Check out the recaps for SOL girls’ basketball teams in action Saturday.
Non-league
BENSALEM 52, NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY 48
The Owls saved their best for last.
Trailing 38-33 heading into the final quarter, the Owls erupted for 19 points, outscoring their visitors 19-10 to earn their biggest win of the season in their Breast Cancer Awareness contest. Amber Howard and Devon Bell sparked the Owls’ late-game comeback, combining to score 17 of their team’s 19 points in the fourth quarter.
Howard led the Owls with 21 points to go along with seven rebounds and four assists in a stellar outing. Bell (11 points) and fellow sophomore Talia DiMichele (13) also finished in double figures.
“Our sophomores, Talia and Devon are really starting to step it up,” Bensalem coach Steve Johnson said. “I had a talk with them the other day about how they’re halfway through sophomore year, so I’m looking at them as juniors now in terms of having 10-plus starts and plenty of minutes under their belt.
“Devon had a huge fourth quarter, and that comes from her confidence and her teammates finding her. Amber had two or three girls around her at all times. Amber played a great game at her speed, and when she saw two to three girls, she would pass up a good shot for a great shot. She hit Devon in the corner for a huge 3 with a few minutes remaining on the clock, and then with 30 seconds and us up by one, she made a really unselfish pass to Devon cutting to the basket. Devon finished plus a foul and made the foul shot to put us up four.”
Early on, the Lions – propelled by 10 points from Reagan Chrencik – led 12-10 after one quarter. In the second quarter, DiMichele found her touch from long-range, burying three 3-pointers as the Owls outscored their visitors 15-10 to go into halftime with a 23-22 advantage.
Gabby D’Agostino and Emily Wilson scored five points each in a third quarter that saw the Lions regain the lead with a 17-10 quarter to go on top by five. That set the stage for the fourth quarter that featured nine points from Howard and eight from DiMichele to lead the Owls to the big win.
“First off, we wish the best for Izzy (Elizondo),” Johnson said of the New Hope sophomore. “She went down in the third on her ankle, and it seemed pretty bad. Best wishes that everything is okay with her.
“Coach P (Steve Polinsky) and I coach AAU together, so we are really close and always texting back and forth. Izzy, Emily (Wilson), and Ella (Dudick) play for us, so I was joking around with them before the game, and he was doing the same with Talia (DiMichele).”
Freshman Gabby D’Agostino shared scoring honors with Howard, finishing with 21 points that featured 13 points in a huge second half that kept the Lions in the game.
“Their freshman Gabby is the real deal,” Johnson said. “She’s only a freshman but plays like a senior with the poise she plays with. There were times I thought we could speed her up, but she played at her own pace and got to the basket with ease. She would drive to the basket with a girl on her hip and a girl in front of her straight up and still finish. I looked at my staff a couple times in awe. Gabby is great for the SOL and will make tons of noise for New Hope the next three years.”
Johnson went on to credit several of his team’s unsung heroes.
“I thought Mikayla (Donahue) played big minutes for us,” the Owls’ coach said. “She played really strong help defense for us and made it harder for Reagan to score. She’s also stepped up for us the last few games with the absence of Mackenzie (Kramer).
“Also, am very proud of freshmen Grace McShane and Ariana Jenkins. Both of them came in the game and made an impact. We try our best to preach impacting the game in ways other than scoring. Grace had a few key rebounds which we have struggled with over the past few games and Ariana got a huge put back for us.”
NH-S coach Steve Polinsky credited the effort of the Owls in the win.
“Coach Steve Johnson and I coach an AAU team together in the spring and we are good friends,” the Lions’ coach said. “I know he has had a tough year, but today his team played so well. They shared the ball, and it was a great team win for Bensalem. He coaches his tail off. Talia DiMichele shot the ball extremely well and did not miss much. Amber Howard had a nice game.”
The Lions’ coach also credited the play of several of his players.
