Check out the recaps for SOL girls’ basketball teams in action Tuesday. Pennsbury/NP photos provided courtesy of Darryl Rule of J&D Photography. Souderton/Bensalem photos courtesy of Kim Supko, and Neshaminy/CB South photos provided courtesy of John Gleeson. Check back for galleries of all three games: https://solsports.zenfolio.com/f884733941 (CB East/CR South photos provided courtesy of Diane Barry/CB East basketball)
SOL Patriot/Colonial crossover games
PENNSBURY 33, NORTH PENN 32 (OT)
The Falcons trailed 28-20 heading into the fourth quarter of Tuesday’s crossover game but staged a gutsy rally to even the score 30-30 at the end of regulation and won it in overtime. Sofia Vitucci had the Falcons’ lone basket in OT, and Oliveah Gilchrist buried 1-of-2 at the foul line.
“I just want to start with mentioning the atmosphere in the gym tonight,” assistant coach Kaitlyn Kelly said. “It was middle school appreciation night, and our middle school girls’ basketball teams really made the crowd come alive. They also got to witness quite a thrilling game.”
Vitucci – whose 15 points led the Falcons – spearheaded the Falcons’ fourth-quarter comeback, burying a clutch 3 and scoring six points.
“Nevaeh Dash is always clutch for us at the end of close games especially tonight – hitting those two free throws in the fourth quarter,” Kelly said.
The Knights – who managed just four points in the fourth quarter and overtime combined – suffered a major setback early in the fourth quarter when senior Abby Plaugher left the game with an injury and did not return. They still had a chance to eke out the win with possession of the ball trailing by one with time winding down in overtime, but they came up empty.
“Our team really prides themselves on their defense,” Kelly said. “On that last possession of the game, our girls executed defensively and took it away.
“We know that every game for us this year is going to be a grind. But no matter the situation we know that we are always all in. We are relentless, we never give up, and we fight to the very end.”
Earlier, the Falcons, who led 8-4 after one quarter, took a 17-16 lead into halftime. Vitucci’s six points led the way. Layla Matthew added four. Caleigh Sperling had the hot hand for the Knights, scoring 10 of her team’s 16 points in the half.
The Knights outscored the Falcons 12-3 in the third quarter with Plaugher burying a pair of 3-pointers to give her team the eight-point lead heading into the final quarter, but it wasn’t enough as the Falcons rallied to knot the score.
“Some early fouls did hinder us from doing some of the things we wanted to, but we really had players step up and keep us in the game,” Kelly said. “Oliveah Gilchrist made her first career start, coming in and rebounding big for us. That’s a kid that doesn’t shy away from contact and is in the mix because she’ll do whatever it takes to grab that rebound.”
Gilchrist finished with six rebounds.
“Another player who welcomes contact with open arms is Layla Matthias,” Kelly said. “What more can you say about that kid. High energy, high intensity, and another outstanding night on the backboards.
Matthias contributed eight points, nine rebounds and three steals in a big performance.
For the Knights, Sperling led the way with 16 points while Plaugher added eight.
Pennsbury (10-2, 5-1 SOL) will travel to Pennridge Friday, and North Penn (4-5, 3-3) will host Neshaminy on Friday.
North Penn 4-12-12-2-2 32
Pennsbury 8-9-3-10-3 33
North Penn (32) – Koomba Samassa 1 2-2 4; Abby Plaugher 3 0-0 8; Olivia Stone 2 0-0 4; Caleigh Sperling 7 2-2 16; TOTALS 13 4-4 32.
Pennsbury (33) – Presley Foote 0 1-2 1; Layla Matthias 3 2-4 8; Sofia Vitucci 5 4-6 15; Oliveah Gilchrist 1 1-2 3; Nevaeh Dash 1 2-2 4; Neve Davis 1 0-4 2; TOTALS 11 10-20 33.
3-point goals: NP – Abby Plaugher 2; Pennsbury Sofia Vitucci.
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 56, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 50 (OT)
Six seconds separated the Patriots from a win in regulation, but that win didn’t happen. Rock South’s Kathryn O’Kane saw to that, scoring on a drive to the basket at the buzzer to knot the score and send the game into overtime.
If it seemed as though the visiting Golden Hawks would have all the momentum in OT, guess again. The Patriots took an early lead and never looked back, going on to earn a win that seemed destined to slip away when they gave up the late score.
“What we talked about in the locker room afterwards – my assistant coach Lisa (Garner) was the one that said it – what’s most impressive about this group, and it’s been that way for a couple of years is the resilience,” East coach Liz Potash said. “I said to them – ‘You go into overtime in that fashion, they have all the momentum, and then we went on a 10-0 run.’ That could be the total gamechanger, and it wasn’t. We got three stops on the first three possessions of overtime.
“We just came out and stuck the course, got our defensive stops and made our foul shots because we were already in the bonus going into overtime, so it was a foul shooting contest at that point. You look at how many close games we lost last year, CR South being one of them. We talk about that all the time, and this just shows what we’ve learned, how we have matured and how we have grown to be able to just come back and – next possession type of stuff.”
