Check out the recaps for SOL girls’ basketball teams in action Tuesday. CR South/Truman photos provided courtesy of John Gleeson, and PW/Wissahickon photos courtesy of Larry Small. Check back for galleries of both games: https://solsports.zenfolio.com/f884733941
SOL Patriot Division
NESHAMINY 51, BENSALEM 27
The Redskins clinched sole possession of their first division title in three years. It took until the final game of the regular season to seal the deal, but according to senior captain Taylor Gurysh, it was worth the wait.
“It’s such a good feeling,” Gurysh said. “To win this my senior year really means a lot. My team – we all worked so hard for this, and it was a very hard accomplishment this year, but we managed to get it.
“I’m not surprised because we work so hard every day. I wouldn’t want to do this with anybody else. My teammates are so supportive, and I’m just so happy we won it this year.”
The Redskins suffered three losses along the way, but they were not deterred.
“You just have to keep going forward, and we all kept working super hard,” Gurysh said. “It worked out for us, and I’m just so happy.”
Winning the division crown wasn’t the only reason to celebrate for the Redskins.
“We had three things to celebrate tonight,” coach John Gallagher said. “The first being the return of Mimi Smith to the score sheet. Secondly, it gave us the opportunity to celebrate our five seniors, and finally, we were able to defeat Bensalem and secure a division title.
“To coach (Steve) Johnson’s credit, the Owls did not come to watch us celebrate. They came with purpose from the jump ball and displayed an attitude that put us on alert early they were all business.”
The Redskins opened up a 12-8 lead after one quarter and then put some distance between themselves and the Owls with an 18-7 second quarter to go into halftime with a 30-15 lead. The Redskins buried seven 3-pointers in the half.
“I told the girls at the end of the first quarter that I expected a rocky first quarter with everything going on around us,” Gallagher said. “Alena (Cofield) set the tone for the second quarter, jumping into passing lanes and getting a couple of steals and full-court layups. That was followed by a barrage of three-point field goals from four different players to give us a 15-point lead at halftime.”
The Redskins – sparked by five points from Reese Zemitis – outscored their visitors 14-7 in the third quarter. The Owls never threatened.
“Bensalem started the third quarter with a (Devon) Bell 3-point basket to cut the lead to 12, but we were able to score the next eight points to stretch the lead to 20,” Gallagher said. “Junior Ava Irizarry had a particularly strong game off the bench for us and has taken huge strides from earlier in the year.
“The win gave our seniors and their teammates a sense of accomplishment. It was great that Joe Lally came out to see these seniors play such an important game. Coach Lally remains an important supporter of the Neshaminy girls’ team.”
Three years ago, the Redskins shared the division title with Pennsbury.
“I am very happy for the seniors who after four years have captured an outright division title,” Gallagher said. “It is the first title since the 2018-19 season, and these five girls have poured a ton of energy, laughs and tears into this title. The turnout of those who came out to honor our seniors spoke volumes in regard to how these young women are viewed by their classmates and family members.
“It is important to make the seniors feel appreciated and give them one last moment before leaving high school basketball. It also allows our younger players to celebrate their older teammates, and it reminds them to continue to work hard for their spot on the team and the opportunity to one day celebrate their four years of accomplishments. To say the least, tonight was a good night for Neshaminy girls’ basketball.”
Leading a balanced Neshaminy attack was Zemitis with 10 points to go along with two assists and two steals. Irizarry added nine points while Gurysh had eight points, a team-high seven rebounds, four assists and four steals. Cofield, Lola Ibarrondo and Lindsay Little all had six points. Cofield and Ibarrondo both had three steals. Ibarrondo also had five rebounds and two assists.
Neshaminy (17-5, 13-3 SOL) will host an opening round game in the SOL Tournament on Friday. Bensalem (3-13 SOL) closed out its season with an 8-14 record.
Bensalem 8-7-7-5 27
Neshaminy 12-18-14-7 51
Bensalem (27) – Talia DiMichelle 0 0-2 0; Mikayla Donohue 1 0-1 3; Devon Bell 2 0-0 6; Kylie Smith 3 0-0 6; Amber Howard 4 2-2 11; TOTALS 10 2-5 27.
Neshaminy (51) – Alena Cofield 3 0-0 6; Lola Ibarrondo 2 1-2 6; Taylor Gurysh 3 1-1 8; Ava Irizarry 4 0-0 9; Reese Zemitis 4 0-0 10; Jess Purdy 1 0-0 3; Lindsay Little 2 0-0 6; Mimi Smith 1 0-0 3; TOTALS 20 2-6 51.
3-point goals: Bensalem – Devon Bell 2, Mikayla Donohue, Kylie Smith, Amber Howard: Neshaminy – Reese Zemitis 2, Lindsay Little 2, Lola Ibarrondo, Taylor Gurysh Ava Irizarry, Jess Purdy, Mimi Smith.
PENNSBURY 31, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 22
The Falcons put the finishing touches on a successful season with a road win – the 17th of the season for a squad that lost PA Class 6A Player of the Year Ava Sciolla to graduation and had a whole lot of new faces in its lineup.
“It’s been a fantastic season for our girls, truly,” Pennsbury coach Frank Sciolla said. “Tonight, we knew that Council Rock North was still in contention for the playoffs, so they came out and they played hard and smart like they have all year. They made quite a turnaround this year.
“We bounced back defensively and rebounded really well.”
The Falcons led 9-6 after one quarter and then outscored their hosts 10-3 in the second quarter to go into halftime with a 19-9 advantage.
