Check out the recaps for SOL girls’ basketball teams in action Wednesday.
SOL Patriot Division
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 60, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 58
It’s always a war when the neighboring rivals meet, and Wednesday’s game was no exception. This time it was the Indians eking out a thriller, a win that avenged a 46-43 loss to the Golden Hawks early in the season.
“It was a close game all the way through,” Rock North coach Jim Roynan said. “We came out and we took a big shot from them in the first quarter. They really got on top of us with their press, and we didn’t handle it as well a we had been handling presses up until that point, but we recovered, we regrouped.
“What I told the girls after the game was I was most proud of the fact that they regrouped and they made adjustments. After the Hatboro-Horsham game, I said, ‘We won the game, but we have yet to play 32 minutes of good basketball. After the game today, I said, ‘That’s what I’m looking for – that was 32 minutes of good basketball.”
The Golden Hawks – behind six points from Nicole Blaustein – had an 18-13 lead after one quarter. They took a 30-27 lead into halftime. Blaustein’s 10 points led the Hawks while Karissa Smedley added eight points. For the Indians, freshman Delaney McCaffery had 10 first-half points while Riley Hamilton – who buried a pair of 3s – added eight.
The Indians outscored their hosts 17-14 in the third quarter, knotting the score at 44-44 heading into the final period. Five players contributed scoring for Rock North. The fourth quarter was a tense one. The Indians – leading by three with less than a minute remaining – watched the Golden Hawks pull to within one after a steal and basket. The Hawks were forced to foul on the ensuing inbounds, and the Indians converted 1-of-2 for the two-point win.
“We did a really good job for the most part handling their pressure,” Roynan said. “They’re so aggressive and they’re so good at forcing you out of your sets and forcing you out of your offense and just keeping the pressure on. They just wear you down.
“I tell them all the time – you can’t play high level basketball without making mistakes, so you can’t dwell on that. Tonight was a night – we were in foul trouble all night. Kristen (Polinsky) played half the game with three fouls. She ended up with four. Ruth O’Keefe fouled out with about a 1:40 left.
“We made some adjustments. Kids came off the bench and made plays. Everyone who got in tonight did something. Riley Hamilton had a huge game for us. She was just monstrous – she played great defense, she rebounded, she scored. She blocked the last 3-point shot that would have given them the win. She was huge for us tonight.”
McCaffery led the Indians with 20 points, which included a 6-for-7 effort at the foul line. Hamiton added 16 points, including three 3-pointers and a 5-for-6 showing at the line. Ruth O’Keefe and Kiera Katz both had eight points. Polinsky had six.
“We had scoring up and down the lineup,” Roynan said. “Everybody pitched in. Delaney (McCaffery) continues to make plays. She’s so good down the stretch when we need free throws. Kiera (Katz), who has been struggling with her free throws all year, made just enough in the fourth quarter to keep them at arm’s length. I told them after the game – ‘If you don’t enjoy playing in this kind of game, then you shouldn’t be playing because this is what you live for. You live for these kind of games, these kind of rivalries, these kind of moments.
“They came up big, they shook off a couple of late mistakes, and they dug in on the defensive end which is what we’ve been preaching all year. They just said, ‘We’re not going to lose this game,’ and credit to South – they just don’t stop. They just keep coming at you. Their pressure in the fourth quarter is just as intense as it was in the first quarter. You really have to be locked in and focused when you’re playing them. I was really proud of their effort tonight. I was proud of the whole team. The bench was enthusiastic, the girls were enthusiastic. It was just an excellent win after a great effort.”
For the Golden Hawks, Blaustein led the way with 26 points, which included three 3s and a 9-for-12 effort at the foul line. Karissa Smedley, who was 5-for-6 at the line, added 13 points.
Rock North is 25th in the latest District 1 6A power rankings while Rock South is 28th.
“Hopefully, we can sneak into districts, and if we don’t, we’re going to give it a great effort,” Roynan said. “Whatever happens, we’re going to keep building for next year and beyond.”
Council Rock North (6-7, 5-5 SOL) will travel to Central Bucks South for a non-league game Friday, and Council Rock South (7-6, 4-5) will host Springfield Township in a non-league game Thursday.
Council Rock North 13-14-17-16 60
Council Rock South 18-12-14-14 58
Council Rock North (60) – Kiera Katz 1 6-13 8; Sofia Shields 1 0-0 2; Delaney McCaffery 7 6-7 20; Riley Hamilton 4 5-6 16; Kristen Polinsky 2 2-2 6; Ruth O’Keefe 4 0-0 8; TOTALS 19 19-28 60.
Council Rock South (58) – Kim Speiser 0 0-2 0; Ryann Szydlik 0 0-2 0; Cam Gregory 0 4-4 4; Nicole Blaustein 7 9-12 26; Carley Irvin 2 0-0 4; Mia Stock 2 0-0 4; Karissa Smedley 4 5-6 13; Jess Mangoni 1 0-0 2; Montanna Chambers 2 0-0 5; TOTALS 18 18-26 58.
3-point goals: CRN – Riley Hamilton 3, CRS – Nicole Blaustein 3, Montanna Chambers.
NESHAMINY 64, HARRY S TRUMAN 44
The Redskins opened up an early lead and never looked back on their way to the conference win.
“This is the second time this season – between COVID and snow cancellations – we waited a week between games with limited practices,” Neshaminy coach Joe Lally said. “Our energy and execution was much better in the second half.”
Reese Zemitis led all scorers with 23 points, which included three 3-pointers. Her nine points in the first quarter propelled the Redskins to an early 13-7 lead. By halftime Zemitis had 13 points while teammate Taylor Gurysh had eight, and Neshaminy led 23-15.
Gurysh and Kacie Sienko both finished with 13 points. Sienko scored all of her points after the intermission.
For the Tigers, freshman Arianna Frank led a balanced attack with 11 points. Sophomore Secret McCleve added 10 while senior Hannah Smith and freshman Gianna Johnson both had eight. Freshman Mayah Alford added seven.
Neshaminy (8-3, 8-2 SOL) will travel to Central Bucks East for a non-league game Thursday at 6 p.m. Harry S Truman (1-10, 1-8) will be on the road at Council Rock South on Friday.
Harry S Truman 6-8-9-21 44
Neshaminy 13-10-24-17 64
Harry S Truman (44) – Hannah Smith 3 1-2 8; Mayah Alford 2 3-4 7; Gianna Johnson 4 0-4 8; Arianna Frank 4 2-2 11; Secret McCleve 5 0-2 10; TOTALS 18 6-14 44.
Neshaminy (64) – Kacie Sienko 5 2-2 13; Maya Lewis 2 0-0 4; Skylar Lall 2 0-0 5; Taylor Gurysh 6 1-2 13; Lindsay Little 1 0-0 2; Jes Purdy 0 0-2 0; Anna Soska 1 0-0 2; Reese Zemitis 9 2-2 23; Ava Irizarry 0 2-2 2; TOTALS 26 7-10 64.
3-point goals: HST – Hannah Smith, Arianna Frank, Neshaminy – Reese Zemitis 3, Kacie Sienko, Skylar Lall.
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