In overtime, the Patriots connected on 7-of-9 from the foul line. Anna Barry and Chantal Van Dongeren both had four points in the frame – both going 2-for-2 from the charity stripe and adding a field goal.
Early on in Tuesday’s game, the Golden Hawks opened up a 16-10 lead after one quarter only to watch the Patriots answer with a 16-8 second quarter to go into halftime with a 26-24 advantage. Kendall Gregor had the hot hand for East, scoring eight points in the first quarter and adding seven more in the second. Included in her 15 first-half points were a pair of 3s.
The Golden Hawks, meanwhile, received scoring from eight different players in the half with none having more than four points.
In the third quarter, the Golden Hawks regained the lead, and sparked by five points from both Lil Metrick and Karissa Smedley, they outscored their hosts 13-9 and took a 37-35 advantage into the final quarter.
Anna Barry, who was scoreless through three quarter, had four huge points in the fourth, and the Patriots led 45-43 until O’Kane’s last second heroics that knotted the score and set the stage for overtime.
“We did not execute that final play the way we wanted to defensively,” Potash said. “We talked about it after it happened. That was not the game plan for how that unfolded because we still had a foul to give. We were supposed to be fouling, doubling the ball as it comes in. Obviously, it didn’t work out.”
Things did work out in overtime, and the Patriots notched the big win.
Gregor led all scorers with 18 points, and Erin LeRay also finished in double figures with 10 points. Barry and Natalie Berndt each had eight points, and Chantal Van Dongeren added seven.
“Kendall (Gregor) had a huge first half and ended up as leading scorer,” Potash said. “Shayne LeRay had a huge putback in the fourth quarter that gave us the lead. Chantal Van Dongeren had a key drive in the overtime, and she also made two foul shots.
“Anna – nothing was easy for her tonight, and she had a really big finish as well in the lane. We were 16-for-21 for the game from the foul line, and they were 2-for-4. We kept them off the line which I knew was huge. There are still things we need to clean up.”
Metrick’s 12 points led the Golden Hawks, who received nine points from Katie Purpura on three 3s. Smedley finished with seven points while O’Kane and Cam Gregory both had six.
Central Bucks East (8-2, 4-2 SOL) will travel to Bensalem Friday for a 7:30 p.m. contest, and Council Rock South (6-2, 4-2) will host Central Bucks West on Friday.
Council Rock South 16-8-13-8-5 50
Central Bucks East 10-16-9-10-11 56
Council Rock South (50) – Kathryn O’Kane 3 0-2 6; Lil Metrick 5 0-0 12; Maria Freeman 1 0-0 3; Katie Purpura 3 0-0 9; Cam Gregory 2 0-0 6; Fiona Reckner 1 2-2 4; Karissa Smedley 3 0-0 7; Jess Mangoni 1 0-0 3; TOTALS 19 2-4 50.
Central Bucks East (56) – Erin LeRay 4 2-2 10; Natalie Berndt 3 0-1 8; Shayne LeRay 1 3-5 5; Anna Barry 2 4-4 8; Chantal Van Dongeren 2 3-3 7; Kendall Gregor 6 4-6 18; TOTALS 18 16-21 56.
3-point goals: CRS – Katie Purpura 3, Lil Metrick 2, Cam Gregory 2, Karissa Smedley, Jess Mangoni, Maria Freeman; CBE – Natalie Berndt 2, Kendall Gregor 2.
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 52, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 39
Tai Henkels led three players in double figures with 18 points that included four 3-pointers. Gabi Senior and Katie Finnan each added 11 points.
“That’s a balanced attack,” West coach Zach Sibel said. “I told the girls after the game – ‘That’s a good team win. That shows that you’re a good basketball team – not just good basketball players but a good basketball team.’
“It was just an awesome game. Council Rock North is no joke. You look at what they did against Neshaminy. Pennsbury they played tight. They’re playing everybody so hard. (Jaden) Wan and (Delaney) McCaffery – it’s good to see them healthy and playing, but on the other hand, now you have to cover them. It was cool to see them at full strength, but it was awesome to see our girls respond.”
The Bucks led 15-12 after one quarter only to watch the visiting Indians rally to knot the score 24-24 at halftime. In the third quarter, the Bucks – sparked by five points from Henkels – outscored the Indians 14-8 and took a 38-32 lead into the final quarter when Henkels and Senior combined for all 14 of West’s points with Henkels scoring eight points in the frame.
“Tai missed a couple of shots to start the game, but it didn’t waiver her confidence,” Sibel said of Henkels. “And when she shoots the ball with confidence, it’s a really pretty sight to see.
“Katie Finnan back in the lineup gave us another guard that can handle the ball and she had 11, and Gabi Senior is really coming into her own, finding herself as a player, and she had another 11.”
The Bucks’ coach also went on to credit the efforts of his bench.
