up nine, and during a timeout, I said, ‘This is actually good for us. They are very, very physical, when I say they were all over Casey, they were all over Casey.
“They tried to make things difficult, muck up what we were doing offensively, and they did a good job. It challenged us to get a little tougher physically, and I think that was good for us.”
In addition to McGillian, who also had five rebounds, Harter had 14 points – 12 in the second half, and she completed her double-double with 10 rebounds. Erin Bohmueller added 12 points, which included a 4-for-4 effort at the foul line. She also had four assists. Teya McConnaha was limited to just three points, but she made her presence felt under the basket with eight rebounds and two blocked shots.
For the Golden Hawks, Smedley led the way with 10 points – all in the second half. She connected on 8-of-9 foul shots. Haley Thompson added nine points, including two 3s, and Cam Gregory added eight. Reckner had six points on a pair of 3s.
Souderton (12-2, 9-1 SOL) will travel to Villa Joseph Marie on Monday for a non-league game 5:15 p.m. Council Rock South (7-6, 4-6) will be on the road at New Hope-Solebury for a non-league game on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
Souderton 13-12-12-13 50
Council Rock South 0-8-20-8 36
Souderton (50) – Brooke Fenchel 0 3-6 3; Erin Bohmueller 4 4-4 12; Mikayla McGillian 6 4-5 16; Casey Harter 5 4-5 14; Grace McDonough 1 0-0 2; Teya McConnaha 1 1-2 3; TOTALS 17 16-22 50.
Council Rock South (36) – Kathryn O’Kane 1 0-1 2; Haley Thompson 3 1-2 9; Katie Purpura 0 0-2 0; Cam Gregory 3 4-4 11; Fiona Reckner 1 0-0 3; Mia Stock 0 1-2 1; Karissa Smedley 1 8-9 10; TOTALS 9 14-20 36.
3-point goals: CRS – Fiona Reckner, Haley Thompson 2, Cam Gregory.
PENNSBURY 47, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 36
Sofia Vitucci scored 22 points and Nicole Pompili added 11 to lead the visiting Falcons to a win in Friday night’s crossover game.
The Falcons, who suffered one of just a handful of losses to the Patriots last year, knew they would be in for a battle.
“At the top of our scouting report for CB East, we talked about how the two best things they do is that they compete on every possession, and they have a great sense of who they are,” Pennsbury coach Frank Sciolla said. “We were aware of who they were because we watched them beat Souderton and CB West.
“I’m not sure we talk enough about the program that (coach) Liz (Potash) has created at East. Tonight they had Teacher Appreciation Night, and each girl picked a favorite teacher. I’ve always been a big fan of the faculty coach program.
“I will admit it was an advantage to have two days to prepare for a game, and it was thrilling to play a Friday night game in the league. It was on the road, but it was still a Friday night game, and it took me back to years ago when we used to have those regularly. That’s such a great atmosphere for kids.”
Pompili ignited the Falcons in the opening quarter, scoring seven points as the visitors took a 9-6 lead. By halftime, Pompili had nine points and Vitucci – who found her groove in a nine-point second quarter – had 11, and the Falcons led 22-13. The Falcons put the game out of reach with a 16-5 third quarter that featured seven points by Ava Sciolla – a 3-pointer as well as a 4-for-4 effort at the foul line.
“CB East was very prepared, and they had a clear-cut game plan to take away certain things and give up others,” Sciolla said. “Nicole Pompili was aggressive right from the jump, and Sofia Vitucci got loose. We felt like this would be a big night for Sof because we counted on them to guard us a certain way, and we knew she would have lanes to take advantage of and she did.
Ava (Sciolla) was extremely patient and grabbed 13 rebounds and got the ball to shooters.”
Sciolla finished with four assists to go along with 13 rebounds and seven points.
Anna Barry, who had four 3-pointers, led the Patriots with 15 points. She had 10 in the fourth quarter when the Patriots made a late run. Elise Duffy added nine points.
“East never quit,” Sciolla said. They went on a 16-0 run in the last three minutes and battled all the way to the final buzzer. Anna Barry got loose a few times and she can really shoot the ball.”
