Check out the recaps for SOL girls’’ basketball teams in action. UD/Bensalem photos courtesy of Michael Rice Photography, and CB East/Lower Moreland photos courtesy of Greg Zesinger. Check back for galleries of both games: https://solsports.zenfolio.com/f913170668
SOL Tournament (Opening round)
#1 UPPER DUBLIN 61, #8 BENSALEM 41
Upper Dublin’s season had been pretty close to perfect.
Prior to the start of Friday’s SOL Tournament opener, the Cardinals – winners of 21 games during their 22-game regular season – received the trophy for capturing the SOL
Freedom Division title with a 16-0 record.
When the game began, the Cards took an early 9-2 lead when – on a drive to the basket with two minutes remaining in the first quarter – the unimaginable happened when sophomore point guard Megan Ngo went down with a knee injury and didn’t get back up.
For coach Morgan Funston, it was an all-too-familiar occurrence. Three years ago, Jess Polin suffered a torn ACL in the district quarterfinals. A year later, Amy Ngo tore just about everything in her knee in the second round of the district tournament.
And then, on Friday night, Megan Ngo was lost for the game with what appeared to be yet another serious injury.
An official diagnosis won’t come until after Ngo has an MRI on Monday.
“It’s not official, but it’s pretty close,” Funsten said.
There was also the not-so-little matter of finishing the game with Megan Ngo watching from the sidelines with her leg elevated and an ice bag on her right knee.
“It was obviously a very emotional night,” Funsten said. “We were excited about playing in a big game in the SOL Tournament. We hadn’t played a ton of close games, and we were ready for some adversity, but we certainly weren’t ready for this type of adversity.
“The game stopped for a few minutes. Megan went to the training room and was back on the bench, and every time the team came back to the bench – they saw Megan and a lot of times that resulted in them going back on the court with tears in their eyes. The girls played tonight with tears in their eyes a lot of the game and understandably so.”
The Cardinals – behind eight points from freshman Tamia Clark – led 15-8 after one quarter. In the second quarter, another freshman – Bridget DiMartile – came up huge, scoring eight points in a 20-point quarter that sent UD into halftime with a 35-15 lead on their way to the decisive win.
“I told the girls – ‘I didn’t think I could be any more proud of you than I’ve been all year,’” Funsten said. “It was 19-13 a couple minutes into the second quarter. We were up six, and we went on a 16-2 run to end the second quarter.
“Megan has meant so much to our team this year that – for our girls to not only have to experience what they experienced tonight, but then to be able to perform at the level they did with so many emotions going on, it speaks to once again to how special this team is.”
Clark was once more a dominant force for the Cardinals, finishing with a game-high 22 points. She also led the Cardinals under the backboards with 12 rebounds – six offensive – and added three assists and three steals.
Amy Ngo added 14 points and seven assists, and DiMartile had 12 points, four rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Kaitlyn Zacharia contributed seven points – which included two 3s – off the bench. Brighid Brady had seven rebounds, and Nora Brady, four rebounds, two assists and two steals.
“This is what we’ve come to expect from this team,” Funsten said. “It’s just a tough night though. I’m praying that there’s a miracle that happens with her MRI on Monday. We’re trying to be optimistic, but realistically, we’re afraid of the news we’re going to get.
“We have great leadership on this team, and Megan is included in that mix. I know what Megan wants. Megan wants our team to go out and compete like crazy tomorrow and win the game. It’s definitely an emotional night, and hopefully, it makes us stronger.”
Upper Dublin will host fifth-seeded Central Bucks East in a semifinal contest on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
For the Owls, senior Amber Howard led the way with 16 points, and Ariana Jenkins added 11. Both players had a pair of 3-pointers. Devon Bell and Talia DiMichele both had six points.
Bensalem (15-8, 10-6 SOL) – 17th in the latest District 1 6A power rankings – is off until next Friday’s opening round of districts.
Bensalem 8-7-17-9 41
Upper Dublin 15-20-13-13 61
Bensalem (41) – Talia DiMichele 2 2-2 6; Devon Bell 2 2-2 6; Amber Howard 7 0-2 16; Ariana Jenkins 4 1-1 11; Peyton Miller 1 0-2 2; TOTALS 16 5-9 41.
Upper Dublin (61) – Brighid Brady 2 1-1 5; Bridget DiMartile 6 0-0 12; Tamia Clark 9 4-4 22; Amy Ngo 4 5-6 14; Kaitlyn Zacharia 2 1-3 7; Nora Brady 0 1-2 1; TOTALS 23 12-16 61.
