Check out the recaps for SOL girls’ basketball teams in action Tuesday. CR North/CR South photos provided courtesy of John Gleeson, and Lower Moreland/New Hope-Solebury photos courtesy of Karla Donohoe. Check back for galleries of photos: https://solsports.zenfolio.com/f913170668 (CB East/Pennridge photos provided courtesy of Diane Barry/CB East basketball. Lola Ibarrondo photo courtesy of Jesse Garber)
SOL Patriot Division
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 46, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 43
Some wins stand out above the rest.
This was one of those wins for a Rock North squad that entered Tuesday’s rivalry game as the underdog but stunned the Golden Hawks on their home court with a hard-fought win.
“Words can’t describe how excited we are for our team – we have preached all year to focus on the process of growth, and the results will come,” Rock North coach Jack Kelly said. “We have endured some heartbreaking losses, but our girls never blinked. They stayed the course, and to finally get over the hump against South, which is not only our crosstown rival and sister school, but also just a great basketball team, we are just so happy for our players.”
The win didn’t come easily, but the Indians served notice that they meant business, opening up a 13-11 lead after one quarter and extending that to 23-19 by halftime.
The second half was not for the faint of heart.
The Golden Hawks opened the third quarter with an 8-0 run that included five points from Fiona Reckner.
“We had four turnovers in that stretch,” Kelly said. “After a four-minute scoring drought, Delaney McCaffery ended their run with a step-back 3 off a kickout from Frannie Boyle who came up with an offensive rebound.”
Sarah Freeman answered with a 3 for the Golden Hawks, but the Indians closed out the quarter on a 6-0 run that was capped by another McCaffery 3, this one with a kickout from Julia Koval at the buzzer.
Rock North took a 32-30 lead in the fourth quarter. Amara Arroyo connected on a basket to give the Indians a four-point lead, and with the Indians holding a 37-34 lead, McCaffery hit a layup, and Ruth O’Keeffe buried a pair at the line to put the Indians on top 41-34 with 1:45 to go.
“South caught fire,” Kelly said. “Lil Metrick hit a three to cut it to four, Frannie Boyle made a layup off a McCaffery dump-off, but Kathryn O’Kane responded with a three of her own to make it a 43-40 game with 58 seconds left.”
Meg Reichenbach connected on a pair at the foul line, but Metrick hit another 3 with 35 seconds remaining. O’Keeffe made 1-of-2 at the line with four seconds remaining to give the Indians a 46-43 lead to all but ice the win.
“We got key contributions from everyone tonight,” Kelly said. “Frannie Boyle played extended minutes and did a good job at both ends. Amara Arroyo hit some huge shots for us, and Skyler Wright did a great job defensively and was active on the boards. Julia Koval came down with some big rebounds, but her biggest play was finding Delaney at the end of the third quarter for a 3.
“Megan Reichenbach is as gutsy a kid as you will find – she came up with big plays defensively, but more importantly, she knocked down huge free throws for us in a high-pressure environment down the stretch. Our bench – Amelia, Sasha, Addison, and Kayla – did a great job of prepping us for this game. And then there is Delaney and Ruth.”
McCaffery led all scorers with 16 points while O’Keefe added nine, which, included a 4-for-6 effort at the foul line in the fourth quarter.
“Ruth came up with rebound after rebound, and she too hit some big free throws down the stretch,” Kelly said. “Delaney scored 16 points, but what was more impressive was how she helped us navigate their pressure and how
she found open teammates. But most importantly, they didn’t let anyone get down at any point. And that’s maybe what I am most proud of – how we responded to their 8-0 run and stayed the course.
“Council Rock South is a really good basketball team – offensively they present a lot of challenges with how they space the floor, and they share the ball as well as anyone. I am so impressed with how well Coach Krasna has them playing defensively, too. They are tough, they come at you in waves with their pressure, and they really make it difficult to run any sets. Any time you can beat a team as good as they are, it is a special win; in the North/South rivalry, it is extra special. We don’t have much time to celebrate though – we have a lot to clean up quickly with a tremendous North Penn team on deck tomorrow.”
For the Golden Hawks, Kathryn O’Kane’s 11 points – which included a pair of 3s – led the way while Metrick added 10 with three 3-pointers. Reckner added eight points and had a pair of 3s in a contest that saw the Hawks bury 10 shots from beyond the arc.
Council Rock North (9-9, 5-7) will host North Penn in a crossover game Wednesday, and Council Rock South (11-7, 8-5 SOL) will host Pennsbury on Thursday.
Council Rock North 13-10-9-14 46
Council Rock South 11-8-11-13 43
Council Rock North (46) – Julia Koval 1 0-0 2; Amara Arroyo 3 0-1 7; Delaney McCaffery 6 1-1 16; Megan Reichenbach 1 4-6 6; Ruth O’Keeffe 2 5-8 9; Frannie Boyle 3 0-0 6; TOTALS 16 10-16 46.
Council Rock South (43) – Sarah Freeman 2 0-0 5; Liliana Metrick 3 1-2 10; Lily Bross 1 1-3 5; Kathryn O’Kane 4 1-2 11; Camryn Gregory 1 1-2 4; Fiona Reckner 3 0-2 8; TOTALS 14 5-11 43.