“I thought Meg Blue came in and played good minutes,” Sibel said. “Taylor Madden played the most minutes she played all year and looked awesome – active on the defensive end and made a big three.
“Gabby Reichner is really figuring out her game, and everyone that got in contributed. Mia Perry just being a leader. It was neat to see girls accept their role, play their role and show that if we play together, we can do some pretty special things.”
Tuesday’s game was the Bucks’ first since the Dec. 22.
“We didn’t play over the break, and I think it was good for us,” Sibel said. “We were really able to focus on ourselves and look at what we need to do to be successful in January. I thought this was going to be a really good first test for us, and it was.
“The girls stepped up – they made 3s, they made huge shots when we needed them. North is a team that’s never going to go away. It’s not a team that any lead is ever safe. We had it at seven or eight at one point in the first half, and they came storming back. That’s a credit to their coach who is doing a great job, super prepared, and the girls are really playing for him.
“It was just good to see us throw a punch for once. I felt like for the most part we were taking punches and counterpunching in December, and it was good to see them throw one.”
For the Indians, Jaden Wan led the way with 12 points while Lizzie Lustig added 10, which included a pair of 3s. Ruth O’Keefe added seven points.
Central Bucks West (4-4, 3-3 SOL) will travel to Council Rock South Friday, and Council Rock North (4-6, 1-5) will host Central Bucks South on Friday.
Council Rock North 12-12-8-7 39
Central Bucks West 15-9-14-14 52
Council Rock North (39) – Kiera Katz 1 0-0 2; Lizzie Lustig 4 0-0 10; Josie Boyle 1 0-1 3; Delaney McCaffery 2 0-0 5; Jaden Wan 6 0-1 12; Ruth O’Keefe 2 3-5 7; TOTALS 16 3-7 39.
Central Bucks West (52) – Gabi Senior 4 1-2 11; Tai Henkels 6 2-4 18; Taylor Madden 1 0-0 3; Katie Finnan 5 0-0 11; Alexis Castro 2 0-1 4; Ava Longo 2 0-0 5; TOTALS 19 3-7 52.
3-point goals: CRN – Lizzie Lustig 2, Josie Boyle, Delaney McCaffery; CBW – Tai Henkels 4, Katie Finnan 3, Gabi Senior 2, Taylor Madden, Ava Longo.
NESHAMINY 56, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 54
The Redskins took a 37-21 lead into halftime and still led by 16 heading into the final quarter. Any thoughts that they would coast to the finish line were put to rest in a hurry by an upstart Titans squad that trimmed that lead to three with under two minutes remaining, and they weren’t finished
yet.
With 1:16 remaining in regulation, Yoyo Samayoa buried a three to knot the score 51-51. The Redskins called a timeout, and out of that timeout, Reese Zemitis – despite being fouled – made the shot on a baseline drive and then completed the three-point play to put the Redskins on top 54-51. Neshaminy forced a turnover with 44 seconds remaining and – with 20 seconds on the scoreboard clock – called a timeout.
With seven seconds remaining, Zemitis drew a foul and sank both ends of a one-and-one to up the Redskins’ lead to five before Samayoa hit a three at the buzzer for the 56-54 final.
“Beth (Mattern) has the Titans playing hard and with a ton of confidence,” Neshaminy coach John Gallagher said. “They came off a big win against Great Valley and their confidence is clearly growing game after game.
“We stretched a 16-point halftime lead to 19 at one point in the third quarter but allowed CB South to gain momentum as the quarter wound down. It felt like we were playing just to run out the clock, but Yoyo and her teammates had other ideas.”
The undisputed offensive hero was Zemitis. The junior standout finished with a game-high 26 points, which included a pair of 3s and a perfect 10-for-10 effort at the foul line. She was a catalyst in both the first and second half, scoring 13 points in each. She also had five blocked shots, three steals, three assists and four rebounds.
“Reese was stellar tonight with 26 points including the last five points of the game,” Gallagher said. “Our bench, which has been so good for us this year, may have been still enjoying the holiday giving spirit. We need the players coming off the bench to get back to how they were playing. Anna Soska had the only bench points tonight and that needs to be corrected.
“These cross divisional games with the Colonial Division are always difficult due to the coaches and talent each of those teams bring each night. South had a tough first half in their division, but they are in good shape as they gain more experience with the young lineup.”
Freshman Jules Tropea came up big for the Titans, finishing with a team-high 16 points. Samayoa finished with 15 points – eight in the fourth quarter. Sophomore Mia Klein added 11 points – six in the final quarter, and Ella Wheeler had eight.
“Jules Tropea was excellent tonight hitting every shot in and around the basket,” Gallagher said. “On top of that was 4-4 from the free throw line.
“Sophomores Ella Wheeler and Mia Klein also stood out for their consistent play throughout the game. However, it all revolves around Yoyo and her ability to get the younger players in the proper spots and knocking down shots or hitting open three pointers. If I wasn’t so invested in wanting Neshaminy to win, I couldn’t help but admire the play of South.”
