Check out the recaps for SOL girls’ basketball teams in action Friday. CB South/Pennridge photos courtesy of Jon Sklut. PW/O’Hara photos courtesy of Larry Small, and CR North/Academy Park photos provided courtesy of Tracy Valko. Check back for a gallery of photos. All SOS photo galleries for GIRLS’ BASKETBALL can be viewed by clicking HERE.
SOL Colonial Division
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 51, PENNRIDGE 24
The Titans needed a win on the heels of a tough stretch that saw them drop three straight after an emotional win at the buzzer over Central Bucks East on the team’s Senior Night last Friday.
They got the bounce-back win they needed in their regular season finale, opening up an 18-2 lead after one quarter and extending that to 32-11 by halftime on their way to the no-doubt-about-it win.
“We just needed a positive boost, and I thought tonight the girls came out with a different energy,” South coach Beth Mattern said. “I was just really happy with how we executed, and we finished on the offensive end, and that just gave us some energy to kind of keep going and follow the game plan defensively pretty well. I was really happy with our energy tonight.”
Taylor Hinkle’s seven first-quarter points jumpstarted the Titans. Samantha Schiesser added five points in a quarter that saw the Titans bury three 3-pointers – one each from Hinkle, Schiesser and Allison Sauers.
It was Yoyo Samayoa’s turn to have the hot hand in the second quarter. The Titans’ point guard connected on a pair of 3s and had eight points in a 14-point quarter that gave the Titans control of the game they would not lose.
“We just executed better tonight, and we rebounded the ball really well,” Mattern said. “It’s the things we talk about all the time at practice that we’ve been struggling with and letting ourselves down with over the last week.
“Tonight we really went out and executed and left everything out on the court, so that was nice to see.”
Samayoa’s 14 points led a balanced Titan attack. Hinkle also finished in double figures with 11 while Schiesser and Sauers both had seven points.
Emma Pyne’s seven points led the Rams. The Titans limited dangerous junior Katie Yoder to just four points.
Central Bucks South (12-10, 8-8 SOL) is off until the District One 6A Tournament. The Titans are seeded 15th. Pennridge closed out its season with an 11-12 record (6-10 SOL).
Pennridge 2-9-4-9 24
Central Bucks South 18-14-11-8 51
Pennridge (24) – Ella Brown 1 2-2 4; Katie Yoder 2 0-0 4; Ava Fantaskey 2 0-0 5; Ava Unzicker 1 0-0 2; Emma Pyne 2 3-4 7; Ryan Hodder 1 0-0 2. TOTALS 9 5-6 24.
Central Bucks South (51) – Casey Balkir 2 0-0 4; Taylor Hinkle 4 2-2 11; Jenna McCartin 2 0-0 5; Maddie Tantum 1 1-2 3; Samantha Schiesser 3 0-2 7; Allison Sauers 3 0-2 7; Yoyo Samayoa 5 2-2 14. TOTALS 20 5-10 51.
3-point goals: Pennridge – Ava Fantaskey; CBS – Yoyo Samayoa 2, Taylor Hinkle, Jenna McCartin, Samantha Schiesser, Allison Sauers.
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 56, NORTH PENN 51
Both teams came into Friday’s contest fighting for their playoff lives, and it was the Patriots – sparked by the inspired 23-point efforts of sophomore Anna Barry and senior Elise Duffy – earning a hard fought win that avenged a 54-48 loss to the Knights in early January.
“I give North Penn a lot of credit,” East coach Liz Potash said. “We had 10-point leads multiple times, and North Penn just responded. They came back. They were playing for a lot too, and you could tell both teams were playing with everything on the line.
“Elise Duffy turned in quite the Senior Night performance – she was 9-for-9 from the foul line. I give the girls so much credit for what they’ve done all year. I know there’s no other team that will be in districts with an under .500 record, but I also don’t think there’s any other team that’s played as many close games as we did and was able to compete the way we did this year.”