3-point goals: CRN – Delaney McCaffery 3, Amara Arroyo; CRS – Liliana Metrick 3, Kathryn O’Kane 2, Fiona Reckner 2, Sarah Freeman, Lily Bross, Camryn Gregory.
BENSALEM 44, PENNSBURY 40
Talk about a Senior Night to remember – this was it.
Seniors Mikayla Donahue, Peyton Miller and Amber Howard all finished in double figures, combining for 34 of their team’s 44 points and leading the Owls to the emotional win.
“What a game,” Bensalem coach Steve Johnson said. “Tonight was a truly special night for Bensalem girls’ basketball. These seniors and I started together four years ago. For it to be their Senior Night, coincidentally scheduled against Pennsbury – a team that has had our number since we started together – and to be able to pull off a win was something truly special.”
Just how special was underscored by the fact that Donahue chose this night to light up the nets for 13 points to lead the Owls, and Miller, best known for her hustle and doing all the little things, scored 10 points. North Carolina A&T commit Howard – the focal point of opposing defenses – added 11 points.
The Falcons and Owls were deadlocked at 13 apiece at halftime. Sofia Vitucci’s nine points led the Owls while Talia DiMichele had six points on a pair of 3s to lead the Owls. Donahue was yet to get on the scoreboard.
Then came the second half.
Donahue buried three 3-pointers in the third quarter while Howard and Miller each added four to account for all their team’s points. The Owls outscored the Falcons 17-11 in the quarter and took a 30-24 advantage into the final frame.
In the fourth quarter, Vitucci all but willed her team to a win, scoring 10 points as the Falcons outscored their hosts 16-14, but it wasn’t enough.
“The story of the night for us was definitely our seniors,” Johnson said. “I think tonight was a true testament to what these seniors have meant to me and our program the last four years. Mikayla Donahue and Peyton Miller both had career nights on the offensive side of things.
“Mikayla hit three huge 3s for us in the third quarter followed by a very timely layup in the fourth. Peyton was our ‘johnny-on-the-spot’ tonight and found herself in the right place at the right time on the offensive side. Peyton had an awesome move off the fastbreak at the beginning of the fourth.
“Amber Howard plays with such physicality and got called for a charge early in the game. After Mikayla hit her third 3 in the third, Amber brings the ball down on a fastbreak with a few seconds left in the third, goes by the girl guarding her, help defense slides over and Amber Euro-steps around her for the layup. That is senior experience. Maybe a year or two ago that could have been a charge.”
DiMichele finished with nine points on three 3s .
“Talia DiMichele is really starting to get comfortable in the point guard position,” Johnson said. “I admire the way she plays the game of basketball. Talia never wants to make a mistake and plays each and every possession of the game like it is the last.
“Devon Bell may have only had one point in the box score, but it was the one point we needed to ice the game at the end. Devon has made significant shots throughout her career, and this latest one is just another to add to.
“I am very pleased with the confidence we have in one another. Everyone on our team is making a positive impact and playing we-not-me basketball. I am a proud coach, especially tonight.”
For the Falcons, Vitucci was all but unstoppable, finishing with 26 points in yet another standout performance.
“It was a tough one tonight – you have to credit Bensalem,” Pennsbury assistant Kaitlin Kelly said. “They’ve been winning some pretty big games recently, and it was Senior Night, so they had a lot of momentum going into tonight’s game. They’ve been playing very well as a team, which can be credited to their dedication to getting better in the offseason during the summer.
“Now that hard work is paying off for them at this point in their season. Their seniors stepped up big tonight, especially Donahue and Miller. Our downfall was just not being disciplined on defense and having too many careless turnovers.”
Tuesday’s win was Johnson’s first over the Falcons under coach Frank Sciolla.
“Under coach Sciolla, we were 0-15 against them,” the Owls’ coach said. “A coach like coach Sciolla (and staff) is always going to have his girls in the game. They follow their game plan and play exceptionally hard.
“Sophia Vitucci is an absolute stud. We threw everything at her, including the kitchen sink, and she still ended the game with 26 points. I think Grace McShane did a good job on her for the most part. Some of the shots Sofia hit you just have to tip your hat to.”
Bensalem (13-5, 8-4) will host Pennridge in a crossover game Thursday, and Pennsbury (12-6, 8-5 SOL) will be on the road at Council Rock South on Thursday.
Pennsbury 8-5-11-16 40
Bensalem 5-8-17-14 44
Pennsbury (40) – Emily Panero 1 0-0 2; Presley Foote 0 0-2 0; Layla Matthias 2 1-2 5; Danielle Sherman 0 1-2 1; Maggie Burns 1 1-2 3; Sofia Vitucci 10 5-6 26; Joley Hohman 1 0-0 3; TOTALS 15 8-14 40.
Bensalem (44) – Talia DiMichele 3 0-0 9; Mikayla Donahue 5 0-0 13; Devon Bell 0 1-2 1; Amber Howard 4 3-5 11; Peyton Miller 6 4-8 10; TOTALS 15 8-15 44.
3-point goals: Pennsbury – Sofia Vitucci, Joley Hohman; Bensalem – Talia DiMichele 3, Mikayla Donahue 3.