“Layla Matthias was great up top with deflections, and Dani Sherman and Emily Panaro were solid on the glass,” Sciolla said. “We wanted to make it difficult for their perimeter shooters to get looks and for the first two-and-a-half quarters we did.”
The Indians outscored the Falcons 9-4 in the third quarter to make it a 23-18 game heading into the final quarter.
“Eventually, shots started falling for North and they cut it to four,” Sciolla said.
The Falcons – whose calling card is defense – limited the Indians to just four points in the final quarter as they held on for the win.
Sofia Vitucci led the Falcons but was held to just 10 points, but she also had four assists. Nevaeh Dash had nine points on three 3 -pointers. Layla Matthias had five rebounds and eight deflections.
“Sof played differently tonight,” Sciolla said. “No one in the SOL National gets guarded like she does, and she continues to mature in decision making, using her retreat dribble to create space and attack the double and triple teams. Tonight, her patience was fantastic, and she made great decisions finding teammates. She’s clearly an all-state guard. Nevaeh Dash hit some timely 3s, and when she does that, we are really efficient.
“Obviously we are proud of the girls and the season they’ve had. We only played nine players tonight and that was the fewest all season. But most of the year it’s been 11 or 12 every single night, and they are always ready to go. I’m not sure I’ll ever have another season like this in that regard, or even in terms of how many close games we’ve been able to pull out, but I’m not thinking too much about it. For once, I’m just enjoying where we are. We are excited to have a home playoff game in districts, and we will be ready.”
Delaney McCaffery’s eight points led the Indians. Lizzie Lustig added six.
There was no mistaking the disappointment the Indians were feeling after Tuesday’s season-ending loss.
“We are just really devastated that our season has come to an end – it’s a hard reality to swallow,” Rock North coach Jack Kelly said. “We have a tremendous group of seniors – Kiera Katz, Lizzie Lustig, Jaden Wan, Ella Cairone and Claire Pirkle. We are going to miss them terribly.
“We showed an incredible amount of fight all season long, we got better each game, and most importantly, we had a really tightknit team who loved being around one another, which can be attributed to the leadership our seniors provided. It is not going to be the same without them, but we know that they helped lay the foundation for us to build a program upon.”
Kelly also gave credit to his counterpart.
“Coach Sciolla does a tremendous job, and their players are all bought in,” the Indians’ coach said. “They are well-schooled in every aspect of the game, and best of luck to them as they try to make a run in the postseason.”
Pennsbury (17-5, 12-4 SOL) is 11th in the latest District 1 6A power rankings and will await its opponent in the opening round of the District 1 6A Tournament. Council Rock North (4-12 SOL) closed out its season with a 9-13 record.
Pennsbury 9-10-4-8 31
Council Rock North 6-3-9-4 22
Pennsbury (31) – Emily Panaro 1 02 2; Presley Foote 0 1-2 1; Layla Matthias 1 1-3 3; Danielle Sherman 0 1-2 1; Sofia Vitucci 4 2-3 10; Oliveah Gilchrist 1 0-0 2 Daniella MacDonald 1 0-0 3; Nevaeh Dash 3 0-1 9; TOTALS 11 5-13 31.
Council Rock North (31) – Skyler Wright 1 0-0 1; Kiera Katz 1 0-2 3; Lizzie Lustig 2 0-0 6; Delaney McCaffery 3 0-0 8; Jaden Wan 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 8 0-2 22.
3-point goals: Pennsbury – Nevaeh Dash 3, Daniella MacDonald; CRN – Delaney McCaffery 2, Lizzie Lustig 2, Kiera Katz, Skyler Wright.
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 71, HARRY S TRUMAN 23
The Golden Hawks celebrated the team’s four seniors – Darcy Leight, Jess Mangoni, Reghan Mudie and Karissa Smedley – by putting an exclamation point on a successful regular season with a resounding win.
“It was a great night honoring our four seniors,” coach Blair Klumpp said. “The parents and underclassmen did a really nice job of making it a special night, and I’m very appreciative of that. It’s always good to get a win on Senior Night and have all the seniors contribute; we had a lot of contributions up and down the lineup.
“A lot of girls were selfless tonight in different ways and that’s good to see, because it shows that there is buy in from them. The win also gave us our highest win since the 27-win squad (playoffs included) my assistant coach Alexis Hofstaedter’s junior year. That was the best team in school history and one of best in Lower Bucks. We set a lot of goals this year as a group that we have not done in couple past, and we have checked a few of them off. We still have work to do and the girls seem excited about that.”
Klumpp paid tribute to each of his seniors individually.
“All of my seniors have had a unique journey to get here and this is the first class that’s been this unique individually,” the Golden Hawks’ coach said. “Darcy Leight transferred in the 2020-2021 Covid season prior to school starting. There were no fall workouts then, so she comes into a school probably four times the size of her old one, doesn’t know anyone and joins a new team. I have always given her a lot of credit for how she handled that transition. As a 15- or 16-year-old kid, she handled it better than adults would have. She’s always had a great attitude and has been a selfless player, putting the team first always. I don’t know if she has a selfish bone in her body. Her maturity and ability to navigate situations will set her up really, really well in her future.
“Jess Mangoni missed two big chunks of her four seasons, including her entire junior season. Her only ‘full’ season prior to this one was the shortened 2020-21 Covid year. She really matured as a person and leader over last 18 months and does a great job connecting upperclassmen and
underclassmen. From a natural talent standpoint and skill set, she’s one of the most talented players I’ve had here; her best basketball is ahead of her at Chestnut Hill as she continues to learn what she can do in different areas of her skill set back on the court.
