Check out the recaps for SOL girls’ teams in action Friday. CR South/Neshaminy photos provided courtesy of John Gleeson. Check back for a gallery of photos: https://solsports.zenfolio.com/f913170668 Pennsbury/Truman photos courtesy of Trish Sexton, and CB East/CB South photos courtesy of Diane Barry/CB East basketball)
SOL Patriot Division
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 36, NESHAMINY 32
It’s been an up and down season for the Golden Hawks.
After a 9-3 start, the Hawks dropped three of their last five games but rebounded Friday for their biggest win of the season, defeating the Patriot Division’s top team. The
Redskins brought a 10-1 league record into the contest and still hold a two-game lead in the standings, but there was no mistaking the importance of Friday’s hard-fought win for the Hawks.
“This was a much-needed win for our team,” Rock South coach Jesse Krasna said. “We’ve played a tough schedule and lost some close games which really tested our team’s character, but I also think it’s helped us in a lot of ways because we’ve learned a lot about ourselves. Our girls have been openminded and embraced some recent changes which is not always easy to do this far along into the season.
“We have a ton of respect for Coach Gallagher and his program. They are so tough to defend because they run their offense so well, and their players really understand how to react and adjust when teams try to sit on certain actions.
“Reese (Zemitis) and Lola (Ibarrondo) are stars, but what is more impressive is how classy they are and how they handle themselves regardless of the outcome. Neshaminy has three freshmen playing well in major minutes, and I think that says a lot about Reese and Lola’s leadership to help them along.”
Defense was the story of Friday’s contest, and the tone was set in a first quarter that saw the Golden Hawks ‘outscore’ the Redskins 7-4. Fiona Reckner accounted for all of Rock South’s points in the frame.
The Redskins’ offense – behind six points from Zemitis – showed signs of life in the second quarter, but the Hawks used 3-pointers from Liliana Metrick, Kathryn O’Kane and Camryn Gregory to outscore their visitors 13-9
to go into halftime with a 20-13 lead.
Rock South took a 28-22 lead into the fourth quarter, and O’Kane made sure the Hawks would remain in the lead, scoring all eight of her team’s points in the final quarter.
O’Kane and Reckner led the Golden Hawks with 11 points each and also made an impact on the defensive end.
“Fiona Reckner and Kathryn O’Kane both had tough assignments with Reese and Lola, but I thought they defended them about as well as anyone can,” Krasna said. “Kathryn was also electric in crunch time, and it was obvious she played freely all night.”
Also for the Hawks, Lily Bross added six points, but it was on the defensive end that Krasna heaped most of his praise.
“This was an awesome game for Haley Thompson,” Krasna said. “Haley worked hard and was so committed all offseason, and she has really responded to her expanded role these last two games. She was super 
active defensively, helped us rebound and she made quick decisions offensively, which enhanced our ball movement and flow. This was a special game for Haley because her mom is one of Neshaminy’s all-time great players. Now she can brag to mom that she has a W over her alma mater.
“Lily Bross was great all night too. She kept her girl in front of her on D which was huge because you don’t want to get into scramble mode against a team like Neshaminy. Sarah Freeman and Liliana Metrick were also really good. They pressured the ball hard and were disruptive on defense. Cam Gregory loves the challenge of guarding big time scorers, and when it was her turn to do that tonight, she was ready to battle”
Zemitis led the Golden Hawks with 12 points while Ibarrondo had seven.
Council Rock South (11-6, 8-4) will host Council Rock North Tuesday, and Neshaminy (13-4, 10-2 SOL) will travel to Nazareth Academy for a non-league game Monday at 5:30 pm.
Neshaminy 4-9-9-10 32
Council Rock South 7-13-8-8 36
Neshaminy (32) – Grace Weyler 2 1-1 5; Alena Cofield 2 1-2 5; Lola Ibarrondo 3 0-2 7; Ava Irizarry 1 0-0 3; Reese Zemitis 6 0-0 12; TOTALS 14 2-5 32.
Council Rock South (36) – Liliana Metrick 1 0-0 3; Lily Bross 2 2-2 6; Kathryn O’Kane 4 2-3 11; Camryn Gregory 1 2-2 5; Fiona Reckner 5 0-0 11; TOTALS 13 6-7 36.
3-point goals: Neshaminy – Lola Ibarrondo, Ava Irizarry; CRS – Liliana Metrick, Kathryn O’Kane, Camryn Gregory, Fiona Reckner.
