CB West, Souderton, CR North, PW and Upper Dublin were winners in SOL girls’ basketball action on Friday. CB West/NP photos provided courtesy of Donna Longacre and CR North/CR South photos courtesy of John Gleeson. Check back for photo galleries of both games.
SOL National Conference
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 60, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 33
Balanced scoring has been a trademark of the Indians this season, and that didn’t change in Friday’s convincing win over their neighboring rival. Ten players put their names in the scoring column – none had more than 11 points.
“It’s nice to not know who’s going to be your leading scorer because they all can do it,” coach Lou Palkovics said. “We played at Tennent, and I had a girl – Sydney Bloom – come off the bench and score 20 points, and she can do that on any night. It wasn’t a fluke. I just have to find her more time.”
In Friday’s win, the Indians had 43 rebounds, 10 steals, 18 assists and six blocked shots.
“Right now, there are no egos,” Palkovics said. “You know you have Dana (Bandurick), Becca (Margolis) and Mackenzie (Tinner). They’re going to be solid every night, but between the other five – I never know who is going to step up because they all have the ability to do it. It’s nice to have that. I don’t feel there’s any drop-off going to any five of them.”
Margolis led the Indians with 11 points, three steals and three assists. Camryn Polinsky added 10 points and three assists.
“That was great to see because she hasn’t scored as much as I want her to,” Palkovics said. “She played well tonight.”
Tinner also had 10 points to go along with seven rebounds, five assists and two blocked shots. Kaelin Mealey contributed nine points, and Bandurick had eight points, seven rebounds, three steals, four assists and two blocked shots.
Abby Jones pulled down a team-high eight rebounds off the bench.
“She’s gotten so much better,” Palkovics said. “She can come off the bench and do things.”
Anna Cairone also was a force under the boards off the bench, pulling down six rebounds.
“Liv Boyle also played well tonight, Kaelin (Mealey) played well,” Palkovics said. “I’m pretty happy right now. I’m happy where we’re at. My girls don’t care who’s the leading scorer. The chemistry right now is really good. I’m hoping this trip to Florida makes it even better.”
The Indians set the tone with a 23-4 first quarter the featured six points from Margolis and five from Tinner. By halftime, the Indians led 40-12.
“You watch tape and you might think you’re better, but you never know what’s going to happen in a North-South game,” Palkovics said. “I told the girls, ‘This is another step in your journey, and your journey is going a little bit different than where Council Rock South is going. You don’t just need to win, you need to send a message.’”
Council Rock North (4-1, 2-0 SOL) will travel to Naples, Fla., to compete in the prestigious Naples Holiday Shootout. The Indians will open play against a Fort Myers squad that is coming off a 124-5 win over South Fort Myers. Council Rock South (2-3, 0-2) will compete in the Upper Merion Holiday Tournament on Wednesday.
Council Rock North 23-17-17-3 60
Council Rock South 4-8-7-14 33
Council Rock North (60) – Becca Margolis 11, Juliana Shields 2, Camryn Polinsky 10, Anna Cairone 3, Dana Bandurick 8, Sydney Blum 1, Olivia Boyle 4, Abby Jones 2, Kaelin Mealey 9, Mackenzie Tinner 10.
Council Rock South (33) – Carley Irvin 2, Alex Szydlik 3, Isabella Mendes 2, Claudia Steinmetz 3, Emma Jones 2, Karly Wunder 2, Nicole Balustein 8, Allison McGowan 3, Hannah Binder 3, Brooke Goldberg 2, Jenna Culp 3.
SOL Continental Conference
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 53, NORTH PENN 40
Things can change in a hurry in the sport of basketball.
The Bucks found themselves on the short end of a 21-18 score at the end of a sometimes frenetic first half. Maddie Burke erased that on her team’s opening possession when she hit nothing but net on a 3-pointer.
It marked the beginning of a dazzling 11-0 West run in a three-minute span that included eight points from Burke and a Diane Nicholson three.
“It was our first home game, so there were first-game jitters,” Burke said. “We got them out in the first half and came out confident.
“We came out with the mindset in the third quarter that the first three minutes were the most important, and it set the mindset for the rest of the game.”
Burke scored 11 points in West’s 21-point third quarter that also included five points from Nicholson. Burke led all scorers with 24 points.
“She was all-out tonight,” West coach Terry Rakowsky said. “She was open the whole time, but we just weren’t getting her the ball in the first half. In the second half, we got her the ball.
“Diane Nicholson – it was the same thing. If Diane gets that look at a 20-footer, she’s knocking it down more times than not. When they’re making their shots, all of a sudden kids are flying out, and they’re going to get their shots, they’re going to get their layups.”
Nicholson added 14 points, which included three 3-pointers, and the duo combined for 16 points in the third quarter.
While the Bucks appeared to take control with their 11-0 burst, the Knights had other ideas, rallying to knot the score 29-29 when Bri Hewlett buried a pair at the foul line to cap an 8-0 run.
A Burke three not only brought an end to the Knights’ run but also ignited another West run, this one a 15-0 tear that included a three-point play by Abbey Spratt, a pair of foul shots from Jess Broskey, an Erin McIlhenney putback and five points from Nicholson. Her 3-pointer just over a minute into the fourth quarter capped the run and gave the Bucks a 44-29 lead.
