Souderton clinched sole possession of the SOL Continental, PW wrapped up its second consecutive perfect conference season, and PW senior Lauren Fortescue reached the 1,000-point milestone. Souderton/Tennent photos provided courtesy of Donna Longacre.
SOL American Conference
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 71, QUAKERTOWN 9
It was a historic day for the Colonials. Highlighting the team’s regular season finale was senior Lauren Fortescue reaching the 1,000-point milestone when she converted a driving layup in the second quarter. The senior guard scored 429 points in her first two years at Norristown and now has 577 in two years at PW.
Friday’s win was PW’s 28th consecutive in conference play and gave the Colonials back-to-back undefeated conference seasons. It is the program’s first back-to-back titles since the 1978 and 1979 seasons, and it marks the first time PW has ever gone through back-to-back conference seasons without a loss.
Taylor O’Brien’s 20 points led the Panthers. Fortescue added 10 while Haley Zygmunt added eight.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (20-2, 14-0 SOL) will face Continental Conference champion Souderton in the SOL Tournament on Saturday, 7:15 p.m., at Bensalem. Quakertown (0-14) closed out its season with just one win.
Quakertown 4-1-0-4 9
Plymouth Whitemarsh 19-21-19-12 74
Plymouth Whitemarsh (74) – Taylor O’Brien 20, Lauren Fortescue 10, Gia Schweitzer 4. Lucy Sullivan 2, Haley Zygmunt 8, Gabby Cooper 5, Brooke Felgoise 3, Haley Felgoise 2, Anna McTamney 7, Sydney Kesselman 5
SOL Continental Conference
SOUDERTON 59, WILLIAM TENNENT 28
FRANCONA TWP – It was a night they’ll remember for a lifetime.
They’ll remember the large crowd of family and friends that filled the stands, the Senior Night festivities followed by a decisive win that gave their program its first title since 2004.
They certainly won’t forget climbing that ladder and cutting off a piece of net with Queen’s “We are the Champions” providing the background music while a throng of supporters looked on, many recording every moment on their cell phones.
“I just felt excitement – thinking about how far this team has come,” senior Alana Cardona said.
“I had some chills, I’ll be honest with you,” senior Sami Falencki said.
“This whole night was awesome and unbelievable,” senior Kate Connolly said. “It really meant the world to us.”
While there’s no denying that the night was memorable, what they’ll remember most is the fact that they did it together.
“One of the keys is we’re all best friends off the court, and on the court, we all work well together and we know how each other plays,” senior Tori Dowd said. “Just knowing that our teammate is going to be there to make the open shot makes us want to make the extra pass.”
Tennent coach Laura Whitney, who had a front row seat to Friday’s win, echoed a similar sentiment.
“They’re a great team,” the Panthers’ second-year coach said. “They’re long, they’re athletic, but they just play so well as a team. They really play team basketball.
“They shared the ball well, they always have great movement. They’re versatile type players. All of their starters and even a couple girls off the bench are capable of getting double figures on a nightly basis. They’re a hard team to match up against.”
The night marked the return to the sidelines of coach Lynn Carroll after three weeks away for the birth of her son.“
“Ben (Bowman) did a tremendous job, kept the ball rolling and didn’t miss a beat,” said Carroll of her assistant who took over the helm in her absence. “The girls have been playing really, really well at the right time heading into the postseason.”
The Indians took care of business in a hurry, opening up a 9-0 lead when Kate Connolly buried a shot from just inside the 3-point line. A putback by Alana Cardona – who had eight points in the frame – gave the Indians a 15-5 lead after one quarter.
Megan Walbrandt went to work in the second quarter, scoring seven of her game-high 17 points. Her 3-pointer at the buzzer send the Indians into halftime with a 36-11 lead.
The second quarter included several fast break baskets by Walbrandt – one after a Megan Bealer steal and the other after a Connolly block. Megan O’Donnell came off the bench to bury a three as six players contributed scoring in frame that put the game out of reach.
