Check out the recaps for SOL girls’ basketball teams in action Thursday. CR South/CB East photos provided courtesy of John Gleeson. Check back for a gallery of photos: https://solsports.zenfolio.com/f226313402
SOL Patriot/Colonial crossover games
NORTH PENN 62, PENNSBURY 51
The Knights came out on fire in Thursday’s crossover game, torching the visiting Falcons for 22 first-quarter points and opening up a nine-point lead. Six players contributed baskets – four buried a 3-pointer.
Pennsbury assistant Kaitlin Kelly just might have described it best.
“We knew they were going to come out strong after a loss, and I think ‘strong’ is an understatement,” Kelly said of a Knights’ squad that fell to Central Bucks East Tuesday. “They shot the lights out, knocking down 10 3s. They pass the ball so well on offense, they hit gaps and find the shooters. They’re a team that makes open shots and makes their free throws.
“On the defensive end, they sped us up. We didn’t have the patience on offense. It just felt like we were scrambling until well into the fourth quarter, but by then, it was too late. It was a tough night for us against a talented and physical North Penn team.”
Olivia Stone’s five points led a balanced Knight attack in the opening quarter. Lily Brown and Cameron Crowley both had four while Caleigh Sperling, Leah Mikulski and Kelly Donnelly each had a 3-pointer. It was an impressive start, to say the least.
“I told them that Pennsbury is a very aggressive, high intensity team, so I think with that in the back of their heads, they prepared hard, and they came out very confident mentally, which is something we’ve been lacking,” NP coach Bri Cullen said. “It was a strong first quarter, and the scoring was balanced, which was nice.”
The key to the strong start against a Falcon squad that prides itself on its defense was, according to Cullen, the Knights’ ball movement.
“We’ve been playing pretty unselfish, but we got away from that mentality on Tuesday, so we brought it back,” Cullen said. “I told them before the game – ‘The ball doesn’t even need to touch the floor. That’s how you’re going to win. They’re going to come and be super high intensity on defense. It has to be unselfish.’
“It also helps when you come out and you shoot well. That builds your confidence from the start. Pennsbury is always so well prepared, they’re really well coached, so I’m sure leaving some people open was part of their game plan, and it was a benefit that those players were hitting open shots.”
Donnelly added six points in the second quarter and had nine in the half. The Knights took a 35-24 lead into halftime and added to it with a 15-7 third quarter that was highlighted by a pair of Donnelly 3s. The Knights took a 50-31 lead into the final quarter.
The Falcons – behind 11 points and three 3s by Daniella MacDonald – outscored the Knights 20-12 in the quarter, but they couldn’t really put a dent in the Knights’ lead.
“It was a good win, especially after a really tough loss on Tuesday,” Cullen said.
Donnelly and Sperling led a balanced North Penn attack with 15 points each. Donnelly collected hers on five 3s. Olivia Stone added 13 points, but the senior did more than just contribute offensively.
“Defensively, Liv Stone is unbelievable,” Cullen said. “She’s a workhorse. We can give her any assignment, and she’s going to do it to the best of her ability.”
Also for the Knights, Crowley had six points.
“Offensively, Cameron has been taking a huge step up in leadership,” Cullen said. “Now as an upperclassman being able to read the game and have a feel for when it’s time to pull it out versus push the ball, and that’s meant a lot.”
For the Falcons, MacDonald’s 15 points led the Falcons, and Sofia Vitucci had 11. Joley Hohman added seven points, and Maggie Burns had six.
The Falcons were more than happy to get out of town.
“Hopefully, the other teams in our league have to come here and play,” Kelly said.
With the win and CB East’s loss, the Knights now share the top spot in the standings with the Patriots.
North Penn (5-2, 5-1 SOL) will face Ridley on Wednesday at 3 p.m. in the opening round of the Ridley Holiday Tournament.
Pennsbury (6-3, 4-2) returns to action on Thursday, Jan. 4, when the Falcons will host Pennridge in a crossover game.
