Check out the recaps for SOL girls’ basketball teams in action Friday. CR South/Abington photos provided courtesy of Keith Clemens Photography. Check back for a gallery of photos: https://solsports.zenfolio.com/f226313402
9th Annual Jim Church Classic
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 67, ABINGTON 40
The Golden Hawks took a tenuous 16-14 lead into the second quarter when – behind eight points from Fiona Reckner – they outscored the Ghosts 17-4 to go into halftime with a 33-18 lead. They added to that lead in the third quarter on their way to the impressive win in Friday’s opener that saw three players – Reckner, Liliana Metrick and
Kathryn O’Kane – finish in double figures.
“We are really proud of our players for being so committed to the program and to improving during the offseason, and today was a culmination of all their hard work leading up to the season,” Rock South coach Jesse Krasna said. “This was a nice win for our program. We knew about Abington’s rich basketball history and the offensive firepower they had returning this year, so our girls were excited for the challenge.
“Coach (Allison) Lawson does a great job designing pressure defense and constructing an offense that gives her guards space to make plays. We had a lot of trouble defending them in the first quarter. We were in a difficult spot and had to navigate some early foul trouble and a key injury, but we had several players step up in the second quarter to help us get some stops and build a lead into halftime.”
Metrick’s 15 points led a balanced Rock South attack. She scored 12 of her team’s 16 first-quarter points in an explosive offensive performance out of the gate.
“Liliana Metrick picked up right where she left off last year and was on fire to start the game,” Krasna said. “She has put in so many unseen hours in empty gyms and parks over the years, so her performance was not a coincidence. 
“Fiona Reckner showcased her versatility and nonstop motor on both ends of the floor. When she wasn’t scoring, she was drawing defenders and finding her teammates or getting an offensive rebound. Defensively, her assignment was Abington’s center, but she also guarded on the perimeter equally as well.”
Reckner finished with 13 points – all in the middle two quarters. O’Kane added 12 points – six in the third quarter when the Golden Hawks iced the win.
“Kathryn O’Kane showed a lot of mental toughness,” Krasna said. “She sat for a quarter-and-a-half with foul trouble in the first half, but when she reentered the game, her impact was felt immediately, creating scoring opportunities for herself and her teammates every time she touched the ball.”
Miranda Cantor added eight points off the bench, which included a pair of 3-pointers, and Sarah Freeman had six off a pair of 3s.
“Miranda Cantor and Sarah Freeman played major minutes off the bench and came through with some big shots and hustle plays to extend our lead,” Krasna said. “Cam Gregory, Maria Freeman and Haley Thompson were terrific defensively. Their activity was disruptive, and we got some extra possessions because of their scrappiness. 
“Katie Purpura rebounded well and made the right play offensively throughout the game. She also did a great job limiting Abington’s star point guard in the third quarter when we switched her matchup. Overall, we were pleased with our energy, effort, unselfishness and execution and hope to carry the momentum over to Championship Saturday.”
The Ghosts were led by the double-digit scoring efforts of Maya Johnson and Jordyn Reynolds with 13 and 12 points, respectively. Mikiaya Durham added seven points.
Council Rock South (1-0) will face Souderton in Saturday’s championship game at 2:30 p.m., and Abington (0-1) will take on William Tennent at 11:30 a.m.
Council Rock South 16-17-18-16 67
Abington 14-4-8-14 40
Council Rock South (67) – Sarah Freeman 2 0-0 6; Liliana Merick 5 1-2 15; Miranda Cantor 3 0-0 8; Gillian Martin 1 0-0 3; Katie Papura 2 0-0 5; Kathryn O’Kane 6 0-2 12; Camryn Gregory 2 1-3 5; Fiona Reckner 5 3-3 13; TOTALS 25 5-10 67.
Abington (40) – Maya Johnson 5 3-3 13; Mikiaya Durham 3 1-2 7; Jordyn Reynolds 1 10-11 12; Sarah Oleary 2 0-0 4; Zyn McClain 2 0-0 4; TOTALS 13 14-16 40.
3-point goals: CRS – Liliana Merick 4, Miranda Cantor 2, Sarah Freeman 2, Gillian Martin, Katie Purpura.
SOUDERTON 35, WILLIAM TENNENT 33
Brooke Fenchel opened her final high school season with a moment that might be tough to top, breaking a 33-33 tie with a difficult shot for the game-winner at the buzzer.