In addition to Zemitis, Taylor Gurysh added 13 points – 10 (2 3-pointers) in the first half. Lola Ibarrondo had seven points while Jess Purdy had six on a pair of 3s. The Redskins had assists on 15 of 19 baskets. Ibarrando’s four assists led the way while Zemitis and Gurysh both had three.
Neshaminy (7-2, 5-1 SOL) will travel to North Penn on Friday, and Central Bucks South (3-7, 0-6) will be on the road at Council Rock North on Friday.
Central Bucks South 9-12-12-21 54
Neshaminy 17-20-12-7 56
Central Bucks South (54) – Ella Wheeler 4 0-1 8; Jules Tropea 6 4-4 16; Yoyo Samayoa 6 1-1 15; Mia Klein 4 2-3 11; Addy Geary 0 2-2 2; Gabby Tropea 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 21 9-11 54.
Neshaminy (56) – Alena Cofield 1 0-0 2; Lola Ibarrondo 3 0-0 7; Taylor Gurysh 3 5-7 13; Anna Soska 1 0-1 2; Reese Zemitis 9 6-6 26; Jess Purdy 2 0-0 6; TOTALS 19 11-14 56.
3-point goals: CBS – Yoyo Samayao 2, Mia Klein; Neshaminy – Reese Zemitis 2, Taylor Gurysh 2, Jess Purdy 2, Lola Ibarrondo.
SOUDERTON 51, BENSALEM 33
Casey Harter scored 17 points to lead the Indians in Tuesday’s crossover win. Mikayla McGillian added 12 points while Erin Bohmueller added 10. Brooke Fenchel contributed eight points, including a pair of 3s.
The Indians – behind eight points from Bohmeuller – led 17-6 after one quarter and took a 28-18 lead into halftime. Bohmueller and Fenchel led the way with eight points each while Harter had six. Kylie Smith’s five points led the visiting Owls.
Souderton – without Teya McConnaha (injury) – outscored its visitors 23-15 in the second half with Harter accounting for 11 of those points while McGillian had seven.
“Mikayla (McGillian) had a big game and was giving us consistent scoring throughout,” Souderton coach Lynn Carroll said. “Bensalem really packed it in and forced us to beat them from the outside. Brooke (Fenchel) and Erin (Bohmueller)
each hit a couple of 3’s and played well defensively.
“Casey (Harter) was finding ways to score. Alexis (Stefanowicz) played great help defense and was smart with the basketball.
“Grace (McDonough), who was in the starting lineup for the first time, was in foul trouble in the first half, but is such a presence defensively and makes such an impact when she’s on the floor. Amber Howard played well for Bensalem and helped keep her team in the game until we were able to pull away a little in the third quarter.”
Bohmueller also had four rebounds, two blocks and six assists, and Fenchel had three blocks and two assists. Harter contributed eight rebounds and four assists, and McGillian contributed four rebounds and two assists.
Amber Howard’s 14 points led the Owls. Smith added eight points, which included two 3s.
Souderton (10-1, 6-0 SOL) will host Harry S Truman on Friday at 3:30 p.m., and Bensalem (5-5, 2-4) will host Central Bucks East Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Bensalem 6-12-7-8 33
Souderton 17-11-12-11 51
Bensalem (33) – Talie DiMichele 1 0-0 2; Mikayla Donahue 1 0-0 3; Devon Bell 1 0-0 2; Mackenzie Kramer 1 0-0 2; Sydney McCoy 1 0-0 2; Kylie Smith 2 2-2 8; Amber howard 5 4-5 14; TOTALS 12 6-7 33.
Souderton (51) – Jacquelyn Bermel 0 2-2 2; Erin Bohmueller 4 0-0 10; Brooke Fenchel 3 0-0 8; Mikayla McGillian 5 1-2 12; Casey Harter 6 4-4 17; grace McDonough 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 19 7-8 51.
3-point goals: Bensalem – Kylie Smith 2, Mikayla Donahue; Souderton – Erin Bohlmueller 2, Brooke Fenchel 2, Mikayla McGillian, Casey Harter.
PENNRIDGE 55, HARRY S TRUMAN 17
Sparked by 11 points from senior Katie Yoder, the Lady Rams raced out of the gate to a 17-4 lead after one quarter. Yoder’s 18-point effort led the Rams, who took a 35-8 lead into halftime.
Ten players contributed scoring for Pennridge. In addition to Yoder, Ella Brown had nine points and Grace Rosica had seven. Five different players contributed 3-pointers – Brown, Yoder, Samantha Murphy, Abby Huskin and Emily DeHaven.
Shylah McCleve’s 13 points led the Tigers.
Pennridge (7-4, 3-3 SOL) will host Pennsbury on Friday, and Harry S Truman (0-9, 0-6) will travel to Souderton Friday for a 3:30 p.m. contest.
