Several girls’ basketball teams captured championships on Saturday. Check out all the action.
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 51, ABINGTON 43
Mackenzie Carroll never expected to find herself in a starring role. As a matter of fact, the West sophomore was more than happy to get important minutes off the bench for the Bucks, but in the absence of three West regulars heading into this weekend’s Ghost Tipoff Tournament, Carroll found herself in the starting lineup.
She seized the moment.
Carroll followed her 20-point effort in West’s opening round win over Norristown with an even more impressive 25-point performance in Saturday’s title win. Her 14 points in the fourth quarter, which included a perfect 8-for-8 from the charity stripe, not only cut the heart out of a young Ghost squad but also ensured that her name would be on the tournament’s MVP plaque.
When it was over, Carroll was far more concerned about her team’s accomplishments th
an her own.
“I wasn’t on the team three years ago, but I know they had a rough go,” Carroll said. “This year we’re supposed to be even better than last year, and we needed this to start out our season good.
“We lost to Abington in this game last year. We got down by 20 (25-5), and we almost came back. This year we were not going to let that happen again.”
The Bucks, who trailed 29-22 late in the third quarter, owned the final 10 minutes of the game. They closed out the third quarter with a 9-0 run that began with a Nicole Munger three-pointer and culminated with a nifty bucket by Kat Bahner (Corrinne Godshall assist).
“We’re always hustling,” Carroll said. “Our team never stops, we never get down, no matter what the score is. We always want to come back.
“If we’re not scoring, we have to get the steals on defense. Once we start doing our defense well, our offense will come from that.”
Abington junior Michael Harris - showing no ill effects from the ACL injury she suffered last year – scored on a putback to knot the score 31-31 in the opening seconds of the fourth quarter, but a Godshall basket put the Bucks on top 33-31.
Freshman Leah Simmons buried one-of-two from the foul line to make it a one-point game.
Carroll sank both ends of a one-and-one at the other end, but Ghost freshman Sammy Lochner answered with a bucket to make it a 35-34 game. Carroll calmly buried a three to put the Bucks on top 38-34, but Simmons, who scored 10 points in a coming out party of her own, answered with a basket for the Ghosts.
“We didn’t know how long it would take Leah Simmons to show up, but she showed up tonight,” said Abington coach Dan Marsh, who was without Bre Bermel and Joslin Poole. “Adding her to the mix and we’ll get the other two girls back – I’m excited.”
Carroll – West’s version of ‘the answer’ in Saturday’s win - sank a clutch three-pointer to put the Bucks on top 41-36.
“I try to be confident with them,” Carroll said of her long-range shots. “I know I’m not going to hit every one, but I find that when I think I’m going to make it, it goes in. If I think I’m not going to make it, it’s not going to go in.”
Deja Rawls, who scored 10 points before fouling with 1:57 remaining, found Harris for a basket to make it a 41-38 game, but Carroll buried a pair from the foul line. Again Harris answered with a bucket, but Carroll sank four straight from the foul line, and the Ghosts had no answer.
“I knew (number) four was going to hurt us,” Marsh said of Carroll. “That girl hit some big shots. They had some big shots. Whenever we got momentum, they took it right back with those three’s.
“It was a war. It was fun.”
Harris led the Ghosts with 12 points and 14 rebounds while Simmons had nine points. On the other side of the court, Munger scored 10 points, all of them in the second half.
“We went right up and down the whole bench, trying to get minutes,” West coach Terry Rakowsky said. “Trying to go up and down the floor with them is hard to do with five or six kids. Kids gave us a minute here, a minute there. Both of these games were definitely team wins, yesterday especially.”
NOTES: The Ghosts lost Rawls to fouls, and Harris, after sitting out the final five minutes of the third quarter, played the entire fourth quarter with four fouls. “It was very frustrating,” Harris said of her foul woes. “I have been playing long enough to know that’s unacceptable, and I really shouldn’t be doing it.” For his part, Marsh is okay with fouls of aggression but wants to see his players cut back on the ‘silly’ fouls. “We have to eliminate the silly fouls, so we don’t run into that kind of thing at the end of the game, but we responded,” Marsh said. “We played hard the whole time. We did what we wanted to do defensively. We rushed them, we turned them over. We didn’t make some shots, but I’m not unhappy. If we play like we did tonight, we’ll win more games than we’ll lose.”…Marsh lauded the performance of freshman Sammy Lochner, who was given the task of containing West point guard Nicole Munger. “I thought she did a phenomenal job on Nicole,” the Ghosts’ coach said. “We thought of putting Deja on her, but we wanted to keep Deja fresh. Having her chase Nicole around the whole time would have been a mistake. I thought Sammy did a great job.”