Pennsbury (13-1, 8-1 SOL) will host Central Bucks West on Tuesday, and Central Bucks East (6-7, 5-5) will travel to St. Hubert’s for a non-league game on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
Pennsbury 9-13-16-9 47
Central Bucks East 6-7-5-18 36
Pennsbury (47) – Ava Sciolla 1 4-4 7; Layla Matthias 0 0-2 0; Daniella MacDonald 1 0-0 3; Sofia Vitucci 7 6-8 22; Oliveah Gilchrist 1 0-0 3; Nicole Pompili 4 0-1 8; Nevaeh Dash 2 0-0 4; TOTALS 16 10-15 47.
Central Bucks East (36) – Shayne LeRay 2 0-0 5; Anna Barry 4 3-4 15; Elise Duffy 2 4-4 9; Sydney Ralph 1 0-0 2; Emily Curran 2 1-2 5; TOTALS 11 8-10 36.
3-point goals: Pennsbury – Sofia Vitucci 2, Daniella MacDonald, Ava Sciolla, Oliveah Gilchrist; CBE – Shayne LeRay, Anna Barry 4, Elise Duffy.
NORTH PENN 63, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 38
The Knights needed a bounce-back win after falling to Bensalem Tuesday in a game they led late. They got just that on Friday, rolling to a win over the visiting Indians.
“After a loss, I break it down by stats and I explain to them the season is a roller coaster, and there are going to be ups and downs just like a game,” Knights’ coach Bri Cullen said. “What matters is how you come out of a loss or win and on to the next one.
“For tonight, it was great to see them execute our game plan and go in and play with confidence, especially after a tough loss.”
Showing no ill effects from Tuesday’s loss, the Knights opened up a 16-10 lead after one quarter and took a 33-23 lead into halftime. Olivia Stone was the undeniable offensive hero for the Knights, erupting for 12 points in the second quarter and 14 overall in the half. Abby Plaugher had 10 points in the first half, including two 3s, and Caleigh Sperling added seven.
The Knights added to their lead in the second half on their way to the convincing win.
Stone, a sophomore, led all scorers with 21 points, which included one three and an 8-for-9 showing at the foul line.
“She’s been due for a big game,” Cullen said of Stone. “I think that her confidence is starting to kick in a little bit. Sometimes you forget she’s only a sophomore and kind of learning to see where the open shots are, when to attack, when to shoot. These are all things that are starting to click for her a little bit more. Tonight everything fell into place for her. She had a great game offensively and defensively.”
Also for the Knights, Plauger had 18 points, including two 3s, and Sperling added 13.
For the Indians, Kiera Katz led the way with 14 points, which included a 3-for-4 effort at the foul line. Lizzie Lustig added 13 points.
North Penn (5-8, 4-6 SOL) will host Lansdale Catholic on Saturday in a non-league game at 11:30 a.m. Council Rock North (2-12, 1-9) will travel to Pennridge on Tuesday.
Council Rock North 10-13-8-7 38
North Penn 16-17-16-14 63
Council Rock North (38) – Claire Pirkle 2 0-0 4; Kiera Katz 5 3-4 14; Lizzie Lustig 5 2-2 13; Megan Reichenbach 1 1-2 3; Sofia Shields 1 0-0 3; Mara Penner 0 0-2 0; Ruth O’Keefe 0 1-2 1; TOTALS 14 7-12 38.
North Penn (63) – Caleigh Sperling 5 2-2 13; Cameron Crowley 1 0-1 2; Kooma Samassa 1 0-0 3; Abby Plaugher 7 2-2 18; Kelly Donnelly 2 0-0 4; Olivia Stone 6 8-9 21; Hannah Raquet 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 23 12-14 63.
3-point goals: CRN – Kiera Katz, Lizzie Lustig, Sofia Shields; NP – Abby Plaugher 2, Caleigh Sperling, Kooma Samassa, Olivia Stone.
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 52, HARRY A TRUMAN 17
Eleven players contributed scoring for the Bucks, who led wire to wire.
Katie Finnan buried a pair of 3-pointers and Emily Spratt had five points, igniting the Bucks’ offense as they opened up an 18-4 lead after one quarter. They took a 25-7 lead into halftime and then outscored their visitors 17-6 in the third quarter on their way to the crossover win.