BENSALEM 46, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 38
Sparked by the double-digit scoring efforts of Grace McShane and Amber Howard, the Owls won their third straight and seventh in their last eight games.
“Awesome to get a win on the road at CR North,” Bensalem coach Steve Johnson said. “Coach Kelly and staff always have their team prepared. Delaney McCaffery has had so many great games against us. I’m so happy she’s graduating this year – she will do tremendous at Ursinus.”
The Indians – behind seven points from McCaffery and five points from Ruth O’Keeffe – opened up a 14-8 lead after one quarter but then managed just two points (no field goals) in the second quarter.
The Owls took an 18-16 lead into halftime and extended that in the third quarter, outscoring their hosts 13-9 to go on top 31-25 heading into the fourth quarter on their way to the win. Howard’s nine second-half points led a balanced Bensalem attack.
“We are really playing complementary basketball,” Johnson said. “We are getting the ball inside when we have to. We are passing it out when we have to. I am very proud of this team.
“One thing that’s going to be our focus approaching the end of season is how we recover from mistakes. Basketball is an imperfect game. Players miss shots, throw bad passes, and coaches call bad actions at times. It happens. We, as a team, have to have that ‘next play’ mentality.”
McShane’s 15 points – which included a pair of 3s – led the Owls. Howard added 13, and Devon Bell had nine points on three 3-pointers. Talia DiMichele finished with seven.
“Grace McShane continues to play great for us,” Johnson said. “She is such an amazing athlete, and it shows on both ends of the floor.
“Devon stretched the floor for us knocking down three 3s. Talia got us into our zone offense nicely. Amber battled down low all game and drew a ton of fouls.”
For the Indians, McCaffery’s 21 points – which included a pair of 3s and a 4-for-5 effort at the line – led all scorers. Julia Koval added eight.
Bensalem (11-5, 7-4 SOL) will travel to Unionville for a non-league game Saturday at 12:30 p.m., and Council Rock North (8-9, 4-7) will be on the road at Council Rock South on Tuesday.
Bensalem 8-10-13-15 46
Council Rock North 14-2-9-13 38
Bensalem (46) – Grace McShane 4 5-6 15; Talia DiMichele 2 1-2 7; Devon Bell 3 0-0 9; Amber Howard 5 3-9 13; Peyton Miller 0 2-2 2; TOTALS 14 11-19 46
Council Rock North (41) – Skyler Wright 1 0-0 2; Julia Koval 3 1-2 8; Delaney McCaffery 8 4-5 21; Ruth O’Keeffe 2 1-2 5; Frannie Boyle 0-1-2 1; TOTALS 14 7-11 38.
3-point goals: Bensalem – Devon Bell 3, Grace McShane 2, Talia DiMichele 2; CRN – Delaney McCaffery 2, Julia Koval.
PENNSBURY 75, HARRY S TRUMAN 24
As Senior Night celebrations go, it was a good one for Pennsbury’s seven seniors.
“Tonight was a really good night at the Falcons nest,” Pennsbury coach Frank Sciolla said. “We have seven seniors that have represented our community on and off the court so well over the course of the last four years.
“Layla (Matthias) and Sofia (Vitucci) stepped aside so that people would have an opportunity for the first varsity start, and the team did a really good job of moving the ball and sharing it with each other.”
Without Matthias and Vitucci – who have been fixtures in the Falcons’ starting lineup – on the court, the Falcons opened up a 16-7 lead after one quarter. Senior Daniella MacDonald’s six points led the way.
By halftime, the Falcons had 43 points on the board. Vitucci made up for lost time, burying three 3-pointers and scoring 13 points in the second quarter.
For the game, Vitucci led all scorers with 18 points. Freshman Joley Hohman also finished in double figures with 10, which included a pair of 3s. MacDonald and junior Ava Jordan both added eight points. Seniors Danielle Sherman (7 points), Matthias (7 points) and Presley Foote (6 points) also contributed.
Senior Susan McKeever buried a pair from the foul line in the opening quarter.
Eight Falcons scored from beyond the arc on a night that saw the team bury 12 3-pointers.
“All seven seniors scored, and they were able to do it in front of a wonderful crowd,” Sciolla said. “We are really fortunate to have a fantastic parent group that helps put together a great senior night.
“We have a fantastic dinner after the game where the juniors give speeches about the seniors, and we get to look back at the friendships and the experiences that we’ve shared. We are all fortunate to have the things that we have here.”
For the Tigers, Yamazjiah Thomas led the way with eight points while Shylah McCleve added seven.