NESHAMINY 52, HARRY S TRUMAN 27
(Check back for an article about Lola Ibarrondo reaching the 1,000-point milestone. Photo courtesy of Jesse Garber)
Lola Ibarrondo buried a corner three early in the opening quarter, a basket that vaulted the senior point guard to the 1,000-point milestone.
It was one of nine shots from beyond the arc for the Redskins, who opened up a 21-4 lead after one quarter and never looked back.
“We had a hot shooting hand from the start of the game as Truman played a 3-2 defense,” Neshaminy coach John Gallagher said. “We were able to connect on eight baskets beyond the arc just in the first half.
“Sophomore Sydney Snyder added the only second half three-point basket early in the third quarter. I don’t have our shooting percentage from three-point land, but it was very high.”
Reese Zemitis, who assisted on Ibarrondo’s historic basket, led the Redskins with 17 points – nine in the first quarter. Ashlyn Duffy added 14 points – 10 in a 16-point second quarter. She had a pair of 3s. Alena Cofield added nine points, which included a pair of 3s.
“Mia, Reese, Grace and Lola combined for 16 assists,” Gallagher said. “Mia Raivich added six rebounds, and Ashlyn Duffy scored a career high of 14 points.
“Mia, Ashlyn and Grace, while only freshmen, are now being held to the same accountability standard as the more experienced players on the team. As coaches we continue to ‘fine tune’ them game to game, but by this time of year, they have played enough not to be considered inexperienced any longer.”
Erynn Bond’s 13 points led the Tigers, who also received nine points from Shylah McCleve.
Neshaminy (15-4, 11-2 SOL) will host Central Bucks East in a crossover game Wednesday at 3:15 p.m., and Harry S Truman (1-17 0-14) will host Bensalem Friday.
Harry S Truman 4-11-4-8 27
Neshaminy 21-16-15-0 52
Harry S Truman (27) – Shylah McCleve 4 1-4 9; Terrion Hurt 0 1-4 1; Erynn Bond 4 4-4 13; Kiera Martinez 2 0-0 4; TOTALS 10 6-12 27.
Neshaminy (52) – Grace Weyler 1 0-0 3; Alena Cofield 3 1-2 9; Ashlyn Duffy 6 0-0 14; Lola Ibarrondo 1 0-0 3; Mia Raivich 1 0-2 3; Reese Zemitis 6 4-4 17; Sydney Snyder 1 0-0 3; TOTALS 19 5-8 52.
3-point goals: HST – Erynn Bond; Neshaminy –Alena Cofield 2, Ashlyn Duffy 2, Lola Ibarrondo, Mia Raivich, Reese Zemitis, Grace Weyler, Sydney Snyder.
SOL Colonial Division
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 41, PENNRIDGE 38
The visiting Patriots found themselves trailing by seven early in the fourth quarter but rallied for the come-from-behind road win. Anna Barry’s 23 points led all scorers.
“It took a full 32 minutes to hold off Pennridge tonight,” East coach Liz Potash said. “They came out really strong. It was a completely different team from the first time we played them. It was a really good battle, a good hard-fought game.”
Pennridge – sparked by a pair of Ella Brown 3s -opened up a 9-3 lead after one quarter, but the Patriots rallied to knot the score with a 15-9 second quarter. Barry accounted for nine of East’s points with three 3-pointers.
The pesky Lady Rams came out of the break and outscored the visiting Patriots 15-10 to take a 33-28 lead into the final quarter. Layla Verbit’s five points led a balanced Pennridge attack in the quarter.
“We came out strong in the third quarter, and they just answered everything back,” Potash said. “We were down five going into the fourth, and we were down seven in the fourth.
“This crew – I’ve said it all year – nothing fazes them, nothing rattles them, and while it sometimes drives us crazy, they’re cool, calm and collected.”
The Patriots closed out the game with a 13-5 fourth quarter to eke out the win. Barry scored 11 of her team’s second half points. The senior guard’s 23 points included six 3-pointers.
“Anna was absolutely on fire tonight,” Potash said. “It was one of those nights that we’ve come to not
take for granted, but it’s one of the nights that we know she’s capable of having, and she shot the ball really well.
“Fortunately for us, she was shooting the ball well because they were kind of daring us to make some outside shots. We had a bunch of stuff rimming in and out. That’s your senior coming down to the end of her senior year and just putting the team on her back and willing us to the win.”
Also for the Patriots, Jess Lockwood added eight points, and Natalie Berndt had six.
Ella Brown’s 18 points, which included a pair of 3s, led the Rams. Layla Verbit added nine.
“Ella Brown hit a shot tonight – we had two kids on her, and she hit a 3, and it was like – what are you going to do?” Potash said. “She can score the ball.
“They had enough other little pieces around her, and it certainly didn’t help that we were struggling to make shots outside of Anna. Everyone else was struggling to put the ball in the basket, so it puts all the pressure on you, but they’re playing hard, they compete.”
The Rams were coming off a non-league win 24 hours earlier over a Villa Maria Academy squad that is near the top of the District 1 Class 5A power rankings.
“Villa Maria is always tough, and as soon as I saw that score, I knew that this was a different team than the first time we played them,” Potash said. “We have a big target on our back – everyone is giving them their best game, and rightfully so, but credit to the girls.”