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST (51) - Nicole Munger 3 2-2 10; Mackenzie Carroll 5 12-15 25; Corrinne Godshall 3 0-0 6; Maggie Gratz 1 0-0 2; Kate McLaughlin 0 0-0 0; Calypso Carty 0 4-6 4; Taylor Moylan 0 2-2 2. TOTALS 13 20-26 51.
ABINGTON (43) - Gabby Nolan 0 1-4 1; Sammy Lochner 1 4-6 6; Deja Rawls 4 0-2 10; Cate Hughes 0 0-0 0; Michael Harris 4 4-8 12; Leah Simmons 4 1-3 9; Taylor Deal 2 0-0 5; Tammiya Edmonds 0 0-0 0; Gianna Vitale 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 15 10-23 43.
Central Bucks West 8 7 16 20-51
Abington 8 12 9 14-43
Three-point goals: CBW - Carroll 3, Munger 2; Abington – Rawls 2, Deal 1.
UPPER MERION 44, CONESTOGA 33
Sparked by the standout performances of sophomore Regie Robinson and senior Kristina O’Sullivan, the Vikings made history on Saturday night when – for the first time in the tournament’s 10-year history – they captured their own tournament title.
“I told the girls – we’ve had good seasons, but we’ve never won the tip-off tournament,” coach Tom Schurtz said. “I said, ‘Don’t put too much stock in this because it’s a long season. It’s a marathon, it’s not a sprint,’ but I was pretty happy that we won. It’s nice to finally win it.”
The Vikings recuperated from a disastrous start to earn the historic win.
Conestoga led 13-2 at the end of one quarter and extended that lead to 17-2 before the Vikings found their legs.
“It was not looking very good early,” Schurtz said. “We picked up fullcourt, and we changed the tempo of the game. We made a couple of shots and cut it to 20-15 at the half.”
O’Sullivan and Robinson accounted for all 15 of the Vikings’ first-half points with O’Sullivan scoring nine.
The Vikings came out of halftime and staged a 5-0 run to knot the score two minutes into the third quarter. The two teams were deadlocked 26-26 heading into the final quarter when the Vikings went on an 18-9 tear. Robinson, who earned tournament MVP honors, accounted for 10 points. Six of those points came at the foul line where she twice buried both ends of one-and-one’s.
“We were absolutely stellar down the stretch, and that was the difference,” Schurtz said.
Robinson led all scorers with 19 points while O’Sullivan had 17.
“It’s not a secret that Sully and Regie make us go,” Schurtz said. “They’re both great players, and they make us go.
“Katherine Bailey once again played well.”
An interesting game stat would show that both teams had 11 field goals, which included one three-pointer, but the difference in the game was at the foul line where the Vikings connected on 19-of-24. The Pioneers made 11-of-19 shots.
“We were outstanding from the line today,” Schurtz said. “We only gave up 36 points to a team that has multiple six-foot players. We did a very nice job defensively.
“We played well. Conestoga is a well-coached team. They had nine different players scoring, but we found a way to grind out a nice win tonight.”
NORTH PENN 54, LANSDALE CATHOLIC 32
The Maidens opened up an early lead and never looked back on their way to capturing the title in their own tournament on Saturday.
“We’re still rusty, but it was a lot better than yesterday,” coach Maggie deMarteleire said. “We got a lot more open looks.
“It was really important to get off to a good start, which we did, and having Erin (Maher) back in the lineup helped. She’s very composed, she’s smart, and she does a lot of things.”
Maher, who was sidelined for Friday’s opener with a knee injury, scored five points in a first quarter that saw the 
Maidens open up a 14-2 lead. She finished the game with 12 points.
“It felt awesome to be back,” Maher said. “It’s fine cheering on your teammates, but it was certainly fun to get back out there. I was a little nervous because it was everybody’s second game, but it was my first game, but I tried not to show it.”