“Reghan Mudie has been with us four years, one as a player and three as a manager. She goes above and beyond all managerial duties and we truly see her as part of the team. She’s a great kid, just someone who gets ‘it’ and will be sorely missed by the girls and coaches when she moves on.
“Karissa Smedley is a kid who changed the trajectory of our program in her time here. She didn’t do it by scoring 1,000 points, she did it by embracing doing the little things and finding a role and then growing as a person and player. She’s trusted the vision of the program. Additionally, she’s grown as a player, leader, and person. There is a reason she’s playing a high level of basketball next year for free. She raised the bar for what it is to be a teammate, a leader, and a captain here and has left an imprint on our program, and for that example she set, I’m thankful.”
Smedley’s nine points and nine rebounds led the Golden Hawks. She also had three assists and three steals. Contributing eight points each were Kat O’Kane (3 assists), Sarah Freeman (7 rebounds), Lily Bross (4 steals) and Miranda Cantor. Also contributing for the Indians were Mangoni (5 points, 4 blocks, 3 steals), Katie Purpura (5 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals), Maria Freeman (3 assists) and Darcy Leigh (2 blocks).
“We are excited to hopefully have an opportunity to compete in the upcoming SOL Tourney and District Tournament in the near future,” Klumpp said.
For the Tigers, Shylah McCleve led the way with eight points. Zakiyah McDuffie added six points.
Council Rock South (16-6, 10-6 SOL) is 15th in the latest District 1 6A power rankings and will await word on its status in the SOL and district tournaments. Harry S Truman closed out its season with an 0-20 record.
Harry S Truman 2-8-8-5 23
Council Rock South 24-21-10-16 71
Harry S Truman (23) – Zakiyah McDuffie 3 0-2 6; Kiera Martinez 2 0-0 4; Shylah McCleve 3 2-8 8; Ya’mazijah Thomas 2 0-0 5; TOTALS 10 2-10 23.
Council Rock South (71) – Kathryn O’Kane 4 0-0 8; Sarah Freeman 2 2-2 8; Liliana Metrick 1 1-2 3; Lily Bross 4 0-0 8; Miranda Cantor 3 0-0 8; Katie Purpura 2 0-0 5; Fiona Reckner 1 3-4 5; Emerson Gunther 1 0-0 3; Karissa Smedley 4 0-0 9; Darcy Leight 1 0-0 2; Jess Mangoni 2 2-2 7; Juliette Salvi 2 0-0 5; TOTALS 27 8-10 71.
3-point goals: HST – Ya’mazijah Thomas; CRS – Sarah Freeman 2, Miranda Cantor 2, Katie Purpura, Emerson Gunther, Karissa Smedley, Juliette Salvi, Jess Mangoni.
SOL Colonial Division
PENNRIDGE 52, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 30
The night belonged to Katie Yoder.
From the outset, there was the anticipation that the Pennridge senior would reach the 1,000-point milestone, and any thoughts that it could take a while for Yoder to score the 12 points she needed were put to rest in a hurry.
Yoder hit nothing but net on a 3 that gave the Rams an early 3-2 lead and also sparked a 7-0 run by the senior standout. Included in that mini tear were a pair of foul shots and a layup after pulling down the rebound on the defensive end and taking it coast to coast. Another three from the top of the circle late in the quarter gave Yoder 10 points and put the Rams on top 13-4.
On the Rams’ opening possession of the second quarter, Yoder scored on a drive to the basket, setting off a jubilant celebration. She finished with 24 points in yet another stellar showing.
“She does it all,” coach Jason Rapp said. “Tonight, she came out aggressive – she hit a 3 right away. She scored our first seven, and it wasn’t like we ran stuff for her. She made a great pass for an assist to (Anna) Croyle.
“They’re so unselfish. I told the girls in the locker room – ‘When her name goes up there, it’s everybody’s because someone screens, someone passes, someone dives to get us a loose ball and an extra possession where she might get a bucket.’ I think that’s who we are – we’re unselfish, we share the ball. It’s a fun team to coach, I think it’s a fun team to watch. It’s been fun.”
The Rams took a commanding 32-9 lead into halftime with Yoder accounting for 17 of those points.
“We talked about what we had to try to take (South) out of, and our girls took their flare screen away, and they made it really difficult for South to run their stuff,” Rapp said. “We took three charges – Katie Yoder took a charge. It was 32-9 when someone took a charge, and that says a lot about who we are.”
In addition to Yoder, Croyle had 10 points, and Olivia Poole had six.
Samayoa’s 14 points led the Titans. Jules Tropea added six points.
Pennridge (16-6, 11-5 SOL) is 13th in the latest District 1 6A power rankings and awaiting the final word on both the SOL Tournament and the district tournament. Central Bucks South (3-13 SOL) closed out its season with an 8-14 record.
Central Bucks South 4-5-8-13 30
Pennridge 17-15-7-13 52
Central Bucks South (30) – Casey Balkir 0 0-2 0; Jules Tropea 2 2-4 6; Yoyo Samayoa 6 0-0 14; Mia Klein 0 1-2 1; Addison Geary 1 0-0 3; Gabby Tropea 2 0-0 4; Anna Granito 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 12 3-8 30.
Pennridge (52) – Ella Brown 2 1-1 5; Grace Rosica 1 0-0 2; Anna Croyle 4 2-2 10; Katie Yoder 9 3-4 24; Ava Fantaskey 1 0-0 2; Emily DeHaven 1 0-0 3; Oliva Poole 3 0-0 6; TOTALS 21 6-7 52.