Pennsbury (12-5, 8-4 SOL) will be on the road at Bensalem on Tuesday, and Harry S Truman (1-16, 0-13) will travel to Neshaminy on Tuesday.
Harry S Truman 7-6-7-4 24
Pennsbury 18-25-18-14 75
Harry S Truman (24) – Brianna Philemond 1 0-0 2; Terrion Hurt 1 0-0 3; Erynn Bond 1 0-0 2; Shylah McCleve 3 1-3 7; Yamazjiah Thomas 4 0-1 8; Ayla Beitler 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 11 1-4 24.
Pennsbury (75) – Emily Panero 2 0-0 4; Presley Foote 1 3-6 6; Layla Matthias 2 2-2 7; Danielle Sherman 2 2-2 7; Sofia Vitucci 7 1-1 18; Oliveah Gilchrist 1 0-0 3; Daniella MacDonald 3 0-2 8; Joley Hohman 4 0-0 10; Ava Jordan 3 1-1 8; Sammie Haws 1 0-0 2; Susan McKeever 0 2-2 2; TOTALS 26 11-16 75
3-point goals: HST – Terrion Hurt; Pennsbury – Sofia Vitucci 3, Daniella MacDonald 2, Joley Hohman 2, Presley Foote, Layla Matthias, Danielle Sherman, Oliveah Gilchrist, Ava Jordan.
SOL Colonial Division
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 53, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 28
The Patriots took a modest 9-4 lead into the second quarter when Natalie Berndt went to work. The sophomore guard buried a pair of 3s and scored 11 points in a 16-point
quarter, and the Patriots took a 25-13 lead into halftime on their way to the big win.
“It was a great team win with contributions on both ends of the floor from lots of players,” East coach Liz Potash said. “We had really balanced scoring and a solid defensive game plan that the team executed well.”
Berndt’s 15 points led the Patriots and included a perfect 5-for-5 effort at the foul line. Anna Barry added 13 points – 11 in the second half. Jess Lockwood finished with nine and Sydney Ralph added eight. Barry, Berndt and Ralph each had a pair of 3-pointers.
For the Titans, Yoyo Samayoa was the lone player in double figures with 10 points, which included two 3s. Mia Klein added seven points.
Central Bucks East (14-2, 9-2 SOL) will travel to Gwynedd Mercy for a non-league game Saturday at 12:30 p.m., and Central Bucks South (9-8, 6-6) will host Boyertown in a non-league game Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
Central Bucks South 4-9-6-9 28
Central Bucks East 9-16-16-12 53
Central Bucks South (28) – Megan Schmidt 1 1-2 3; Ella Wheeler 1 2-4 4; Casey Balkir 1 0-2 2;Yoyo Samayoa 4 0-0 10; Mia Klein 3 0-0 7; Gabby Tropea 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 11 3-8 28.
Central Bucks East (53) – Sydney Ralph 3 0-0 8; Haley Moran 2 0-0 4; Natalie Berndt 4 5-5 15; Savannah Hayes 1 0-0 2; Anna Barry 4 3-6 13; Jess Lockwood 4 0-0 9; TOTALS 19 8-11 53.
3-point goals: CBS – Yoyo Samayoa 2, Mia Klein; CBE – Anna Barry 2, Natalie Berndt 2, Sydney Ralph 2, Jess Lockwood.
PENNRIDGE 43, SOUDERTON 28
The Rams – behind 15 points from the duo of Ella Brown and Ava Fantaskey – jumped out to an 18-5 lead after one quarter, setting the tone for the big win.
“We got off to a really hot start,” Pennridge coach Jason Rapp said. “Ava and Ella got us going.
“We defended really well again. Souderton runs good stuff, and I thought our girls executed on that end.”
Brown scored eight points in the opening frame, and Fantaskey added seven. The Indians – sparked by seven points from Alaina Picard -outscored their visitors 9-6 in the second quarter but still trailed 24-14 at halftime.
The Rams outscored the Indians 19-14 in the second half, but the difference in this game was the first quarter.
Brown’s 14 points led all scorers while Emily DeHaven added 10, Fantaskey had nine, and Abby Huskin had eight points. DeHaven and Huskin both had a pair of 3s.
“I thought Emily DeHaven had her best game of the season,” Rapp said. “She made two key 3s.
“Abby Huskin chipped in with eight and was excellent on the defensive end. Nikki Rindone was great in help defense. Proud of the effort after a long week.”
For the Indians, who celebrated the team’s lone senior – Brooke Fenchel, Picard led the way with 12 points.