Pennridge 17-18-12-8 55
Harry S Truman 4-4-3-6 17
Pennridge (55) – Ella Brown 4 0-0 9; Grace Rosica 3 1-2 7; Anna Croyle 1 0-0 2; Katie Yoder 5 7-10 18; Ava Fantaskey 2 0-0 4; Emily DeHaven 2 0-0 5; Olivia Poole 1 0-0 2; Samantha Murphy 1 0-0 3; Abby Huskin 1 0-0 3; Nikki Rindone 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 21 8-12 55.
Harry S Truman (17) – Zakiyah McDuffie 1 0-0 2; Patricia Monroe 0 0-2 0; Xiomara Colon 1 0-0 2; Shylah McCleve 6 1-3 13; TOTALS 8 1-3 17.
3-point goals: Pennridge – Ella Brown, Katie Yoder, Emily DeHaven, Abby Huskin, Samantha Murphy.
SOL Liberty/Freedom crossover games
WILLIAM TENNENT 52, WISSAHICKON 45 (OT)
The Panthers – who trailed by 12 at halftime – still found themselves trailing by three with time winding down in regulation.
“It came down to the last minute of the game,” Tennent coach Laura Whitney said. “We were down three, brought the ball down, drew up a play. We got the shot that we wanted, but it didn’t go in. It went out of bounds, we got the ball back and ended up calling a timeout with 20 seconds left.
“We got the ball in to the player we wanted to shoot the three – Avery (Kocur). She didn’t take it, rotated the ball a few times on the perimeter. It came back to her, and she basically shot it at the buzzer, and it banks in to force overtime.”
Riding the momentum of Kocur’s last-second shot, the Panthers controlled overtime, outscoring their hosts 9-2 to earn the heart-stopping win.
“I think I got a few more gray hairs after tonight’s win,” Whitney said. “I felt like once overtime started it just seemed like the momentum really shifted. Once we were able to take that first lead in overtime – Morgan (Volz) had a great offensive rebound for a putback to put us up two, and then Halie Staub got a great defensive stop. She forced a five-second call, and maybe two possessions later, she hit a big three for us to go up five. At that point, it wasn’t fully the icing on the cake, but it definitely seemed like the dagger. Luckily, we were able to hang on.
“Wissahickon always plays us tough. I never feel comfortable going into these games. It seems like the last couple of years they’ve had our number. We lost in a similar situation to them last year and had a shot at the buzzer. It felt good to really grind this one out. For our girls to get this win tonight was huge.”
The first half of Tuesday’s game belonged to the Trojans, who rode the hot hand of Kaitlyn McGeary to a 30-18 halftime advantage. McGeary scored 16 points in the first half – all 12 of her team’s points in the first quarter.
“Kaitlyn McGeary for them is a great player,” Whitney said. “We know that a lot of what they do is going to run through her. In the first half, she singlehandedly kept them in the game, and we had a hard time trying to contain her.”
In the second half, the Panthers controlled play at both ends of the court, erupting for 25 points while limiting the Trojans to just 13. Kocur sparked the comeback, scoring 12 of her team-high 21 points after the intermission.
“It was a tale of two halves, but we didn’t really play that bad in the first half,” Whitney said. “I would say the last minute-and-a-half, two minutes of the first half we just kind of lost our rhythm offensively – we had a couple of poor turnovers, a couple of bad shots, and even defensively, the ball tipped off our fingers for some easy baskets for them.
“In the second half, I thought we really came out with much more focus at both ends of the floor. Offensively, we really executed. Defensively, I thought we dug in and really battled and forced them into some tough shots. It was a complete shift at both ends of the floor. I thought in the second half we had much better help defense in position, forcing them into tough shots. It was a crazy game.
“I can’t say enough about my team. The way they continue to fight night in and night out. We could have easily given up, but we just clawed our way back into the game, got it to within six points to start the fourth quarter and just chipped away, one possession at a time. We got the stops that we needed to. We really stepped up and made some big shots, big free throws.”
While Kocur led the way with 21, Volz added 12 points and Staub had seven.
Whitney lauded the play of Kocur, her freshman point guard.
“She handles the ball most of the time for us, and I think in her mind, she’s been a little bit frustrated that she hasn’t been getting the offensive output that she wants,” the Panthers’ coach said. “We’ve told her many times – she does so much for our team, whether it’s on the defensive end, just her smart decision making, steals and things like that.
“For her to step up tonight – she was our leading scorer with 21 points and hit the big three to force overtime. I’m just really happy. She’s a great kid, she works hard, she deserved it. For her to have the kind of performance she did tonight, I’m really, really happy for her.”
McGeary’s 27 points led all scorers. She also had 16 rebounds – 12 defensive – and four blocks in a dominant outing. Eva Schools added three points, three rebounds and two assists. Kylie Friedman contributed six points and two rebounds while Julia Lettieri had five points. Claira Baldasano had four points and three rebounds, and Skye Sydney added three defensive rebounds.
William Tennent (7-4, 4-2 SOL) will host Upper Dublin on Friday, and Wissahickon (2-6, 0-6) will be on the road at Upper Moreland on Friday.