3-point goals: CBS – Yoyo Samayoa 2, Addison Geary; Pennridge – Katie Yoder 3, Emily DeHaven.
NORTH PENN 55, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 40
The visiting Knights closed out the regular season on a high note, defeating the Patriots on their home court, and this win was sweet indeed.
“I think it was not only important to get a win, but tonight’s game meant a little more,” North Penn coach Bri Cullen said. “Last year, we lost there, and it put us out of playoff contention, so a win there on the same day as last year – I think it was more personal for them than anything else.”
Three Knights finished the game in double figures, and according to Cullen, the team’s unselfish play was key.
“The biggest thing was the ball movement,” the Knights’ coach said. “We shot very well from the floor, but it wasn’t that we were shooting well, it’s that we were taking the right shots.
“You win a game like this – it doesn’t just help in the standings, I think it helps the morale.”
If the Knights – who fell to the Patriots 58-52 in the initial meeting between the two teams – wanted to make a statement, they certainly did just that, opening up a 14-4 lead after one quarter and stretching that to 30-9 by halftime.
“Defensively, we were making all the right shifts at the right time, and that’s something we’ve been waiting to happen,” Cullen said. “I feel like this game was one of those games we’ve been waiting for it to all come together, and it finally did.”
In the opening half, junior Caleigh Sperling’s 11 points led the way, and Liv Stone added seven points.
The Patriots’ offense came to life in the second half. They outscored the Knights 18-12 in the third quarter but never could make up the ground they lost in the first half.
Sperling’s 19 points led the Knights while Abby Plaugher added 12 points. Both players had two 3-pointers. Stone added 11 points, and Kelly Donnelly had nine.
The Knights’ coach lauded the play of her sophomore point guard in the win.
“Cameron (Crowley) doesn’t do a lot of scoring, but her composure as a sophomore is so critical,” Cullen said. “She plays as many minutes as possible and never seems frazzled, and it makes the team go. It’s her composure and willingness to calm the game down – that was the biggest thing.”
East was led by the 15-points effort of Anna Barry – all in the second half. Sydney Ralph added seven points while Erin LeRay, Natalie Berndt and Shayne LeRay all contributed six points.
North Penn (12-10, 10-6 SOL) is 20th in the latest District 1 6A power rankings and will await its seed in the upcoming tournament. Central Bucks East (15-7, 10-6) is ranked 17th and also will be competing in the district tournament.
North Penn 14-16-12-13 55
Central Bucks East 4-5-18-13 40
North Penn (55) – Emily Orth 1 2-2 4; Caleigh Sperling 7 3-4 19; Amy Plaugher 5 0-0 12; Kelly Donnelly 4 0-1 9; Liv Stone 5 0-0 11; 22 5-6 55.
Central Bucks East (40) – Erin LeRay 1 4-4 6; Sydney Ralph 2 3-4 7; Natalie Berndt 2 0-0 6; Shayne LeRay 3 0-0 6; Anna Barry 5 1-2 15; TOTALS 13 8-10 40.
3-point goals: NP – Caleigh Sperling 2, Abby Plaugher 2, Kelly Donnelly, Liv Stone; CBE – Anna Barry 4, Natalie Berndt 2.
SOUDERTON 39, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 24
The Indians wrapped up another impressive regular season with a win over the visiting Bucks. Seniors Casey Harter and Teya McConnaha combined for 26 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Indians, but they were not the night’s only highlight.
“Senior guard Rahela Dolha got the first start of her career,” Souderton coach Lynn Carroll said. “It was great to see her contribute on the court tonight. It takes a whole group to have a successful season. It’s not just the players who contribute on game nights but the ones that show up and work every day even when they’re not getting into games.
“Rahela exemplifies this as much as anyone. She is a team player through and through who shows up every day to make her team better. It’s this kind of example that has a lasting impact on a program for years to come.”
The Indians, who led by an 8-6 score after one quarter, took a 19-12 lead into halftime. Harter’s 12 points led the way in the half.
In the third quarter, the Indians – behind six points from McConnaha – outscored their visitors 12-3 to go on top 31-15 on their way to the win.
Harter led the Indians with 14 points, eight rebounds and five steals. McConnaha added 12 points and seven rebounds. Brooke Fenchel added four assists, two blocks and four points.
For the Bucks, Gabi Senior’s seven points led the way.
Souderton (19-3, 15-1) – third in the latest District 1 6A power rankings – will host an opening round game Friday as the top seed in the SOL Tournament. Central Bucks West closed out its season with a 7-15 record overall (5-11 SOL).
Central Bucks West 6-6-3-9 24
Souderton 8-11-12-8 39
Central Bucks West (24) – Gaby Senior 2 3-4 7; Tai Henkels 2 0-0 4; Katie Finnan 2 0-0 4; Nia Perry 0 1-2 1; Megan Blue 1 0-0 2; Alexis Castro 1 1-2 3; Ava Longo 0 1-4 1; Gabby Reichner 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 9 6-12 24.
Souderton (39) – Brooke Fenchel 2 0-1 4; Mikayla McGillian 2 1-2 5; Casey Harter 5 3-3 14; Grace McDonough 2 0-0 4; Teya McConnaha 6 0-0 12; TOTALS 17 4-6 39.
3-point goals: Souderton – Casey Harter.
SOL Liberty Division
UPPER DUBLIN 55, HATBORO-HORSHAM 35
The Flying Cardinals brought a welcome end to a three-game losing streak with a strong showing against the visiting Hatters.