The Patriots – behind 10 points from Duffy, who had a pair of 3s – led 12-6 after one quarter. They took a 19-16 lead into halftime. Caleigh Sperling’s eight points led the Knights in the half.
The Knights edged the Patriots 19-18 in the third quarter, pulling to within two (37-35) heading into the final frame. Again, Sperling was the catalyst for the Knights, scoring 11 of her team’s points. Barry was on fire for the Patriots, burying a pair of 3s and scoring 11 points.
In the fourth quarter, the Patriots edged the Knights 19-16, sinking 8-of-9 at the foul line with Duffy a perfect 6-for-6. Barry added seven points.
“I’m just really proud of the girls,” Potash said. “Like I said to them after the game – when you look at what last year’s team did, you think it’s easy, and then you go through the season, and you realize what they were able to do last year to go undefeated in the league is even more impressive when you look at how tough this year was and how much we had to kind of claw every single possession all season. We’re really happy for the girls and happy to get back in postseason. That was a big goal.”
Sperling led all scorers with 26 points, which included two 3s and a 6-for-6 effort at the foul line. Olivia Stone added 11 points, and Abby Plaugher had eight.
Central Bucks East (10-11, 7-9 SOL) will await its opponent in the upcoming District One 6A Tournament. The Patriots were ranked 21st after Friday’s win. North Penn closed out its regular season with an 8-12 record (6-10 SOL) and are just outside the district playoff bubble at 26th.
North Penn 6-10-19-16 51
Central Bucks East 12-7-18-19 56
North Penn (51) – Caleigh Sperling 9 6-6 26; Abby Plaugher 3 1-1 8; Kelly Dorney 1 0-0 2; Liv Stone 4 3-4 11; Murphy Muddux 1 0-0 2; Kelsie Macintosh 1 0-0 2. TOTALS 19 10-11 51.
Central Bucks East (56) – Erin LeRay 1 0-1 3; Chantal Van Dongeren 1 0-0 2; Keira Shea 0 2-2 2; Anna Barry 8 3-3 23; Elise Duffy 6 9-9 23; Kendall Gregor 1 0-0 2; Bella Haurin 0 1-2 1. TOTALS 17 15-17 56.
3-point goals: NP – Caleigh Sperling 2, Abby Plaugher; CBE – Anna Barry 4, Elise Duffy 2, Erin LeRay.
SOUDERTON 43, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 34
The Indians found themselves in a real battle in Friday’s season finale. The two teams were deadlocked 20-20 at halftime, but the Indians outscored their hosts by three in the third quarter before putting the game out of reach in a 13-point fourth quarter.
The win was the 20th of a successful regular season for the Indians, who were 15-1 in league play.
“They battled as tough as anybody,” Souderton coach Lynn Carroll said of the Bucks. “The fact that we were able to come away with a win really says a lot about where our kids are right now and how well they’re playing.
“The composure they play with, the determination they play with – I think it’s why we’re sitting here with 20 wins going into the SOL Tournament.”
Sparking the Indians in the opening quarter was junior point guard Casey Harter, who had eight points. Emily Spratt’s six points led the Bucks. Souderton took a 30-27 lead into the final quarter when they benefitted from 15 trips to the foul line, burying eight. Erin Bohmueller sank a clutch three in the frame.
“Both teams were in foul trouble, and I don’t think either team adjusted well to it,” Carroll said. “Brooke Fenchel really, really stepped up defensively. She guarded Katie Finnan almost the entire game and just really did a great job on her.
“Offensively, they were all over Casey, and how she keeps her composure – I just don’t know, but she found a way to get to the foul line, which is where she got most of her points tonight. It was a good, solid team win.”
Leading the Indians was Harter with 15 points, which included an 11-for-14 effort at the foul line. She also had five rebounds and two assists. Bohmueller and Teya McConnaha each added nine points. McConnaha led the Indians under the backboards with 10 rebounds while Bohmueller had a pair of assists. Fenchel had two blocked shots.