Pennsbury 13-11-7-20 51
North Penn 22-13-15-12 62
Pennsbury (51) – Layla Matthias 2 1-4 5; Danielle Sherman 1 1-2 4; Maggie Burns 2 2-2 6; Sofia Vitucci 5 0-0 11; Daniella MacDonald 6 0-1 15; Joley Hohman 3 0-0 7; Ava Jordan 0 3-4 3; TOTALS 19 7-13 51.
North Penn (62) – Cameron Crowley 2 2-2 6; Caleigh Sperling 4 6-6 150; Lily Brown 2 0-0 4; Kelly Donnelly 5 0-0 15; Leah Mikulski 2 0-0 5; Olivia Stone 4 3-4 13; Tallie Smink 1 1-2 4; TOTALS 20 12-14 62.
3-point goals: Pennsbury – Daniella MacDonald 3, Danielle Sherman, Sofia Vitucci, Joley Hohman; NP – Kelly Donnelly 5, Olivia Stone 2, Caleigh Sperling, Leah Mikulski, Tallie Smink.
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 48, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 15
No one could have seen this one coming.
Limiting a Patriot squad that averaged 50 points a game on its way to a 6-0 record to just 15 points. Especially not on the heels of their impressive 65-56 win over North Penn just two days earlier.
But that’s exactly what the Golden Hawks did, opening up a 19-10 halftime lead and then exploding for 20 points in the third quarter while holding the Patriots scoreless.
“We are proud of how much grit and toughness the girls played with defensively and how aggressive and unselfish they were on the offensive end,” Rock South coach Jesse Krasna said. “This was definitely our most complete game of the season and it was awesome to see the girls bounce back after a tough week last week.”
Rock South dropped three of four games during a difficult stretch but showed they are a team to contend with in the SOL.
“There were some distractions before the game started as the jayvee game was a triple overtime barnburner and then we had to conduct a silent warmup with no music because the auxiliary cord wasn’t working,” Krasna said. “Even with this, our girls remained focused.
“East presents a lot of challenges, and this was a great opportunity for us to get a big win for our program.
Fiona Reckner’s eight first-half points led the Golden Hawks, who limited the Patriots to just two field goals.
“Fiona Reckner set the tone and helped us get out to an early lead with eight first quarter points,” Krasna said. “Her decision making was excellent.
“She played so strong and brought great effort to the defensive end. If there was a loose ball it
belonged to Fi.”
Despite their offensive woes, the Patriots – down nine – weren’t out of it at halftime, but they were after the Hawks’ 20-0 third quarter burst. Gregory was the catalyst, burying three 3-pointers and scoring 12 points. Lil Metrick added a pair of 3s in a quarter that saw the Hawks open up a 39-10 advantage.
Rock South’s defensive effort is underscored by the fact that no one on East’s side had more than four points. Sharpshooting senior Anna Barry was limited to just two points on a pair of foul shots.
“Their senior point guard, Anna Barry, is awesome,” Krasna said. “Their sophomore center, Jess Lockwood, has been playing at a really high level, They have good shooters and skilled, smart players around them, and Coach (Liz) Potash has been one of the best coaches in our area for a long time.
“I thought this was Kathryn O’Kane’s best defensive game of the season. She really stepped up and held East’s leading scorer to two points. Kat put on a master class on how to pressure intelligently without gambling or fouling.”
Gregory’s 17 points, which included three 3-pointers, led the Hawks attack. Metrick added 11 points, and Reckner was the third Rock South player in double figures with 10.
“Cam Gregory is a shooting guard, and she had a big third quarter offensively, but we are most proud of her effort on defense,” Krasna said. “She was matched up against East’s center for a big chunk of the game. She never complained and just battled on every play. Cam really did a great job on her. 
“It was awesome to see Lil Metrick get in a little groove tonight. She’s so valuable to us because even when she’s not shooting her best her gravity pulls defenders away from the rim and opens up lanes for our team. She was really aggressive on both ends and was great pressuring the ball.”