According to Maher, the key to the season for the young Maidens will be developing consistency.
“We have depth, unlike last year,” she said. “It’s great to have depth because we can go harder, we can press on defense, but consistency is going to be the key.”
The Maidens led 19-11 at the end of one quarter and took a 28-19 lead into halftime. Crisler, who led all scorers with 19 points, accounted for 15 of those points.
“I thought Lauren Crisler had another great game,” deMarteleire said. “She dominated the boards and scored most of our points.”
At the end of three quarters, the Maidens led 41-26, and the never looked back.
“I thought defensively we played well, and we rebounded well,” deMarteleire said. “Rebounding was one of my question marks at the beginning of the season.
“Lauren obviously did well, and Tehya (Daneker) didn’t have a lot of points, but she did a good job rebounding. Overall, I thought everyone did what they were supposed to do. We’re going to work on turnovers – that’s something we have to work on. If we keep improving, that’s what we’re going to look for.”
Vicky Tumasz added eight points, which included a pair of treys, for the Maidens (2-0).
deMarteleire was honored prior to the game with the presentation of a game ball autographed by her players for notching win number 400 of an impressive coach career on Feb. 18, 2012.
BENSALEM 37, CHRISTOPHER DOCK 27
The Owls defended a tournament crown they owned, winning in decisive fashion in the title game of the Pennridge Tip-Off Tournament. The Owls sprinted to a 17-4 lead and extended that to 29-10 by halftime.
“The girls played really well,” coach Don Bogan said. “We have a really young team, so it was good for them to step up and play hard the way they did.
“We didn’t press. We played zone defense, and the girls matched up well. They did a good job of boxing out, limiting them to one shot. In the fourth quarter, we got a little lazy. They outscored us in the fourth (17-8), but in the first three quarters, the girls were really good.”
Ashida Cooper led the Owls (2-0) with 16 points and eight rebounds while Tyra Roberts added a double-double – 10 points and 10 rebounds.
PENNSBURY 44, UPPER MERION 40
Jae Jackson scored 17 points and Kaitlin Kelly added 13 to lead the Falcons to the big win and the title of the Haverford Tournament on Saturday. Jackson was named tournament MVP while Carly Kovin also earned a spot on the all-tournament team for the Falcons (2-0).
NORRISTOWN 44, RIDLEY 40
Disappointed with their performance in Friday’s opener against Central Bucks West, the Eagles used a 16-8 third quarter scoring explosion to turn a 23-18 halftime deficit into a 36-31 lead on their way to the hard-earned win.
“This was extremely important,” coach Ashlee Harrison said of Saturday’s win. “We had such a great offseason. The kids worked so hard to try and get better, so it was huge for us to come back today and get this win.
“My kids were exhausted from yesterday. It was tough. To press most of the game and deal with being pressed and then to turn around and do it over again today - they weren’t ready for that the first week of the season.
“But we did a great job of adjusting. The kids worked together and played well, and I couldn’t be happier.”
The Eagles’ third quarter surge was the result of the efforts of Briana Hedgepath (six points) as well as Sydney Morse and Keifonna Ferguson, who both had five points in the quarter. Morse, who finished with 10 points, had a key three-point play in the closing seconds of the first half to pull the Eagles to within five at the intermission.
“When we came out in the third quarter, we went right after it,” Harrison said. “It was much closer than I would have liked. Ridley plays hard, and they don’t go away, that’s for sure.”
Hedgepath led the Eagles (1-1) with 17 points while Ferguson finished with eight points and nine rebounds.
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 45, PHOENIXVILLE 24
The Indians rebounded from a disappointing loss to Villa Joseph Marie to crush Phoenixville in the consolation game of the Phoenixville Tournament on Saturday. The Indians took a 19-11 lead into halftime, and if there was a defining period in the game, it came in the third quarter when the Indians went on a dazzling 25-2 tear.
“We just exploded in the third quarter,” coach Lou Palkovics said. “It was just swarming defense.
“I have athletes, and if their shots are going in, they will be dangerous. The third quarter was fun to watch.”
Armed with a 44-13 lead heading into the final frame, Palkovics went deep on his bench.
And just how important was it for the young Indians to get a win.