3-point goals: Bensalem – Amber Howard 2, Ariana Jenkins 2; Upper Dublin – Kaitlyn Zacharia 2, Amy Ngo.
#2 NORTH PENN 48, #7 PENNSBURY 42
The Knights have attracted quite a following on their way to 20 wins and the SOL Colonial Division title. Waiting for the players after Friday’s postgame meeting was a throng of community rec league youngsters, eager to hand their ‘buddy’ the notes they’d created.
It’s a whole new world for the Knights and, for the seniors, a far cry from their COVID-shortened freshman season when they won just two games.
“It feels really good to come out a lot stronger this year,” NP senior Caleigh Sperling said. “We had a slow start (as freshmen), but we had to trust the process. We knew if we kept working hard it would pay off one day, and we’re finally here. I think what really is the key to that is us playing more as a team, and we got to know each other over the years. We have Lily (Brown) who stepped up as a freshman.
“Our goal was to win our division, and we know in districts, every game could be our last game, and we just want to keep going as far as we can.”
The high-scoring senior led the Knights with 15 points but had just two field goals. Sperling, however, was money when it mattered most. Her 3-pointer out of a timeout early in the third quarter broke a 23-23 tie.
“They had just gone on a five-point run, and it was a tie game, and it made me think – ‘All right, we have to get something going,’ so I just shot it,” Sperling said.
“That was huge,” NP coach Bri Cullen said of Sperling’s clutch 3. “They did an excellent job of shutting her down. (Coach Frank Sciolla) has them so prepared.”
Sperling also was a perfect 8-for-8 from the foul line in the second half.
“I knew some of my outside shots weren’t falling that much, so I knew I had to go to the foul line, and I could rely on my foul shooting,” Sperling said. “We were able to get my teammates the ball, and people were stepping up like Lily Brown, Tallie Smink, Liv Stone, Cam (Crowley). Everyone was stepping up and making shots.”
Sperling’s 3-pointer gave the Knights a lead they would not lose, but the Falcons did not go down quietly, pulling to within one after a Layla Matthias driving bucket. North Penn’s Liv Stone and Pennsbury’s Maggie Burns exchanged baskets. Sperling buried a pair at the foul line, and after a Falcon miss, Brown scored on a drive, and she followed that with a shot from the top of the key to put the Knights on top 34-27. Two more Sperling foul shots gave the Knights a 36-17 lead.
Pennsbury’s Sofia Vitucci took it coast to coast for a basket in the closing seconds to make it a 36-29 game heading into the final quarter, and another Vitucci basket cut the Knights’ lead to 36-31, but Tallie Smink’s baseline three upped the Knights lead to eight, and the Falcons – who battled to the end – got no closer than five the rest of the way.
The Knights survived the Falcons’ relentless pressure defense and advanced to Saturday’s semifinals.
“They play really high up and are really good at boxing out,” Sperling said. “Just the energy their bench brings and their presence on the court doesn’t go unnoticed.
“It’s definitely tough to play against, but I think we did a really good job of breaking it, and everyone contributed today.”
Cullen lauded the play of her team’s response to Pennsbury’s aggressive defense.
“I’m so proud of them,” the Knights’ coach said. “We were joking – a couple of years ago if we were in this situation, we would have just crumbled under that pressure, but I think it speaks to our maturity that we kept our composure the rest of the game.”
In addition to Sperling, Stone had 12 points and Brown finished with 11.
“I know that some people don’t love this tournament, but I think it’s just such a great opportunity for our team,” Cullen said. “It’s more time to play, it gives them better experience, and I think it prepares them for the long haul.
“This is such a talented tournament. Pennsbury is probably one of the best teams in the district defensively”
For the Falcons, Vitucci’s 21 points – 12 in the second half – led the way. Danielle Sherman and Maggie Burns both had six points.
“This was a tough one tonight against a really skilled North Penn team,” Pennsbury assistant Kaitlin Kelly said. “They are athletes that move the ball so well. They are very disciplined on both ends of the floor and make shots, but we were really tough, and we are proud of how we played.
“We also had great energy off the bench tonight. All 13 kids that played made positive contributions. The good part about the SOL Tournament is that it allows you to experiment with different players and different lineups on the floor. We had a couple freshmen come off the bench and give it their all. Shea Quenzer scored her first varsity points with an and-one from a great drive. And stuff like that is always awesome to see.”
North Penn (21-2, 15-1 SOL) will host Neshaminy in a semifinal game Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Pennsbury (16-7, 11-5) – 16th in the latest District 1 6A power rankings – will return to action in next weekend’s opening round of districts.
