Check out the recaps for Monday’s SOL Tournament semifinal contests. PW/Abington photos courtesy of Kim Supko, and Pennsbury/Souderton photos courtesy of Jon Sklut. Check back for galleries of both games. All SOS photo galleries for GIRLS’ BASKETBALL can be viewed by clicking HERE.
SOL TOURNAMENT (Semifinals)
#1 Plymouth Whitemarsh 55, #5 Abington 35
Dan Dougherty had an idea that the Ghosts – once again without high-scoring Cire Worley – would come at his team with a new defensive strategy. He was right.
“They came out in a triangle and two on Abby Sharpe and Kaitlyn Flanagan – denying them the ball, playing aggressive on them,” PW coach Dan Dougherty said. “So Lainey Allen really went off early, just showing off her athleticism.”
Allen had nine first-quarter points as the Colonials opened up a 14-7 lead over the Ghosts.
“Lainey would catch the ball – there was two, sometimes three defenders packed in the paint, and she would either dribble around them or make a move. She had a nice assist to Jordyn (Thomas), a nice assist to Erin (Daley), who hits a three to start the game.
“We didn’t know what we were going to get. I knew they were going to have to do something a little different for them. We didn’t have to call a timeout. The kids on the floor recognized what to do right away and made plays against it.”
By halftime, the Colonials had a comfortable 29-12 lead. They benefited from 16 trips to the free throw line, burying 11 of those shots. For the game, the Colonials connected on 18-of-28.
The Colonials outscored their visitors 17-4 in the third quarter and took a 46-16 lead into the final quarter. Abby Sharpe scored eight points in the second half, and Erin Daley added six in the second half.
“I thought we shook the rust off, and in the second half, I thought Abby Sharpe was really special again, and Erin Daley was consistently good all night,” Dougherty said.
Friday’s win marked a milestone for the PW seniors. The win was the 88th of their four-year careers. They are now the winningest class in program’s history.
“Ever since they were freshmen, I thought this group could possibly win a hundred games in four years, and they probably could have if we wouldn’t have had a (COVID) shortened season last year,” Dougherty said. “None of our seniors are probably going to get to a thousand points because they didn’t get enough games, but they share the ball so well, and they play in the system so well together.
Allen’s 15 points led a balanced PW attack. Sharpe finished with 12 points while Daley added 11.
For the Ghosts, freshman Maya Johnson had eight points.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (24-0, 16-0 SOL) will host Pennsbury in Tuesday’s SOL Tournament title game at 7 p.m. Abington (19-5, 13-3) Is off until Wednesday, Feb. 23, when the Ghosts will face the winner of #21 Council Rock South at #12 Central Bucks West in the second round District One 6A Tournament.
Abington 7-5-4-19 35
Plymouth Whitemarsh 14-15-17-9 55
Abington (35) – Abril Bowser 2 0-0 5; Maura Day 0 1-3 1; Maya Johnson 3 0-0 8; Dani Brusha 1 2-4 4; Piper McGinley 1 0-0 3; Jordyn Reynolds 2 0-0 5; Krysten Brown 0 2-2 2; Ashley Reilly 1 0-0 3. TOTALS 12 5-9 35.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (55) – Angelina Balcer 0 2-2 2; Kaitlyn Flanagan 2 1-2 5; Fiona Gooneratne 0 2-2 2; Erin Daley 3 4-6 11; Abby Sharpe 4 4-4 12; Caitlin Dinh 1 0-0 2; Rhianna Gooneratne 1 0-0 2; Lainey Allen 6 3-10 15; Jordyn Thomas 2 0-2 4. TOTALS 19 16-26 55.
3-point goals: Abington – Maya Johnson 2, Abril Bowser, Piper McGinley, Jordyn Reynolds, Ashley Reilly; PW – Erin Daley.
#3 Pennsbury 48, #2 Souderton 34
The Indians and Falcons are the second and third seeds respectively in the upcoming District One 6A Tournament. On Jan. 13, Souderton defeated Pennsbury 40-34 in a SOL crossover contest. In Monday’s semifinal contest, the Falcons made sure it would be a different story this time around, taking an early lead and never allowing the Indians to find their stride.
“In game one up here, we were able to penetrate a bunch, but we were not able to make open shots, and a big difference was tonight we were able to do that,” Pennsbury coach Frank Sciolla said. “Ava was really aggressive from the beginning, and it changed the dynamic of how they collapsed, and we were able to get some great looks. She took some really hard hits and got banged up, but we were able to establish a tempo that we liked in the first half.”
There was no mistaking that the Falcons’ University of Maryland bound senior was the difference maker in the first half. After a Nicole Pompili three gave the Falcons an early 5-0 lead, Teya McConnaha put the Indians on the board when she buried a three with just under five minutes remaining in the opening quarter. Sciolla had an immediate answer, scoring on a drive and following that up with another strong drive that netted two points and put the Falcons on top 9-3.
