Check out the recaps for SOL girls’ basketball teams in action Thursday.
SOL Liberty Division
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 59, HATBORO-HORSHAM 10
The Colonials, who led 12-3 after one quarter, took a 31-6 lead into halftime on their way to the decisive win. The win was their sixth without a loss heading into the holiday break.
Key players: AJ Avery (12 points), Eliza Meersman (10 points), Taylor Williams (10 points), Mia Baron (9 points)
Plymouth Whitemarsh Coach Dan Dougherty: “It was a complete team effort tonight in the win over Hatboro.”
–Props: “Highlight Taylor Williams 10 points, 3 steals; Mia Baron 3-for-3 from 3-point range. Freshman Grace Harvey with seven points and six steals. Thirty Hatboro-Horsham turnovers tonight; this was our third game in four nights. In all three, we caused 30+ turnovers (30, 33, and 30). We’re playing an 11-kid rotation. The girls are really working.”
Up next: Plymouth Whitemarsh (6-0, 2-0 SOL) is off until Friday, Dec. 27, when the Colonials will face Concord in the Diamond State Classic at The Tatnall School. Hatboro-Horsham (1-5, 0-2) will play in the Council Rock North Holiday Tournament Friday Dec. 27.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 12-19-11-17 59
Hatboro-Horsham 3-3-3-1 10
Plymouth Whitemarsh (59) – Gracie Kerns 1 0-0 2; Taylor Williams 4 0-0 10; Olivia Patete 0 1-2 1; AJ Avery 5 2-2 12; McKenna Winland 1 3-4 6; Mia Baron 3 0-0 9; Eliza Meersman 4 2-4 10; Brooke Pedozzi 1 0-0 2; Grace Harvey 3 0-0 7; TOTALS 22 8-12 59.
Hatboro-Horsham (10) Mia Fisher 1 0-0 2; Maddy Patel 1 0-0 3; Olivia Grant 1 2-4 4; Sarah Gleason 0 1-2 1; TOTALS 3 3-6 10.
3-point goals: PW – Mia Baron 3, Taylor Williams 2, McKenna Winland, Grace Harvey; HH – Maddy Patel.
SOL Freedom Division
CHELTENHAM 57, UPPER MORELAND 34
The Lady Panthers continued their impressive start in SOL play, notching their third win in as many games.
Once again, Jiah Price and Maya Simmons were double trouble for their opponents, combining for 46 points.
The Lady Panthers, who led 16-7 after one quarter, took a 23-19 lead into halftime. Price accounted for eight of her team’s points. Simmons had seven.
Key stretch: A 16-9 third quarter – sparked by eight points from Simmons – by the Lady Panthers gave them a 39-28 lead on their way to the win.
Key players: Jiah Price (25 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals), Maya Simmons (21 points, 3 rebounds, five assists, 4 steals), Zoe Thompson (4 points, 8 rebounds, 4 blocks, 5 steals)
For the Golden Bears, Mikel Lancit (11 points) and Lianna Adames (11 points)
Upper Moreland coach Josh Adelman: “It was a really physical game. Down four at the half, they turned it up a notch and we couldn’t answer in the second half. Lianna (Adames) got hurt, and we couldn’t match their offense tonight. They shot extremely well. Jiah Price didn’t miss, close range, three-point area, mid-range. Maya Simmons also played extremely well. Have to give them credit. They played very well tonight. Proud of my team, there was no quit. We will keep working on things and figure it out. We gave it all we had. We just couldn’t match their intensity tonight for four quarters. Mikel and Lianna led us with 11 points each.”
Up next: Cheltenham (4-1, 3-0) will face Patterson Eastside Sunday (2 pm) as part of the She Got Game Classic. Upper Moreland (5-4, 0-3) is off until Jan. 3 when the Golden Bears will host Springfield Twp.
Cheltenham 16-7-16-18 57
Upper Moreland 7-12-9-6 34
Cheltenham (57) – Jiah Price 10 2-2 25; Paige Powell 2 1-2 5; Maya Simmons 9 2-2 21; Ali Charles 1 0-0 2; Zoe Thompson 1 2-6 4; TOTALS 23 7-12 57.
Upper Moreland (34) – Mikel Lancit 3 4-4 11; Lianna Adames 3 2-2 11; Hailey Kramer 3 0-0 6; Charlie Clements 1 0-0 3; Marie Meyers 1 0-0 2; Parker Kurtz 0 1-2 1; TOTALS 11 7-8 34.
3-point goals: C – Jiah Price 3, Maya Simmons; UM – Lianna Adames 3, Mikel Lancit, Charlie Clements.
Non-league
UPPER DUBLIN 70, LOWER MORELAND 28
The Flying Cardinals controlled play from the outset, opening up a 13-0 lead on their way to a 31-4 opening quarter that included nine points from Tamia Clark and seven from Emilia Coleman. Lexi Ngo buried a pair of 3-pointers in the quarter, and Megan Ngo also had six points. Ella Morris added a three – one of five in the quarter for the Cards.