Central Bucks East (16-2, 10-2 SOL) will travel to Neshaminy for a crossover game Wednesday at 3:15 p.m., and Pennridge (10-9, 4-9) will be on the road at Bensalem for a crossover game Thursday at 6 p.m.
Central Bucks East 3-15-10-13 41
Pennridge 9-9-15-5 38
Central Bucks East (41) – Sydney Ralph 1 0-0 2; Natalie Berndt 2 1-2 6; Anna Barry 8 1-2 23; Jess Lockwood 2 2-2 8; Chantal VanDongeren 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 14 4-6 41
Pennridge (38) – Ella Brown 6 2-2 18; Ava Fantaskey 2 0-1 4; Abby Huskin 1 0-0 3; Nikki Rindone 1 2-2 4; Layla Verbit 2 5-7 9; TOTALS 12 9-12 38
3-point goals: CBE – Anna Barry 6, Jess Lockwood 2, Natalie Berndt; Pennridge – Ella Brown 4, Abby Huskin.
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 38, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 28
The Titans scored just nine points in the first half but trailed by only two and then found their offensive stride in the second half, outscoring their visitors 29-17.
“The first half, we didn’t play with as much intensity and struggled to finish on the offensive end,” South coach Beth Mattern said.
The Titans benefitted from 28 trips to the foul line – 24 in the second half. They connected on 19 of 24. Ella Wheeler’s 7-for-8 effort at the foul line after the break led the Titans. Jules Tropea was 6-for-8 after the break.
The big quarter for the Titans was the third when they turned an 11-9 halftime deficit into a 24-15 lead with a 15-6 surge. Yoyo Samayoa’s five points led a balanced Titan attack in the frame.
“After a slow start, we came out strong in the third quarter with more intensity on the defensive end,” Mattern said. “That intensity led to a stronger offensive half of play.
“Tonight’s game was physical, and the team was resilient at finishing at the line.”
Wheeler and Samayoa led a balanced Titan attack with 10 points each – both had seven in the second half. Casey Balkir and Jules Tropea each added seven points.
For the Bucks, Gabi Senior led the way with seven points while Emily Ladley added six on a pair of 3-pointers.
Central Bucks South (11-8, 7-6 SOL) will host North Penn Friday, and Central Bucks West (5-13, 3-10) will be on the road at Pennridge Friday.
Central Bucks West 6-5-4-13 28
Central Bucks South 3-6-15-14 38
Central Bucks West (28) – Gabi Senior 2 2-6 7; Erica Madden 1 0-1 2; Aniya McDaniel 0 1-2 1; Alexis Castro 2 1-2 5; Emily Ladley 2 0-0 6; Gabby Reichner 1 2-4 4; Scarlett Baumgardner 1 0-0 3; TOTALS 9 6-15 28.
Central Bucks South (38 – Ella Wheeler 1 7-8 10; Casey Balcir 2 2-2 7; Jules Tropea 0 7-12; Yoyo Samaoy 3 2-2 10; Mia Klein 1 1-2 3; Gabby Tropea 0 1-2 1; TOTALS 7 20-28 38.
3-point goals: CBW – Emily Ladley 2, Gabi Senior, Scarlett Baumgardner; CBS – Yoyo Samayoa 2, Ella Wheeler, Casey Balkir.
NORTH PENN 48, SOUDERTON 31
Sparked by the 21-point effort of Caleigh Sperling, the Knights picked up their 12th win in 13 league games to maintain their spot atop the division standings.
“I am proud of the girls for finishing the game with a win on the road,” NP coach Bri Cullen said. “I think Souderton came out very energetic and well prepared.
“They are incredibly well coached and that really shows. It’s a hard place to play, so to finish the game with a win is a big accomplishment.”
The Knights, who led 8-4 after one quarter, took a 24-10 lead into halftime and never looked back. Sperling’s 10 points led the Knights, who also received six points from Cameron Crowley in the half.
In addition to Sperling, Crowley added 12 points, and Lily Brown added seven.
For the Indians, senior Brooke Fenchel’s 10 points, which included two 3s, led the way. Emily Dick added seven points.
North Penn (17-2, 12-1 SOL) will travel to Council Rock North for a crossover game Wednesday, and Souderton (3-16, 1-12) will be on the road at Central Bucks East Friday.
North Penn 8-16-16-8 48
Souderton 4-6-12-9 31
North Penn (48) – Cameron Crowley 4 3-4 12; Caleigh Sperling 9 0-0 21; Lily McGee 0 1-2 1; Leah Mikulski 1 0-0 3; Olivia Stone 1 1-2 3; Tallie Smink 0 1-4 1; Lily Brown 1 5-6 7; TOTALS 16 11-18 48.
Souderton (31) – Jacquelyn Bermel 2 0-0 4; Julia Purvy 1 1-2 3; Brooke Fenchel 3 2-2 10; Kiera Fadden 1 0-0 2; Alaina Picard 1 0-2 2; Emily Dick 3 1-2 7; Avie Sackor 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 12 5-8 31.
3-point goals: NP – Caleigh Sperling 3, Cameron Crowley, Leah Mikulski; Souderton – Brooke Fenchel 2.
SOL Liberty Division
UPPER DUBLIN 63, ABINGTON 47
In a battle of the SOL Liberty’s top squads, it was the Cardinals who owned the night.
UD entered the game with a perfect 12-0 record in league play. Abington was 11-1.
“It’s a big game – we haven’t played a lot of close games in the league, and with them only having one loss, I felt the pressure was on us, and I addressed it with the girls,” UD coach Morgan Funsten said. “
If there was pressure, the Cardinals didn’t show it, surprising even their coach.
“I thought it was going to be a survival type first quarter – I thought there would be mistakes on both ends, and it was kind of the opposite from our end,” Funsten said. “We came out and got up 15-0.
“It started with Amy Ngo hitting back-to-back 3s in the first 40 seconds of the game. She took a lot of pressure off the rest of our team buy stepping up and saying, ‘Here we go – big game, I’m ready.’ I thought the rest of the team followed suit.”
Ngo and fellow seniors Nora and Brighid Brady combined for six 3-pointers and 18 points in a first half that saw the Cardinals open up a 35-17 lead.
“Their senior leadership has been great all year,” Funsten said. “Because of the magnitude of the game, it doesn’t matter what grade the girl is in, you’re nervous about how they’re going to respond, and I couldn’t be more proud of the fearless attitude that the entire team had and really gave us a great lead.
“Abington can make some shots, and they definitely made shots throughout the game, but we kept them at double digits the entire game. It was a great team win.”
While the seniors were providing the leadership, Tamia Clark was playing like anything but a freshman, scoring 10 of her 13 first-half points in the opening quarter. She finished with 28 in a glittering offensive performance.
“She finished 12-for-19 from the field,” Funsten said. “She gets better every day, and she can continue to get better. There’s no limit to the things she can accomplish on the basketball court. I’m really proud of how far she’s come and feel very fortunate to have her around.”
The Cardinals – behind 11 points from Clark – edged the Ghosts 18-17 in the third quarter. The Ghosts scored 30 points in the second half but never seriously threatened.
“It was just a great team win,” Funsten said. “Defensively, I thought Nora Brady did a great job on (Mikiaya) Durham, I thought Megan Ngo did a great job on Maya (Johnson).
“We got six points, six rebounds off the bench from Bridget DiMartile. She, like Tamia, just continues to get better every day, and it’s really fun to watch.”
Amy Ngo finished with 12 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals. Nora Brady had nine points on three first-half 3-pointers.
“I could go down the list of everybody who contributed,” Funsten said. “Megan Ngo scored five points but completely dominated the game on the perimeter. She finished with six rebounds, eight assists and four steals.
“It’s definitely a special group. We can attack in a lot of different ways. I don’t think it’s so much that we’ve won the games we have. I think what makes this team so special is the way that we’ve won our games, attacking teams in different ways and different girls stepping up. It’s just been such a pleasure.”
Funsten shared a story with his team after the game about the Upper Dublin fifth grade travel team that had attended their game last Friday at Wissahickon.
“They sat behind the bench during the game and came in the locker room afterwards and took pictures,” the UD coach said. “I got an email today with a picture of our girls with their girls.
“I was looking at it because I thought it was the picture after our game, but it was a picture from Sunday afternoon when our entire team went to the fifth grade travel team’s game and watched and cheered their team on. I did not know this was happening. They were not asked to do this. This is the leadership on the team stepping up and doing this. I told the girls afterwards – ‘It’s more important to be a special person than a special basketball player.’ The group of girls we have from the best player to the entire bench – they’re such awesome kids and awesome teammates. That is what made me so proud going into tonight. It speaks to the type of people we have in our program.”
Abington was led by the 14-point effort of Piper McGinley, who scored 11 of those points in the second half. Harper McGinley added nine points while Maya Johnson and Mikiaya Durham both had eight points.
“We started off slow and couldn’t come back from it,” Abington coach Allison Lawson said. “We were not playing our game today. We had too many missed layups and turnovers tonight.
“Kudos to UD – they came out ready to play.”
Upper Dublin (18-1, 13-0 SOL) will travel to Plymouth Whitemarsh for a crossover game Thursday, and Abington (14-5, 11-2) will be on the road at Wissahickon on Friday.
Abington 5-12-17-13 47
Upper Dublin 19-16-18-10 63
Abington (47) – Maya Johnson 3 0-2 8; Harper McGinley 3 2-2 9; Mikiaya Durham 3 0-0 8; Jordyn Reynolds 1 0-0 2; Piper McGinley 6 1-3 14; Sraah Oleary 1 0-0 2; Zyn McClain 1 0-2 2; Kaylia Rice 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 19 3-9 47.
Upper Dublin (63) – Brighid Brady 1 0-0 3 Bridget DiMartile 2 2-2 6; Megan Ngo 2 0-0 5; Tamia Clark 12 4-5 28; Amy Ngo 5 0-0 12; Nora Brady 3 0-0 9; TOTALS 25 6-7 63.
3-point goals: Abington – Maya Johnson 2, Mikiaya Durham 2, Harper McGinley, Piper McGinley; UD – Nora Brady 3, Amy Ngo 2, Brighid Brady, Megan Ngo.