For the Bucks, Emily Spratt led a balanced attack with eight points and six rebounds. Tai Henkels added seven points, and Katie Finna had six points.
Souderton (20-2, 15-1 SOL) will host Upper Dublin in an opening round game of the SOL Tournament on Saturday at 1 p.m.
“I’m exhausted, so I don’t know how these girls are going to play in less than 24 hours, but we’re happy to be playing in it,” Carroll said.
Central Bucks West (16-6, 11-5) will travel to Plymouth Whitemarsh for an opening round game on Saturday at 5 p.m.
Souderton 12-8-10-13 43
Central Bucks West 9-11-7-7 34
Souderton (43) – Brooke Fenchel 1 0-2 2; Erin Bohmueller 3 1-2 9; Mikayla McGillian 3 1-2 7; Casey Harter 2 11-14 15; Grace McDonough 0 1-2 1; Teya McConnaha 4 1-2 9. TOTALS 13 15-24 43.
Central Bucks West (34) – Tai Henkels 2 2-2 7; Katie Finnan 3 0-0 6; Nia Perry 1 0-0 2; Emily Spratt 2 4-5 8; Alexis Castro 1 1-2 3; Ava Longo 1 2-4 4; Jenna Christie 1 2-4 4. TOTALS 11 11-17 34.
3-point goals: Souderton – Erin Bohmueller 2; CBW – Tai Henkels.
SOL Liberty Division
HATBORO-HORSHAM 68, ABINGTON 62
The Hatters, who led by as many as 23 points in the first half, held off a hard charging Ghost squad in the fourth quarter to earn an upset win that solidified their spot in the District One 6A Tournament.
“We held on for dear life, we really did,” HH coach Eric Glemser said. “They were pressing – everyone knows about Abington’s pressure.
“The ball and the calls just went our way – the breaks of the game, I call them, just went our way. They cut it to two, and Kitty Randa hit a shot in the corner. I don’t know how she hit it. I’m telling them to hold the ball, and they’re throwing up threes. We would get it over half court, they would trap us, and it was Panicville. Some of the passes – I don’t know how they got through. The kids were exhausted.”
The Ghosts, according to Glemser, were down several players. Cire Worley did not play while Abril Bowser attempted to play but was sidelined.
The fact that the Ghosts were without several players did not detract from the big win.
“The kids were happy,” Glemser said. “I had said after the Upper Dublin game – we haven’t had a signature win, we haven’t beat anybody that’s better than us.
“I let them go in the locker room, and they were going nuts. I let them stay in there 10 minutes, and they were just having a ball. They were Snapchatting, videoing Caroline because she was in the hospital. We needed a signature win. Everything else now is a bonus.”
The game began with Abington senior captain Khalis Whiting, who missed her entire season with a knee injury, scoring a courtesy layup. The Ghosts allowed the Hatters the same courtesy.
Hatboro-Horsham, which led 19-15 after one quarter, took a 40-20 lead into halftime. Alice Hall’s 14 points led the Hatters in the half. Leah Harrington added eight points.
The Ghosts outscored the Hatters 20-11 in the third quarter and continued to battle back in the fourth. Jaida Helm ignited the Ghosts’ second half comeback attempt, scoring 20 of her game-high 25 points after the intermission. Dani Brusha had eight points after halftime.
The Hatters somehow survived the loss of point guard Caroline Shegogue, who suffered an injury with 1:15 remaining in regulation and was taken to the hospital.
“Caroline played her butt off,” Glemser said. “She hit some big foul shots.
“Kitty (Randa) hit some big shots. Sam Hollish has been struggling, and she had 10 points. They played as best they could. We really got lucky to get out of there with a win. It was big win for the kids. They’ve come so close, and it was good to get the win.”
Hall’s 18 points led the Hatters. Shegogue had 15 points, including a near perfect 9-for-10 effort at the foul line. Sam Hollish added 10 points, including a pair of second-half 3s. Leah Harrigton had eight points.