This time the Knights – who battled to the final whistle – had no answer.
“We’re just young basketball-wise,” Rakowsky said. “We have a lot of work to do. The good thing is that these kids are pretty talented. They work hard.
“They’re wonderful kids, and they’ll develop and get better and better and better. Hopefully, by February, we’re still around in the picture.”
“I feel like we’re just going to keep improving,” Burke said. “We’re very young. A lot of kids haven’t played varsity games, and they’re still scared.
“They’ll get used to it, keep improving, get more comfortable on the floor and become contributors.”
Hewlett led the Knights with 14 points, which included a perfect 8-for-8 effort at the foul line. Kate Early added seven points while Jenny Hulmes and Alli Lindsay both had six points.
“I’m pleased with how the kids fought,” North Penn coach Maggie deMarteleire said. “(West) shot an unbelievable percentage in the second half and from quite a distance out. They made shots, we didn’t make shots.
“We had shots going halfway down and popping out, but my kids’ effort was there. I thought our defense was really good, and we handled their press for the most part. Obviously, their press slowed us down and we shot a lot of quick threes during one stretch, but then I thought we adjusted.
“When they came out and hit 11 straight points, we came right back. I was really pleased with the effort. That’s the best we’ve hit the offensive boards. They just shot so well – between Burke and Nicholson, it was ridiculous. Our kids really battled. I was really pleased because the last couple of games I haven’t seen that kind of fight.”
Central Bucks West (3-1, 2-0 SOL) will travel to Hampton, Va., to compete in the Boo Williams Christmas Classic next week. North Penn (4-4, 0-2) is off until Jan. 3 when the Knights will host Central Bucks South.
North Penn 10-11-8-11 40
Central Bucks West 8-10-21-14 53
North Penn (40) – Jenny Hulmes 6, Alli Lindsay 6, Kate Early 7, Carley Adams 5, Jess McKenzie 2, Bri Hewlett 14.
Central Bucks West (53) – Abbey Spratt 5, Diane Nicholson 14, Jess Broskey 2, Maddie Burke 24, Erin McIlhinney 4, Izzy Treon 4.
SOUDERTON 38, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 29
Kate Connolly and Megan Bealer combined for 25 points and 17 rebounds to lead the Indians to the conference win. Connolly had a team-high 13 points – which included a three – to go along with eight rebounds and two blocks. Bealer had a hot hand from the outside, burying four 3-pointers for 12 points. She also had a team-high nine rebounds.
The Indians led by just one point after one quarter but used a 12-2 second quarter to go into halftime with a 21-10 lead. The visiting Patriots never could make up for the ground they lost.
For the Patriots, Bailey McManus and Gina Russo both scored seven points while Sophia Mancuso and Elyse Shine each had six points.
Souderton (6-1, 1-1 SOL) is off until Jan. 5 when the Indians will host Pennridge. Central Bucks East (4-3, 1-1) will compete in the Boardwalk Classic in Wildwood on Wednesday.
Central Bucks East 8-2-9-10 29
Souderton 9-12-9-8 38
Central Bucks East (29) – Sophie Mancuso 6, Gina Russo 7, Caroline Pla 3, Bailey McManus 7, Elyse Shine 6.
Souderton (38) – Tori Dowd 1, Megan Bealer 12, Alana Cardona 5, Megan Walbrandt 5, Curran ODonnell 2, Kate Connolly 13.
SOL American Conference
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 58, WISSAHICKON 28
Taylor O’Brien scored 18 points and also led the defense with eight steals to go along with five rebounds and three assists. Lauren Fortescue added 14 points, seven rebounds and two assists while Bria Rivers had nine points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots. Anna McTamney added eight points.
The Colonials led 16-9 after one quarter and upped that lead to 33-12 by halftime. They never looked back.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (5-1, 2-0 SOL) will face Bodine on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Wissahickon (1-2, 1-1) will face Council Rock South in the Upper Merion Holiday Tournament on Wednesday.
Plymouth Whitemarsh 16-17-15-10 58
Wissahickon 9-3-6-10 28
Plymouth Whitemarsh (58) – Taylor O’Brien 18, Lauren Fortescue 14, Gia Schweitzer 3, Olivia Mationi 2, Bria Rivers 9, Anna McTamney 8, Sydney Kesselman 4.
UPPER DUBLIN 56, QUAKERTOWN 12
The Flying Cardinals scored 21 first-quarter points and never looked back on their way to the convincing road win.
Nicole Kaiser led a balanced Cardinal attack with 13 points and six rebounds. Jackie Vargas had 10 points and four rebounds while Meg Barbera had nine points and four steals. Maggie Weglos had seven points, four steals and four rebounds.
Upper Dublin (5-1, 2-0 SOL) will host Springside-Chestnut Hill on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in an opening round game of its own tournament. Quakertown will face William Tennent in Wednesday’s opening round of the William Tennent Tournament.
Upper Dublin 21-12-12-11 56
Quakertown 2-3-4-3 12
Upper Dublin (56) – Anajae Smith 2, Meghan Barbera 9, Nicole Kaiser 13, Sarah Eskew 5, Kara Grebe 4, Maggie Weglos 7, Dayne Balasa 6. Jackie Vargas 10.
Quakertown (12) – Maggie Garlick 9, Brianna Leftkoski 3.
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