Check out all of Tuesday’s SOL girls basketball results. To view photos of the Pennsbury/Truman and CB East/Quakertown games, please visit the Photo Gallery.
National Conference
NESHAMINY 60, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 50
McKenna Mullin had the hot hand for the Redskins, scoring a team high 18 points with many of those coming from the outside.
“She had a great game for us,” coach Joe Lally said. “We were pushing the ball up the floor, and she was getting herself in good spots to take good, quality shots.”
Sarah Oliveira added 12 points while Lori Paulits had eight. Megan Schafer handed out eight assists. Junior forward Stephanie Donahue had 11 rebounds, including eight on the offensive end. She also had six points.
“It was a complete team effort,” Lally said. ”They face guarded Lori (Paulits) early on, and we knew that was coming. We believed that McKenna would hit the open shots, and she did.”
The Redskins led 14-11 at the end of one quarter and took a 29-22 lead into the intermission. The Golden Hawks outscored the ‘Skins 10-9 in the third quarter, but the Redskins closed it out with a 22-19 fourth quarter.
“The first half was big for us,” Lally said. “Getting in there and establishing our running game was big.
“We have to learn how to finish. We had them on the ropes where we could have put the game away. They were able to get it back to eight, and we had to hang on. It’s a learning process for us.”
Alexis Hofstaedter scored 18 to lead the Golden Hawks, who fell to 1-3 in the league (3-5 overall). The Redskins are 4-1 in league play (7-1 overall).
“They’re a good team,” Lally said. “Between Hof, Courtney (Brown) and Taylor (Dillon) – they have played in bigger games than any of our kids. This is a good win for us."
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 42, BENSALEM 29
The young Indians needed a win after absorbing back-to-back lopsided losses to Pennsbury and Upper Dublin. They got a big one on Tuesday night when they upended an Owl squad that four days earlier had defeated Council Rock South, and the Indians won the game on the defensive end.
“We came out in man, and we stressed always keeping someone in front and behind (Tyra) Roberts,” coach Lou Palkovics said. “I watched them on tape, and everything they do - they want to go through Roberts.
“I said, ‘When they show help, stay.’ They said, ‘What do you mean coach?’ I said, ‘If they kick it to the corner for your girl, stay. She’s got to make it. Make her shoot it,’ and they could not shoot it. It worked.”
Sophomore Jess Gerber scored 20 points – which included five three-pointers – to lead the Indians. She also had six rebounds and two steals. Gerber connected on a pair of three-pointers late in the third quarter to cap a 15-3 Indian run out of halftime. Gerber scored 11 of her team’s 15 points in the quarter.
The Indians, who led 24-18 at halftime, took a 39-21 lead into the fourth quarter.
“Our first possession of the fourth quarter – we turned the ball over, and I said, ‘That’s it. We’re going delay,’” Palkovics said. “My coaches said, ‘We’re going in the delay already – we have a whole quarter.’ I said, ‘I don’t care. We’re going delay.’
“We scored three points in the fourth quarter, and people might think it was good defense, but it really wasn’t. I wouldn’t let them shoot. I just wanted a win. I didn’t care if it ended up 39-37.”
The Indians’ coach went on to laud the performance of Hailey Burns.
“She’s tall and thin, and she played a girl that was a little taller and a lot bigger, and she really played her tough,” Palkovics said. “Hailey only had (one) point, but she had rebounds, and they were having trouble lobbing it over her because she’s tall and lanky. She played really well for us.”
Tara Garfield added nine points for the Indians, and Natalie Gaurna had five rebounds, four steals and one assist.
Roberts led the Owls with 12 points while Stephanie Unger added nine.
The Indians upped their league mark to 3-2 (6-5 overall) while the Owls fell to 1-4 in the league (4-5 overall).
ABINGTON 49, WILLIAM TENNENT 41
The Panthers took an 11-9 lead at the end of one quarter, but the Ghosts rallied to knot the score 27-27 at halftime and then just allowed 14 points in the second half to earn the win.