Pennsbury 9-9-11-13 42
North Penn 14-9-13-12 48
Pennsbury (42) – Layla Matthias 1 0-1 2; Danielle Sherman 2 0-0 6; Maggie Burns 3 0-0 6; Sofia Vitucci 7 6-8 21; Daninella MacDonald 1 0-0 3; Ava Jordan 1 0-0 2; Shea Quenzer 1 0-1 2; TOTALS 16 6-10 42.
North Penn (48) – Cameron Crowley 2 0-0 5; Caleigh Sperling 2 10-11 15; Lily Brown 4 3-4 11; Leah Mikulski 1 0-0 2; Olivia Stone 5 0-2 12; Tallie Smink 1 0-0 3; TOTALS 15 13-17 48.
3-point goals: Pennsbury – Danielle Sherman 2, Sofia Vitucci, Daniella MacDonald; NP – Olivia Stone 2, Cameron Crowley, Caleigh Sperling, Tallie Smink.
#3 NESHAMINY 63, #6 ABINGTON 45
Holy Family coach Bernadette Laukaitis had to love what she saw from her future player in Friday’s opening round contest.
Lola Ibarrondo – a Holy Family commit – put on quite a show, torching the Ghosts for 21 points, but that was just part of a stellar outing for the senior captain, who also pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds.
“With (her college coach) in attendance, Lola Ibarrondo played her best game of the season,” Neshaminy coach John Gallagher said. “Abington guard Maya Johnson got into Lola early and took the matchup seriously. Maya was fierce on the defensive end, taking the challenge to heart. Early in the game, Maya did force a Lola turnover, and that was just the thing to gain Lola’s attention. The game was on for two very talented players after that. A double/double out of Lola, along with five assists and two blocks while playing less than 23 minutes was pretty exceptional.”
A three-pointer by Ibarrondo at the halftime buzzer sent the Redskins into the break with a 16-point lead and capped off a 25-point quarter. Ibarrondo had 10 points in the second quarter and 14 in the first half. Reese Zemitis was also making her presence felt, burying a pair of 3s and scoring 12 first-half points.
“An Ashlyn Duffy three with 4:20 left in the third quarter stretched the lead to 47-21, and a Mia Raivich 3 with 5:50 left in the fourth stretched our lead to 61-32,” Gallagher said. “The team ball movement in that quarter was really good, and I was happy with the team making the extra pass. Ashlyn and Mia also combined for five assists, several of which drew recognition from the crowd.
“Ashlyn and Mia put in the work over the summer, working with the shooting machine, and Nick Reisig reminded them that we lost two long-range shooters, and they could possibly fill those roles. They took that to heart and are now finding Reese and Lola looking for them when those talented players draw double teams.”
Duffy scored nine points on three 3-pointers while Zemitis added 18 points and eight rebounds.
“If there is such a thing as a quiet 18 points, that was Reese tonight,” Gallagher said. “Reese played the role of facilitator as she dished five assists and gathered five offensive rebounds.”
Alena Cofield had seven rebounds and three steals.
“We discussed with the team how we thought we could get Abington on the offensive glass and that didn’t take long as Alena Cofield and Reese combined for three offensive rebounds on our first possession,” Gallagher said. “While none of those rebounds on the first possession resulted in points, it clearly set the tone.
“Ava Irizarry was charged with guarding sophomore Mikiaya Durham, who had seven three-point baskets in the last seven games. Ava is so intelligent on the defensive end reading the other team players and situations.
“We spent a ton of time yesterday on the Abington full court pressure. I was happy with each of our five players on the court who showed poise and patience. Once we began to handle the pressure, we started to attack their press which was a big part in us hitting 11 three-point baskets.
“The fourth quarter provided our bench players the chance to gain valuable exposure to playoff basketball. Our practices are so much better than in years past because these players come each day and give us their best at practice and as great teammates.”
For the Ghosts, Piper McGinty and Aniyah Williams both had nine points, and Johnson had eight. Sarah Oleary had six points.
“We came out flat and never recovered,” Abington coach Allison Lawson said. “Kudos to Neshaminy – they played a great game.”
Neshaminy (19-4, 14-2 SOL) will travel to North Penn for a semifinal game Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Abington (17-6, 14-2) – 13th in the latest District 1 6A power rankings – will return to action in next weekend’s district tournament.