“I thought we played well, but our fourth quarter was a struggle, and we took some bad shots,” Polinsky said. “Reagan (Chrencik) had a solid game, but Amber got her in foul trouble
“Gabby D’Agostino had a stellar game scoring 21 points and really hit some nice shots. I loved how aggressive Gabby was tonight offensively. She really carried us the second half.
“Izzy Elizondo went down with a sprained ankle and did not return to the game. I really hope Izzy is okay. She is a big part of our team.”
Bensalem (7-10, 2-9) will travel to Council Rock South on Tuesday, and New Hope-Solebury (9-7, 8-3) will be on the road at Cheltenham Tuesday.
New Hope-Solebury 12-10-16-10 48
Bensalem 8-15-10-19 52
New Hope-Solebury (48) – Izzy Elizondo 2 0-0 4; Emily Wilson 2 0-0 5; Reagan Chrencik 4 4-4 14; Kayla Fennell 2 0-0 4; Gabby D’Agostino 9 2-3 21; TOTALS 19 6-7 48.
Bensalem (52) – Talia DiMichele 4 0-0 13; Devon Bell 3 3-3 11; Kylie smith 2 1-2 5; Ariana Jenkins 1 0-1 2; Amber Howard 7 5-8 21; TOTALS 17 9-14 52.
3-point goals: NHS – Reagan Chrencik 2, Emily Wilson, Gabby D’Agostino, Bensalem – Talia DiMichele 3, Amber Howard 2, Devon Bell 2.
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 47, IMHOTEP 27
The Golden Hawks brought a welcome end to a three-game losing streak with a convincing non-league win. Liliana Metrick’s 20-point effort led the way for the Hawks.
“It feels good to get back in the win column,” Rock South coach Blair Klumpp said. “We had some tough stretches of play in our crossover games both versus very good competition and with just how we were playing in that stretch.
“I actually thought in totality our last crossover game (a 52-45 loss to Souderton on Friday) was probably the best we played for sustained stretches in the entire crossover section of our schedule.
“Any time you have back-to-back games with a short turnaround and recovery time, you are worried you may come out a little flat. We did come out flat in terms of offense (and didn’t score in the first 2-3 minutes) and energy, but we rebounded and defended well from the start. At one point, our lead extended to 20-2. We shot a solid percentage from the field, but we missed a lot of opportunities to get quality shots both in transition and within the half court, so we need to keep working on that.”
The Golden Hawks, who led 9-2 after one quarter, took a 28-12 lead into halftime. Imhotep never threatened.
In addition to Metrick, who also had five rebounds, Karissa Smedley added 11 points, four rebounds and two steals. Jess Mangoni contributed six points, 10 rebounds and two blocked shots. Kathryn O’Kane had five assists, Katie Purpura had three and Darcy Leight added two. Leight and Purpura both had two steals.
“I thought Jess (Mangoni) and Darcy (Leight) played well defensively off the bench for us,” Klumpp said. “Smed (Karissa Smedley) and Metrick did a good job getting to the free throw line which helped their efficiency output offensively.
“If we keep working on some of our focal points offensively and trust the process of trusting each other, we have proved we can get desired results and hit some of our goals.”
Council Rock South (9-5, 6-5 SOL) will host Bensalem on Tuesday.
Imhotep 2-10-6-9 27
Council Rock South 9-19-14-5 47
Imhotep (27) – Calista Gayman 1 2-4 4; Anise Geiger 1 2-3 4; Sabria Mann 2 0-0 4; Jamee Johnson 2 2-2 7; Asia Taylor 0 0-2 0; Geren Hawthorne 3 0-4 6; Aubrey Wroten 0 2-2 2; TOTALS 9 8-17 27.
Council Rock South (47) – Kathryn O’Kane 2 0-0 4; Liliana Metrick 5 6-6 20; Lily Bross 0 1-2 1; Katie Purpura 1 0-0 2; Cam Gregory 0 3-3 3; Karissa Smedley 3 4-6 11; Jess Mangoni 3 0-0 6; TOTALS 14 14-17 47.