“I’m so happy for Brooke Fenchel that the ball was in her hands at the end of the game,” Souderton coach Lynn Carroll said. “She had the guts to take the shot. It’s almost like that’s the tougher thing than making it – having the courage to take it and not give it to somebody else.”
The Indians needed some late-game heroics from Jacquelyn Bermel to knot the score after Tennent had taken a 33-30 lead.
“Jac Bermel played great,” Carroll said. “She played so well. She hit a 3 to tie the game at 33-33. It was close most of the game. We had a rough stretch, and we were down 33-30, and Jac hits a 3. That kind of set us up for the last shot.
“We had the ball with four seconds to go on the sideline. Brooke made a really, really tough shot. It was going through the net as the buzzer was going off. She got the ball on the low post with (Morgan) Volz behind her, and she scored on just a really tough turnaround scoop shot.”
Fenchel’s game-winner was her first basket since a bucket in the first quarter.
“It’s always tough to lose that way, especially the first game of the season – it’s definitely a little crushing,” Tennent coach Laura Whitney said. “I have a ton of respect for Lynn (Carroll) as a coach. Just the success she’s built with that program. Her girls play the right way, they play hard, they’re well prepared.
“I know people say that Souderton is a little bit down this year. It might not be the typical Souderton team, but they’re definitely a tough team. I think they’re going to surprise people and win a lot of games this year. Credit to Lynn and Souderton.”
The Indians are coming off back-to-back SOL Colonial Division title but lost the nucleus of last year’s squad to graduation.
“It’s a very, very different situation than we’ve been in in a while,” Carroll said. “It was a gutsy win. I’m really happy for the girls that this is how the season is starting for them.
“We’ve thrown a lot at them in not much time. We’re going to learn a lot about ourselves during the next few weeks. They’re working hard, and they’re giving us exactly what they should be giving us right now. We’re going to get better and better. It’s great for them to start the season with a win, but it’s going to be a season-long process for us, but this is a great way to start it off.”
Bermel’s 13 points, which included a pair of 3s, led the Indians. She also had seven rebounds. Madison Bealer added eight points while Kiera Fadden had 12 rebounds and 3 steals.
Despite the outcome, Whitney saw a lot of positives.
“It’s not the end result we wanted – we kind of hurt ourselves,” the Panthers’ coach said. “We didn’t get off to the best start – whether it was first-game jitters or not, we had trouble finding the basket, missed a couple of layups, and we found ourselves down nine early in the first quarter and also in the third quarter.
“The thing I was pleased with was just the way our girls battled. We have four of five starters returning. That experience and the way we were able to compete and build something last year – you could definitely see the improvement from last year to this year and how it’s helped. Our girls just continue to battle and give ourselves opportunities. It really came down to the final possession.”
Tennent’s Avery Kocur scored 17 points to lead all scorers. She had just one point after one quarter but scored seven in the second quarter and seven more in the third.
“We battled foul trouble – my best big, Morgan (Volz), was in foul trouble a lot of the game, so we were spotting her in and out,” Whitney said. “Avery Kocur was that steady, calm presence for us and led us in scoring. Morgan didn’t necessarily get the points that she’s capable of, but she gave us a huge basket in the fourth quarter, and then just her presence in rebounding defensively was huge for us.
“The same thing with Halie Staub. She didn’t score as much as she normally does, but again, she made some big plays and got a huge offensive rebound where she ended up getting fouled and made both free throws to tie the game with 1:07 left in the game.”
In the end, it came down to one possession – Souderton’s final of the game.
“Souderton had the ball with 1:07,” Whitney said. “We were able to kind of contain them and forced Souderton to burn two timeouts. They finally get the ball back with 4.7 seconds. Again, I thought our defense was good.
“Kudos to them for better offense. They got the ball in to the post, and the girl made a turning pirouette scoop shot that banked in at the buzzer. It’s difficult, but the good thing is we’re right back at it tomorrow. We can learn from this.”
Souderton (1-0) will face Council Rock South in Saturday’s title game at 2:30 p.m. William Tennent (0-1) will take on Abington in the consolation game at 11:30 a.m.
William Tennent 5-12-10-6 33
Souderton 11-8-8-8 35
William Tennent (33) – Ella Mednick 2 0-0 4; Avery Kocur 5 6-7 17; Halie Staub 1 3-6 5; Jess Whisler 1 1-2 3; Morgan Volz 2 0-0 4; TOTALS 11-15 33.