Hatboro-Horsham (12-8, 9-7 SOL) will return to action in the District One 6A Tournament. With Friday’s win, the Hatters vaulted to 18th in the district power rankings. Abington (18-4, 13-3 SOL) will travel to Upper Moreland for an opening round game in the SOL Tournament on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
Hatboro-Horsham 19-21-11-17 68
Abington 15-5-20-22 62
Hatboro-Horsham (68) – Caroline Shegogue 3 9-10 15; Alice Hall 8 2-2 18; Abby Waeltz 1 0-2 2; Paige Cole 1 0-0 2; Kitty Randa 3 0-0 6; Leah Harrington 3 0-0 8; Emily Thomas 2 3-3 7; Sam Hollish 3 2-2 10. TOTALS 24 16-19 68.
Abington (62) – Jaida Helm 8 7-8 25; Maya Johnson 3 1-4 7; Dani Brusha 4 3-4 12; Jordyn Reynolds 1 0-0 2; Maura Day 1 0-1 2; Piper McGinley 1 3-4 6; Harper McGinley 1 0-0 3; Tara Hughes 1 0-0 3; Khalis Whiting 1 0-0 2. TOTALS 21 14-21 62.
3-point goals: HH – Leah Harrington 2, Sam Hollish 2; Abington – Jaida Helm 2, Dani Busha, Piper McGinley, Harper McGinley, Tara Hughes.
Non-league
HARRY S TRUMAN 57, MORRISVILLE 50
Improvement doesn’t always translate into wins, but opponents are noticing the Tigers’ improved play as the season progressed under first-year coach Ashida Cooper.
“I’ve heard that from a lot of people, and I’m going to mark it as true,” Cooper said. “Definitely a big difference from the beginning of the year.
“Just even with confidence with the girls, not even actual basketball play. Just them keeping their heads up throughout the game, encouraging each other. We even hear the bench a little bit louder. It’s nice, and it helps me with coaching too, which is what I told them.
“I said, ‘You’ve got to help me out here. You guys are dead. I can’t be hyping everybody up with everyone staring at me,’ so they’ve definitely done a good job of helping me out with that situation, getting more involved.”
The Tigers notched a win in Friday’s season finale. Senior Hannah Smith was the offensive catalyst. Her nine first-quarter points propelled the Tigers to a 15-11 lead. By halftime, she had 17 points, and the Tigers led 38-19.
Also finishing in double figures were Mayah Alford (14 points) and Patricia Monroe (10 points).
“Hannah Smith had a heck of a game tonight for one of her last games and so did Mayah Alford,” Cooper said. “You don’t get to see Mayah’s defense in the book, you only get to see what she scores, but she was a monster tonight and barely let them get a chance to bring the ball up in the front of our press. That’s what kept us in the game.
“I saw some good things from Tricia Monroe as well. Those three did a lot to keep us in the game tonight, keeping the team going and cheering for them.”
With her first season at the helm in the books, Cooper is looking toward the future.
“The game aside today, I’m definitely excited,” the Tigers’ coach said. “I got a chance to go out and see some of the middle school girls this year when they played their playoffs, so we have some nice talent coming up as long as they stay with us.
“When they come up, we have a nice little program that we can put together in the next few years. I’m extremely confident with that. And just the retention with the girls, it’s just exciting to see everybody’s face come back and not have it be a whole new group of girls next year. They’ve told me that’s a lot of times the issue.
“The consensus I’ve gotten from the girls is that the ones who aren’t graduating will be back here with me next year. They already know how I am now, they know what to expect, and they’re ready. They’re ready to hit the ground running, which is why I told them – you have to be active during fall workouts, during summer workouts, getting better every chance you can. They’re starting to understand that and agree with me too. Hopefully, when we have the spring workouts, I’ll have a nice little group with me, and in the summer, it picks up even more.”