O’Kane added six points in a contest was a team effort.
“I am not sure how many rebounds Katie Purpura had, but boy, does she play so big for us,” Krasna said. “She controlled the glass like she has so many times in her high school career.
“Lily Bross gave us great energy off the bench and made several great drive-kick passes to her teammates. To be able to bring an experienced, all league caliber player like Lily into the game off of the bench is such a luxury for us.”
Council Rock South (6-3, 4-2 SOL) will travel to Nazareth Academy for a non-league game on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
Central Bucks East (6-1, 5-1) will travel to Florida to compete in the Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational and will face Martin County (Fla.) on Wednesday at 6:45 p.m.
Central Bucks East 4-6-0-5 15
Council Rock South 14-5-20-9 48
Central Bucks East (15) – Sydney Ralph 1 1-2 3; Haley Moran 0 1-2 1; Natalie Berndt 1 0-2 3; Anna Barry 0 2-4 2; Jess Lockhead 1 2-2 4; Chantal van Dongeren 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 4 6-12 15.
Council Rock South (48) – Sarah Freeman 1 0-0 2; Lil Metrick 4 0-0 11; Katie Purpura 1 0-0 2; Kathryn O’Kane 1 4-6 6; Camryn Gregory 6 2-4 17; Fiona Reckner 4 0-0 10; TOTALS 17 6-10 48.
3-point goals: CBE – Natalie Berndt; CRS – Lil Metrick 3, Camryn Gregory 3, Fiona Reckner 2.
NESHAMINY 47, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 40
Lola Ibarrondo jumpstarted the visiting Redskins with nine first-quarter points, propelling Neshaminy to a 15-6 lead after one quarter. They managed just four points in the second quarter but put some distance between themselves and the Titans with a 17-7 third quarter. Reese Zemitis led the way in the third quarter with three 3-pointers for nine points.
Armed with a 36-25 lead heading into the final frame, the Redskins went on to earn the hard-fought win over the pesky Titans.
“We played three of our best quarters this year against CB South in the first, third and fourth quarters,” Neshaminy coach John Gallagher said. “The second period saw us sloppy on the offensive side of the ball, and our understanding our defensive assignments went out the window.
“At the end of the first, Grace Weyler hit a runner in the lane to beat the buzzer and give us momentum and a nine-point lead.
“CB South outscored us in the second quarter 12-4 and we went into halftime with just a one-point lead and a bad taste in our mouths.”
Ella Wheeler kept the Titans close with 10 first half points, which included two 3s and a 4-for-4 showing at the charity stripe.
The Redskins took care of that bad taste in their mouths with a 17-point third quarter that – in addition to nine points from Zemitis – also featured six points from Iabarrondo.
The Titans, sparked by eight points from Yoyo Samayoa, outscored the Redskins by four in the final quarter.
Zemitis led the Redskins with 20 points – she scored 16 of those in the second half. Her big night included four 3-pointers and a 4-for-4 effort at the foul line. She also had a team-high eight rebounds. Ibarrondo added 16 points, five rebounds and three assists, and Alena Cofield had seven points, three steals and two assists.
“Alena Cofield picked up her second foul early in the first quarter, and we had to move defensive assignments around,” Gallagher said. “This moved senior Ava Irizarry to our prime defensive defender, and she stood out. Watching her effort and determination at the defensive end was impressive, it was written all over her face. As a matter of fact, when Alena did check back in, we stuck with Ava as the primary defender in the third and fourth quarters. This gave us a ton of flexibility and cannot be underestimated how important it was to our victory.
“Once Alena checked back in, she was a disruptive force to the South offense, while scoring seven points with three steals. Each of those steals energized our team and led to buckets for us.”
The Redskins’ coach also lauded the defensive efforts of a pair of freshmen.
“Ashlyn Duffy and Mia Raivich were in charge of covering Jules Tropea and her sister Gabby,” Gallagher said. “Despite being outsized, I was very happy with their defense against those two talented forwards, holding them to just three field goals combined.”