If there was any question how they would respond after Saturday’s disappointing loss to Springfield-Delco, those concerns were put to rest in a first quarter that saw the Cardinals erupt for 21 points and a commanding 21-6 lead over their visitors.
Nora Brady had the hot hand for UD, burying three 3-pointers in the quarter. By halftime, the Cardinals led 31-12, and Amy Ngo had scored 12 points – eight in the second quarter that included two 3s and a 2-for-2 effort at the foul line.
Freshman Colleen Besachio was scoreless in the first half, but she scored 10 points after the intermission, including a pair of 3s. UD took a 43-20 lead into the fourth quarter.
Amy Ngo and Nora Brady shared team scoring honors with 12 points each. Ngo also had six rebounds and five assists. Besachio stuffed a stat sheet with 10 points, four rebounds, three assists, three 
blocked shots and two steals. Maisie McGarvey added seven points, and Megan Ngo also had an impressive stat line with six points, a team-high seven rebounds, five assists and three steals. Lilli Kleiman had a pair of steals.
For the Hatters, Leah Harrington’s 15 points – which included three 3s – led the way. Kitty Randa added 11 points.
Upper Dublin (14-8, 11-5 SOL) is 18th in the latest District One 6A power rankings, and the Cardinals will await their seed. Hatboro-Horsham (6-10 SOL) closed out it season with an 8-14 record.
Hatboro-Horsham 6-6-8-15 35
Upper Dublin 21-10-11-12 55
Hatboro-Horsham (35) – Abby Waeltz 1 0-0 2; Maggie Smith 0 0-2 0; Kitty Randa 5 1-5 11; Allie Hewish 1 1-1 3; Leah Harrington 5 2-4 15; Alyssa Tooley 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 14 4-12 35.
Upper Dublin (55) – Brighid Brady 1 0-0 2; Alaina Sanders 1 1-2 4; Megan Ngo 3 0-0 8; Amy Ngo 4 2-2 12; Maisie McGarvey 2 2-2 7; Colleen Besachio 4 0-0 10; ;Nora Brady 4 0-0 12; TOTALS 19 5-6 55.
3-point goals: HH – Leah Harrington 3; UD – Alana Sanders, Megan Ngo 2, Amy Ngo 2, Colleen Besachio 2, Maisie McGarvey, Nora Brady 4.
ABINGTON 74, QUAKERTOWN 42
The visiting Ghosts led by just a 15-12 score after one quarter but seized complete control of the game with a 21-point second quarter to go into halftime with a 36-18 lead on their way to the big win.
“Abington’s press really made us either rush our shots or turn the ball over tonight,” Quakertown coach Brittany Bamford said. “We did not handle the pressure well in the back court or front court. They also did a nice job of attacking the gaps in our zone and man, and in the third quarter, we were too slow in closing out on the shooters.”
Abril Bowser buried four 3-pointers, and her 17 points led the Ghosts. Cire Worley added 16 points – 12 in the second quarter that saw the Ghosts blow the game open. Mikiaya Durham also finished in double figures with 10 points while Sarah Oleary and Maya Johnson both had seven, and Jordyn Reynolds had a pair of 3s for six points.
For the Panthers, senior Carolyn Sipprell – who recently surpassed the 1,000-point mark – led the way with 19 points in her final high school game. Kayla Sicher added six points, both are part of a senior class that holds a special place in their coach’s heart.
“This is a difficult group of seniors for me to say goodbye to as I feel like I’ve spent more time with them than just four years as they would come and work with me when they were middle school age,” Bamford said. “I wish we could have had Katie Hagerty a little longer in the season as I think the outcomes in our games would have swung our way a little more as she started out so strong on offense and defense for us.
“I’m glad Katie Catalano got a little bit of her swag back with hitting her 3s this year. Kayla Sicher was able to end on a good note this entire season. Julia Henry was able to earn through time and effort in these past four years minutes for varsity. Alannah Carrasquillo I’ve only had the pleasure to know for this year, but I respect her work ethic and attitude tremendously. We were also lucky to have a senior like Tori Rock as a committed manager for us for three years.
“And Carolyn Sipprell will be hard to replace. In my 10 years of coaching here at Quakertown, I haven’t had this kind of athlete come through our program. She is a standout in any sport she plays. We were able to celebrate her scoring 1,000 points at home as she made it on a layup in the first couple minutes of the game. She deserved to be celebrated in that moment. We graduate a lot, so there are big shoes to fill. I look forward to working with these underclassmen in the offseason. Very proud to coach these Lady Panthers.”
Abington (19-4, 14-2 SOL) – sixth in the latest District 1 6A power rankings – will return to action Friday in the SOL Tournament while Quakertown (7-9 SOL) closed out its season with a 10-12 record. The Panthers were 27th in the latest power rankings in what will be a 24-team field.
Abington 15-21-24-14 74
Quakertown 12-6-14-10 42
Abington (74) – Cire Worley 7 2-2 16; Maya Johnson 3 0-0 7; Harper McGinley 1 0-0 3; Abril Bowser 6 1-1 17; Mikiaya Durham 5 0-0 10; Jordyn Reynolds 2 0-0 6; Piper McGinley 0 0-2 0; Sarah Oleary 2 2-4 7; Florence Ajunwa 3 0-0 6; Haley Hernandez 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 30 5-9 74.
Quakertown (42) – Carolyn Sipprell 7 4-5 19; Carli Maha 2 0-0 4; Katie Catalano 1 0-0 2; Addyson Davis 3 0-0 6; Kayla Sicher 3 0-1 6; Ava Pistone 2 1-2 5; TOTALS 18 5-8 42.