“You know what, I hope it doesn’t sound selfish, but I don’t know if it was more important for them or for me,” Palkovics said. “You see them doing things in practice, and then they don’t do it on the court, and you start to question yourself.”
The Indians, who do not have a senior on their roster, start five sophomores.
“These girls are fun,” Palkovics said. “Girls always play hard, but they play with a reckless abandon. They’re diving all over the place, and there are times when I don’t want to give them too much structure.”
Leading the young Indians once again was Jess Gerber with 15 points, which included a pair of three-pointers. Michaela Finneyfrock added 10 points and 10 steals in a rare double-double for the Indians (1-1) while Madison Attanasio, Krista Campbell and Katie Budny each had five points.
UPPER DUBLIN 54, UPPER DARBY 36
On the heels of Friday’s heartbreaking overtime loss to Central Dauphin East, the Flying Cardinals sprinted to a 17-4 lead at the end of one quarter and never looked back. Senior point guard Curtrena Goff led the Flying Cardinals with 17 points, six rebounds and five assists while teammate Regan Gallagher also had a big game, contributing 15 points and six rebounds. Brianna Spector rounded out the UD players in double figures with 10.
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 32, GARNET VALLEY 30
Junior point guard Karoline White scored at the buzzer to propel the Patriots to the dramatic win in their season opener on Saturday. The win avenged last year’s heartbreaking 39-37 loss to Garnet Valley on East’s home court.
The two teams were deadlocked 7-7 at the end of one quarter, but Garnet Valley outscored the Patriots 14-6 in the second quarter to go into halftime with a 21-13 lead. The Patriots came to life offensively in the third quarter, outscoring their opponent 15-5 to go into the final frame with a 28-26 lead. Neither team generated a whole lot of offense in the fourth quarter, and it was White connecting on just her team’s second basket of the quarter to win it in the closing seconds.
Morgan Kelly led the Patriots (1-0) with 12 points while Courtney Webster had 10.
DOWNINGTOWN WEST 55, PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 51
The Colonials rallied from a 33-29 halftime deficit to take a 42-37 lead into the final quarter, but the Whippets closed out the game with an 18-9 run to earn the consolation game win at the Methacton Tournament.
The Whippets won the game at the free throw line where they connected on 16-of-20 shots, led by star guard Maddie Dew, who was 10-of-11 from the charity stripe. Dew led all scorers with 27 points.
Rachel Konowal led a balanced PW attack with 17 points while Maya Thomas and Alynna Williams each added 10 points for the Colonials, who fell to 0-2.
SPRINGFIELD (DELCO) 33, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 32
Just seconds separated the Titans from a tournament title in Saturday’s championship game at the Springfield Tournament, but the host Spartans pulled a miracle out of their hats, connecting on a three-pointer with five seconds remaining to earn the dramatic win.
The Titans (1-1) - who trailed 22-15 at the intermission and still trailed 30-24 at the start of the fourth quarter - had taken the lead with just over a minute remaining in the regulation. They had possession with the lead but misfired on the front end of a one-and-one, and the Spartans made it hurt, draining the game winner as time was about to expire. It was the Spartans only bucket in the final quarter.
“The only time they had the ball in their offensive end in the last couple of the minutes, they drained that one shot,” South coach Beth Mattern said.
Rachel Falkowski led the Titans with 13 points.
METHACTON 48, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 46
The Warriors scored at the buzzer to capture their own tournament title on Saturday. On the heels of a 27-point performance in Friday’s win, Alexis Hofstaedter, who earned a spot on the all-tournament team, scored 21 points. Senior Courtney Brown added 19 points, all in the second half for the Golden Hawks (1-1).
UPPER PERKIOMEN 50, QUAKERTOWN 36
The Indians opened up a 27-10 halftime lead on their way to the win over the Panthers in the consolation game at the Upper Merion Tournament. Kathryne Vetter led the Panthers (0-2) with 11 points, which included a perfect 4-for-4 at the foul line, while Taylor Herd added 10 points and Ashlee Ruzicka, eight points.
WILLIAM TENNENT 47, WISSAHICKON 32
PENNRIDGE 72, MASTERY CHARTER 40
WILSON-WEST LAWN 57, CHELTENHAM 26
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