“This was a nice game to keep things moving,” West coach Zach Sibel said. “We knew Truman was going to come in and play with athleticism and effort. Our girls really took to that challenge and came out ready to play. Katie Finnan had three 3’s and really shot the ball well, and Jenna Christie was really active in both ends of the floor.
“It great to see the production from our bench as we move forward into the end of crossovers and into the second half of league play. Taylor Madden is playing with a ton of confidence as is Christie and (Nia) Perry.”
Spratt’s 10 points led a balanced West attack. She also had seven rebounds. Finnan added nine points on three 3-pointers while Ava Longo and Gabby Reichner both had six points. Longo also had four rebounds. Gabi Senior had three points and seven rebounds.
“It’s a really fun team to coach and each girl is rising to the challenge of every game,” Sibel said. “We’re getting ourselves ready for a battle tomorrow with Neshaminy and Pennsbury peaking around the corner on Tuesday.”
Patricia Monroe (nine points) and Mayah Alford (six points) led the Tigers.
Central Bucks West (12-2, 7-2 SOL) will host Neshaminy on Saturday at 4:30 p.m., and Harry S Truman (0-10, 0-8) will travel to Nazareth Academy for a non-league game on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
Harry S Truman 4-3-6-4 17
Central Bucks West 18-7-17-10 52
Harry S Truman (17) – Mayah Alford 3 0-0 6; Hannah Smith 1 0-0 2; Patricia Monroe 3 2-2 9; Shylah McCleve 0 0-2 0; TOTALS 7 2-4 17.
Central Bucks West (52) – Tai Henkels 1 1-2 4; Katie Finnan 3 0-0 9; Taylor Madden 1 0-2 2; Megan Blue 0 1-2 1; Nia Perry 1 3-6 5; Emily Spratt 4 1-4 10; Alexis Castro 1 2-2 4; Ava Longo 2 1-2 6; Jenna Christie 1 0-0 2; Gabi Senior 1 0-0 3; Gabby Reichner 2 2-2 6; TOTALS 17 11-22 52.
3-point goals: HST – Patricia Monroe; CBW – Katie Finnan 3, Tai Henkels, Emily Spratt, Ava Longo, Gabi Senior.
SOL Liberty/Freedom crossover
LOWER MORELAND 50, QUAKERTOWN 47
Lower Moreland celebrated coach Rich Becker’s 300th win prior to Friday’s crossover contest, and then the Lions went out and staged a heroic comeback – rallying from 25 down to win the veteran coaches 301st game.
“Wow – at one point in the second quarter we were down 25-5 and 32-7, and we went into the half down 32-12, and we ended up winning 50-47,” Becker said. “Last night’s win against Cheltenham was my 300th, but tonight’s game – other than when we beat Gwynedd to win the district title – was easily the most gratifying.”
The Panthers rode the hot hand of Carolyn Sipprell to jump out to what appeared to be a commanding lead. Sipprell had 10 points in the first quarter, Katie Catalano added a pair of 3s, and the Panthers led 17-5. By halftime, Sipprell had 17 points while Catalano had nine, and the Panthers led by 20.
“Quakertown came out very motivated,” Becker said. “Their size and press took us out of our rhythm. Within the first five minutes, we had seven fouls and my two bigs, (Tori) Finnegan and (Briana) McFerran both had two fouls. That forced us to play out of position, and we struggled on both ends of the court.
“By halftime, Finnegan had four fouls and (Liz) Neeld had three. The game was starting to get out of reach, and to the girls’ credit, down 32-7, we managed to score the last five points of the half to give us something to build off of.”
In the third quarter, the Lions outscored the Panthers 22-7 to pull to within five, 39-34. Jess Dugo led the charge, burying a pair of 3s and scoring 10 points. McFerran added six points, and Jess Shein had five.
“At halftime, we challenged the girls to play up to their potential and be the type of players that I know that they are,” Becker said. “Our goal was to cut the lead to under 10 to start the fourth.
“The girls responded to the challenge and then some. Brianna made two big baskets to get us started and then Jess Dugo did what she’s done all year, she stepped up and made big shots.