Harry S Truman 15-25-2-15 57
Morrisville 11-8-18-13 50
Harry S Truman (57) – Mayah Alford 6 2-8 14; Saniya Blount 0 0-1 0; Hannah Smith 8 4-5 21; Camille Monroe 1 0-0 3; Patricia Monroe 2 6-9 10; Shylah McCleve 1 3-4 5; Dahlia Gumaa 2 0-0 4. TOTALS 20 15-27 57.
Morrisville (50) – Anaya Martinez 2 2-2 7; Ella Quince 9 11-13 31; Faith Graham 1 6-10 8; Laila Waters 0 1-2 1; Nyasia Keys 0 3-6 3. TOTALS 12 23-33 50.
3-point goals: HST – Hannah Smith, Camille Monroe; Morrisvillle – Ella Quince 2, Anaya Martinez.
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 42, CARDINAL O’HARA 30
And that’s a wrap.
The Colonials put the finishing touches on a perfect regular season, defeating the PCL’s second place team after knocking off the league’s top squad, Archbishop Carroll, earlier this season. The win was a big one, but PW coach Dan Dougherty was quick to point out that the Lions were without all-state senior Sydni Scott (injury).
“It was a four o’clock game, so there was a little bit of a weird feel to it, and O’Hara was down one of their star players,” Dougherty said. “Both teams were playing their third game in four days. I’m still glad we got it in, but I think that took a little of the air out of the excitement.”
The Colonials led 14-7 after one quarter and took a 22-13 lead into halftime on their way to the non-league win.
Leading the Colonials were Kaitlyn Flanagan and Erin Daley with 13 points each. Lainey Allen contributed nine points, and Abby Sharpe had seven points.
“I thought Kaitlyn Flanagan and Erin Daley were really special today, handling the physical nature of the game and getting to the foul line,” Dougherty said. “Flanagan was 7-for-8 from the free throw line.
“Even though Jordyn Thomas didn’t score today, she did a really great job defensively. (Maggie) Doogan, who is their other star player, had 19 points, but nine of them were on 3s, and one of them was a step-back buzzer beater. The team played very good defense today, and Jordyn did an excellent job as well.
“It’s a shame – we get to celebrate it about five minutes, and then it’s immediately, ‘Okay, let’s put a timeline together for tomorrow now.’”
Friday’s win was the 22nd of a remarkable season, matching the record of the 2016-17 season.
“It’s such an accomplishment when you look at the non-conference schedule we played – really elite teams,” Dougherty said. “We had the girls cut the nets down just to celebrate the accomplishment of 22-0. It was really special.
“For this group, they’ve all been contributors three straight years on three straight championships. Every team has to go through it – we played games without Abby Sharpe this year. To beat O’Hara, to beat Carroll, Haverford, Scranton Prep and then two elite teams from Delaware in Caravel and Tatnall – then you have to stay perfect in the league. Abington is one of the best teams around and having to beat them twice and Upper Dublin – it’s really quite an accomplishment.”
Plymouth Whitemarsh (22-0, 16-0 SOL) will host Central Bucks West in an opening round game of the SOL Tournament on Saturday at 5 p.m.
Cardinal O’Hara 7-6-10-7 30
Plymouth Whitemarsh 14-8-10-10 42
Cardinal O’Hara (30) – Molly Rullo 3 1-2 7; Maria McCallen 1 0-0 2; Bridget Dawson 1 0-0 2; Maggie Doogan 8 0-0 19. TOTALS 13 1-2 30.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (42) – Kaitlyn Flanagan 3 7-8 13; Erin Daley 6 0-1 13; Abby Sharpe 2 2-2 7; Lainey Allen 4 1-5 9. TOTALS 15 10-16 42.
3-point goals: CO – Maggie Doogan 3; PW – Erin Daley, Abby Sharpe.
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 40, ACADEMY PARK 33
It was a win-win for the Indians in Friday’s season finale.
Not only did they notch a much-needed non-league win over Academy Park, they celebrated one of their own, senior Megan Bissol, a special needs student who served as the team’s manager.
Between the jayvee and varsity games, Rock North’s five seniors – Bissol, Riley Hamilton, Sofia Shields, Mara Penner and Kristen Polinsky took on Academy Park in an abbreviated game.