“It’s always a war with them,” coach Dan Marsh said. “It doesn’t matter what’s going on. Every time we play them it’s always not pretty and it’s a war, and it was the same way tonight.
“We battled back and forth. They were handling our traps pretty well, and they were moving the ball. Our rotations weren’t good in the first half. In the second half, we just decided to play them straight up, no doubling or trapping, and they weren’t able to score as easily.”
Michael Harris led the Ghosts with 15 points while Deja Rawls added 14 and Gabby Nolan, nine points.
For the Panthers, Nikki Alden led a balanced attack with 11 points. Angie Pomponio had 10 and Allison Chatburn, nine.
While the Panthers fell to 1-4 in league (6-4 overall), the Ghosts remain perfect in league play with a 5-0 mark (8-3 overall).
PENNSBURY 65, HARRY S TRUMAN 32
The Falcons, who were without Jae Jackson (knee injury), were led offensively by Sajanna Bethea (15 points) and Kaitlin Kelly (13 points). Carly Kovin and Farryl Groder both added nine points on a night that saw the 
Falcons bury 10 three-pointers.
For the Tigers, Taylor Gasperi led the way with nine points, and Jazmyn Wilson and Khristaijah Jackson both had eight points.
While the Tigers fell to 0-5 in the league (4-8 overall), the Falcons are 4-0 in the league (8-2 overall).
Continental Conference
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 54, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 48
The Bucks, who trailed 41-39 heading into the final frame, used a 15-7 fourth quarter surge to edge their neighboring rival. The Bucks trailed 12-11 at the end of one quarter but outscored the Titans 17-14 in the second quarter to go into halftime with a 38-26 lead.
“It was back and forth the whole game,” West coach Terry Rakowsky said. “There were points in the second quarter where we thought we might have had them, but before you know it, it’s halftime, and it’s a two-point game.
“They were up by six in the second half, but I think we probably executed a little bit better than they did. A lot of it was because of their defense, but we missed a lot of shots, and we missed a lot of foul shots. It’s a West-South game. You never know.”
The Bucks were 19-of-33 from the foul line while the Titans were 13-of-20 on a night that saw the two teams combine for 53 foul shots.
“They took their foul shots in the first half,” Rakowsky said. “I think we had six total fouls in the second half, and in the first half, we probably had 15. That was part of the story.
“They were fouling us (in the second half), and we were going to the line. We didn’t make as many as we should have in the second half, but they didn’t get to the foul line. Once we stopped fouling them, it turned our way.”
Nicole Munger (13 points) and Mackenzie Carroll (10 points) led a balanced West attack, but it was Maggie Gratz who was a difference maker for the Bucks, contributing nine points, 10 rebounds and six steals.
“Ever since we were down in Virginia for the holiday tournament – she played against some national talent, and she has been unbelievable ever since,” Rakowsky said. “She’s been dominating for us in the middle.”
South’s Jordan Vitelli led all scorers with 18 points while Rachel Falkowski added 10 and Amber Eife and Archie Schneider both had seven points.
The West win sets the stage for Friday’s showdown against North Penn in a battle of the conference’s lone undefeated squads. The Bucks are 5-0 in league play (8-2 overall) while the Titans are 3-2 in the league (8-4 overall).
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 48, QUAKERTOWN 32
The Patriots sprinted out of the gate to a 13-0 lead at the end of one quarter, and although the Panthers showed signs of the life in the second quarter, East took a commanding 26-9 lead into halftime on their way to the decisive win.
Nine players got into the scoring column for East, led by Courtney Webster with 13 points. Lindsay Nier and Karoline White both added seven points, and Emily Sebesky and Morgan Kelly each had six points for the Patriots, who improved to 2-3 in the league (7-4 overall). The Panthers, who are 1-4 in the league (2-8 overall), were led by the nine-point efforts of senior Kathryne Vetter and freshman Taylor Herd.
SOUDERTON 68, PENNRIDGE 39
Junior Allison Gallagher exploded for 20 points while sophomore Sara Derstein added 13 and senior Courtney Day, 11 points, to lead the Indians in Tuesday’s win. Katie O’Connor chipped in with nine points for the Indians, who jumped out to a 17-4 lead at the end of one quarter and took a 35-17 lead into the intermission.
The Rams were led by Shelby Schoonover with eight points while Devan Rimmer and Lydia Konstanzer both had seven points.
The Indians are 3-2 in league play (5-3 overall) while the Rams fell to 0-5 in the league (1-9 overall).
NORTH PENN 71, HATBORO-HORSHAM 40
Senior Lauren Crisler scored 27 points – 20 in a torrid first-half effort - while freshman Mikaela Giuliani added 10 points to lead the Maidens to the big win. The Maidens led 21-8 at the end of one quarter and stretched that to 37-15 by halftime.
For the Hatters, Heather Lutz led the way with 12 points while Tori Waddington and Rachel Helton each added 10 points.
“We actually played pretty solid, but we’re not at that level yet,” Hatboro coach Steve Flynn said.
While the Hatters fell to 1-4 in the league (2-7 overall), the Maidens improved to 5-0 in the league (10-0 overall).
American Conference
NORRISTOWN 60, PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 51
Briana Hedgepeth set the tone for the Eagles early, scoring 16 of her game-high 26 points in the second quarter to turn an 8-7 lead at the end of one quarter into a 31-16 halftime lead. She also had eight rebounds.
“Basically, we just pushed the ball up the floor and allowed Hedgepeth to take control of the game,” Norristown coach Ashlee Harrison said. “She’s just an explosive player who – in the open court – can just run.
“She was running the floor really well, and she was getting offensive rebounds and putbacks. She had two and-one’s in the second quarter. They were just two hustle plays.”
The Eagles led by as many as 22 points, but PW refused to go away. The Colonials, according to PW coach Daniel Dougherty, upped their defensive pressure in the second half, trimming the Eagles’ lead to seven with three minutes to go, but the Eagles refused to be denied.
PW was led by the 15-point effort of Kayla Wisniewski, who connected on 6-of-9 shots from the floor, as well as Rachel Konowal’s 11 points, which included a 3-for-4 effort from beyond the arc.
For the Eagles, Sydney Morse had 12 points and eight rebounds while Keifonna Ferguson had nine points and 17 rebounds.
The Eagles are 4-1 in league play (7-3 overall) while the Colonials fell to 2-3 in the league (3-6 overall).
WISSAHICKON 43, UPPER MERION 35
The Trojans used a standout defensive effort to earn the big win over the Vikings. They led 15-13 at halftime but were outscored 12-9 in the third quarter, allowing the Vikings to take a 25-24 lead into the final quarter when the Trojans closed it out with a 19-10 tear.
“Tonight’s game was about team defense and executing our game plan to the very end,” said Wissahickon coach Rodney Cline, whose team took 30 trips to the free throw line. “There was not one standout player unless you want to talk about Bridget Sweeney’s two momentum boosting bombs from beyond the arc or Alex Comonitski’s relentless fight down low against a girl who is almost a foot taller than her.
“This came down to effort and our confidence in what we were trying to accomplish regardless of what was on the scoreboard. The Lady Trojans wanted this game, and they went out and got it. My coaching staff and I are proud of them.”
Rachel Stone led a balanced Trojan attack with 11 points, and Daria Earland added seven. Donyea Tate, Bridget Sweeney and Dominique Earland each had six points.
The big story was the fact that the Trojans limited Upper Merion’s high-scoring duo of Regie Robinson and Kristina O’Sullivan to just three field goals and 13 points combined. Robinson led the Vikings with eight points while Katherine Bailey added seven. