Check out the recaps for SOL girls’ basketball teams in action Monday. CB West/NP photos provided courtesy of Tracy Valko. Check back for a gallery of photos.
SOL Colonial Division
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 46, NORTH PENN 38
Talk about a perfect Senior Night – this was it.
Emily Spratt reached a personal milestone in the second quarter, scoring on a putback that vaulted the Bucks’ captain to the 1,000-point plateau. Not a bad way for the team’s lone senior to
celebrate her special night.
“It was awesome,” West coach Zach Sibel said. “It was definitely an awesome night for an awesome kid. For her being the only senior too – it’s a pretty unique situation.
“That hasn’t happened at West for a long time, so for her to do that on Senior Night in front of friends and family and at home was really special. I think that’s a memory we’ll all have for a long time, and I hope she remembers.”
The Bucks, who led 11-7 after one quarter, took a 24-15 lead into halftime. Spratt – who needed four points to reach the 1000-point plateau – had six points in the first half. The two teams exchanged baskets in the second half.
Spratt’s 19 points, which included a 6-for-9 effort at the foul line, led the Bucks. She completed a double-double with 11 rebounds. Tai Henkels had eight points and five rebounds. Katie Finnan and Ava Longo both had six points. Longo also had six rebounds. Alexis Castro added five points and six rebounds.
“I thought it was a good game for us energy-wise,” Sibel said. “We came out ready to play, we came out firing, and the ball had energy tonight.
“That’s something we kept saying, and the ball gets energy by moving it. We had multiple players touching the ball during possessions, and I think that got us into a flow offensively. Defensively, we were able to bring some pressure and let that lead to some energy on offense too.”
For the Knights, Caleigh Sperling’s 11 points led the way. Abby Plaugher added 10 points while Kelly Donnelly had eight and Olivia Stone, seven points.
Central Bucks West (13-4, 8-4 SOL) will host Central Bucks South on Tuesday, and North Penn (7-9. 5-7) will host Pennridge on Tuesday.
North Penn 7-8-11-12 38
Central Bucks West 11-13-12-10 46
North Penn (38) – Caleigh Sperling 3 4-4 11; Cameron Crowley 1 0-0 2; Abby Plaugher 4 0-0 10; Kelly Donnelly 4 0-0 8; Olivia Stone 3 1-2 7. TOTALS 15 5-6 38.
Central Bucks West (46) – Tai Henkels 3 0-0 8; Kaite Finnan 3 0-4 6; Emily Spratt 6 6-9 19; Alexis Castro 1 3-4 5; Ava Longo 2 1-2 6; Gabi Senior 1 0-0 2. TOTALS 16 10-19 46.
3-point goals: NP – Abby Plaugher 2, Caleigh Sperling; CBW – Tai Henkels 2, Emily Spratt, Ava Longo.
SOUDERTON 38, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 27
The Indians limited the Titans to just 23 points in the initial meeting between the two schools, and the Titans didn’t do a whole lot better in Monday’s rematch. Those two games represent the lowest point output by the Titans this season.
“We held them to single digits all four quarters, which is always our goal,” Souderton coach Lynn Carroll said. “Again, our length always gives us the advantage, and we try to use it to our advantage.
“Casey (Harter) did a really good job on Taylor Hinkle, who finished with 11, and a couple of them were breakaways. I thought Taylor played really well. Erin (Bohmueller) did a good job on Yoyo (Samayoa). Mikayla (McGilllian) played defense in the middle and her help was really, really good. Teya (McConnaha) was in that position a little bit, and Teya’s help defense was really, really good. Brooke (Fenchel) did what she needed to do defensively, and we got good minutes off the bench from Alexis (Stefanowicz) and Grace (McDonough) defensively. Our girls defended really, really well.”
The Indians – behind six points from Casey Harter – led 12-7 after one quarter, and they took a 20-12 lead into halftime. Teya McConnaha and Harter both had eight points in the half.
In the third quarter, the Indians – sparked by a pair of 3-point baskets from Erin Bohmueller – added to their lead, outscoring the Titans 12-6 in the third quarter. They took a 32-18 lead into the final quarter on their way to the win.
Harter’s 14 points led the Indians. McConnaha added 10 points and 10 rebounds, and Bohmueller added eight points. Grace McDonough had five rebounds, and Brooke Fenchel had four points, four rebounds, three assists and two blocks.
“Casey did a good job of attacking the basket, finishing some tough shots,” Carroll said. “Teyha had another double-double. Erin had another good shooting night.
“We’re at a point in the season where we want to be playing our best basketball, and every possession that’s in front of us – we want to execute it and work hard.”
Hinkle’s 11 points led the Titans.
“They are struggling with injuries right now,” Carroll said. “Mackenzie Erb didn’t play, and (Alyssa) D’Orazio went down in the second quarter. I hope she’s okay. Her going down in the second quarter and not coming back hurts them, especially on the offensive end.
“Hinkle was a little banged up. She had to come out for a little bit and then she had to come out at the end of the game, so hopefully, they can get back to healthy before playoffs start.”
Souderton (15-2, 11-1 SOL) will host Central Bucks East on Tuesday, and Central Bucks South (10-6, 6-6) will be on the road at Central Bucks West on Tuesday.
Souderton 12-8-12-6 38
Central Bucks South 7-5-6-9 27
Souderton (38) – Brooke Fenchel 2 0-0 4; Erin Bohmueller 2 2-2 8; Mikayla McGillian 1 0-0 2; Casey Harter 6 2-3 14; Teya McConnaha 5 0-0 10. TOTALS 16 4-5 38.
Central Bucks South (27) – Taylor Hinkle 5 12 11; Alyssa D’Orazio 2 0-0 5; Maddie Tantum 0 1-4 1; Sammy Schiesser 2 0-0 5; Allison Sauers 0 2-2 2; Yoyo Samayoa 1 1-2 3. TOTALS 10 5-10 27.
3-point goals: Souderton – Erin Bohmueller 2; CBS – Alyssa D’Orazio, Sammy Schiesser.
SOL Patriot Division
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 53, HARRY S TRUMAN 32
With the weather wreaking havoc on the schedule, the Indians started a 7-games-in-12-days stretch when they visited Truman for a division matchup that was rescheduled from Friday night. After sprinting out to an early six-point first quarter lead, the Tigers fought back. Rock North entered the second quarter ahead 11- 9. Lizzie Lustig accounted for eight of the Indians’ points.
“Our defense was okay in the first quarter, but we knew we could be better,” Rock North coach Jim Roynan said. “We talked at the break about tightening up the defense, taking away driving lanes, and making sure we were aggressive rebounders. With the way that Truman can get to the rim, it was important for us to be committed to those defensive principles. If you can keep Truman’s guards from dribble penetrating, you give yourself a much better chance.”
The Indians did just that, limiting Truman to five second-quarter points and extending their lead to 22-14 at the half. Kristen Polinsky’s six points led the Indians in the second quarter.
“Coach (Ashida) Cooper does an excellent job with her team,” Roynan said. “They continue to improve every game.
“We knew we had to be dialed-in defensively.
“Our girls really rose to the challenge in the second quarter. We switched up our defense and made some adjustments to the matchups. We forced Truman into some tough shots, and our rebounding was really excellent in the quarter. We built some momentum going into the half, and we came out in the third quarter, ramped up the defensive intensity, and kept it high for the rest of the game.”
Lustig’s 14 points, which included a 4-for-4 effort at the foul line, led the Indians. Delaney McCaffery added 13 points, including a pair of 3-pointers. Polinsky finished with 11 points, including two 3s.
“Offensively, we had three players in double figures, which is really a testament to how well this team shares the ball,” Roynan said. “Kristen (Polinsky) made a couple of key baskets in the second quarter, and she continued her offensive burst into the third quarter.
“Delaney (McCaffery) was a steadying influence throughout the game. She got us into our offensive sets, and she had a nice balance between scoring and playmaking. Lizzie (Lustig) was relentless on the offensive glass. She was also the recipient of some nice passes that led to scores.”
Lustig finished the night with her second consecutive double-double, recording a game high 14 points and 11 rebounds. She had plenty support in the rebounding department from the rest of the team, including McCaffery, Lustig, Riley Hamilton, Sofia Shields, and Ruth O’Keefe.
“Ruth really battled tonight on both ends of the floor,” Roynan said. “She has excellent instincts, especially on the defensive end, and she was able to contest shots and secure some tough rebounds. She has been getting better and better as the season goes on, and she’s finding ways to contribute in multiple areas.
“Riley (Hamilton) has been a consistent rebounder all year, and she was again tonight. When we get efforts like we did tonight on defense and on the glass, our level of play really improves.”
It had been a long time between wins for the Indians, who have battled injuries and lost Jaden Wan, a first team all-league selection last year, for the season.
“Our season hasn’t gone the way we had hoped, but the girls have stayed positive through some trying circumstances,” Roynan said. “They are supportive of their teammates no matter what challenges we’ve faced, so it was nice for them to get the win tonight. We’re looking forward to building on our progress and to finishing strong over the next two weeks.”
For the Tigers, Patricia Monroe led the way with 11 points, and Saniya Blount added seven and Hannah Smith, six points.
Council Rock North (3-13, 2-10 SOL) will host archrival Council Rock South on Tuesday, and Harry S Truman (0-14, 0-11) will travel to Bensalem on Tuesday,
Council Rock North 11-11-17-14 53
Harry S Truman 9-5-6-12 32
Council Rock North (53) – Claire Pirkle 0 2-2 2; Lizzie Lustig 5 4-4 14; Delaney McCaffery 4 3-3 13; Riley Hamilton 2 1-2 6; Mara Penner 1 1-2 3; Kristen Polinsky 4 1-1 11; Ruth O’Keefe 2 0-0 4. TOTALS 18 12-14 53.
Harry S Truman (32) – Mayah Alford 2 0-0 4; Saniya Blount 3 0-0 7; Patricia Monroe 5 1-1 11; Hannah Smith 2 1-2 6; Dahlia Gumaa 2 0-0 4. TOTALS 14 2-3 32..
3-point goals: CRN – Delaney McCaffery 2, Kristen Polinsky 2, Riley Hamilton, HST – Saniya Blount, Hannah Smith.
SOL Liberty/Freedom crossover
UPPER MORELAND 55, HATBORO-HORSHAM 53
The visiting Golden Bears eked out a win over the Hatters, but it wasn’t easy. EmmyFaith Wood led the Bears with 20 points while Kiera Coyle added 14, including four 3-pointers. Holly Gohl had 13 points with three 3-pointers.
Hatboro-Horsham senior Alice Hall matched Wood point for points, also finishing with a game high 20 points.
“Alice Hall is unreal,” UM coach Matt Carroll said. “I will have nightmares of her, and I won’t be sad when she goes over to MIT. Kylie (Gaul) and Emma (Hurley) battled her the entire game, and even then, it isn’t always enough.
“I give Hatboro-Horsham credit because they came out strong in the second half and they made shots. We know that they like to shoot the three and are capable, and boy, did they shoot it tonight. Every time we got some breathing room they came right back. We haven’t had a ton of close games this year and you could tell in the fourth quarter. We had some calls go our way, made enough big plays, and survived. As we get closer to playoffs, it’s all about getting better, and I think we will learn from some of the things that went poorly and be better for it. The process isn’t always the most enjoyable.”
The Golden Bears, who led 18-12 after one quarter, took a 28-19 lead into halftime. Coyle and Gohl both had eight points to lead the Bears while Emily Thomas led the Hatters with eight points. The third quarter belonged to the Hatters, who outscored their visitors 18-11 and pulled to within two (39-37). In the quarter, Hall had four baskets for eight points while Thomas buried a pair of 3-pointers. The two teams exchanged baskets in the fourth quarter, and the Golden Bears escaped with the win.
In addition to Hall, Thomas finished with 18 points, including three 3-pointers.
“Emily Thomas and Alice Hall were strong for us tonight,” HH assistant coach Nicole Miletto said. “We did a much better job on the defensive boards this game. They were aggressive, and we matched their intensity pretty well. We weren’t getting many calls and that was frustrating, but the girls held their own and played hard the whole game.
“Our defense was good, and we were happy with how we defended (EmmyFaith) Wood and (Holly) Gohl. We were denying them, but we were never going to shut them down totally. Other girls stepped up and made some big shots for them. We struggled a little offensively with shots and rebounding but held them to 10 and 11 points in the second and third quarters.
“We had a great second half, but we just fell short. We missed a lot of free throws and that was probably the difference in the game. We’re hoping to build on this effort, we have a tough couple of games ahead this week.”
The Hatters connected on 8-of-18 from the foul line.
Upper Moreland (11-4, 9-3 SOL) will host Cheltenham on Tuesday, and Hatboro-Horsham (9-6, 7-5) will host Plymouth Whitemarsh on Tuesday.
Upper Moreland 18-10-11-16 55
Hatboro-Horsham 12-7-18-16 53
Upper Moreland (55) – EmmyFaith Wood 8 3-4 20; Kiera Coyle 5 0-0 14; Holly Goohl 4 2-2 13; Emma Hurley 1 0-0 3; Mikel Lancit 2 0-0 5. TOTALS 20 5-6 55.
Hatboro-Horsham (53) – Caroline Shegogue 1 3-7 6; Alice Hall 9 2-5 20; Kitty Randa 2 0-0 4; Leah Harrington 1 1-2 3; Emily Thomas 6 2-4 18; Sam Hollish 1 0-0 3. TOTALS 20 8-18 53.
3-point goals: UM – Kiera Coyle 4, Holly Gohl 3, Emma Hurley, Mikel Lancit, EmmyFaith Wood; HH – Emily Thomas 3, Sam Hollish, Caroline Shegogue.
UPPER DUBLIN 52, CHELTENHAM 26
Bliss Brenner turned in another superb outing for the Flying Cardinals. The senior point guard scored a game high 14 points, which included four 3-pointers, and pulled down 10 rebounds for an impressive double-double. She also had seven assists, three deflections and five steals.
It was Brenner setting the tone for the Cardinals with eight first-quarter points, including a pair of 3s. Colleen Klammer added six points, and UD led 20-6 after one quarter. By halftime, Brenner and Klammer both ad 11 points, and the Cardinals led 34-12 on their way to the win.
Also for the Cardinals, Geena Sarnoski also had 11 points, including two 3s, to go along with five rebounds and two steals. Amy Ngo was the fourth Flying Cardinal in double figures with 10 points to go along with four assists and three steals. Aditi Foster had five rebounds, four points and two steals.
For the Lady Panthers, Amelia Yevoli’s 11-point effort led the way.
“Their pressure gave us trouble early on, and we never recovered from there,” Cheltenham coach Ben Bowman said. “Tomorrow will be a similar game, and we need to come out ready.”
Upper Dublin (11-7, 9-4 SOL) will travel to Quakertown on Tuesday, and Cheltenham (3-13, 0-10) will be on the road at Upper Moreland on Tuesday.
Upper Dublin 20-14-10-8 52
Cheltenham 6-6-6-8 26
Upper Dublin (52) – Alaina Sanders 1 0-0 2; Bliss Brenner 5 0-0 14; Kaylee Fitzkee 0 0-2 0; Aditi Foster 2 0-2 4; Geena Sarnoski 4 0-0 11; Colleen Klammer 5 0-0 11; Amy Ngo 4 0-0 10. TOTALS 21 0-4 52.
Cheltenham (26) – Mikahila Leighton 2 0-2 4; Arianna Davis 1 0-0 2; Tyrina Ragsdale 2 1-2 5; Cassie Bugg 1 2-2 4; Amelia Yvolia 5 0-0 11. TOTALS 11 3-6 26.
3-point goals: UD – Bliss Brenner 4, Geena Sarnoski 3, Amy Ngo 2, Colleen Klammer; Cheltenham – Amelia Yevoli.
Non-league
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 52, UPPER MERION 41
Jayla Daniels scored 22 points in a standout offensive effort to lead the Spartans to the non-league win. The sophomore forward was joined in double figures by sophomore Alana Decker (14 points) and freshman Samiyyah Thompson (13 points).
“It was a team effort,” Springfield Township coach David Giordano said. “We had eight or nine girls play. I asked them for some goals for the night. I asked for three girls with at least 10 points, and we had that. We played some solid defense at times. They only had five points in the fourth quarter. On defense, they stepped up to the challenge, and we finished it out strong.”
The Spartans trailed 10-4 after one quarter but erupted for 21 points in the second quarter to go into halftime with a 25-23 lead. Daniels led the way with 13 points in the first half – 11 in the second quarter. Thompson added seven second-quarter points.
“We’ve been starting slow, and we started slow again tonight,” Giordano said. “We only scored four in the first quarter, but we woke up in the second and made it a two-point game at halftime.”
The Spartans – sparked by seven points from Decker – outscored the Vikings 17-13 in the third quarter and 27-18 in the second half.
“I’d say the last week or two we’ve started to put the ball in the basket both at practice and in the games, and I think that makes a difference for the girls,” Giordano said. “It sounds elementary, but everything comes off that.
“In two of the last three games, we’ve put at least 50 points up, and that just changes their whole mental approach. They can see the ball go in the basket, and then everything happens from there.”
Upper Merion was led by the 20-point effort of Devon Maiden.
“Upper Merion battled hard,” Giordano said. “They have a couple of nice players over there. We just tried to keep it close. I made some changes on defense on the fly that the girls reacted to very well. I think it helped us a little bit as far as knowing we can execute some things.
“We have to take care of the ball a little bit better, but I’m happy for them. They’ve been working hard. We’ve been coming up a little short, but in the last week or two, they’re starting to see progress, and it’s not all been about numbers and points, so it’s good to get one from that perspective.”
Springfield Township (3-12, 0-11 SOL) will be on the road at William Tennent on Tuesday.
Upper Merion 10-13-13-5 41
Springfield Twp 4-21-17-10 52
Upper Merion (41) – Devon Maiden 7 5-7 20; Riley Anderson 4 1-2 9; Melissa McCabe 1 1-4 3; Mia Nicolai 1 0-0 2; Chloe Kukenberger 0 1-2 1; Olivia Smith 3 0-0 6. TOTALS 16 8-15 41.
Springfield Twp (52) – Annie Coll 1 1-2 3; Samiyyah Thompson 5 2-2 13; Jayla Daniels 10 2-3 22; Alana Decker 2 8-9 14; Lauren Hussie 0 0-1 0. TOTALS 18 13-17 52.
3-point goals: UM – Devon Maiden; Springfield Twp – Alana Decker 2, Samiyyah Thompson.
BENSALEM 52, ST. HUBERT’S 43
Delaney Bell scored 17 points – 14 in a second half that saw the Owls rally from a 24-20 deficit to outscore their visitors 32-19.
“It was a great feeling to get back into the win column after a brutal last week with Souderton and Pennsbury,” said Bensalem coach Steve Johnson of a week that included games against two of the SOL’s top squads. “We started out a bit slow on the defensive side of things. St. Hubert’s moved extremely well without the ball, and there were a few times in the first half we got caught ball watching in which they scored off of.”
Amber Howard’s eight points kept the Owls close in the first half, and in the third quarter, Bell went to work, scoring 12 points in a glittering offensive effort. Despite Bell’s heroics, the Owls still trailed the Bambies 37-36 heading into the final quarter when they outscored their visitors 16-6 and did not allow a field goal. Maddie MacDougall and Averi McCoy both had five points in the fourth quarter.
In addition to Bell, Howard (12 points) and McCoy (11 points) also finished the game in double figures.
“Amber and Delaney are playing extremely well – they’re playing complimentary basketball,” Johnson said. “Amber is playing very unselfish and is finding Delaney when she draws two.
“Averi McCoy really sparked us with her defense in the second half. She got a huge steal in the fourth and finished on the other end. Erin (Devlin) took a very timely charge that hyped us up on the bench. Maddie MacDougall hit another huge three for us in the fourth that we needed big time.”
Bensalem (9-8, 4-8 SOL) will host Harry S Truman on Tuesday.
St. Hubert’s 14-10-13-6 43
Bensalem 10-10-16-16 52
St. Hubert’s (43) – Mia Tobin 3 0-0 7; Mackenzie McLaughlin 4 1-2 11; Charlotte Pugh 2 1-2 5; Alexa Price 2 0-0 4; Gianna Grassifulli 3 7-14 14; Katie Patterson 0 2-3 2. TOTALS 14 11-21 43.
Bensalem (52) – Delaney Bell 7 1-1 17; Maddie MacDougall 3 0-0 7; Erin Devlin 1 0-0 2; Averi McCoy 3 5-6 11; Amber Howard 6 0-0 12; Mikayla Donahue 1 0-0 2; Talia DiMichele 0 1-2 1. TOTALS 21 7-9 52.
3-point goals: St. Hubert’s – Mackenzie McLaughlin 2, Mia Tobin, Gianna Grassifulli; Bensalem – Delaney Bell 2, Maddie MacDougall.
PERKIOMEN VALLEY 47, LOWER MORELAND 24
DOWNINGTOWN WEST 40, WISSAHICKON 25
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