HATBORO-HORSHAM 41, PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 36
Sparked by a pair of double-digit scoring efforts and some stingy defense, the Hatters defeated the visiting Colonials. Maddy Patel’s 17 points led the Hatters while Kitty Randa also was in double figures with 10.
“We really played team defense tonight,” HH assistant Nicole Miletto said. “We weren’t perfect, but the girls really picked it up in the second quarter. They were disciplined and challenged each pass and made it difficult for them to get their offense going.
“We shut them out in the second, and that is usually what happens to us – not the other team.”
The Hatters, who trailed 12-9 after one quarter, took a 17-12 lead into halftime.
PW – sparked by 11 points from Kenna Winland – outscored the Hatters 16-14 in the third quarter, but the Hatters took a 31-28 lead into the final quarter and managed to hold onto the lead, outscoring their visitors 10-8.
“We took a small lead into halftime but knew that PW is a tough, well-coached team that wasn’t going to roll over,” Miletto said. “We were a little sloppy in the third and let them get back in it.
“Senior forward Kitty Randa rolled her ankle in the third quarter, and she was done for us. The girls could have just given up at that point, but everyone stepped up. Junior Maddy Patel had a great night and knocked down some key shots. She led us with 17 points and was really feeling it.”
Other players also stepped up for the Hatters, who received six points from both Angelica Visceglia and Gabby Fisher.
“Freshman Gabby Fisher stepped up huge and had some great rebounds and a couple of nice buckets,” Miletto said. “Freshman Angelica Visceglia struggled offensively and had some turnovers but came up with a huge steal in the fourth and knocked down some clutch free throws. She settled down and coach (Eric Glemser) said she started playing with confidence and took control.
“Senior Alyssa Tooley’s defense and energy was a spark for the rest of the team, and sophomores Mia Fisher and Madison Duggan were solid defensively and on the boards. It felt really good to play that well and come out with the win. We were sloppy at times but hustled when we made mistakes and that was the difference tonight.”
For the Colonials, who were not only without AJ Avery but also Joslyn Perez, Winland had a big game, leading all scorers with 23 points. Taylor Williams added seven points.
Hatboro-Horsham (7-10, 4-7 SOL) will host Springfield Twp in a crossover game Thursday, and Plymouth Whitemarsh (11-7, 7-6 SOL) will host Upper Dublin on Thursday.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 12-0-16-8 36
Hatboro-Horsham 9-8-14-10 41
Plymouth Whitemarsh (36) – Gracie Kerns 1 0-0 2; Taylor Williams 2 1-4 7; Liv Patete 1 0-0 2; Kenna Winland 8 6-7 23; Eliza Meersman 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 13 7-11 36.
Hatboro-Horsham (41) – Angelica Visceglia 1 4-4 6; Kitty Randa 5 0-0 10; Maddy Patel 7 2-2 17; Gabby Fisher 3 0-0 6; Madison Duggan 1 0-0 2; 17 6-6 41.
3-point goals: PW – Taylor Williams 2, Kenna Winland; HH – Maddy Patel.
QUAKERTOWN 45, WISSAHICKON 36
Ava Pistone had a Senior Night she’ll not soon forget.
The senior guard was on fire, scoring a game-high 28 points to lead the Panthers to their first league win.
“This was a fantastic team win on our Senior Night,” said Quakertown coach Jillian Martin. “Our five seniors work very hard to set the tone and tempo for our team, which they did very well tonight.
“I am especially pleased with our pressure defense in the press tonight and our composure on offense to execute.”
The Panthers trailed 6-0 after one quarter, but then Pistone went to work, scoring 11 second-quarter points and propelling Quakertown to a 22-21 lead.
Piston added 10 points in a third quarter that saw the Panthers up their lead to 36-27 heading into the final quarter. The senior guard wasn’t finished yet, adding seven points in the fourth quarter to put the finishing touches on a brilliant outing.
In addition to scoring 28 points, Pistone also had seven rebounds, five steals and four assists.
“Our emphasis this week was rebounding, and I am proud of all our girls who saw action as they all had five-plus rebounds each,” Martin said. “Addyson (Davis) and Paisley (Heft) were fantastic in our press. And Truly Heft, Carli Maha and Mackenzie Clayton did a great job working inside on both offense and defense.”
For the Trojans, Lydia Schultz had a big night, finishing with 15 points, five rebounds and two blocks. Julia Lettieri added nine points, five steals and four assists, and Ashley Klein had seven points, eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks.
Quakertown (2-17, 1-12 SOL) will host New Hope-Solebury in a crossover game Thursday, and Wissahickon (2-16, 1-12) will travel to Villa Joseph Marie for a non-league game Thursday at 6 p.m.
Wissahickon 6-15-6-9 36
Quakertown 4-18-14-9 45
Wissahickon (36) – Julia Lettieri 1 7-10 9; Kristsen DiGiovanni 1 0-0 2; Lydia Schultz 6 2-4 15; Ava Stout 1 0-0 3; Ashley Klein 3 1-2 7; TOTALS 12 10-16 36.
Quakertown (45) – Addyson Davis 2 2-2 6; Ava Pistone 8 9-14 28; Carli Maha 1 1-2 3; Truly Heft 4 0-2 8; TOTALS 15 12-20 45.
3-point goals: Wissahickon – Lydia Schultz, Ava Stout; Quakertown – Ava Pistone 3.