“We made a few baskets and clamped down on defense, and I could see their confidence growing and you could feel the momentum swing in our direction. We had it down to two, but (Laney) Mitchell hit a three at the buzzer to make it five points going into the fourth.”
The Lions continued their comeback in the fourth quarter. Again, Dugo was a catalyst, connecting on a pair of 3s and scoring eight points.
“Going into the fourth, we were playing well, and within the first 90 seconds, Finnegan got her fifth foul and Sam Moshinsky did a great job coming in and getting some big rebounds,” Becker said. “The 4th quarter was fun. The fans were into it, and when we finally took the lead with about three minutes to go, it was back and forth.
“Sipprell was strong down low and went 6-for-6 from the line. Late in the game, Liz Neeld had a steal and made a contested lay-up to put us up three. From there we were fortunate to be able to hold on. All in all, it was a great team win. I love the character of this team and after the game I told the girls that the reason you play high school sports and practice hard is so that you can have moments like this one.”
Dugo led the Lions with 20 points – 18 of those came after halftime. McFerran added 13 points, and Neeld had seven.
For the Panthers, Sipprell had a game high 23 points, which included a 13-for-15 effort at the foul line. Catalano added three 3-pointers for nine points, and Katie Hagerty had six points.
“It was a nice celebration for Coach Becker for his 300th win before the game started – congrats to him,” Quakertown coach Brittany Bamford said.
Lower Moreland (6-5, 4-5 SOL) will host Springfield Township on Monday, and Quakertown (6-8 3-6) will host Saucon Valley in a non-league game on Monday.
Quakertown 17-15-7-8 47
Lower Moreland 5-7-22-16 50
Quakertown (47) – Carolyn Sipprell 5 13-14 23; Katie Hagerty 1 2-8 4; Katie Catalano 3 0-0 9; Laney Mitchell 3 0-0 7; Katie Offner 2 0-0 4; TOTALS 14 15-22 47.
Lower Moreland (50) – Tori Finnegan 2 0-0 4; Amelia Brown 0 2-3 2; Jess Shein 3 0-0 7; Jess Dugo 8 0-0 20; Sam Moshinski 0 0-1 0; Briana McFerran 6 0-0 13; TOTALS 20 4-6 50.
3-point goals: Quakertown – Katie Catalano 3, Laney Mitchell; LM – Jess Dugo 4, Briana McFerran, Liz Neeld.
HATBORO-HORSHAM 65, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 23
Twenty-four hours after a disappointing non-league loss to Unionville, the Hatters were back on the court, and they celebrated Senior Night in style, rolling to the lopsided win.
“It was nice to get back on the winning track,” Hatters’ coach Eric Glemser said. “We have been struggling from the field the last few games, not hitting shots.”
The Hatters were hitting shots on Thursday. Opening up a 22- 11 halftime lead over the Spartans. They erupted for 43 points in the second half, blowing the game wide open with a 22-point third quarter.
Glemser lauded the efforts of his four seniors – Emily Thomas, Sam Hollish, Alice Hall and Paige Cole.
“All four seniors had a real good game,” Glemser said. “Three of them were in double figures, and PJ Cole – who doesn’t get as much playing time – had five points and contributed to the win.”
Hall’s 18-point effort in three quarters – which included a 6-for-8 showing at the charity stripe – led the Hatters. Thomas and Hollish both had 13 points. Both players had three 3-pointers.
Also for the Hatters, Leah Harrington added nine points.
For the Spartans, Emma Yoder and Samiyyah Thompson each had seven points to lead the way.
Hatboro-Horsham (6-5, 5-4 SOL) will host Great Valley in a non-league game on Monday, and Springfield Township (2-9, 0-8) will be on the road at Lower Moreland on Monday.
Springfield Twp 4-7-10-2 23
Hatboro-Horsham 13-9-22-21 65
Springfield Twp (23) – Annie Coll 1 1-2 3; Samiyyah Thompson 3 1-2 7; Jayla Daniels 3 0-2 7; Alana Decker 1 0-0 2; Ashley Jenkins 2 0-0 4; TOTALS 10 2-6 23.