Abington 10-9-10-16 45
Neshaminy 10-25-18-10 63
Abington (45) – Ava Teich 1 0-0 3; Maya Johnson 2 4-5 8; Harper McGinley 1 1-2 3; Mikiaya Durham 2 0-0 5; Piper McGinley 3 3-6 9; Sarah Oleary 3 0-0 6; Kara Slavin 0 1-2 1; Kaylia Rice 0 1-2 1; Gabrielle White 0 0-2 0; Aniyah Williams 2 5-6 9; TOTALS 14 15-25 45.
Neshaminy (63) – Grace Weyler 2 0-0 4; Alena Cofield 1 1-2 3; Ashlyn Duffy 3 0-0 9; Ava Ibarrondo 9 1-1 21; Ava Irizarry 1 2-2 5; Mia Raivich 1 0-0 3; Reese Zemitis 7 0-0 18; TOTALS 24 4-5 63.
3-point goals: Abington – Ava Teich, Mikiaya Durham; Neshaminy – Reese Zemitis 4, Ashlyn Duffy 3, Lola Ibarrondo 2, Ava Irizarry, Mia Raivich.
#5 CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 55, #4 LOWER MORELAND 39
After battling to a 13-13 tie after one quarter, the visiting Patriots seized control of the game with a 20-point second quarter on their way to the big win.
“We were so excited to play in the SOL tournament – it was a goal of the team, and to be able to get there and get a win was a bonus,” East coach Liz Potash said. “It took
a total team effort, but any time we can get four players in double figures it certainly helps on offense.”
Senior Anna Barry’s 15 points on five 3-pointers led the Patriots. Sydney Ralph, Natalie Berndt and Jess Lockwood all had 12 points. Included in Berndt’s 12 points were three 3-pointers while Ralph had a pair of 3s.
The Patriots had four 3-pointers in their 20-point second quarter – two by Barry.
Potash lauded the defensive effort of her team.
“Nat Berndt kept Dani Brusha to seven points, and Chantal van Dongeren held Briana McFerran to four, so their defense set the tone,” the Patriots’ coach said.
Despite the outcome, LM coach Rich Becker liked a whole lot of things he saw.
“After the game when we met with the girls, I told them that I feel better about where our team is after this loss than where we’ve been after some of our recent wins,” the Lions’ coach said. “We were even after the first quarter and played the second half even with them. The difference in the game was a four-minute stretch to start the second quarter.
“At the end of the first quarter, we changed defenses to take them out of their rhythm, and it was effective. To start the 2nd quarter, my gut was telling me to go back to our man defense, but we stayed in our zone, and they knocked down a few quick 3s, and it let them get going on offense. In the second quarter, they did not seem to miss.
“I don’t know what their shooting percentage was, but they shot very well. That combined with the fact that we missed at least six lay-ups in the second quarter was too much for us to overcome.”
Mollie Brown’s 11 points led the Lions. Dani Brusha added seven.
“The big positives for us was that we seemed to play with the enthusiasm that’s been missing for the past few games, and despite their shooting percentage and that four-minute stretch in the second quarter, I thought we defended pretty well against a team that is well coached and has some big wins against some really good teams,” Becker said. “The other benefit for us in this game was that for all but one of our girls, they have not played in this type of game. Freshman Mollie Martin made some big shots to get us going, our other freshman, Emma DiJoseph overcame some early game jitters and settled down and finished the game strong. All in all, this was a good game for us to prep for districts.”
Central Bucks East (18-5, 11-5 SOL) will travel to Upper Dublin for a semifinal game Saturday at 2:30 p.m. Lower Moreland (16-7 12-4) – fifth in the latest District 1 5A rankings – will return to action next weekend in districts.
Central Bucks East 13-20-12-10 55
Lower Moreland 13-4-13-9 39
Central Bucks East (55) – Sydney Ralph 5 0-0 12; Haley Moran 0 1-2 1; Cece Hayes 0 0-2 0; Emma Penecale 0 1-2 1; Natalie Berndt 5 0-0 12; Anna Barry 5 0-0 15; Jess Lockwood 4 3-4 12; Chantal Von Dongeren 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 20 5-10 55.
Lower Moreland (39) – Briana McFerran 2 0-2 4; Dani Brusha 2 2-2 7; Amelia Brown 1 0-0 3; Sydney Santora 1 1-2 3; Mollie Martin 4 1-2 11; Emma DiJoseph 2 1-1 5; Nikki Sahl 1 1-2 4; Alexis MacPhee 0 2-2 2; TOTALS 13 8-13 39.
3-point goals: CBE – Anna Barry 5, Natalie Berndt 2, Sydney Ralph 2, Jess Lockwood; LM – Mollie Martin 2, Dani Brusha, Amelia Brown, Nikki Sahl.
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