Wheeler’s 14 points led the Titans. Smayoa added 11.
Neshaminy (6-1, 6-0 SOL) will travel to Florida to compete in the Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational and will face Venice (Fla.) in an opening round game on Wednesday at 8:30 a.m.
Central Bucks South (4-4, 3-3) will travel to Methacton Saturday for a non-league game at 1:30 p.m.
Neshaminy 15-4-17-11 47
Central Bucks South 6-12-7-15 40
Neshaminy (47) – Grace Weyler 2 0-0 4; Alena Cofield 3 0-0 7; Lola Ibarrondo 6 3-5 16; Reese Zemitis 6 4-4 20; TOTALS 17 7-9 47.
Central Bucks South (40) – Megan Schmidt 1 0-0 2; Ella Wheeler 4 4-4 14; Jules Tropea 1 3-4 5; Yoyo Samayoa 3 2-2 11; Mia Klein 1 0-0 3; Gabby Tropea 2 1-4 5; TOTALS 12 10-14 40.
3-point goals: Neshaminy – Reese Zemitis 4, Lola Ibarrondo, Alena Cofield; CBS – Yoyo Samayoa 3, Ella Wheeler 2, Mia Klein.
PENNRIDGE 65, HARRY S TRUMAN 27
Ella Brown had another big game for the Rams, scoring 11 first-half points and propelling her team to a 26-13 halftime lead. She finished with a game-high 23. Included were a pair of 3s as well as a 5-for-8 effort at the foul line.
Emily DeHaven buried three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and had 11 points, and Layla Verbit finished with nine – eight in the opening half.
For the Tigers, Shylah McCleve’s 12 points led the way. She had seven of those points in the fourth quarter. Kiera Martinez added six points on a pair of 3s.
Pennridge (7-3, 3-3 SOL) is off until Thursday, Jan. 4, when the Rams will travel to Pennsbury for a crossover contest.
Harry S Truman (1-9, 0-6) will return to action Friday, Jan. 5, when the Tigers host Souderton.
Harry S Truman 8-5-7-7 27
Pennridge 10-16-16-23 65
Harry S Truman (27) – Terrion Hurt 0 1-2 1; Erynn Bond 1 1-4 4; Kiera Martinez 2 0-0 6; Shylah McCleve 4 4-5 12; Yamazjiah Thomas 2 0-0 4; TOTALS 9 6-11 27.
Pennridge (65) -Ella Brown 8 5-8 23; Julia Reavy 2 0-0 5; Ava Fantaskey 1 3-3 5; Emily DeHaven 3 2-2 11; Samantha Murphy 1 0-0 3; Abby Huskin 1 0-0 3; Nikki Rindone 0 2-2 2; Allie smith 2 0-0 4; Layla Verbit 2 4-6 9; TOTALS 20 16-21 65.
3-point goals: HST – Kiera Martinez 2, Erynn Bond; Pennridge – Emily DeHaven 3, Ella Brown 2, Julia Reavy, Samantha Murphy, Layla Verbit, Abby Huskin.
SOL Liberty/Freedom crossovers
LOWER MORELAND 57, QUAKERTOWN 19
The Lions took care of business in a hurry, getting it done on both ends of the court with a 22-3 first quarter. They added to that lead in the second quarter on their way to the decisive win.
“This was one of those games where things seemed to go our way,” LM coach Rich Becker said. “The girls are showing more basketball maturity, got off to a strong start and executed the game plan. We were facing a team that was down a few key players, and our first seven put us in a position that we were able to play 11 players in the first half and 13 girls overall.”
Mollie Martin ignited the Lions in the first quarter, scoring nine points. LM converted 6-of-10 at the foul line in the quarter. Sydney Santora’s six points led the Lions in a 21-point second quarter.
Martin’s 11 points led a balanced LM attack. Santora added nine points while Dani Brusha and Emma DiJoseph each had seven.