William Tennent 11-7-11-14-9 52
Wissahickon 12-18-6-7-2 45
William Tennent (52) – Ella Mednick 1 0-0 3; Avery Kocur 8 3-4 21; Halie Staub 2 2-3 7; Alyssa Lewicki 1 2-2 4; Haley Dickson 0 2-6 2; Jess Whisler 1 1-2 3; Morgan Volz 6 0-0 12; TOTALS 19 10-17 52.
Wissahickon (45) – Eva Schools 1 0-0 3; Kaitlyn McGeary 12 2-2-4 27; Julia Lettieri 2 0-0 5; Katie Friedman 1 4-4 6; Claira Buldasano 2 0-0 4; TOTALS 18 6-8 45.
3-point goals: WT – Avery Kocur 2, Ella Mednick, Halie Staub; Wissahickon – Eva Schools, Kaitlyn McGeary, Julia Lettieri .
QUAKERTOWN 42, LOWER MORELAND 32
Carolyn Sipprell continued her torrid offensive production for the Panthers, scoring nine first-quarter points and giving the Panthers an 11-2 lead after one quarter. She also was a force on defense with four steals.
“We switched up our defenses and put Carolyn on the block – she started out on the wing, but we moved her to the block,” Quakertown coach Brittany Bamford said. “We were also much more patient on offense.
“Lower Moreland has given us a hard time the past two years. They play hard all four quarters.”
The two teams all but played each other even over the final three quarters, but the visiting Lions never could dig their way out of that early hole.
“Watching film on Quakertown prior to the game, we knew we’d have our hands full,” LM coach Rich Becker said. “They have good length inside and quickness on the perimeter, and they really do a nice job of taking teams out of their rhythm by throwing different presses at you. Quakertown has had some nice wins this year, so while we’re disappointed that we lost, I was happy with the effort our girls played with and for the most part we were able to execute our game plan, we just couldn’t put the ball in the net.”
The Lions trailed 19-9 at halftime.
“Fortunately, on the defensive side, we were able to keep the deficit at 10 by holding them to 19 first-half points,” Becker said. “To our girls’ credit, they battled, and we were able to get within six or seven points a few times, but we just couldn’t get over that hump.
“The final score was 42- 32 with some of that being free throws down the stretch. After the game, I told the girls that we’re getting closer. Two weeks ago against Tennent, we let our offensive struggles carry over to the defensive end. Tonight, we made progress in that regard, we just need to find a way to score a bit more.”
Brianna McFerran’s 14 points led the Lions while Liz Neeld added 13 points, which included three 3-pointers.
“Individually I thought that Liz Neeld and Brianna McFerran had really strong all-around games,” Becker said. “Bri was great on the boards and Liz hit three big 3’s that helped keep us within striking distance.
“Defensively, Jess Shein and Amelia Brown are playing really well, I think Jess is about to go on a run on offense, and Amelia just needs to get some confidence back in her shot. We’re also getting solid minutes from Nikki Sahl and Mady Rossiter. Mady is a freshman who is being asked to do a lot. Once the game slows down for her, she’ll make that jump, and Nikki Sahl is a sophomore soccer player who has never played varsity before, so she’s learning on the fly, and all things considered, she’s doing a really nice job. Hopefully, we can build off what we did well tonight.”
Also for the Panthers, Katie Catalano added 11 points, which included three 3s, and Ava Pistone had six points and a team-high five steals. Kayla Sicher had a team-high 13 rebounds.
Quakertown (5-5, 3-3 SOL) will be on the road at Springfield Township Friday, and Lower Moreland (3-6, 1-5) will travel to Sacred Heart on Wednesday for a non-league game at 3:45 p.m.
Lower Moreland 2-7-10-13 32
Quakertown 11-8-8-15 42
Lower Moreland (32) – Brianna McFerran 7 0-0 14; Maddy Rossiter 0 0-4 0; Jess Shein 1 1-6 4; Liz Neeld 5 0-0 13; Nikki Sahl 0 1-2 1; TOTALS 13 2-12 32.
Quakertown (32) – Carolyn Sipprelll 7 0-0 8-11 22; Katie Catalano 3 2-5 11; Ava Pistone 3 0-0 6; Kayla Sicher 1 1-2 3; TOTALS 14 11-18 42.
3-point goals: LM – Liz Neeld 3, Jess Shein, Quakertown – Katie Catalano 3.
ABINGTON 51, UPPER MORELAND 35
Cire Worley scored 21 points – 14 after halftime – to lead the Ghosts to the crossover win. Abington led 13-6 after one quarter and took that seven-point lead into halftime, 22-15. They went on to outscore the Golden Bears 29-20 in the second half.
“Abington is really good and when you surround Worley with shooters, they are a tough cover,” UM coach Matt Carroll said. “We played them zone because we don’t really have the foot speed to play them man. I thought we did a pretty decent job communicating and getting out on shooters in the first half. We gave up a little too much dribble penetration, but overall, I thought we played well.”