“It’s a special group and it was a special night,” Carroll said. “It was Senior Night, and it was a bittersweet night honoring those four. It was a great way for the seniors to go out in the regular season.
“This (championship) has been a long time coming. This has eluded us. We got close a couple of times but couldn’t quite get it done. It’s nice that this is the group it happened with.”
In addition to Walbrandt, Cardona (12 points) and Connolly (10 points) also finished the game in double figures. Cardona had a team-high nine rebounds while Connolly had five blocks and four assists. Dowd added eight rebounds, three assists and four points. Erica Stephens scored six points off the bench, and the loudest cheer of the night may have been reserved for Falencki’s 3-point basket in the third quarter.
The Indians, who notched their 20th win, are creating a buzz.
“Honestly, the teachers and student body are our number one fans,” Cardona said. “You go to class, and they’re asking you, or after the announcements are done, they’re congratulating you and kids asking when your next game is so they can come watch. It’s just really motivating.”
Emma Stanfield and Haley Crossley led the Panthers with eight points each. Bryn Evans added six.
William Tennent (10-12, 1-11 SOL) entered Friday’s game as the 25th seed in the District One 6A power rankings. They left in the same position. Only 24 teams will earn district berths, although nothing is finalized until Sunday.
“It’s definitely disappointing because we knew what was at stake tonight, and we weren’t able to take care of business,” Whitney said. “I just told them – I’m so proud of how far we’ve come when I look back from last year to this year. We’re light years ahead of where we were. Yes, we still have work to do, but the program is definitely heading in the right direction. They have a lot to be proud of. We had a lot of positives and big wins this season. This one night doesn’t define us, and (Souderton) is a great team.”
Souderton (20-2, 11-1 SOL) – the top seed in the district power rankings – is back in action on Saturday, 7:15 p.m., when the Indians will face Plymouth Whitemarsh in an SOL Tournament semifinal at Bensalem High School.
“Knowing how far we’ve come and knowing we’re not done yet is an amazing feeling,” Dowd said.
William Tennent 5-6-8-9 28
Souderton 15-21-11-12 59
William Tennent (28) – Kelly Scipione 3, Kailyn Hansen 1, Jenna Rodebaugh 2, Emma Stanfield 8, Bryn Evans 6, Haley Crossley 8.
Souderton (59) – Tori Dowd 4, Megan Bealer 2, Alana Cardona 12, Megan Walbrandt 17, Eric Stephens 6, Sami Falencki 3, Megan O’Donnell 5, Kate Connolly 10.
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 36, CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 34
The Titans celebrated Senior Night by eking out a thrilling win over their neighboring rival.
South led by as many as 11 in the third quarter but needed a blocked shot by Haley Meinel on the potentially tying shot with two seconds remaining to escape with the win.
“They hit two big shots going into the fourth quarter to cut it to six (31-25),” South coach Beth Mattern said. “Honestly, we struggled to score, and they hit a couple of shots. It was a great game.”
Friday’s win avenged a 49-37 loss to the Patriots on Jan. 16.
“We just needed (defensive) stops, and we had to rebound the basketball,” Mattern said. “The first time we played them they just outworked us on the boards big time. We couldn’t let that happen.
“I’m really proud of how they played. I know in the second quarter alone we had seven offensive boards. I thought we did a much, much better job on the boards tonight, and that helped us.”
Mattern credited several players for providing muscle in the paint.
“I think Mackenzie Ehresman boxed out her girl every single possession, and Maddie McShane – they were playing post defense, and they really did a good job in there,” Mattern said. “One thing CB East does a great job of is rebounding.”
The Patriots led 9-7 after one quarter, but the Titans responded with a 15-point second quarter to go on top 22-16 at the intermission. It was still a six-point game after three quarters, and the Titans held on for the win.
Meinel (14 points) and Alexa Brodie (10 points) led the Titans. Maddie McShane added six points.
For the Patriots, Sophia Mancuso scored nine points, Bailey McManus had seven, and Elyse Shine and Gina Russo both had six.