3-point goals: Abington – Abril Bowser 4, Jordyn Reynolds 2, Maya Johnson, Harper McGinley, Sarah Oleary; Quakertown – Carolyn Sipprell.
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 68, WISSAHICKON 25
Abby Sharpe and Erin Daley.
The two seniors have been fixtures in the Colonials’ lineup since they joined the varsity as freshmen. Both are 1,000-point scorers, both played key roles in last year’s perfect season that culminated with a PIAA 6A state title. This year, both were left with the task of leading a relatively inexperienced team, and lead they did.
On a night set aside to celebrate the team’s four seniors, the duo combined for 48 points – 35 in a first half that saw the Colonials open up a 45-8 lead in a contest that clinched sole possession of the program’s fourth straight division title, their sixth in seventh years. The Colonials boast a 52-2 record in league play in that four-year span and 92-6 over their seven-year run.
“The seniors put on a dazzling Senior Night performance,” PW coach Dan Dougherty said.
Sharpe led the Colonials with 28 points that included three 3-pointers. She had 17 in the first half. Daley also had three 3s and added 20 points – 18 in the first half.
Senior Angelina Balcer added six points, and senior Azzy Crumpton also scored.
For the Trojans, Kaitlyn McGeary led the way with 11 points and eight rebounds. Kylie Friedman had six points and two rebounds.
“It was a great season with the team,” Wissahickon assistant Holly Schneider said. “We had fun, worked hard and never gave up.”
Plymouth Whitemarsh (20-2, 15-1 SOL) – fourth in the latest District 1 6A power rankings – will host an opening round game of the SOL Tournament on Friday while Wissahickon closed out its season with a 5-17 record (3-13 SOL).
Wissahickon 6-2-7-10 25
Plymouth Whitemarsh 20-25-13-10 68
Wissahickon (25) – Kaitlyn McGeary 5 1-2 11; Claira Baldasano 1 0-0 2; Kylie Friedman 3 0-0 6; Chloe Acuna 1 0-0 3; Maura Jacob 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 11 1-2 25.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (68) – Azzy Crumpton 1 0-0 2; Angelina Balcer 3 0-1 6; AJ Avery 1 2-2 5; Kenna Winland 1 1-2 3; O’Hara 1 0-0 2; Erin Daley 7 3-4 20; Abby Sharpe 12 1-2 28; Quinn Daley 0 2-2 2; TOTALS 26 9-13 68.
3-point goals: Wissahickon – Chloe Acuna, Maura Jacob; PW – Erin Daley 3, Abby Sharpe 3, AJ Avery.
SOL Freedom Divison
NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY 52, UPPER MORELAND 43
The stakes were high.
With a win, the Lions would capture a share of the SOL Freedom title while a win for the Golden Bears would give them sole possession of a crown they owned. It was the Lions – sparked by the double-digit scoring efforts of three underclassmen – earning the win and earning a share of their second title in three years.
“This is huge – I’m really happy for these girls,” New Hope coach Steve Polinsky said. “It’s a great accomplishment to win this. They’ve worked hard in the summer and fall. We have a freshman and three sophomores starting, and (senior) Reagan Chrencik’s been the most incredible leader for these girls. It’s been unbelievable watching her show them the way, show them the ropes.
“You need a player like Reagan to lead a young bunch, and she did a magnificent job of leading the young girls and showing them the right things to do on the floor and how to handle themselves. Tonight was a perfect example. They had a nice crowd, I have nothing but full respect for Matt (Carroll) and his program. Reagan calmed them down when they were making runs. It’s like a coach on the floor which is a great thing.”
The Golden Bears were without three players, including senior standout EmmyFaith Wood.
“She was a thorn to me and my program,” Polinsky said with a laugh and then added. “Honestly, I have nothing but respect for her, and I wish she could have played tonight.
“Matt’s going through a litany of injuries, but his girls played really hard for him tonight. He should be proud of the way they handled themselves.”
The Lions came out of the starting gate on fire, putting up 19 points which included five 3-pointers. Chrencik and freshman Gabby D’Agostino both had a pair with Chrencik scoring eight points in the quarter to lead the way.
New Hope, which led 19-6 after one quarter, took a 33-16 lead into halftime. Izzy Elizondo’s seven points led the Lions in the second quarter while Emily Wilson had five.
“With the starting five we had tonight, we thought it was best to start the game in a 2-3 (defense),” the UM coach said. “We saw their 2-3 offense on film and thought we could take some of their options away. As a coach, I was very wrong, and it may have cost our team the game. They couldn’t miss the first quarter, and eventually, we had to go man. We put ourselves in a big hole at halftime, and I 100 percent take the blame. Our girls weren’t prepared enough and put in a position to succeed.”
The two teams exchanged baskets in the third quarter, and the Golden Bears – sparked by seven points from Marie Meyers – made a fourth quarter run, but they could not make up the ground they lost in the first half.
“As our girls always do, they fight back and never stopped,” Carroll said. “We cut the lead to 47-40 at one point in the second half but we just didn’t have enough. I give New Hope a ton of credit. Steve does a great job with them, and they always play with high energy and IQ.