SOL Freedom Division
WILLIAM TENNENT 55, CHELTENHAM 53 (OT)
It certainly wasn’t easy, but Tennent escaped with an overtime win over Cheltenham, giving the host Panthers reason to celebrate on their Senior Night.
“It was a great team win and a much-needed win after last week,” Tennent coach Laura Whitney said. “It was senior night, so there’s always the concern about if our girls are going to let their emotions get the best of them and come out a bit flat or press too much.
“However, I thought our girls did a great job of coming out strong and really seemed dialed in and focused. Our defense the first quarter was really impressive. The girls executed the game plan perfectly, and our rotations and help defense was the best I’ve seen this season.”
Tennent led 9-2 after one quarter and took a 26-22 lead into halftime. Morgan Volz scored 11 points in the half to lead the home team while Avery Kocur had eight. For the visiting Panthers, Maya Simmons had eight points in a 20-point second quarter to lead her team.
“Second quarter we got a little careless with the ball and allowed Cheltenham to get out in transition and get back in the game,” Whitney said. “Coming into the game we knew Cheltenham has been playing well, and they had some girls back that didn’t play the first time we faced them, so, we knew they weren’t going to back down.”
Kocur scored 12 of her team’s 16 points in the third quarter, and Tennent took a 42-36 lead into the final quarter when the visitors – sparked by seven points from Jiah Price – outscored their hosts 15-9 to send the game to overtime.
Tennent scored all four of its OT points at the foul line while Cheltenham scored just two points.
“Ben (Bowman) does a great job with his girls and always has them competing,” Whitney said. “You never feel comfortable with any lead because they are capable of turning up the pressure and going on some nice runs. Sure enough, the second quarter and fourth quarter it seemed like every time we’d go up 10-11 points, they’d come storming back and get it to within a possession or two.
“I wasn’t pleased with how we finished the game in regulation. We had some mental mistakes and played too quick at times. We have to be better at understanding the situation and show more poise. Despite us almost giving the game away, our girls stepped up and got some big stops when we needed it and made some timely free throws to seal the deal. It certainly wasn’t pretty, but we’ll learn from tonight and get better moving forward.”
Kocur’s 22 points – which included a 2-for-2 effort at the foul line in OT – led Tennent. Volz also finished in double figures with 16 while Halie Staub added nine points.
“Everyone stepped up and contributed in different ways,” Whitney said. “Avery and Morgan led us in scoring. Staub was her aggressive self and made some tough finishes around the basket. Ella brought the energy and was all over the court keeping possessions alive. Jess was playing great defense and got some big rebounds. Katherine came in and gave us a big spark on the defensive end and took a huge charge the first half.”
For the visitors, Simmons led the way with 16 points while Price added 16 points. Paige Powell and Cassie Bugg both had eight points, and Arianna Davis added six.
“To say this was a devastating loss would be an understatement,” Bowman said. “William Tennent came out with more energy and determination from the start.
“We, on the other hand, came out flat and didn’t play our game until the second half. We battled and got the game to overtime, but William Tennent executed and made clutch foul shots to win. We can’t hold our heads down though. Need to pick ourselves up and be ready for Upper Moreland Friday.”
William Tennent (8-11, 6-7 SOL) will host New Hope-Solebury on Friday, and Cheltenham (9-10, 5-8) will host Upper Moreland Friday.
Cheltenham 2-20-14-15-2 53
William Tennent 9-17-16-9-4 55
Cheltenham (53) – Jiah Price 6 0-0 13; Paige Powell 4 0-2 8; Maya Simmons 7 2-2 16; Arianna Davis 3 0-0 6; Ije Okujwu 0 2-2 2; Cassie Bugg 3 2-2 8; TOTALS 23 6-8 53.
William Tennent (55) – Katherine Balibar 1 0-0 2; Ella mednick 2 1-1 5; Avery Kocur 7 5-5 22; Halie Staub 4 1-6 9; Jess Whisler 0 1-2 1; Morgan Volz 7 1-2 16; TOTALS 21 9-16 55.
3-point goals: Cheltenham – Jiah Price; WT – Avery Kocur 3, Morgan Volz.
LOWER MORELAND 60, NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY 39
Sydney Santora and Dani Brusha proved to be double trouble for the host Lions. The Lower Moreland duo combined for 37 points and led the visitors to the road win.
“We were fortunate to catch New Hope on the fourth game in five days, and they were also down a starter,” LM coach Rich Becker said. “I say fortunate because they played us tough. Izzy Elizondo and Emily Wilson are both all-league players. Every time we threatened to pull away, they would make a shot to keep the game close.
“On our end, we finally got back on track offensively. It looked like they were trying to limit Bri (McFerran), and luckily, we had Dani and Sydney to rely on. Dani knocked down five 3s on her way to 21 points. Sydney Santoro had 20 points in a variety of ways. Her perimeter game has really improved. We told Syd a few weeks ago that the next step in her progression was to go from being a Jason Kidd type of player to a Larry Bird type. She is an exceptional passer, our best rebounder, has great vision, and as her 3-point shot continues to be more consistent, she’s going to be tough to stop.”