Central Bucks South (20-2, 10-2 SOL) – the second-seeded team in the District One 6A rankings – will face Abington in the SOL Tournament on Saturday, 2 p.m., at Bensalem High School.
“We’ve played some great basketball at the end of the season,” Mattern said. “We lost two tough league games, and we didn’t have a sniff at winning the league.
“There’s one team we’re behind in the power rankings by like .1 point, and it’s Souderton, and you know what, good for them. As much as I want to win the league, the league is over. We’ll go into the SOL Tournament and see what we can do and just have fun and go into the postseason.”
Central Bucks East (7-5 SOL) closed out its regular season with a 14-8 record. The Patriots are seeded 12th in the district power rankings.
Central Bucks East 9-7-9-9 34
Central Bucks South 7-15-9-5 36
Central Bucks East (34) – Sophia Mancuso 9, Skylar Krause 4, Gina Russo 6, Audrey LaBouliere 2, Bailey McManus 7, Elyse Shine 6.
Centra Bucks South (36) – Haley Meinel 14, Natalie DiSandro 1, Alexa Brodie 10, Maddie McShane 6, Mackenzie Ehresman 5.
SOL National Conference
HARRY S TRUMAN 47, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 42
The Tigers saved their best for last, notching their first conference win in Friday’s season finale.
“We are talented, but we’re a young talent,” coach Collette Munford said. “We have several girls on our team that I just met this year who are in ninth grade, but they have a lot of talent.
“If I had been able to work with them over the summer before the season, we’d have been much better than we were. The girls have the talent, but they just don’t understand the skill part of the game. Most of them know playground ball – this is organized basketball, so trying to teach that during the season is hard. We started off well. I don’t know if it became too much. They see there’s more to it than what they brought.”
Prior to the game, the Tigers celebrated Senior Night.
“They were really fired up because Bri (Cliney) was our only senior,” Munford said. “She was a four-year starter, and they wanted to go out on a positive note for her and for themselves.”
Making Friday’s win even more impressive was the fact that the Tigers were minus a pair of players – starter Roneshia James (torn meniscus) and freshman Marcelle Crichlow (torn meniscus).
“Our numbers were already low, now we got lower,” Munford said. “We went from nine to seven.
“I told the girls, ‘We still have the talent to win the game. You just have to listen to us,’ and for the most part, they did.”
The Tigers jumped out to a 13-4 lead after one quarter and took a 21-12 advantage into halftime. Freshman Nicole Blaustein, who led all scorers with 24 points, accounted for all 12 of the Golden Hawks’ points. Truman led 36-21 heading into the final quarter when the Golden Hawks – sparked by seven points from Claudia Steinmetz – closed it out with a 21-11 fourth quarter tear.
“The reason Council Rock caught back up is because we started getting fatigued,” Munford said. “We didn’t have anybody to sub.
“One of my starters, freshman Haniyyah Jones, got in early foul trouble because of her fatigue, but we were still able to pull it out. They were happy. They know we do have talent. We just have to develop it in the offseason, and we’ll really show it next season. We only have one senior. We’re young.”
Sophomore Daisha Campbell led the Tigers with 14 points while Triznaisia Keys added 12 points. Jones and Cliney each added nine.
“Their girls deserve recognition for the win,” Rock South coach Blair Klumpp said. “It was their Senior Night and their lone senior, Briana Cliney, really had a strong game. They came out fired up and played hard for her.
“She just missed a double-double as she had 11 rebounds and nine points, but she brought relentless energy. She is an impressive kid, plays hard, showed a lot of growth and maturity from when I first saw her play until tonight. She did a fantastic job singing the Anthem for the game. It was phenomenal. She deserves a lot of credit for how she carries herself.
“Truman always plays hard and with a lot of energy at their place and they played well today. Colette and her staff bring a lot of energy from the bench and when the players feed off of it, it becomes a tougher place to play. They had a little more jump to them with it being senior night as well. Keys also had a strong game with 12 and 12. She was very active. Sophomore Daisha Campbell just keeps coming at you, she is really good going downhill with a head of steam, she played well too.”