Lilly Hansen’s 10 points led the Golden Bears while EmmyFaith Wood had nine points, and Holly Gohl had seven.
“For the most part, we limited our turnovers and didn’t have a ton of live-ball turnovers that led directly to points,” Carroll said. “I was happy with our girls’ composure.
“At the end of the day, it came down to making shots. They made a lot and we missed way too many. We shot 1-for-21 from 3 and didn’t make one until when the game was out of reach. We have good shooters, and our coaches have to find ways to get them back on track as we head into SOL crossovers. I’m confident we will because we have the talent.”
In addition to Worley, Abril Bowser and Jordyn Reynolds each had six points on a pair of 3s.
“It wasn’t pretty but a good win against a good team,” Abington coach Dan Marsh said.
Abington (11-1, 6-0 SOL) will host Cheltenham on Friday, and Upper Moreland (8-1, 5-1) will host Wissahickon on Friday.
Abington 13-9-14-15 51
Upper Moreland 6-9-9-11 35
Abington (51) – Cire Worley 8 4-6 21; Maya Johnson 2 1-3 5; Abril Bowser 2 0-0 6; Mikiaya Durham 1 0-0 3; Jordyn Reynolds 2 0-0 6; Piper McGinley 2 0-0 5; Maura Day 0 0-1 0; Flo Ajunwa 2 0-0 5; TOTALS 19 5-11 51.
Upper Moreland (35) – Mikel Lancit 1 2-8 4; Alyssa Wiley 0 1-2 1; EmmyFaith Wood 4 1-2 9; Lilly Hansen 5 0-0 10; Holly Gohl 3 0-0 7; Marie Meyers 2 0-0 4; TOTALS 15 4-12 35.
3-point goals: Abington – Cire Worley, Abril Bowser 2, Jordyn Reynolds 2, Mikiaya Durham, Piper McGinley, Flo Ajunwa; UM – Holly Gohl.
NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY 61, HATBORO-HORSHAM 47
Reagan Chrencik scored 30 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in a brilliant outing for the Lions, who used a 17-2 second quarter tear to blow open the close game.
“I thought it was a nice win against a good team,” New Hope coach Steve Polinsky said. “We have not played in 11 days, so it was nice to play Hatboro Horsham tonight.
“Reagan Chrencik played an outstanding game. She is our leader and captain, and she led the way.”
For one quarter, the Hatters kept pace with Chrencik and the Lions. Propelled by 13 points from the senior captain, the Lions opened up a 22-18 lead after one quarter. Maddy Patel’s six points led the Hatters, who also received four points each from Kitty Randa, Allie Hewish and Leah Harrington.
In the Lions’ 17-point second quarter, Chrencik added eight points, and the Lions took a 39-20 lead into halftime on their way to the win.
In addition to Chrencik’s 30 points, Emily Wilson added 12 points on four 3-pointers. Gabby D’Agostino contributed 11 points and 11 assists in a standout effort of her own.
“Emily Wilson hit some big three’s when Hatboro was making their run, and she had a great overall game and is such an incredible leader,” Polinsky said. “Gabby D’Agostino had 11 points. and she knew Reagan was playing well so she got her the ball. Great point guards understand the situation and Gabby gets it.
“Hatboro Horsham has really improved since we saw them the first game of the season. They shot the ball really well in the beginning of the game and would not go away. Give Eric (Glemser) credit his team is better, and they never quit. Excellent job by him.”
Patel’s 17 points – nine in the fourth quarter – led the Hatters. Kitty Randa added 12 points while Allie Hewish had eight.
“Again, we struggled in the second quarter and that puts us in a deep hole,” HH assistant Nicole Miletto said. “Alli Hewish again helped us with her defense, and Kitty Randa found her groove in the second half.
“Sophomore Maddy Patel led us with 17. She had a nice game, driving strong to the basket and hitting some big jumpers for us. But this habit of playing from behind isn’t working for us. NHS had some players knocking down jumpers, and if they missed, we didn’t do a good job closing out.”
New Hope-Solebury (6-3, 5-1 SOL) will be on the road at Plymouth Whitemarsh on Thursday, and Hatboro-Horsham (3-8, 1-5) will host Lower Moreland on Friday.
Hatboro-Horsham 18-2-11-16 47
New Hope-Solebury 22-17-15-7 61
Hatboro-Horsham (47) – Caroline Shegogue 1 0-0 2; Kitty Randa 5 2-6 12; Allie Hewish 2 4-4 8; Leah Harrington 1 3-7 5; Maddy Patel 8 0-0 17; 1 1-1 3; TOTALS 18 10-18 47.
New Hope-Solebury (61) – Gabby D’Agostino 5 0-0 11; Izzy Elizondo 2 0-0 4; Emily Wilson 4 0-0 12; Reagan Chrencik 9 10-10 30; Kayla Kennell 2 0-0 4; TOTALS 22 10-10 61.
3-point field goals: HH – Maddy Patel; NHS – Emily Wilson 4, Reagan Chrencik 2, Gabby D’Agostino.