Pennridge (9-8, 4-8 SOL) will travel to Villa Maria Academy for a non-league game Monday at 5:15 p.m. Souderton (3-15, 1-11) will host North Penn on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Pennridge 18-6-7-12 43
Souderton 5-9-4-10 28
Souderton (28) – Jacquelyn Bermel 0 1-2 1; Olivia Herron 2 0-0 4; Madison Bealer 2 0-0 5; Brooke Fenchel 1 1-2 4; Alaina Picard 5 0-0 12; Emily dick 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 11 2-4 28.
Pennridge (43) – Ella Brown 7 0-0 14; Ava Fantaskey 2 5-6 9; Emily DeHaven 4 0-0 10; Abby Huskin 3 0-0 8; Layla Verbit 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 17 5-6 43.
3-point goals: Pennridge – Emily DeHaven 2, Abby Huskin 2; Souderton – Alaina Picard 2, Brooke Fenchel, Madison Bealer.
NORTH PENN 58, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 24
The Knights continued their impressive run through league play, opening up a 16-4 lead after one quarter on their way to the convincing Senior Night win.
Led by the 19-point effort of Caleigh Sperling, the seniors made their presence felt, combining for 32 points.
“West plays with a ton of intensity and aggression,” NP coach Bri Cullen said. “It was a great all-around team effort to get the win on Senior Night.”
Sperling’s six points led a balanced Knights’ attack in the opening quarter. By halftime, she had 10 points, and the Knights led 28-12. Freshman Lily Brown had six points in the second quarter.
In addition to Sperling, Brown added 12 points, and Cameron Crowley added 10. Seniors Liv Stevens (7 points) and Olivia Stone (6 points) also made important contributions.
For the Bucks, Alexis Castro led the way with nine points, and Aniya McDaniel had six points.
North Penn (15-2, 11-1 SOL) will host West Chester Rustin in a non-league game Saturday at 12:30 p.m., and Central Bucks West (5-12, 3-9) will be on the road at Central Bucks South on Tuesday.
Central Bucks West 4-8-5-7 24
North Penn 16-12-11-19 58
Central Bucks West (24) – Peyton Cramer 1 3-4 5; Aniya McDaniel 3 0-0 6; Alexis Castro 4 0-0 9; Gabby Reichner 1 0-0 2; Janelle Blokker 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 10 3-4 24.
North Penn (58) – Cameron Crowley 4 1-3 10; Lailani Williams 0 2-2 2; Caleigh Sperling 7 4-4 19; Lily Brown 6 0-0 12; Leah Mikulski 1 0-0 2; Olivia Stone 2 2-2 6; Liv Stevens 2 2-3 7; TOTALS 22 11-14 58.
3-point goals: CBW – Alexis Castro; NP – Cameron Crowley, Caleigh Sperling, Liv Stevens.
SOL Liberty Division
ABINGTON 64, HATBORO-HORSHAM 35
The Ghosts were once again minus their standout point guard, Maya Johnson, but once again, her teammates came up big in her absence.
Mikiaya Durham turned in a glittering 23-point effort to lead the Ghosts, who received points from 10 different players.
“With our point guard Maya still out, Jordyn (Reynolds), Piper (McGinty), and Mikiaya (Durham) did a great job controlling the offense,” Abington coach Allison Lawson said. “Jordyn had six assists and Piper had five.”
The Ghosts came out of the gate on fire, opening up a 17-4 lead after one quarter and extending that advantage to 39-15 by halftime. Durham’s 11 points led the way, and Reynolds had the hot hand in the second quarter, scoring nine points.
“It was another slow start for us,” Hatters’ assistant Nicole Miletto said. “Abington is always a good battle, and they bring the defensive intensity. We struggled to get going in the first, and that makes it real difficult for us.
“Alyssa Tooley, one of our best defenders, got in foul trouble early and that hurts us. We started to get going a little in the second, but Jordan Reynolds had a big quarter for them and kept pulling away.”
The Hatters came out of halftime and outscored the Ghosts 17-9 in the third quarter but still trailed 48-32 heading into the final quarter.
In addition to Durham, Reynolds also finished in double figures with 11. Piper McGinley and Sarah Oleary both had seven points.
“Sarah Oleary did a great job finding the open girl in Hatboro’s zone and knocking down shots,” Lawson said. “When we share the ball, we are a really tough team to beat. Anyone can get hot, and tonight it was Kiaya with 23 points hitting five 3-pointers.”