Clark and Coleman combined for 41 points, and point guard Megan Ngo was the facilitator, handing out 14 assists.
Key players: Tamia Clark (21 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals), Emilia Coleman (20 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists), Megan Ngo (6 points, 4 rebounds, 12 assists)
Upper Dublin coach Morgan Funsten: “We came out with a ton of energy in the first quarter and got up 13-0 in the first two minutes. Four different players had scored at that point, and at one point, all five players touched the ball without any dribbles in about three seconds, and it led to a wide open three. The girls are playing at a high level and are getting more consistent. We took care of the ball all night and had 22 assists for the night to only two turnovers. It was great to see the improvement in that category after a sloppy first half against Abington the other night. We are improving at doing the little things, and it is fun to watch this group play together.
–Props: “Tamia was aggressive all night and had a huge first half, Meg was finding whoever needed the ball, and Emilia got hot from outside, while Ella Morris had another simple, efficient game on the offensive end.”
Lower Moreland coach Rich Becker: “As a team, we started the day with donuts and an ‘ugly sweater’ team picture. Who knew that the team picture would be the highlight of our day.
“We got crushed tonight, and there was absolutely nothing that we could have done about it. Sixty-seven seconds into the game we were down 13-0. At that point, they were 3-3 from beyond the arc and 2-3 in the paint, and from there, it only got worse. Two possessions later, we lost Briana (MdFerran) to an ankle injury, and with Mady Rossiter, our center, still out, we had no answer for Tamia Clark inside.
“There’s not too much that we can say about this one, Upper Dublin was just that much better than us tonight. Other than rushing some of our shots on offense, I don’t think we played bad. In addition to Bri, we also lost Mollie Martin to a knee injury. It really was not a good night for us. Despite of the score, we were happy with how the girls kept competing, and it was nice to see Sofia Fey come off the bench to contribute. She’s been working hard in practice, and it looks like she’s ready to step up and contribute.
“We need to regroup and get ready for New Hope tomorrow and then Wildwood and Wildwood Catholic Sunday and Monday.”
Up next: Upper Dublin (6-1, 2-0 SOL) will travel to Great Valley for a non-league game Friday (6:45 pm). Lower Moreland (3-3, 1-1) will host New Hope-Solebury Friday at 3:30 pm.
Upper Dublin 31-17-20-2 70
Lower Moreland 4-9-9-6 28
Upper Dublin (70) – Bridge DiMartile 1 0-0 2; Tamia Clark 9 3-4 21; Maeve Hogan 0 2-2 2; Megan Ngo 2 1-1 6; Lexi Ngo 2 0-0 6; Emilia Coleman 7 2-2 20; Ella Morris 5 0-0 13; TOTALS 26 8-9 70.
Lower Moreland (28) – Dani Brush 5 3-4 13; Mollie Martin 1 0-0 3; Nikki Sahl 1 0-0 2; Madie Broderick 0 2-2 2; Sofia Fey 2 1-4 6; Olivia Fey 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 10 6-10 28.
3-point goals: UD – Emilia Coleman 4, Ella Morris 3, Lexi Ngo 2, Megan Ngo; LM – Mollie Martin, Sofia Fey.
WILLIAM TENNENT 54, MaST CHARTER 30
Three players finished the game in double figures, led by the 17-point effort of Avery Kocur.
The Panthers seized control with a 24-point second quarter to go into halftime with a 31-14 lead on their way to the non-league win.
Key stretch: The Panthers broke a 7-7 tie with a 24-7 second quarter. Avery Kocur’s 10 points led the way in the quarter. Halie Staub had seven points.
Key players: Avery Kocur (17 points), Meg Volz (13 points), Halie Staub (12 points).
William Tennent coach Laura Whitney: “It was a good team win tonight to get us back on track after a tough loss Tuesday. Disappointed with our lack of energy to start the game, but I thought the second unit really provided the spark we needed.
“Madisyn Rodebaugh hit a much needed 3 to get us going offensively, and we seemed to find our rhythm. The second quarter was the turning point in the game when we were able to apply pressure and created some turnovers which led to some easy baskets. We had balanced scoring and got contributions from all 10 girls. Avery Kocur led the way with 17 points. Meg Volz and Halie Staub chipped in with 13 and 12 points respectively.”
William Tennent (3-3, 1-1 SOL) will travel to Springfield Twp on Friday.
MaST Charter 7-7-14-2 30
William Tennent 7-24-14-9 54
MaST Charter (30) – T.Hamilton 2 1-5 6; L.Sweeney 3 3-3 11; M.Carpenter 2 1-2 5; R.Fitzsimmons 3 0-2 6; C.Ewald 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 11 5-12 30.
William Tennent (54) – Madisyn Rodebough 1 0-0 3; Olivia Urban 3 0-0 7; Avery Kocur 7 1-2 17; Halie Staub 5 1-2 12; Giada Consenza 1 0-0 2; Megan Volz 5 3-4 13; TOTALS 22 5-8 54.