“It was nice opportunity for our bench players to get some time,” Becker said. “Alexis McPhee, Mollie Broderick and Sofia Fey all came off the bench and maintained defensive intensity and each had a few field goals.
“To Quakertown’s credit, they were short a few girls, but we were impressed that they played with intensity the whole game and never hung their heads. They haven’t gotten off to the start they’ve wanted, it’s a credit to the job Brittany (Bamford) does and the rapport she has with her players that her team continued to battle the whole game.”
Bamford, whose team scored just four points in the first half, pointed to Lower Moreland’s pressure as a key to the Lions’ strong start.
“We did not handle the pressure well in the first half,” the Panthers’ coach said. “Rich (Becker), who is one of the nicest coaches I have ever coached against, took off the press in the second half so our players could relax and get set up against their zone.
“In the second half, our girls came out with some energy and cohesiveness. I was very proud that they ended the game with that note.”
The Panthers edged the Lions 15-14 after the intermission.
“We are low in numbers right now with illness and injuries,” Bamford said. “Some of the girls are playing through those right now. It is commendable for the attitude that they are still coming out to play hard regardless of the obstacles.
“Lower Moreland shot the ball really well tonight. They were patient on offense to find their open teammates and knocked them down. They also attacked the basket well as we were slow to step in and stop the attackers. Rich has really got them playing like a team offensively and defensively. They always had someone in help and then they had someone helping the helper which is commendable when you have such a young program.”
Ava Pistone’s eight points led the Panthers. Truly Heft added six.
“We have been running into foul trouble,” Bamford said. “With that, sophomore Maeve Henry has been stepping up and filling in for roles of players that have been sick or injured. She has become very reliable in knowing the plays and defensively where to be. Tonight, she had five defensive rebounds which is an area that we need to improve on to limit team’s second shots.”
Lower Moreland (7-3, 5-1 SOL) will return to action Friday, Jan. 5, when the Lions will host Hatboro-Horsham in a crossover contest.
Quakertown (1-9, 0-6) will return to action Friday, Jan. 5, when the Panthers will travel to William Tennent.
Quakertown 3-1-6-9 19
Lower Moreland 22-21-8-6 57
Quakertown (19) – Addyson Davis 1 3-6 5; Ava Pistone 3 0-0 8; Truly Heft 3 0-0 6; TOTALS 7 3-8 19.
Lower Moreland (57) – Briana McFerran 1 1-2 3; Dani Brusha 2 3-4 7; Amelia Brown 1 0-0 3; Sydney Santora 4 1-2 9; Mollie Martin 4 2-3 11; Haylee Huber 1 0-0 2; Alexis MacPhee 2 0-0 5; Maddie Broderick 2 0-0 6; Sofia Fey 2 0-0 4; Emma DiJoseph 3 0-0 7; TOTALS 22 7-13 57.
3-point goals: Quakertown – Ava Pistone 2; LM – Maddie Broderick 2, Amelia Brown, Mollie Martin, Alexis MacPhee, Emma DiJoseph.
ABINGTON 55, UPPER MORELAND 27
The Ghosts took the suspense out of Thursday’s crossover games in a hurry, opening up a 13-7 lead after one quarter and blowing the game open with a 20-4 second quarter to go into halftime with a 33-11 lead.
“All our girls are stepping up in their roles and trusting each other,” Abington coach Allison Lawson said. “I am loving the way we are playing right now.”
Jordyn Reynolds and Piper McGinley each had five points in a first quarter that saw the Ghosts connect on three 3-pointers. The second quarter belonged to Mikiaya Durham, who buried three 3s and scored 14 points.
Durham’s 15 points led a balanced Abington attack. Piper McGinley added 12 points, which included two 3-pointers. She also had seven rebounds and six assists in an all-around strong performance. Reynolds finished with seven points in a contest that saw 10 players contribute scoring.
Lawson had plenty of praise to go around after this win.