Souderton (35) – Jacquelyn Bermel 3 5-6 13; Madison Bealer 4 0-0 8; Brooke Fenchel 2 1-1 5; Kiera Fadden 2 0-0 4; Alaina Picard 0 2-2 2; Emily Dick 1 1-2 3; TOTALS 12 9-12 35.
3-point goals: WT – Avery Kucur; Souderton – Jacquelyn Bermel 2.
13th Annual Pennridge Girls’ Basketball Tournament
PENNRIDGE 50, VILLA JOSEPH MARIE 38
The Rams found themselves on the short end of an 11-9 score after one quarter, and then Ella Brown took charge. The junior guard was all but unstoppable, connecting on three 3-pointers and scoring 15 of her game-high 25 points in a brilliant second quarter showing.
“Ella Brown was incredible,” Pennridge coach Jason Rapp said. “She scored, defended and rebounded.”
Brown’s second-quarter effort turned a two-point deficit into a 29-17 halftime lead, but the Jems refused to go away, trimming that lead to 34-29 after three quarters.
“Abby Huskin made a huge reverse layup and the 3 that got us out of a funk in the fourth quarter,” Rapp said.
Huskin scored eight of her 13 points in a fourth quarter that saw the Rams outscore the Jems 16-9. Layla Verbit also finished in double figures with 10.
“Nikki Rindone did a great job defending and rebounding,” Rapp said. “Layla Verbit added 10 with four key free throws down the stretch
“Ava Fantaskey was great defensively and great taking care of the ball. Julia Reavy and Emily DeHaven gave us much needed quality minutes of the bench. Villa is tough, well coached and can shoot it”
Pennridge (1-0) will face Quakertown on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Villa Joseph Marie 11-6-12-9 38
Pennridge 9-20-5-16 50
Villa Joseph Marie (38) – Lizzie Grumwell 3 0-0 7; Riley Deal 2 0-0 6; Grace Pizzica 4 0-0 8; Julia Mack 3 0-0 6; Avery Akright 1 0-0 2; Ava Guremmy 3 1-2 9; TOTALS 16 1-2 38.
Pennridge (50) – Ella Brown 9 2-2 25; Ava Fantaskey 0 2-2 2; Abby Huskin 5 0-0 13; Layla Verbit 2 6-6 10; TOTALS 16 10-10 50.
3-point goals: VJM 5; Pennridge – Ella Brown 5, Abby Huskin 3.
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 51, QUAKERTOWN 23
Ruth O’Keefe scored 16 points and Delaney McCaffrey added 13 to lead the Indians to the season-opening win. Delaney’s seven points – which included a pair of 3s – jumpstarted the Indians, who opened up a 16-3 lead after one quarter. They took a 25-12 lead into halftime.
“We have stressed to our players to be ‘stars’ in their roles – whatever roles that may be,” Rock North coach John Kelly said. “I thought every single player on our roster embraced that and did what we asked of them.
“Delaney McCaffery really helped set the tone for us early on, and she was a catalyst in getting us out to an early lead. Unfortunately, she battled some foul trouble in the second and third quarters, but our players really responded and showed some resolve to fight off any major runs from Quakertown, who I thought just played hard and gritty throughout.”
O’Keefe had the hot hand in the second half, scoring 12 of her 16 points after the intermission. Her eight third-quarter points gave the Indians a 14-6 scoring edge, sending them into the fourth quarter with a 39-18 lead.
“I thought Ruth O’Keefe played phenomenal – she played within herself offensively, was in all of the right spots defensively, and she did a great job rebounding,” Kelly said. “It was also really special for our team to have Frannie Boyle and Megan Reichenbach contribute after missing last season due to injury. They worked hard to get back, and they didn’t just come back – they had a profound impact on the game. Our team was really excited for Frannie, Sasha Galarza, and Julia Koval, who all scored their first varsity points tonight.
“Tonight was a strong start, and we are excited to start off with a win. But it’s just that – a start. We have to continue to get better each day, and we have to prepare fast for Villa Joe on Saturday.”
The Panthers have a whole lot of new faces in their lineup this year after losing the bulk of their scoring to graduation.
“This was a learning experience for our whole team, including us coaches,” Quakertown coach Brittany Bamford said. “The only returning starter for us this year is Ava Pistone and she started off this season with being a good teammate. Unselfish on offense and solid on defense. Bringing lots of energy. She also had eight rebounds for us- five being defensive.