For the Hatters, Angelica Visceglia led the way with 10 points. Kitty Randa added eight and Maddy Patel had six on a pair of 3s.
“After an inspirational halftime talk by coach, the girls came out with some intensity of their own,” Miletto said. “They settled into the offensive sets and handled the pressure and outscored Abington 17-9.
“In the fourth, they hit some big 3s, and we just couldn’t continue our run. Durham for them was hitting shots the whole game. Freshman Angelica Visceglia led the way for us with 10 and had some nice drives to the basket. Kitty Randa had eight and again was double and triple teamed. She did most of her work on the defensive boards and had some nice blocks.”
Friday’s win was the Ghosts’ 10th in 11 Liberty Division games. They have a big game looming next week when they face undefeated Upper Dublin.
Abington (13-4, 10-1 SOL) will host Upper Dublin on Tuesday, and Hatboro-Horsham (6-10, 3-7) will host Plymouth Whitemarsh on Tuesday.
Abington 17-22-9-16 64
Hatboro-Horsham 4-11-17-3 35
Abington (64) – Ava Teich 1 0-0 3; Mikiaya Durham 9 0-0 24; Jordyn Reynolds 4 2-3 11; Piper McGinley 3 0-0 7; Sarah Oleary 3 1-2 7; Kara Slavin 1 0-1 2; Zyn McClain 2 0-2 4; Kaylia Rice 1 2-4 4; Aniyah Williams 1 1-2 3; TOTALS 25 6-14 64.
Hatboro-Horsham (35) – Angelica Visceglia 4 2-4 10; Mia Fisher 1 0-0 2; Kitty Randa 2 4-5 8; Maddy Patel 2 0-0 6; Gabby Fisher 1 0-0 2; Madison Duggan 2 0-0 4; Alyssa Tooley 1 0-0 2; Mya Stevens 0 1-2 1; TOTALS 13 7-11 35.
3-point goals: Abington – Mikiaya Durham 5, Ava Teich, Jordyn Reynolds, Piper McGinley; H-H – Maddy Patel 2.
UPPER DUBLIN 63, WISSAHICKON 22
The Flying Cardinals led wire to wire with nine players contributing scoring. UD opened up a 21-2 lead after one quarter and never looked back.
Three players finished in double figures. Amy Ngo’s 15 points – which included three 3s – led the way. Tamia Clark added 11 points, and Megan Ngo finished with a double-double, contributing 10 points and 10 assists. She also led UD with five steals.
Bridget DiMartile, Kaitlyn Zacharia and Nora Brady all had six points with Zacharia and Brady both connecting on a pair of 3s. DiMartile led the Cards under the boards with seven rebounds.
For the Trojans, Ashley Klein, Julia Lettieri and Maura Jacob each had five points. Klein also had five rebounds.
Upper Dublin (17-1, 12-0 SOL) will travel to Abington Tuesday, and Wissahickon (2-15, 1-11) will be on the road at Quakertown Tuesday.
Wissahickon 2-4-7-9 22
Upper Dublin 21-19-13-10 63
Upper Dublin (63) – Brighid Brady 2 0-0 4; Bridget DiMartile 3 0-0 6; Makyla Keyes 0 0-2 0; Maeve Hogan 0 0-2 0; Megan Ngo 4 1-1 10; Tamia Clark 5 1-2 11; Amy Ngo 6 0-1 15; Jordan Siegel 1 0-0 3; Julia Scullen 0 2-2 2; Kaitlyn Zacharia 2 0-0 6; Nora Brady 2 0-0 6; TOTALS 25 4-8 63
3-point goals: Amy Ngo 3, Kaitlyn Zacharia 2, Nora Brady 2, Jordan Siegel, Megan Ngo.
SOL Freedom Division
CHELTENHAM 68, LOWER MORELAND 47
The race for the top spot in the Freedom Division suddenly got a whole lot more interesting, thanks to the Lady Panthers upset of a Lower Moreland squad that saw its two-game lead in the standings cut in half.
Four Lady Panthers finished the game in double figures, led by the stellar 25-point effort of Paige Powell.
“This was a big win for us,” Cheltenham coach Ben Bowman said. “It was a complete team effort, and we showed what we could do when we play together.
“Lower Moreland is at the top of our league for a reason, and we had to play smart tonight.”
The Lady Panthers led 16-14 after one quarter but put some distance between themselves and the Lions with a 22-point second quarter. Powell – who had 16 first-half points – was all but unstoppable in the second quarter, torching the Lions for 10 points. The Lady Panthers took a 38-27 lead into halftime.