UPPER DUBLIN 53, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 16
The night belonged to UD’s six seniors, who were honored prior to the contest at a special Senior Night ceremony, and then they took the court and combined to score 43 of their team’s 53 points.
“Tonight was our Senior Night, and it was a special night,” UD coach Morgan Funsten said. “We have a big class of six seniors who have a put a lot of time and effort into the program. Five of the six seniors started, and the six seniors played the majority of the game. They played really well, and it was fun to watch them share the ball and bring a lot of energy tonight.”
Sparked by five points from both Kaylee Fitzkee and Lili Kleiman, the Cardinals raced out to a 13-1 lead after one quarter. They took a 22-9 lead into halftime and opened the second half with a 13-4 third quarter on their way to the convincing win.
Kleiman and Catherine Scullen led UD with 10 points each while senior Maisie McGarvey had eight points. Contributing six points each were Fitzkee and Alaina Sanders. Kleiman also had six rebounds, four assists, three deflections and two steals, and Scullen had four deflections and four steals. McGarvey finished with four rebounds, two assists, four deflections and two steals. Sofia Machado and Sanders each had five rebounds. Sanders also had two steals. Fitzkee added three assists, three rebounds and three deflections.
“Lili Kleiman led us in scoring and rebounding and was all over the court tonight,” Funsten said. “Catherine Scullen also tied for the lead in points and did a great job taking care of the ball while running the point.
“Maisie McGarvey got hot from the outside and made a couple of threes, Alaina Sanders did her typical dirty work despite being in foul trouble and helped out with six points and five rebounds, Kaylee Fitzkee made some nice passes as well as making a couple of shots to finish with six, and Sofia Machado helped control to glass while she was in with five rebounds. I’m very proud of this group of seniors and happy they were able to have a special night tonight to celebrate them.”
Also for UD, freshman Colleen Besachio also had five rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Ava Culler’s seven points led the Spartans.
Upper Dublin (5-3, 4-2 SOL) will travel to William Tennent on Friday, and Springfield Township (3-6, 0-6) will host Quakertown on Friday.
Springfield Township 1-8-3-4 16
Upper Dublin 13-9-13-18 53
Springfield Twp (16) – Alana Decker 1 2-2 4; Grace Daily 2 0-0 4; Ashley Jenkins 0 1-2 1; Ava Culler 3 1-2 7; TOTALS 6 4-6 16.
Upper Dublin (53) – Brighid Brady 1 0-0 2; Catherine Scullen 4 0-0 10; Alaina Sanders 2 2-2 6; Kaylee Fitzkee 2 1-2 6; Megan Ngo 2 0-0 5; Lillian Kleiman 3 2-2 10; Sofia Machado 0 3-4 3; Maisie McGarvey 3 0-0 8; Colleen Besachio 1 0-0 3; TOTALS 18 8-10 53.
3-point goals: UD – Catherine Scullen 2, Lillian Kleiman 2, Maisie McGarvey 2, Kaylee Fitzkee, Megan Ngo, Colleen Besachio.
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 58, CHELTENHAM 34
Abby Sharpe scored 26 points in yet another glittering offensive performance to lead the Colonials to the decisive win. The UPenn commit was one of three players to finish in double figures for PW. AJ Avery added 13 while Erin Daley had 12 points.
“Abby Sharpe, AJ Avery and Erin Daley were great tonight,” PW coach Dan Dougherty said.
The Colonials – behind seven points from Avery and six from Daley – opened up a 17-4 lead after one quarter. That advantage grew to 35-9 by halftime with Sharpe scoring 11 of her 13 first-half points in the second quarter. Daley added 10 points in the half.
For the Lady Panthers, Maya Simmons led the way with 14 points, which included a pair of 3s. Cassie Bugg added seven points.
“We battled for four quarters and I’m proud of our effort,” Cheltenham coach Ben Bowman said. “PW is a really good team and games like this we just have to learn from.”
Plymouth Whitemarsh (9-2, 5-1 SOL) will host New Hope-Solebury Thursday at 7 p.m., and Cheltenham (5-5 2-4) will be on the road at Abington on Friday.
Cheltenham 4-5-8-17 34
Plymouth Whitemarsh 17-18-17-6 58
Cheltenham (34) – Paige Powell 2 0-0 5; Maya Simmons 5 2-4 14; Amelia Kopp 1 0-0 2; Arianna Davis 2 0-0 4; Cassie Bugg 3 0-0 7; Marguerite Reimer 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 14 2-4 34.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (58) – Azzy Crumpton 2 0-0 4; AJ Avery 5 2-3 13; Haley O’Hara 1 1-3 3; Erin Daley 6 0-1 12; Abby Sharpe 11 2-2 26; TOTALS 25 5-9 58.
3-point goals: Cheltenham – Maya Simmons 2, Cassie Bugg, Paige Powell, PW – Abby Sharpe 2, AJ Avery.
About the Author