“Addyson Davis had good experience last year playing varsity and stepped up today offensively. We’d like to see her be a little more selfish with the ball, but she is attacking the basket and finished both of her offensive boards. She made some great passes inbounding the ball tonight.”
Davis led the Panthers with nine points.
“Another senior in the rotation that played really well was Mackenzie Clayton,” Bamford said. “She also was shaking things up with some important offensive rebounds and defensive rebounds. Carli Maha set some beautiful screens for her teammates tonight that got them open shots that some just didn’t fall tonight. They should be getting assists for those stats.
“Overall, Council Rock North played very well as a team tonight. We have some aspects of our defense that we need to work on in order to keep teams to a lower score each quarter, so we don’t dig ourselves too big of a hole. I know the score doesn’t reflect it, but our girls played really hard tonight.”
Council Rock North (1-0) will face Villa Joseph Marie on Saturday at 6 p.m., and Quakertown (0-1) will take on Pennridge at 3 p.m.
Quakertown 9-3-6-5 23
Council Rock North 17-7-14-12 51
Quakertown (23) – Mackenzie Clayton 0 1-2 1; Paisley Heft 1 2-4 4; Addyson Davis 3 3-4 9; Ava Pistone 1 0-0 2; Carli Maha 1 2-2 4; Truly Heft 1 1-2 3; TOTALS 7 10-13 23.
Council Rock North (51) – Skyler Wright 1 0-0 2; Julia Koval 1 0-0 2; Amara Arroyo 2 1-1 6; Delaney McCaffrey 3 4-8 13; Sasha Galarza 1 2-2 4; Megan Reichenbach 2 0-0 5; Ruth O’Keefe 7 1-2 16; Frannie Boyle 2 0-0 4; TOTALS 19 8-13 51.
3-point goals: CRN – Delaney McCaffery 3, Megan Reichenbach, Ruth O’Keefe.
Oreland Lions Tournament
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 52, PHIL-MONT CHRISTIAN 15
Ava Culler erupted for 13 first-quarter points, propelling the Spartans to a 27-5 lead on their way to the no-doubt-about it win. The sophomore center/small forward led the Spartans with 25 points – 15 in the first half and 10 more in the third quarter.
“She also had 15 rebounds – she just completely dominated the first and third quarters,” coach Dave Giordano said. “We’re a veteran team for a change, and we had a really good first quarter, scored 27 points. We just tried to play consistent and play strong. The girls were really excited to start the season.”
Jayla Daniels also had a big first quarter, scoring all nine of her points, and Alana Decker had five in the opening quarter. She finished with eight in the game, which included a pair of 3s.
“They all played really strong defense, and we had a lot of fast break opportunities,” Giordano said. “I think that was a key.
“They want to try and play up-tempo, they want to try to attack the basket. I’ve been preaching all this year – you have to play defense, you have to rebound and then we can run the floor. For that first quarter, we executed pretty well.”
Springfield Township (1-0) will face New Foundations Charter in Saturday’s title game at 5 p.m.
Phil-Mont Christian 5-0-5-5 15
Springfield Twp 27-6-13-6 52
Phil-Mont Christian (15) – K.Tipton 3 0-0 8; A.Ruff 0 0-4 0; Z.David 0 2-2 2; E. Rainwater 1 0-0 3; TOTALS 5 2-8 15.
Springfield Twp (52) – Alana Decker 3 0-0 8; Catlin Lewis 2 0-0 5; Jayla Daniels 4 0-0 9; Grace Dailey 1 1-2 3; Kiera Brandon 1 0-2 2; Devan Nolan 0 0-2 0; Ava Culler 12 1-2 25; TOTALS 23 2-8 52.
3-point goals: Phil-Mont – K.Tipton 2, E.Rainwater; Springfield Twp – Alana Decker 2, Catlin Lewis, Jayla Daniels.
Bristol Tipoff Tournament
NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY 45, LOWER MORELAND 36
A pair of SOL Freedom Division rivals squared off in Friday’s opening round of the Bristol Tipoff Tournament, and it was NH-S earning the hard-fought win.
“The game was very close the whole game,” NH-S coach Steve Polinsky said. “Lower Moreland is a very young and talented team. Coach (Rich) Becker has them pressing and playing fast.”