“Gabby (D’Agostino), even as a freshman, has such good control of their offense. They are in good shape with her running the point the next three years. Reagan is Reagan and she does so many things well. I was impressed with how Alyssa (Wiley) took the challenge of covering her when we went man. (Emily) Wilson and (Izzy) Elizondo were their consistent selves. They made every shot when they were open, including key free throws down the stretch. “(Ella) Dudick was really efficient for New Hope tonight. Holly (Gohl) covered her and was in help, but Dudick stepped up and made some key shots for them in the second half. Our girls battled though, and I was so proud as a coach. Lianna (Adames), usually a JV player, came in and played about 29 minutes for us tonight. She hasn’t played a lot of meaningful minutes this year. If we come into the year and you tell me we go 18-4 and win the league, I’m all for it. Obviously, the last week has been tough, but in hindsight, I’m thrilled about our season. We didn’t plan on sharing the league and we would rather have won it outright but sharing it with New Hope isn’t the worst thing. I have a lot of respect for Steve and his players.”
Holly Gohl and Marie Meyers led the Golden Bears with 14 points each. Mikel Lancit added nine points.
Elizondo’s 14 points led the Lions while Wilson added 13 and D’Agostino 11.
“Gabby ran the team like a true point guard – shooting, getting everyone involved, slowing the pace down, speeding the pace up,” Polinsky said. “She was incredible out there, she really was.”
Chrencik had all eight of her points in the first quarter. The Lions were a near perfect 15-for-17 at the foul line – 10-of-12 in the fourth quarter.
“Our foul shooting was incredible tonight – that was a game-changer,” Polinsky said.
Polinsky gave a shoutout to his assistants.
“John Turner scouts for us – he’s incredible,” the Lions’ coach said. “Kalie Soulsby did a wonderful job with the JV – it’s the best JV team we’ve ever had, and she works with our bigs. Both of them do a great job, and I’m very lucky to have them.”
The season is not over for either team.
“We’ve never had a chance to go to states, and I want Reagan to have a long run as a basketball player this year, just to show the gratefulness I have for the wonderful job she’s done,” Polinsky said.
New Hope-Solebury (15-7, 13-3) is seeded first in the District 1 3A power rankings, and Upper Moreland (18-4, 13-3 SOL) is fifth in the latest District 1 5A power rankings. Both will advance to districts with the highest seeded team representing the Freedom Division in the SOL Tournament.
New Hope-Solebury 19-14-9-10 52
Upper Moreland 6-10-10-17 43
New Hope-Solebury (52) – Gabby D’Agostino 2 5-5 11; Ella Dudick 3 0-0 6; Izzy Alizondo 3 8-10 14; Emily Wilson 4 2-2 13; Reagan Chrencik 3 0-0 8; 15 15-17 52.
Upper Moreland (43) – Mikel Lancit 4 1-1 9; Lianna Adames 1 0-0 3; Alyssa Wiley 1 0-0 3; Holly Gohl 6 0-0 14; Marie Meyers 4 5-9 14; 16 6-10 43.
3-point goals: New Hope – Emily Wilson 3, Gabby D’Agostino 2, Reagan Chrencik 2; UM – Holly Gohl 2, Lianna Adames, Alyssa Wiley, Marie Meyers.
LOWER MORELAND 54, WILLIAM TENNENT 49
Talk about a change of fortunes, this was it.
A month-and-a-half after losing to William Tennent by a 47-27 score, the Lions turned the tables, defeating the Panthers on their home court and closing out their season with a three-game winning streak.
“Any time you can finish the season on a winning streak, regardless of how modest, it’s a good feeling,” LM coach Rich Becker said. “To have your last game be your most complete game of the year against a team that beat you by 20 the first time around is especially gratifying. Laura (Whitney) does a great job with her team, and William Tennent has been playing well, so I was happy for the girls to see them pull out the win in a hard fought and competitive game.”
The game started out on a promising note for the Panthers, and sparked by 10 points from Morgan Volz, they led 19-11 after one quarter. Liz Neeld kept the Lions in it with nine points on three 3s. Although the Lions – behind seven points from Brianna McFerran – outscored the Panthers 17-11 in the second quarter, they still trailed 30-28 at halftime.
“The first time we played them, they picked apart our zone, so we came out in our man defense; that didn’t work out so well for us,” Becker said. “(Morgan) Volz just killed us early. We played on her left shoulder to force her away from her stronger hand, she still beat us. We then put Brianna (McFerran) on her to try and front her, it still didn’t matter. She had 18 first-half points. We gave up 19 first quarter points, which is too much for us.
“Fortunately, we shot well against their zone. Our focus in yesterday’s practice was to go inside out to get higher percentage looks and it paid off. Liz Neeld made three 3s in the first quarter, and as a team we made six 3s in the first half to keep us in the game. In spite of not having a strong defensive first half, we were only down by two at the half.”
The Panthers outscored the Lions 10-6 in the third quarter and took a 40-34 lead into the final quarter when the Lions erupted to 20 points, outscoring their hosts by 11 to earn the win. A key to the Lions’ fourth quarter burst was their 11-for-13 effort at the foul line. Neeld and Jess Shein were both 3-for-4 while McFerran was 3-for-3 and Maddy Rossiter was 2-for-2.
Becker recapped the second half action.
“The second half started to go William Tennent’s way, but we stuck to our game plan of attacking the rim and it worked out,” the LM coach said. “We were able to get Volz in foul trouble, which definitely helped. With 4:42 left in the game, Jess Shein got fouled on an offensive rebound and putback. She made both free throws, and we took our first lead of the game since early in the first quarter to go up 44-42.
“From there, it seemed like each time either team made a good play or made a big shot, the other team answered back. We were back and forth when with 2:36 left, (Halie) Staub made a big shot to put Tennent up by one. On the next possession, Amelia Brown made a baseline 3 in transition to put us back up by two. After a couple of stops by both teams, Brianna McFerran took her girl off the dribble to put us up four with 1:48 to go. Sure enough, Kocur hit a 3 to make it a one-point game.