Hatboro-Horsham (65) – Caroline Shegogue 1 0-0 2; Alice Hall 6 6-8 18; Paige Cole 2 1-2 5; Maggie Smith 0 2-4 2; Leah Harrington 3 3-7 9; Emily Nelson 1 0-0 3; Alli Hewish 0 0-1 0; Emily Thomas 5 0-0 13; Sam Hollish 5 0-0 13; TOTALS 23 12-22 65
3-point goals: Springfield Twp – Jayla Daniels; HH – Emily Thomas 3, Sam Hollish 3, Emily Nelson.
NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY 60, CHELTENHAM 37
Reagan Chrencik was on fire in Friday’s crossover win.
The junior sharpshooter buried eight 3-pointers and scored a season high 32 points, leading the Lions to the no-doubt-about-it win
“Reagan is shooting the ball with a lot of confidence,” NHS coach Steve Polinsky said. “Madi Fasti is doing a great job getting her the ball where she likes to shoot. Madi and Reagan play off each other really well. Reagan was definitely in a zone tonight.”
The Lions and Lady Panthers were deadlocked 12-12 after one quarter. While Chrencik with eight points and two 3s led the Lions, Mikahila Leighton was igniting the Lady Panthers, also scoring eight points.
In the second quarter, the Lions blew the game wide open, outscoring the Lady Panthers 27-6 to go on top 39-18 at halftime. The Lady Panthers never threatened.
“We got off to a slow start but picked it up in the second quarter,” Polinsky said. “Cheltenham’s zone bothered us in the first quarter. It was pretty aggressive.”
Also for the Lions, Fasti added 13 points, which included three 3-pointers. Fasti and Chrencik combined for 11 3s. Emily Wilson chipped in with six points.
Leighton’s 15 points led the Lady Panthers. Tyrina Ragsdale added nine points.
“We actually competed well, but New Hope was too much for us,” Cheltenham coach Ben Bowman said. “They shot really well from three in the second quarter to blow the game open. We hope to finish the week strong with a win tomorrow.”
New Hope-Solebury (6-6, 5-4 SOL) will host Council Rock South in a non-league game on Tuesday. Cheltenham (2-10, 0-8) will host Pottstown in a non-league game on Saturday at 3 p.m.
Cheltenham 12-6-10-9 37
New Hope-Solebury 12-27-12-9 60
Cheltenham (37) – Mikahila Leighton 6 3-5 15; Janiya Townes-Wakefield 1 0-0 2; Amelia Kopp 0 1-2 1; Arianna Davis 1 0-0 2; Tyrina Ragsdale 4 2-2 10; Cassie Bugg 1 3-3 5; Amelia Yevoli 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 14 9-12 37.
New Hope-Solebury (60) – Emily Wilson 3 0-0 6; Izzy Elizondo 1 2-2 4; Emma Ives 2 0-2 4; Reagan Chrencik 11 2-3 32; Madi Fasti 5 0-0 13; Grace Fitzgerald 0 1-2 1; TOTALS 22 5-9 60.
3-point goals: NHS – Reagan Chrencik 8, Madi Fasti 3.
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 50, UPPER MORELAND 24
It was the Abby Sharpe and Erin Daley show in the first half of Friday’s battle between a PW squad that shares the top spot in the Liberty and a UM team that leads the Freedom Division. The duo hit big shot after big shot in the first half, combining for 23 first-half points to propel the Colonials to a 31-8 halftime lead.
Sharpe connected on three 3-pointers in the first period and had 13 points in the first half while Daley had 10 of her 13 points in the first half.
“Abby had three 3s in the first quarter, and whenever anybody missed anything, Erin Daley was right there to get the offensive rebound,” PW coach Dan Dougherty said. “Erin Daley had a couple of nice steals to start the game on our press. The kids did play well.
“Granted, the score obviously is what it is, but Upper Moreland was prepared. They had multiple press breaks, and it wasn’t just steal the first pass and score. I thought our kids did a good job of getting a second trap and third trap and then pushing the ball.”
The Colonials took care of business in a hurry, opening up a 22-6 lead after one quarter, and it was a 42-12 game heading into the final quarter.