3-point goals: MaST – L.Sweeney 2, L.Hamilton; WT – Avery Kocur 2, Madisyn Rodebough, Olivia Urban, Halie Staub.
PENNRIDGE 58, FAITH CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 22
Ella Brown scored a game-high 24 points to lead the visiting Lady Rams to the big non-league win.
Layla Verbit, who added 15 points, scored seven points in an 18-6 first quarter. Brown had 11 points in a 19-point second quarter for the Lady Rams, who led 39-11 by halftime on their way to the no-doubt-about it win.
Key players: Ella Brown (24 points), Layla Verbit (15 points), Sam Murphy (8 points)
Up next: Pennridge (3-2, 1-1 SOL) will travel to North Penn on Friday.
Pennridge 18-19-15-6 58
Faith Christian 6-5-6-5 22
Pennridge (58) – Ella Brown 10 2-2 24; Emily DeHave 0 2-2 2; Sam Murphy 1 0-0 3; Madison Lapp 3 1-1 8; Maggie McCleary 1 0-0 3; Erin McCormick 1 0-0 3; Layla Verbit 7 1-2 15; TOTALS 23 6-7 58.
Faith Christian (22) – B.Garlick 1 0-0 2; A.Sauers 1 1-4 3; K.Robinson 1 0-0 2; C.Sauers 3 0-0 6; K.Peakowski, S.Sebastian 1 1-2 3; P.Voytha 1 0-0 2; S.Albright 0 1-2 1; TOTALS 9 3-8 22.
3-point goals: P – Ella Brown 2, Sam Murphy, Madison Lapp, Maggie McClary, Erin McCormick; FCA – K.Peakowski.
Wednesday, Dec. 18
LANSDALE CATHOLIC 51 NESHAMINY 33
The Crusaders opened up a 15-5 lead after one quarter and extended that to 26-11 by halftime on their way to the non-league win.
The win was the 800th of LC coach Tom Lonergan’s remarkable coaching career.
Players of the Game: Ali Kaltenbacher 13 points, Grace McDonough 7 points, numerous assists and rebounds, Alena Cofield 8 points and 6 rebounds along with excellent defense against LC guard Sanyiah Littlejohn
Neshaminy coach John Gallagher on the game: “Back-to-back slow starts for us, but this one was more due to the opponent than self-inflicted. LC got out of the gate quickly jumping to a 10-0 lead that was eventually answered by a Cofield three-point basket. Most of the damage was done by Grace McDonough, who likely led their team in assists. Grace was composed when we brought help and found Kaltenbacher on numerous drives to the rim. We assigned Hayley to defend McDonough, and our staff was satisfied with her spirited effort. Some of it was great effort by Hayley and a lot was McDonough making the right play as opposed to forcing. While we did hit seven three-point baskets, it was obvious how much quicker the LC closeouts were on us; at times forcing us to rush our shots. LC is currently ranked eighth in the state at this early part of the season. It was beneficial to us to go against a team of that ability, and it will serve us well going forward.
“Lansdale Catholic freshman Lily Clair has proven to be an important part of the LC rotation off the bench. Lily finished with nine points and showed an ability to get to the rim with both hands and continued to give the Crusaders another option from the three-point line.”
–Props: “Prior to the game coach Tom Lonergan was recognized by the LC administration and his team on his 800th win as a high school coach this past weekend. Tom spent, I believe, 12 seasons in the SOL at CB East where he picked up a ton of those wins. I told Coach before the game that is almost 100 more high school wins than Speedy Morris. Think about that!
“On the defensive end, we took three charges and were not hesitant to throw our bodies around. Auslyn, Mia and Ashlyn each took a charge.
“Lastly in the fourth quarter, freshman players Aly Meltzer and Ella Hoyas both hit from beyond the arc to register their first varsity points.”
Up next: Neshaminy (4-1, 2-0 SOL) will host Pennsbury in a rivalry game Friday at 6 p.m.
Neshaminy 5-6-6-16 33
Lansdale Catholic 15-11-14-11 51
Neshaminy (33) Aly Metzler 1 0-0 3; Alena Cofield 3 1-4 8; Ashlyn Duffy 1 0-0 3; Marley Martin 1 0-0 3; Sydney Snyder 2 0-0 5, Hayley Kolk 1 3-4 6; Cam Rodriguez 1 0-0 2; Ella Hoyas 1 0-0 3; TOTALS 11 4-8 33.
Lansdale Catholic (51) – Littlejohn 1 0-0 2; Clair 3 1-2 9; McDonough 3 1-3 7; Kaltenbacher 6 1-3 13; Mobley 3 0-0 6; Picard 2 0-0 4; Yemola 4 0-0 10; TOTALS 22 3-8 51.
3-point goals: N – Metzler, Cofield, Duffy, Martin, Snyder, Kolk, Hoyas; LC – Clair 2, Yemola 2.
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