Both players were tough to stop on Tuesday. Lower Moreland, which led 16-15 after one quarter, outscored New Hope 17-6 in the second to go into halftime with a 33-21 score. Brusha’s 13 points – which included three 3-pointers – led the way. Santora added 10 points. For New Hope, Elizondo had 10 points in the half.
In the third quarter, LM outscored the host Lions 17-11 to put the game out of reach.
“It was their Senior Night, and they had a few girls play more than they typically would and credit to Steve (Polinsky) and his staff, those girls were prepared and played tough,” Becker said. “Sam McAndrew and Isha Mukherjee both made shots in the third quarter that did not allow us to pull away, and Nina Meixler is always a tough matchup.”
In addition to Santora with 20 points and Brusha with 18, McFerran added eight points while Emma DiJoseph
added six on a pair of 3-pointers.
“Coach Becker’s team played four quarters of consistent basketball,” NH-S coach Steve Polinsky said. “They were the hunter all night long. I said it last night – my leadership on this team needs to figure things out.
“We have lost two games in a row and have not played New Hope Basketball. We were out-rebounded the whole game and had too many turnovers. We have to be better as a team. I have to be better as a coach starting tomorrow. We have two games at the end of the week, and we will turn this thing around. I give LM total props and how they play and work as a team. Good stuff and Coach Becker is a class act.”
Elizondo’s 14 points led the host Lions while Wilson added six points.
Lower Moreland (13-5, 10-3 SOL) will host Springfield Twp on Friday, and New Hope-Solebury (8-9, 5-7) will be on the road at Quakertown for a crossover game Thursday.
Lower Moreland 16-17-17-10 60
New Hope-Solebury 15-6-11-7 39
Lower Moreland (60) – Briana McFerran 3 2-4 8; Dani Brusha 8 0-3 21; Amelia Brown 2 0-0 4; Sydney Santora 9 0-0 20; Mollie Martin 2 0-0 4; Emma DiJoseph 1 0-0 3; Maddie Broderick 0 0-2 0; TOTALS 25 2-9 60.
New Hope-Solebury (39) – Sam McAndrew 2 0-0 5; Emily Wilson 3 0-0 8; Nina Meixler 1 0-0 3; Izzy Elizondo 4 4-6 14; Isha Mukherjee 1 0-0 2; Elena Shire 1 0-0 2; Devon McGuire 1 0-0 2; Naava Richlin 1 0-0 3; 14 4-6 39.
3-point goals: LM – Dani Brusha 5, Sydney Santora 2, Emma DiJoseph; NHS – Emily Wilson 2, Izzy Elizondo 2, Nina Meixler, Isha Mukherjee, Naava Richlin.
UPPER MORELAND 64, SPRINGFIELD TWP 32
The Golden Bears celebrated the team’s four seniors – Makaila Allen, Holly Gohl and Olivia and Molly Meakim – with an impressive win over the visiting Spartans.
“It was a very emotional night, celebrating our four seniors,” UM coach Josh Adelman said. “We started all four seniors with Mikel Lancit. There was a huge crowd at our home gym filled with family, students, cheerleaders. It was a great atmosphere.”
The Golden Bears fell behind 12-4 in the first quarter, but sparked by 10 points from Lancit and six from Gohl, UM put 23 points on the board in the second quarter and went into halftime with a 29-19 lead.
The Bears weren’t finish yet, entertaining their home crowd with a 21-point third quarter to go into the final frame with a 50-28 lead.
“The great thing was the girls were playing at such a high level, and looking for each other,” Adelman said. “Eight different girls scored, and girls that normally come off the bench were playing so well.
“Our defense picked up a notch and we rebounded very well and got out and ran, and we finished. As I keep saying, our division is very competitive, and no team stops playing hard. Springfield never quit and kept battling. I am just proud of our girls for really playing 32 minutes of team basketball.”
Lancit’s 20 points led UM while Gohl added 18. Molly Meakim added nine points.
For the Spartans, Caitlin Lewis and Jayla Daniels both had nine points. Ava Culler finished with eight while Alana Decker and Hannah Brandon both had six.
Upper Moreland (13-5, 10-3 SOL) will travel to Cheltenham on Friday, and Springfield Twp (9-9, 4-8) will be on the road at Hatboro-Horsham for a crossover game Thursday.
Springfield Twp 12-7-9-4 32
Upper Moreland 6-23-21-14 64
Springfield Twp (32) – Alana Decker 2 0-0 6; Hannah Brandon 3 0-0 6; Caitlin Lewis 4 0-0 9; Jayla Daniels 4 0-0 9; Grace Dailey 0 1-2 1; Keira Brandon 1 0-0 2; Ava Culler 3 2-4 8; TOTALS 13 3-6 32.
Upper Moreland (64) – Mikel Lancit 8 4-6 20; Lianna Adames 1 0-0 2; Marie Meyers 1 0-0 3; Lilly Hansen 2 0-0 4; Holly Gohl 8 1-2 18; Olivia Meakim 1 0-0 3; Molly Meakim 4 0-2 9; Makaila Allen 2 1-3 5; TOTALS 27 6-13 64.
3-point goals: – Alana Decker 2, Jayla Daniels; UM – Marie Meyers, Holly Gohl, Olivia Meakim, Molly Meakim.
About the Author