The Lions cut into the Lady Panthers lead with a 16-10 third quarter and trailed 48-43. Any thoughts of a comeback were put the rest by the Lady Panthers. Ije Ojukwu erupted for 12 second-half points, eight in a 20-point fourth quarter.
“After a rough shooting night against New Hope, Paige Powell came out focused and led us with 25,” Bowman said. “She also added 7 steals.
“The play of our post players, especially down the stretch was huge. Ijeoma had her biggest game of the year with 18 points, 10 boards and four blocks while Cassie Bugg added 13 points and 10 boards. I’m proud of our performance and now we turn our focus to William Tennent Tuesday.”
Powell (25 points), Ojukwu (18 points), Maya Simmons (11 points) and Cassie Bugg (10 points) combined for 64 of their team’s points.
“If you would have told me before the game that we would hold Maya Simmons and Jiah Price to a combined 13 points, I would have bet my house that we would have been the team that would win by 21 points,” Lower Moreland coach Rich Becker said. “After the game, I was talking with one of my coaches, and we were discussing what we could have done differently to change the outcome of the game and we both came to the same conclusion – nothing.
“Our free throw percentage was 25 percent (4-for-12) and that was better than our field goal percentage. We had seven 3s, but even that was deceiving as four of them banked in. When you couple that with the fact that we also played our most fundamentally poor defense that we’ve played all year and the fact that Cheltenham outplayed, out-hustled and out-coached us, you get a 21-point loss.”
“At halftime, it was the first time all year that I had to really get after the girls, and we went from 11 down to four down within 2 minutes, but our defensive mistakes never let us able to get closer than that.”
Sydney Santora’s 12-point game led the Lions. Emma DiJoseph added eight points. Dani Brusha had seven while Briana McFerran, Amelia Brown and Mollie Martin each had six.
“It was a frustrating game to say the least,” Becker said. “We had them scouted and were able to limit Price and Simmons, but Paige Powell was excellent, and we did not adjust. I don’t know if it was her career high, but she had 25 and couldn’t miss. In addition to Powell, we also let Ojukwo score 18 and Bugg came off the bench to score 10.
“This was the first game all year where I feel like we beat ourselves. I think that the girls let their struggles on offense impact what we did on defense, and if we’re going to be the type of team that I know we can be, we will have to learn how to play through these types of games.”
Cheltenham (9-9, 5-7 SOL) will be on the road at William Tennent on Tuesday, and Lower Moreland (11-5, 8-3) will travel to Plymouth Whitemarsh for a crossover game on Monday.
Lower Moreland 14-13-16-4 47
Cheltenham 16-22-10-20 68
Lower Moreland (47) – Briana McFerran 3 0-0 6; Dani Brusha 1 4-11 7; Amelia Brown 2 0-2 6; Sydney Santora 5 0-0 12; Mollie Martin 3 0-0 6; Emma DiJoseph 3 0-0 8; Nikki Sahl 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 18 4-13 47.
Cheltenham (68) – Jiah Price 2 0-2 4; Paige Powell 11 2-2 25; Maya Simmons 5 0-0 11; Ije Ojukwu 8 2-2 18; Cassie Bugg 4 2-4 10; TOTALS 30 6-10 68.
3-point goals: LM – Amelia Brown 2, Sydney Santora 2, Emma DiJoseph 2, Dani Brusha; Cheltenham – Paige Powell, Maya Simons.
UPPER MORELAND 45, WILLIAM TENNENT 40
The Golden Bears rode the hot hand of Lilly Hansen to an important division win. The junior forward scored 12 points in an inspired first-quarter performance, propelling the Golden Bears to a 14-7 lead. By halftime the Bears led 27-18 on their way to the important win.
“We played a really good game tonight,” UM coach Josh Adelman said. “We got up early on William Tennent and were pretty patient on offense and stingy on defense.
“We were executing and got some nice assists from Lianna (Adames) and Mikel (Lancit). They found Lilly Hansen for 12 points on layups and short jumpers in the first quarter.
Hansen had 15 of her game-high 20 points in the opening half. Adames added five points in the second quarter. For the Panthers, Morgan Volz kept her team in the game with 10 first-half points.
“Upper Moreland came out strong and Lilly Hansen had a huge first quarter, which ended up being the difference in the game,” Tennent coach Laura Whiteney said. “Holly (Gohl) demands a lot of attention, and their two guards Mikel and Lianna have really stepped up as the season has gone along. I thought defensively we did a great job of taking those three away. Unfortunately, Hansen made us pay and hit some really big shots.”