“After that 3, we had a turnover, and to the girls’ credit, they shook it off and locked down on defense, and for the next minute neither team scored. With 41 seconds left in the game, Liz Neeld forced a turnover, and freshman Maddy Rossiter was fouled, and she made both free throws to put us up three. After a defensive rebound and inbounds against their press, Liz Neeld made both free throws for the last points of the game to make it 54-49.”
As a team, the Lions were 13-for-16 from the foul line for the game, and in the final 4:50 of the game, they were 7-for-8. McFerran and Neeld led the Lions with 16 points each. Shein added nine, and Amelia Brown had eight.
”This was an appropriate end of the season for the girls,” Becker said. “Our two leading scorers, Liz and Brianna, each had 16 points, and both were clutch down the stretch and throughout the entire game. Jess Shein did a great job on both ends of the floor – she was 5-for-6 from the line and she was an integral part of us holding Volz to two points in the second half.
“Amelia Brown has made big shots for us all year and did so again tonight, and our freshman, Maddy Rossiter, shook off a rough start to the game to finish strong on defense and stepped up to make two big free throws in a tight spot in the game. We finished the season 8-14, but the character and effort that I’ve seen from the girls all season long made it a very enjoyable year and Liz and Jess will be missed greatly. Girls like them are the reason why you do this year after year, and they’ve set a great example for the younger girls to follow.”
Tennent coach Laura Whitney tipped her hat to Becker and his squad.
“A lot of credit to Lower Moreland – they’re way better than their record shows,” the Panthers’ coach said. “I knew they were going to give us a tough game. They always play us hard, it’s always a battle. Rich (Becker) does a great job with their team. He always has a way of preparing his girls, and they always throw something at you maybe you’re not expecting or weren’t prepared for going into the game.
“His girls played really well, especially the second half. They were just the more aggressive team, and we were trying to hang on, but we just didn’t have it in us tonight.”
For the Panthers, Volz led the way with a game-high 20 points. Halie Staub finished with 10, Avery Kocur had nine, and Ella Mednick had six on a pair of 3s.
“It was a frustrating way to end the season,” Whitney said. “Coming into tonight’s game, I was concerned. We didn’t have a great practice yesterday, and just with the grind of the season, the girls were showing mental and physical fatigue. Obviously, I was concerned it would carry over into today.
“Add on top of it the fact that it was also Senior Night, so there was obviously a lot of emotion. Just the combination of those two things, we didn’t come out with the energy that we were looking for. We had spurts here and there, but we just weren’t ourselves tonight.
“It’s disappointing, but onward and upward from here. I’m still proud of how the season played out. I’m already looking forward to next season and excited about the future.”
Lower Moreland (5-11 SOL) closed out its season with an 8-14 record while William Tennent (6-10 SOL) was 9-13 overall.
Lower Moreland 11-17-6-20 54
William Tennent 19-11-10-9 49
Lower Moreland (54) – Brianna McFerran 6 3-4 16; Maddy Rossiter 1 2-2 5; Amelia Brown 3 0-0 8; Jess Shein 2 5-6 9; Liz Neeld 5 3-4 16; TOTALS 17 13-16 54.
William Tennent (49) – Ella Mednick 2 0-0 6; Avery Kocur 4 0-0 9; Halie Staub 3 3-4 10; Alyssa Lewicki 1 2-5 4; Morgan Volz 9 2-5 20; TOTALS 19 7-14 49.
3-point goals: LM – Liz Neeld 3, Amelia Brown 2, Maddy Rossiter, Brianna McFerran; WT – Ella Mednick 2, Avery Kocur, Halie Staub.
CHELTENHAM 61, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 39
Maya Simmons had herself a season finale to remember.
The freshman torched the Spartans for 27 points, including four 3-pointers and a 7-for-8 effort at the foul line. Her glittering performance ensured it would be a special Senior Night.
“Maya Simmons ended her outstanding freshman year with 27 points, but the night belonged to our seniors,” Cheltenham coach Ben Bowman said. “The energy tonight was something special. I’m glad we could send them off on a high note. The program is in a better place thanks to them.”
Behind 12 points from Simmons and 10 from Arianna Davis, the Lady Panthers took a 36-26 lead into halftime. Simmons put the finishing touches on a dazzling offensive performance with 15 points in the second half – 13 in the fourth quarter.
Davis also had a strong outing for the Lady Panthers, finishing with 16 points while Cassie Bugg added nine.
For the Spartans, Ashley Jenkins led the way with 15 points, and Alana Decker added seven.
Cheltenham (3-13 SOL) closed out its season with a 7-15 record while Springfield Twp was 5-16 overall (0-16).
Springfield Township 10-16-5-8 39
Cheltenham 18-18-8-17 61
Springfield Twp (39) – Alana Decker 1 4-4 7; Jayla Daniels 1 0-0 2; Paige Robinson 2 1-2 5; Delaney Lake 2 0-0 5; Ashley Jenkins 3 8-10 15; Ava Culler 2 1-2 5; TOTALS 11 14-18 39.
Cheltenham (61) – Angel Vample 1 0-1 2; Maya Simmons 8 7-8 27; Janiya Townes-Wakefield 1 0-2 3; Arianna Davis 7 2-4 16; Cassie Bugg 1 7-8 9; Amelia Kopp 1 0-0 2; Ali Charles 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 20 16-23 61.
3-point goals: Springfield Twp – Alana Decker, Paige Robinson, Ashley Jenkins; Cheltenham – Maya Simmons 4, Janiya Townes-Wakefield.
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