In addition to Blaustein, Steinmetz added nine.
“For them to come back, number 22 (Blaustein) didn’t give up, and she was the energy for Council Rock’s team,” Munford said. “Because she didn’t give up, those girls still knew they had to fight, and they fought.
“They really fought. They outhustled us on numerous occasions that really were crucial, and that’s what kept their spark. It was a fight to the end when it shouldn’t have been, but we still won. I’m happy for them. They know they have work to do. We’re going to take a little break, and then I’m back at it again.”
Truman (1-11 SOL) closed out it season with a 3-18 record while Council Rock South (3-9) finished its season with a 7-15 mark.
“It’s been a tough and emotional week for us – from Senior Night Tuesday to only dressing and playing eight girls versus Neshaminy Wednesday to the game tonight – it was just a lot of emotions over the last 72 hours or so,” Klumpp said. “We came out a little stagnant as has been for story for almost every game this year, but we battled back. We had it within one possession or tied with under three minutes left after being down 31-14 at one point.
“I feel for our seniors (Allison McGowan and Emma Jones). It's always tough when it ends, especially for two girls who were four-year players. In my first year, while I'm not happy with overall record and results, I told our girls I was really proud of their effort in 20 of our 22 games. They battled and competed.
“We had a lot of young girls gain valuable experience this year, and we need to build it up from the off season. One thing I was pleased with ALL YEAR was the leadership Allison McGowan and Bailey Vetter exhibited. The foundation is in place to change the culture here and really become competitive.”
Council Rock South 4-8-9-21 42
Harry S Truman 13-8-15-11 47
Council Rock South (42) – Claudia Steinmetz 9, Emma Jones 4, Nicole Blaustein 24, Allison McGowan 3, Hannah Binder 2.
Harry S Truman (47) – Haniyyah Jones 9, Zuri Clarke 3, Daisha Campbell 14, Triznaisia Keys 12, Briana Cliney 9.
ABINGTON 76, BENSALEM 45
The Ghosts at long last put to rest the question of who would be the fourth team in the SOL Tournament. Abington – which finished in a tie for the SOL National Conference title with Council Rock North and Neshaminy – earned the tournament berth as a result of its power ranking.
“We set goals at the beginning of the year and obviously winning a league championship was one but getting into the SOLs was another one,” coach Dan Marsh said. “That was our motivation today – to go in there, take care of business and get to the SOLs and accomplish one and two at the same time.”
The streaking Ghosts (17-5, 10-2 SOL) – who won their 10th in a row – are the fifth seed in the District One 6A rankings, and they will take on Central Bucks South in the first game of a quadruple header at Bensalem on Saturday, beginning at 2 p.m.
“It’s good to play a team as good as CB South prior to the district playoffs,” Marsh said. “I don’t care what happens. We’re going to get a good experience out of it.
“I’m just proud of this group for persevering and getting through the rough times and be able to call themselves league champs. There was a point in our season where we were feeling helpless and hopeless. I think it’s the other way around now. Now they’re confident, they think they can beat anybody, and they want to give it a shot.”
Non-league
PENNRIDGE 59, VILLA JOSEPH MARIE 45
The Rams didn’t have a whole lot of time to dwell on Thursday night’s loss to North Penn since they were back on the road less than 24 hours later. They wasted little time before seizing control of the contest, opening up a 17-6 lead after one quarter. The Jems made it a 28-23 game at halftime, but the Rams all but put this one away with a 19-9 third quarter.
Rose McCormick led a balanced attack with 14 while Brooke Bachtle and Emilee Cramer both had 11 points. Sam Muredda added eight and Corinn Mart, six.
Pennridge (11-11, 4-8) is the 21st seed in the latest District One 6A power rankings.
Pennridge 17-11-19-13 59
Villa Joseph Marie 6-17-9-13 45
Pennridge (59) – Corinn Mart 6, Sam Muredda 8, Brooke Bachtle 11, Gill Anderson 5, Maddie Stolarski 1, Rose McCormick 14, Evelyn Loughery 4, Emilee Cramer 11.
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