The two teams exchanged baskets in the third quarter, and the Bears took a 34-25 lead into the final frame. The Panthers outscored their hosts 15-11 but couldn’t make up the ground they lost in the opening half.
“Upper Moreland did a good job of not letting us get into a rhythm early on and we took some quick, off-balance shots,” Whitney said. “We found ourselves down as much as 17 early in the second quarter and were kind of chasing, but I thought after we called a timeout, we started to settle down and had better possessions. We told the girls we just have to stay together and focus on the next play.
“Our goal was to chip away at the lead and cut it to single digits by halftime, which we were able to get it to nine. Unfortunately, the third quarter we exchanged baskets and still found ourselves down nine going into the fourth. The fourth quarter we had some great defensive stops and played with a lot of urgency. We managed to cut it to six with about two minutes to go, but they quickly answered and went back up 10. We had to then play the foul game, and fortunately, they missed some free throws, and we were able to answer and cut it back down to 4 with 6.8 seconds. Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough time to get it any closer.”
In addition to Hansen, Lancit and Gohl both added seven points for the Golden Bears.
“Lilly wound up getting 20 points on the night, despite getting into a little foul trouble,” Adelman said. “Holly and Mikel had seven points apiece and Lianna had five points. I was very pleased with the guard play tonight. Holly Gohl was amazing on the boards offensively and defensively tonight. We seemed to hold onto a nine-point lead for a majority of the game, but William Tennent would not go easy. They battle and scrap and hit some nice shots.
“From scouting them recently, you see how hard they play, and you don’t feel comfortable with any lead. I was impressed with how my team bounced back from a disappointing loss to Lower Moreland earlier in the week. We continue to work hard in practice, and it was extra exciting for the team because it was Elementary School night and there was a nice buzz in the gym and a great crowd.
“At the end of the varsity game, the girls signed autographs for all the students in attendance, and each child got a soft pretzel and a water bottle and walked away with a photo keepsake of the team. A special night for the Upper Moreland community and a big win for our team.”
For the Panthers, Volz led the way with 15 points while Halie Staub added 12 and Avery Kocur had nine points.
“It wasn’t the final result we wanted, but I’m so proud of how we responded tonight after a tough week between injuries and some tough losses,” Whitney said. “We’re still not fully healthy, but it was great to get Morgan (Volz) back tonight and I thought she had a really big game.
“It’s always tough to play at Upper Moreland because it’s such a loud environment, and on top of it, they packed the house for their youth night, so it was a great atmosphere. Despite the loss, I can’t say enough though of how proud I am of our girls. They continue to show so much resiliency and fight. They could have easily given up and packed it in early in the first quarter when it looked like it wasn’t going to be our night, but they played hard until the final buzzer and left everything on the court. That’s all I can ask for.”
Upper Moreland (11-6, 7-4 SOL) will host New Hope-Solebury on Monday, and William Tennent (7-11, 5-7) will host Cheltenham on Tuesday.
William Tennent 7-11-7-15 40
Upper Moreland 14-13-7-11 45
William Tennent (40) – Katherin Balibar 1 0-0 2; Ella Mednick 1 0-0 2; Avery Kocur 4 0-0 9; Halie Staub 4 3-6 12; Morgan Volz 6 0-2 15; TOTALS 16 3-8 40.
Upper Moreland (45) – Mikel Lancit 3 1-8 7; Lianna Adames 2 0-0 5; Marie Meyers 1 2-4 4; Lilly Hansen 9 1-3 20; Holly Gohl 3 1-2 7; Makaila Allen 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 19 5-17 45.
3-point field goals: WT – Morgan Volz 3, Avery Kocur, Halie Staub; UM – Lianna Adames, Lilly Hansen.
NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY 70, SPRINGFIELD TWP 55
The visiting Lions found themselves on the short end of a 39-31 halftime score, but they owned the second half, outscoring Spartans 39-16 on their way to the big win.
“It was a tale of two halves – we did not play well in the first half,” New Hope-Solebury coach Steve Polinsky said. “Springfield was outworking us, and we looked tired and lethargic. Total credit to them. “
“We played really well the second half and pressured them as much as we could. We challenged Ella Dudick and Kayla Fennel to step it up rebounding-wise the second half. Both of them played really well, and we were better on the boards.”
In the opening half, the Spartans were led by the trio of Alana Decker, Jayla Daniels and Ava Culler. All three were in double figures by halftime as Decker had 13 first-half points, Culler had 12 and Daniels had 10. The Lions had some big performances of their own. Izzy Elizondo led the way with 10 first-half points and Nina Meixler had nine.