“I guess it’s a blessing and a curse because I know we’re not going to get played in zone against Cardinal O’Hara and Archbishop Carroll, but this is probably the 15th straight game we’ve been played in zone, and our kids are used to it now,” Dougherty said. “Upper Moreland’s zone was good, but I think our kids adjusted and made shots against it.
“Defensively, Abby Sharpe guarded EmmyFaith Wood, Kaitlyn Flanagan guarded their freshman point guard, who was scoreless. We just had good defense, and they just couldn’t score on us. Even when they did break the press, they could not score on us. Our kids really played solid defense. It was a good all-around game.”
Sharpe finished with a game high 18 points while Jordyn Thomas posted a double-double, scoring 10 points and pulling down 10 rebounds.
“She continues to impress,” Dougherty said of Thomas. “She made two 3s and then had 10 rebounds too. It’s an impressive starting five, and Fiona Gooneratne and Angelina Balcer came in and gave us good minutes today.
“It was a good win. I know the score is what it is, but Upper Moreland is a good team. It was a very good team win. Now we’re excited for the challenge on Sunday.”
Also for the Colonials, Flanagan had six points
Sophomore Holly Gohl’s 14 points led the Golden Bears. EmmyFaith Wood had seven points.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (14-0, 10-0 SOL) will face Archbishop Carroll in the Hoops for Hope Classic at Cabrini University on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. Upper Moreland (9-3, 7-2 SOL) will host Abington on Tuesday.
Upper Moreland 6-2-4-12 24
Plymouth Whitemarsh 22-9-11-8 50
Upper Moreland (24) – Kylie Gaul 0 0-2 0; EmmyFaith Wood 3 0-0 7; Kiera Coyle 1 0-0 3; Holly Gohl 5 0-0 14; TOTALS 9 0-0 24.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (50) – Kaitlyn Flanagan 2 2-4 6; Erin Daley 6 0-0 12; Abby Sharpe 7 1-3 18; Laney Allen 2 0-0 4; Jordyn Thomas 3 2-4 10; TOTALS 20 5-11 50.
3-point goals: UM – Holly Gohl 4, EmmyFaith Wood, Kiera Coyle, PW – Abby Sharpe 3, Jordyn Thomas 2.
ABINGTON 73, WILLIAM TENNENT 36
The Ghosts showed off their offensive firepower early on in Friday’s crossover contest, burying six 3-pointers in the first three minutes of the game on their way to a commanding 28-6 lead after one quarter. They took a 42-22 lead into halftime and added to that with a 28-point third quarter on their way to the lopsided win.
Cire Worley’s 22 points – which included four 3-pointers – led the Ghosts’ high octane offense. Abril Bowser added 16 points, which included four 3s. Dani Brusha had a pair of 3-pointers and finished in double digits with 10 points. Piper McGinley added seven points and one three in a contest that saw the Ghosts bury 12 3-pointers. Jaida Helm also had seven points.
For the visiting Panthers, Morgan Volz led the way with 14 points. Ella Mednick added eight points, and Kate Smith had six.
Abington (13-1 9-0 SOL) will travel to Upper Moreland on Tuesday, and William Tennent (2-12, 2-8) will host Hatboro-Horsham on Tuesday.
William Tennent 6-16-6-8 36
Abington 28-14-27-4 73
William Tennent (36) – Ella Mednick 3 1-2 8; Savannah Zeaman 0 0-2 0; Chase Dubzak 0 2-2 2; Courtney Bragen 2 0-0 4; Alyssa Lewicki 1 0-2 2; Kate Smith 3 0-0 6; Morgan Volz 7 0-0 14; TOTALS 16 3-8 36.
Abington (73) – Cire Worley 9 0-2 22; Abril Bowser 5 2-2 16; Jaida Helm 3 1-2 7; Maya Johnson 1 0-0 3; Dani Brusha 4 0-0 10; Jordyn Reynolds 2 0-0 4; Piper McGinley 3 0-1 7; Krysten Brown 2 0-3 4; TOTALS 29 3-10 73.
3-point goals: WT – Ella Mednick; Abington – Cire Worley 4, Abril Bowser 4, Dani Brusha 2, Maya Johnson, Piper McGinley.
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