Bissol made her debut wearing #51 and scored her first career points in the game. She finished with six points (3-of-5 FGA). She proved that she’s not just a one-dimensional player as she also contributed defensively with three steals in a 6-0 CRN victory.
In an interview with FOX 29, senior captain Kristen Polinsky said about Megan, “She is definitely our biggest fan; we always hear her the loudest on the bench. She comes to all of our games – home or away. Everybody on our team just adores her.”
Assistant coach Jack Kelly, who was filling in for coach Jim Roynan, acknowledged that Bissol’s debut on the court was something he’ll not soon forget.
“Tonight was undoubtedly one of the most special moments I have ever been part of,” Kelly said. “It was just truly remarkable to see Megan fulfill a dream of hers – getting to play in front of a packed gymnasium cheering for her, and I know it also meant the world for our seniors to have the opportunity to play in their last game with her.
“Even more remarkable was the show she put on for her friends, family, and fans. She showed no signs of any nerves and just played a great all-around game. This was truly a special moment for our program that I will never forget.
“Kudos to our athletic director Vanessa Robtison for working to organize tonight’s events, and our staff would also be remiss if we did not credit Academy Park for helping to make this possible. Their coaches and players demonstrated tremendous sportsmanship; they were cheering for Megan as much as our players were. Tonight goes to show that high school sports goes well beyond wins and losses.”
As for the varsity game, it began on a promising note for the Indians, who opened a 9-5 lead after one quarter and stretched that to 24-8 by halftime. Riley Hamilton’s seven points led a balanced Indian attack in the half.
Delaney McCaffery scored five points in a seven-point third quarter that saw Academy Park outscore the Indians 13-7, but the Iindians still led 31-21 on their way to the win.
Ruth O’Keefe’s 12 points led the Indians. McCaffery added 11 points, and Hamilton had seven.
“Being the last game with our seniors, tonight was a very emotional night for our entire team,” Kelly said. “It was gratifying to end the season with a great team win for them. Everyone on our team played and contributed to our win in a night filled with special moments.
“It was awesome to see our seniors play their final quarter together, hold off a well-coached Academy Park team to close out the final chapter of their careers, and have their teammates instantly run on to the court to hug them.”
The win was one of just four on the season for the Indians, who endured a series of injuries and lost first team all-league sophomore Jaden Wan for the season.
“Unfortunately, at the beginning of the year, this was not the way we envisioned our season ending, but despite the adversity we faced, at no point did our players give up,” Kelly said. “It is a testament to their character, and we are very proud of the fight they showed night in and night out.
“Riley Hamilton, Sofia Shields, Mara Penner, and Kristen Polinsky have been an intricate part of our program over the past four years; they are great kids who have become best friends through basketball. As they have grown up, they have been awesome at making everyone on our team feel welcome, and our players and coaches are going to miss them dearly.”
Council Rock North closed out its season with a 4-18 record (2-14 SOL).
Academy Park 5-3-13-12 33
Council Rock North 9-15-7-9 40
Academy Park (33) – Semasi Young 1 2-4 5; Sada Kinlay 3 4-8 10; Avianna Williams 0 0-1 0; Jade Wilson 2 0-1 6; Alaysia Kenlan 6 0-1 12. TOTALS 12 6-15 33.
Council Rock North (40) – Kiera Katz 1 0-0 2; Ella Cairone 1 0-0 3; Delaney McCaffery 5 0-0 11; Riley Hamilton 3 0-0 7; Sofia Shields 1 1-2 3; Kristen Polinsky 1 0-0 2; Ruth O’Keefe 5 0-2 12. TOTALS 17 1-4 40.
3-point goals: Academy Park – Jade Wilson 2, Semasi Young; CRN – Ruth O’Keefe 2, Lizzie Lustig, Delaney McCaffery, Riley Hamilton.
COLLEGIUM CHARTER SCHOOL 44, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 36
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