3-point goals: Imhotep – Jamee Johnson; CRS – Liliana Metrick 4, Karissa Smedley.
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 53, GOVERNOR MIFFLIN 17
Eleven players put their names in the scoring column for the visiting Bucks, who opened up a 30-8 halftime lead on their way to the no-doubt-about-it non-league road win.
“It was awesome to get a big road win,” West coach Zach Sibel said. “I feel like the whole season has been away from home. We have been in every game, and the girls really battle every possession.
“Today we put it all together. Girls stepped up when we needed them to, and to do it with an hour and a half bus ride early in a Saturday is a testament to their commitment and energy.
Gabi Senior buried a pair of first-quarter 3s to jumpstart the Bucks, who led 14-5 after one quarter, and they upped that advantage with a 16-3 second quarter burst. Tai Henkels scored five points in the frame to lead a balanced West attack. Senior had eight points, and Ava Longo had six to lead the Bucks in the half.
“Gabi Senior was awesome, hitting two big shots early that really put their defense on their heels,” Sibel said. “Ava Longo followed suit and did a great job getting to the basket. (Katie) Finnan and Tai (Henkels) controlled tempo and allowed us to get out in transition. It just clicked for us today and we really needed this one.”
Henkels scored 10 points to lead a balanced West attack while Senior and Longo both had eight.
“A subplot to the whole game was Taylor and Erica Madden,” Sibel said. “Erica, a freshman, got her first varsity minutes and points with her older sister on the court with her. Taylor is one of the best teammates we’ve had at West and has really fulfilled her role. She’s leaving the torch for her sister to continue that tradition.”
Central Bucks West (7-9, 5-6 SOL) will play its third game in three days on Sunday at Jefferson University. The Bucks will face Episcopal Academy at 10:30 a.m.
Central Bucks West 14-16-16-7 53
Governor Mifflin 5-3-3-6 17
Central Bucks West (53) – Gabi Senior 2 2-2 8; Tai Henkels 3 2-2 10; Taylor Madden 2 0-0 5; Katie Finnan 1 0-0 2; Meg Blue 1 0-0 2; Nia Perry 1 0-0 2; Alexis Castro 3 0-0 6; Ava Longo 4 0-0 8; Gabby Reichner 1 1-2 3; Scarlett Baumgardner 2 1-1 5; Erika Madden 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 21 6-7 53.
Governor Mifflin (17) – Keira Estrada 1 0-0 2; Jayliana Miley 1 0-0 3; Shakyla Mayo 3 0-2 8; Jayla Richardson 1 1-2 4; TOTALS 6 1-4 17.
3-point goals: CBW – Gabi Senior 2, Tai Henkels 2, Taylor Madden; Governor Mifflin – Shakyla Mayo 2, Jayla Richardson, Jayliana Miley.
METHACTON 65, NORTH PENN 64
The Knights came oh so close to pulling off the non-league road win but came up just short in Saturday’s back-and-forth non-league thriller.
“We had the ball down by one with 22 seconds left – we got three really good shots off, but we just couldn’t finish, which is just the game,” NP coach Bri Cullen said. “It’s how it goes sometimes.”
The difference in the game, according to the Knights’ coach, came down to experience.
“Methacton is a very good team, they’re well coached,” Cullen said. “I just think with a floor full of seniors – my team is very scrappy, very competitive, but an older team with more experience is capable of finishing a little bit stronger.”
Underscoring Cullen’s point is the fact that 62 of Methacton’s 65 points were scored by seniors. By contrast, the Knights’ seniors combined for 18 points while their underclassmen accounted for 46.
Saturday’s game was tightly contested from the outset. The Knights – sparked by a pair of Cam Crowley 3s – led 17-16 after one quarter. The Warriors held an 18-15 advantage in the second quarter and took a 33-32 lead into halftime. Abby Plaugher’s seven points led a balanced North Penn attack in the first half. Mairi Smith’s 14 points led the Warriors, who also received 10 points from Cassidy Kropp.