NH-S, which led 13-8 after one quarter, took a slim 19-17 lead into the second half. Behind five points from both Izzy Elizondo and Emily Wilson, NH-S outscored Lower Moreland 16-11 in the third quarter and also had a two-point edge in the fourth quarter.
“To be successful this year, it’s an all-in team approach,” Polinsky said. “Emily and Izzy led the way in the second half. Emily had all her points in the second half, which is what we needed.
“Sophomores Kayla Fennel and Elena Shire both had strong games on both ends of the floor.”
Wilson’s 13 points led New Hope-Solebury while Elizondo tallied 11. Nina Meixler added eight points and a solid floor game.
For the Lions, Sydney Santora’s 12 points led the way. Brianna McFerran added seven points while Dani Brusha had six.
“The season did not start off the way we had hoped,” Becker said. “We knew that starting the year against New Hope, who is always well coached and athletic, would be a challenge.
“Four of our top six rotational players are new to the program, and at times, that showed. We saw some flashes of why we’re excited about the long term outlook for the tam, but there were also a lot of things we need to tighten up as we have three more games in the next four days.
New Hope-Solebury (1-0) will play in Saturday’s championship game while Lower Moreland is in the consolation game.
New Hope-Solebury 13-6-16-10 45
Lower Moreland 8-9-11-8 36
New Hope-Solebury (45) – Nina Meixler 5 0-2 10; Kayla Fennell 3 0-0 6; Isabella Elizondo 5 0-0 11; Emily Wilson 3 2-2 10; Elena Shire 3 1-2 8; TOTALS 19 3-6 45.
Lower Moreland (36) – Brianna McFerran 3 1-4 7; Dani Brusha 2 2-3 6; Sydney Santora 6 0-1 12; Mollie Martin 0 4-4 4; Emma DiJoseph 2 0-0 5; Maddy Rossiter 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 14 2-7 36.
3-point goals: NH-S – Emily Wilson 2, Isabella Elizondo, Elena Shire; LM – Emma DiJoseph.
Red Devils Tipoff Tournament
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 54, GARDEN SPOT 27
Scarlett Baumgardner had a season opener to remember.
In the first quarter, the West sophomore buried four 3-pointers, propelling the Bucks to a commanding 22-8 lead after one frame. Baumgardner, who finished with five 3s, led all scorers with 17 points.
“It’s been awesome to see her step into a big role this year as just a sophomore,” West coach Zach Sibel said. “She’s a kid that is always in the gym, and this was her moment to take the next step, and she did that and more. She hit her first three and didn’t look back, going 3-for-3 to start the game. Making five 3s is no accident.
“She complements our seniors so well and has carved out a nice role for herself. It was great to see this whole group get a chance to compete together.”
Emily Ladley added a pair of 3s in the Bucks’ 16-6 second quarter, and they took a commanding 38-14 lead into halftime.
Gabi Senior scored seven of her 14 points in the third quarter.
Central Bucks West (1-0) will face the winner of the Avon Grove/Octorara in Saturday’s championship game at 6 p.m.
Garden Spot 8-6-6-7 27
Central Bucks West 22-16-10-6 54
Garden Spot (27) – Morgan Pavelik 7 1-1 15; AJ McClain 3 0-1 7; Valeria Martin 0 0-2 0; Laina Steiner 0 0-2 0; Gwen Variety 2 0-0 5; TOTALS 12 1-6 27.
Central Bucks West (54) – Gabi Senior 6 2-3 14; Erica Madden 1 0-0 2; Eve Dansker 1 0-0 2; Aniya McDaniels 2 0-0 4; Addy Fay 2 0-0 4; Alexis Castro 1 0-0 2; Emily Ladley 2 0-0 6; Gabrielle Reichner 1 0-2 2; Scarlett Baumgardner 6 0-0 17; Janelle Blokker 0 1-2 1; TOTALS 22 3-5 54.
3-point goals: Garden Spot – Morgan Pavelik, Gwen Variety; CBW – Scarlett Baumgardner 5, Emily Ladley 2.
Non-league
HARRY S TRUMAN 43, WISSAHICKON 38
Double-digit scoring efforts from three players – Erynn Bond, Shylah McCleve and Niya Lynch – as well as a 30-point offensive showing in the second half propelled the Tigers to the come-from-behind road win in Friday’s season opener.
“We started off the game very hyped and excited not only to start the new season but to get the stench of last year’s losing season off of us,” Truman coach Ashida Cooper said. “We’ve trimmed a lot of fat and are left with a core group of girls who all have the same goals.