“Piper McGinley played great on both ends of the floor,” Lawson said. “She had the task of guarding UM’s best player – Holly (Gohl), and she did a great job limiting her points.
“(Point guard) Maya Johnson again controlled our offense. She is a great floor leader for our team. Even though she didn’t score a lot this game, she did everything else. She attacked and found the open player, giving her seven assists and three steals.
“Mikiaya Durham had 15 points, hitting four 3-pointers in the first half.”
Gohl’s 14 points led the Golden Bears. Lilly Hansen added six points.
“I have to give Abington lots of credit tonight,” UM coach Josh Adelman said. “They couldn’t miss and shot the ball very well. They also played well defensively.
“They have a very good team. We get a chance to bounce back tomorrow afternoon against Phoenixville.”
Abington (7-2, 5-1 SOL) is off until Friday, Jan. 5, when the Ghosts will travel to Cheltenham for a crossover game.
Upper Moreland (6-3, 3-2) will host Phoenixville in a non-league game Friday at 4 p.m.
Upper Moreland 7-4-7-9 27
Abington 13-20-12-10 55
Upper Moreland (27) – Mike Lancit 1 2-4 4; Lianna Adames 1 0-0 3; Lilly Hansen 2 1-2 6; Holly Gohl 6 1-3 14; TOTALS 10 4-9 27.
Abington (55) – Ava Teich 1 0-0 3; Maya Johnson 0 1-2 1; Harper McGinley 1 0-0 2; Mikiaya Durham 5 1-2 15; Jordyn Reynolds 3 0-0 7; Piper McGinley 5 0-0 12; Sarah Oleary 1 3-8 5; Kara Slavin 1 1-2 3; Zyn McClain 1 1-2 3; TOTALS 20 7-16 55.
3-point goals: UM – Lianna Adames, Lilly Hansen, Holly Gohl; Abington – Mikiaya Durham 4, Piper McGinley 2, Ava Teich, Jordyn Reynolds.
UPPER DUBLIN 55, SPRINGFIELD TWP 22
The Cardinals seized control of Thursday’s crossover game before the fans had settled in their seats, opening up a 21-0 lead and extending that to 34-9 by halftime. Nora Brady was a catalyst in the Cardinals’ fast start, burying three 3s in the first quarter and scoring all 10 of her points in the frame.
“They smoked us in the first quarter – all the credit to their program, their kids,” Springfield coach Dave Giordano said. “At one point I turned to one of my assistants and said, ‘Is there six girls out there? There has to be six girls.’ They just move so well and so fast, and they’re so accurate in their shooting. We were just chasing them all night long.
“They really are a good squad and a good program. I talked to Morgan (Funsten) before the game. I said, ‘I’m looking forward to watching you in the districts.’ They have a great combination of speed, quickness, and they’re well coached. They shoot lights out. It was impressive to watch.”
Amy Ngo led the Cardinals with 14 points – which included four 3-pointers – to go along with four assists, five deflections, three steals and one block. Tamia Clark added 14 points, seven rebounds, four deflections and a team-high six steals. Megan Ngo contributed eight points – all in the first half, and she also handed out 10 assists to go along with four rebounds, two deflections and three steals.
Bridget DiMartile had seven rebounds and a pair of steals. Brighid Brady had four rebounds. Makayla Keyes also had four rebounds, two steals and three blocked shots.
For the Spartans, Alana Decker had seven points – all in the second half.
“You try to do the classic ‘keep your heads up’ speech at halftime,” Giordano said. “We put some points on the board in the second half, but we’re happy to be where we are on the break. We have a couple of tournament games next week. If I was going to do the math, 4-4 is fine at this point. I think we all realize their program is so strong. Kudos to them.”
Upper Dublin (8-0, 6-0 SOL) will face Springfield-Delco on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. in the Cardinal O’Hara Holiday Tournament.
Springfield Twp (4-4, 2-4) will face Marple Newtown on Wednesday at 5:45 p.m. in an opening round game of the Marple Newtown Holiday Tournament.
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