“We knew how they were going to play defense,” Ava Sciolla said. “The last time it was a pack line man, and I wasn’t as aggressive as I should have been because I kind of saw they were in there, so I was like, ‘All right, I’ll just pass the ball or I’ll try to shoot 3s,’ but I knew in order to get the pace the way we want, which is fast because we’re an up and down team, I needed to be on the go.
“Even if my layups weren’t going in, I knew I needed to at least be putting the ball up just to establish pressure on the defense, and obviously, my team stepped up huge and knocked down shots, and it came together from that. Once we had our tempo, it was game.”
The Indians answered with back-to-back baskets, the first a McConnaha putback and the second an Erin Bohmeller three. Nevaeh Dash opened the second quarter with a three, and when Sciolla found Sofia Vitella for a basket, the Falcons led 14-8. Casey Harter scored for the Indians. A step-back three by Sciolla was followed by a three by Daniella MacDonald, and the Falcons led 21-12 at halftime.
When Sciolla found Nevaeh Dash for a three, the Falcons led 28-16. Brooke Fenchel answered with a three for the Indians only to watch Sciolla find Pompili with a wraparound pass for a baseline three and a 31-19 Falcon lead.
Early in the fourth quarter with the Indians scrambling to get back in the game, the Falcons connected on back-to-back baseline 3s on identical plays by Layla Matthias and Pompili to go on top 39-23.
“My teammates stepped up,” said Sciolla. “We’ve been coming together so well lately and distributing the ball. A little bit of confidence goes a long way.
“Just Layla (Matthias) taking that shot, I was incredibly proud, regardless of whether or not it went in. We’ve been asking her – ‘Just let it fly, we want you to shoot, we want you to be aggressive.’ That little bit of confidence is going to change the trajectory of how she’s feeling the rest of our season.”
Sciolla saw limited minutes in the second half after re-aggravating a knee injury, but her teammates more than picked up the slack.
“Nevaeh Dash knocked down some big threes, and Nicole Pompili continued her outstanding play from over the past week,” coach Sciolla said. “Nicole is playing the best basketball career in the biggest moments.
“In the second half, we knew Ava wasn’t going to be able to shoot or run full speed, so we were economical in her use. She played a little bit just as a facilitator, and our bench really stepped up in the last six minutes with her off the floor. Neve Davis took care of the ball and Sofia Vitucci was masterful in running our offense and knocking down free throws.”
Vitucci – who had the ball in her hands the majority of the fourth quarter – buried 7-of-10 shots from the foul line in the fourth quarter while
Pompili connected on two-of-two.
Vitucci’s 13 points led a balanced Falcon attack. The sophomore guard also had four assists and six rebounds. Pompili added 11 points, four rebounds and three assists. Dash finished with nine points, and Sciolla had eight – all in the first half. The senior standout also had six rebounds and four assists in little more than a half of action.
“The game is so much easier when people make shots, and it’s not easy against Souderton because they defend you in such a different way,” coach Sciolla said. “It’s easy to see why they are such a great program year after year. Now we really just need some rest and get ourselves focused for the playoffs.”
Harter led the Indians with 14 points, which included a pair of 3s and a 4-for-5 effort at the foul line. McConnaha also finished in double figures with 10 points.
For the Indians, Monday’s semifinal loss snapped a 17-game winning streak dating back Dec. 17 when they fell 30-27 to Central Bucks East.
“They played better than we played, and they deserved to win the game,” Souderton coach Lynn Carroll said of the Falcons. “They hit nine 3-pointers. You’re extremely hard to beat if you can defend and you can hit nine 3s. That’s going to be hard to overcome.
“We obviously did not shoot the ball well – credit to them and also shot selection. We knew a loss was going to happen at some time. Now is the time for it to happen. Tonight this was better than having a practice today. Nothing was lost here. They did a really nice job. Their kids really, really stepped up for them. Congratulations to them. We’re ready to move on.”
Pennsbury (22-2, 14-2 SOL) will travel to Plymouth Whitemarsh for Tuesday’ SOL Tournament title game. Souderton (21-3, 15-1) is off until Wednesday, Feb. 23, when the Indians, the second seed in the District One 6A Tournament, will play the winner of #18 Coatesville at #15 Central Bucks South.
Pennsbury 9-12-12-15 48
Souderton 8-4-9-13 34
Pennsbury (48) – Ava Sciolla 3 1-2 8; Layla Matthias 1 1-2 4; Daniella MacDonald 1 0-0 3; Sofia Vitucci 3 7-10 13; Nicole Pompili 3 2-2 11; Navaeh Dash 3 0-3 9. TOTALS 14 11-19 48.
Souderton (34) – Brooke Fenchel 1 0-0 3; Erin Bohmueller 1 0-0 3; Mikayla McGillian 1 0-0 2; Casey Harter 4 4-5 14; Grace McDonough 1 0-0 2; Teya McConnaha 4 1-1 10. TOTALS 12 5-6 34.
3-point goals: Pennsbury – Nicole Pompili 3, Nevaeh Dash 3, Daniella MacDonald, Layla Matthias, Ava Sciolla; Souderton – Casey Harter 2, Brooke Fenchel, Erin Bohmueller, Teya McConnaha.
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