“The girls have been committed since the preseason to competing in each game no matter the score and that’s exactly what they did last night. We started off very hot but didn’t waver when they adjusted to our defense and started hitting shots.”
Truman raced out of the gate to an 11-5 lead after one quarter but found itself on the short end of a 20-13 halftime score, thanks to a 15-2 second-quarter outburst by the Trojans. The Tigers outscored the Trojans 14-9 in the third quarter to make it a 29-27 game and closed out the game with a 16-9 fourth quarter to earn the win.
“It was a hard-fought game,” Wissahickon coach Kathie Sims said. “We saw flashes of good things by our team, and we are looking forward to building on what we did well tonight.”
Lynch – who had a pair of huge fourth-quarter 3-pointers – was a catalyst in the second half, scoring all of her team-high 13 points after the intermission. Bond and McCleve each had 12 points with both ensuring the Tigers stayed in the game with strong first-half performance – Bond had six points in the first half while McCleve had five.
“Outside of scoring, we had heavy contributors on defense that were able to keep us afloat when the scoring subsided,” said Cooper. “Kiera Martinez and Amiyah Washington played substantial minutes and kept the team moving on the defensive end.
“All in all, it was a great start to the season, and the coaches and I are excited to see what this group of girls can accomplish this season.”
For the Trojans, Ashley Klein (12 points, 7 rebounds) and Maura Jacob (11 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals) led the way. Ava Stout added eight points and six rebounds, and Julia Lettieri had seven points and three rebounds.
Harry S Truman (1-0) will travel to Upper Moreland Saturday for a noon contest.
Harry S Truman 11-2-14-16 43
Wissahickon 5-15-9-9 38
Harry S Truman (43) – Brianna Philemond 1 0-0 3; Amiyah Washington 1 1-1 3; Erynn Bond 5 2-2 12; Shylah McCleve 5 2-2 12; Niya Lynch 5 1-1 13; TOTALS 16 6-6 43.
3-point goals: HST – Brianna Philemond, Niya Lynch 2.
PENNSBURY 79, ARCHBISHOP RYAN 25
Daniella MacDonald buried three first-quarter 3-pointers, one of six players to contribute scoring in a 26-point outburst that gave the Falcons a commanding lead on their way to the rout in Friday’s non-league opener. MacDonald led all scorers with 17 points, which included five 3-pointers.
Sofia Vitelli added 12 points and was also a key part of the Falcons 26-point first-quarter uprising, connecting on 3-of-4 from the foul line and scoring five points while Layla Mathias and Maggie Burns each had four points as Pennsbury rolled to a 26-8 lead after one frame.
“We came out excited – moved the ball well and our athleticism and depth took its toll,” Pennsbury coach Frank Sciolla said. “Layla and Sofi were very good in extremely limited minutes and Daniella MacDonald continued her excellent point production so far this season and hit five threes. The best part was that we were able to get people in the back end of our rotation a great deal of playing time.”
The Falcons continued their offensive onslaught in the second quarter, outscoring their hosts 20-3 to go into halftime with a 46-11 advantage that grew to 64-13 heading into the final frame.
Ten players contributed scoring for the Falcons, who received eight points from Presley Foote, which included two 3-pointers, Burns and Sammie Haws. Adding six points each were Matthias, Emily Panaro and Joley Hohman. Matthias also had five assists, four rebounds and three steals.
“Everyone did a fantastic job on offense with distributing the ball and having patience,” assistant coach Kaitlin Kelly said. “We always pride ourselves on our defense, and we were very disciplined and aggressive with that tonight as well. Overall, it was a great performance from the Falcons to open the season.”
The loss capped a tough week for Archbishop Ryan, which removed head coach Julian Rattliff from his position earlier in the week.
“Archbishop Ryan had a really difficult week,” Sciolla said. “The coaching transition, injuries to two other starters and then today they lost the services of their point guard and maybe their best player. Sometimes when sorrows come, they run in battalions. We feel for their players and staff and wish them the best. Their last five days have been tough.”
Pennsbury (1-0) will travel to Neshaminy for an early season SOL showdown on Tuesday.
“This is the least practice time that any of us have ever had so we’re in the same boat as everyone else,” Sciolla said. “Now we’ve got to get ready because we head into league play immediately.”