“The first half was a track meet,” Spartans’ coach Dave Giordano said. “It was 39-31 at halftime, and they were just as eager to run as we like to run. I have to give Steve credit for making some adjustments at halftime, and they went back to a more halfcourt offense. They put pressure on us, and they made more plays than we did.”
Out of halftime, the Lions outscored the Spartans 16-9 in the third quarter but still trailed by one (48-47). That deficit was quickly erased when the Lions erupted for 23 points in the fourth quarter to close out the game.
The Lions had three girls in double figures. Izzy Elizondo had 22 points, Emily Wilson contributed 20 points, which included a 10-for-11 effort at the foul line. She had 16 of her points in the second half – 10 in the fourth quarter uprising. Meixler finished with 15 points.
“Izzy has been averaging 20-plus points the last four games,” Polinsky said. “She has been crazy good shooting the ball.
“Emily Wilson had such a quiet 20 points. Em had an incredible second half. I’m so proud of Nina Meixler, she had her season high with 15 points, and her defense the last two nights has been great. Nina’s game energy has been awesome. It was a total team win.
For the Spartans, Decker’s 16 points led the way, Daniels added 14 and Culler finished with 12.
“We had a couple girls foul out,” Giordano said. “We lost Jayla (Daniels) early fourth quarter, and she is our catalyst. That made a difference in some respects. Moving forward, we have to adjust. Credit to New Hope – they played smart, they shot the ball really well, they’re well coached. They made some nice plays, made some nice decisions. I view this as a learning experience for us.
“It was a good game overall for us because we can learn from this. It was a battle. We have a very busy week next week with four games in five days. We’re going to turn the page and see if we can get something next week.”
New Hope-Solebury (8-7, 5-5 SOL) will travel to Upper Moreland on Monday, and Springfield Twp (9-7, 4-6) will travel to Abington for a crossover game Monday.
New Hope-Solebury 19-12-16-23 70
Springfield Twp 25-14-9-7 55
New Hope-Solebury (70) – Kayla Fennel 2 2-3 6; Emily Wilson 5 10-11 20; Ella Dudick 3 1-2 7; Izzy Elizado 8 3-5 22; Nina Meixler 5 4-4 15; TOTALS 23 20-24 70.
Springfield Twp (55) – Alana Decker 6 1-2 16; Hannah Brandon 2 0-0 5; Caitlin Lewis 1 0-0 2; Jayla Daniels 6 0-0 14; Grace Dailey 1 2-2 4; Keira Brandon 1 0-0 2; Ava Culler 4 4-6 12; TOTALS 21 7-10 55.
3-point goals: NH-S – Izzy Elizondo 3, Nina Meixler; Springfield Twp – Alana Decker 3, Jayla Daniels 2, Hannah Brandon.
Non-league
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 53, CENTRAL 36
The Colonials – once again with sophomore AJ Avery – picked up their second win in as many days.
Leading the way were sophomore Joslyn Perez and junior Taylor Williams, who combined for 33 points. Perez led the Colonials with 18 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals while Williams had 15 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two assists. Kenna Winland added eight points to along with five steals and three assists.
Williams scored 12 of her points in the opening half, helping to propel the Colonials to a 29-17 halftime lead. They never looked back.
“Joslyn Perez and Taylor Williams had great performances,” PW coach Dan Dougherty said. “Kenna Winland got us into our offense against pressure.”
Plymouth Whitemarsh (11-5, 7-4 SOL) will host Lower Moreland in a crossover game Monday.
Central 5-12-8-11 36
Plymouth Whitemarsh 11-18-13-11 53
Central (36) – Stevie Hall 1 0-0 3; Tyshonna Cooper 2 0-0 5; Jayda Wright 4 4-8 14; Lucy Shaw 1 0-0 2; Sofia Meer 4 4-4 12; TOTALS 12 8-12 36
Plymouth Whitemarsh (53) –Joslyn Perez 6 4-6 18; Taylor Williams 6 1-4 15; Liv Patete 1 1-2 3; Kenna Winland 3 2-2 8; Eliza Meersman 2 1-2 5; Marissa Perez 1 0-0 2; Brooke Peduzzi 1 0-2 2; TOTALS 20 9-18 53.
3-point goals: Central – Jayda Wright 2, Stevie Hall, Tyshonna Cooper; PW – Joslyn Perez 2, Taylor Williams 2.
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