The Knights – behind nine points from Liv Stone – outscored their hosts 23-17 in the third quarter and took a 55-51 lead into the final quarter that saw the Warriors hold the Knights to just nine points while they scored 14 to eke out the win.
Cullen was especially pleased with her team’s overall effort.
“There was never a moment I doubted that we were going to stay in the game,” the Knights’ coach said. “We picked up Methacton knowing that they’re a very good team. I would prefer to play the best teams we can possibly play to give us the experience down the line.”
Stone’s 17-point effort, which included three 3-pointers, led the Knights.
“Olivia Stone had a very big game today,” Cullen said. “She came in, she understood her assignment, and she really pushes it. We see more of a defensive presence from her in most games, but today she stepped up offensively.”
Three players – Crowley, Plaugher and Caleigh Sperling – each added 10 points while Kelly Donnelly had nine, which included two 3s.
The Warriors were led by Smith’s 26-point effort. Kropp finished with 22, and Ashley Fisher added 11.
North Penn (9-7, 7-4 SOL) will travel to Pennridge Tuesday.
North Penn 17-15-23-9 64
Methacton 16-18-17-14 65
North Penn (64) – Cam Crowley 3 2-2 10; Emily Orth 2 0-0 4; Caleigh Sperling 4 2-3 10; Koomba Samassa 2 0-0 4; Abby Plaugher 4 0-0 10; Kelly Donnelly 3 1-2 9; Liv Stone 5 4-6 17; TOTALS 23 9-13 64.
Methacton (65) – Ashley Fisher 4 0-0 11; Cassidy Knapp 6 9-10 22; Reana Torres 1 0-0 3; Ava Cingiser 1 0-0 3; Mairi Smith 11 4-6 26; TOTALS 23 13-16 65.
3-point goals: NP – Liv Stone 3, Cam Crowley 2, Abby Plaugher 2, Kelly Donnelly 2; Methacton – Ashley Fisher 3, Cassidy Kropp, Reana Torres, Ava Cingiser.
PERKIOMEN VALLEY 46, SOUDERTON 23
In a battle of two of the district’s top-ranked squads, it was the Vikings - who trailed 11-9 after one quarter - outscoring the visiting Indians 38-12 over the final three frames to notch the impressive win.
“Perk Valley played a great game,” Souderton coach Lynn Carroll said. “They played with intensity and motivation from the start. We need to continue to get better and put ourselves in a position to better compete with them the next time we see them.”
Casey Harter’s six points propelled the Indians to an 11-9 lead after one quarter. The senior scored just five points the rest of the way, and only Harter and Teya McConnaha scored after the first quarter for the Indians, who trailed 21-16 at halftime. They still were within striking distance heading into the fourth quarter and trailed by just a 29-22 score only to watch the Vikings close it out with an 18-1 fourth quarter.
Harter’s 11 points led the Indians while McConnaha added eight points and seven rebounds.
Souderton (14-3, 10-1 SOL) will host Central Bucks South Tuesday.
Souderton 11-5-6-1 23
Perkiomen Valley 9-12-8-17 46
Souderton (23) – Erin Bohmueller 1 0-0 2; Casey Harter 4 1-1 11; Grace McDonough 1 0-0 2; Teya McConnaha 2 3-8 8; TOTALS 8 4-9 23.
Perkiomen Valley (46) – Bella Bacini 4 0-0 12; Julia Smith 1 0-0 2; Ella Stein 3 0-0 6; Lena Stein 1 1-2 3; Quinn Boettinger 7 2-5 17; Grace Galbavy 3 0-2 6; TOTALS 19 3-9 46.
3-point goals: Souderton – Casey Harter 2, Teya McConnaha; PV – Bella Bacani 4, Quinn Boettinger.
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