Pennsbury 26-20-18-15 79
Archbishop Ryan 8-3-2-12 25
CHELTENHAM 63, SIMON GRATZ 11
Three Cheltenham players – Paige Powell, Arianna Davis and Cassie Bugg – turned in double-digit scoring efforts to lead a balanced Lady Panther attack that saw 10 players contribute scoring.
The Lady Panthers – behind eight points from both Bugg and Powell – opened up a 28-2 scoring advantage after one quarter and never looked back.
“We had great energy, and everyone contributed,” Cheltenham coach Ben Bowman said. “Proud of the effort, but we need to carry this into tomorrow’s game.”
Powell and Davis each scored 14 points to lead the Lady Panthers. Bugg added 11 while Maya Simmons had nine points – all in the first half. Tori Simmons chipped in with six points.
Cheltenham (1-0) will host Abington Friends on Saturday at 2 p.m. in a non-league contest.
Simon Gratz 2-6-3-0 11
Cheltenham 28-15-12-8 63
Simon Gratz (11) – Zakkiyah 3 1-2 9; Nijay 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 4 1-2 11.
Cheltenham (63) – Paige Powell 6 2-2 14; Maya Simmons 4 0-0 9; Kaylyn Washington 1 0- 2; Amelia Kapp 1 0-0 2; Arianna Davis 7 0-1 14; Cassie Bugg 5 1-2 11; Ali Charles 1 0-0 2; Marguerite Reimer 0 1-2 1; Tori Simmons 3 0-0 6; Autumn Kimble 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 29 4-7 63.
3-point goals: Gratz – Zakkiyah; Cheltenham – Maya Simmons.
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 52, DOBBINS TECH 29
Sophomore AJ Avery had herself quite a game, leading the Colonials with 21 points and 13 rebounds. Another sophomore, McKenna Winland, added 14 points to go along with six rebounds, four assists and four steals.
A third sophomore also made her presence felt. Bailey Riley scored nine points in her varsity debut and also had two rebounds. Sophomore Joslyn Perez anchored the defensive effort with nine rebounds and three steals to go along with two points and two assists.
The Colonials, who led 13-9 after one quarter, took a 19-14 lead into halftime and then blew the game open with a 21-point third quarter. PW outscored its visitors 33-15 in the second half.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (1-0) will host Abington in Tuesday’s SOL opener.
Dobbins Tech 9-5-7-8 29
PW 13-6-21-12 52
Dobbins Tech (29) – Spon 5 0-2 12; McClian 2 1-2 6; Morion 4 1-6 11; TOTALS 11 2-10 29.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (52) – Joslyn Perez 1 0-0 2; AJ Avery 8 5-7 21; McKenna Winland 4 5-10 14; Bailey Riley 4 0-0 9; Marissa Perez 1 0-1 2; Brooke Peduzzi 1 0-0 2; Eliza Meersman 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 20 10-18 52.
3-point goals: Dobbins Tech – Spon 2, Morion 2, McClian; PW – Riley, Winland.
HAVERFORD 51, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 37
The defending District 1 6A runner-up Fords opened up a 16-4 lead after one quarter over the visiting Titans. The Titans outscored their hosts 12-6 in the second quarter but never could dig their way out of their early hole.
Rian Dotsey’s 22 points led all scorers while Aniya Eberhart added 11.
For the Titans, Yoyo Samayoa’s nine points led the way while Jules Tropea and Mia Klein each had eight and Casey Balkir finished with seven.
Central Bucks South (0-1) will travel to Souderton for its SOL opener at 6:30 p.m.
Central Bucks South 4-12-7-13 37
Haverford 16-6-14-15 51
Central Bucks South (37) – Megan Schmidt 1 0-0 3; Casey Balkir 3 0-0 7; Jules Tropea 3 2-3 8; Yoyo Samayoa 3 2-3 9; Mia Klein 3 1-1 8; Gabby Tropea 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 12 5-7 37.
Haverford (51) – Aniya Eberhart 3 4-6 11; Kelly 2 0-0 6; Durfee 2 0-0 4; A Wright 1 0-0 2; N. Wright 2 2-2 6; Rian Dotsey 9 3-6 22; TOTALS 19 9-14 51.
3-point goals: CBS – Megan Schmidt, Casey Balkir, Yoyo Samayoa, Mia Klein; Haverford – Kelly 2, Eberhart, Dotsey.
GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 65, NORTH PENN 45
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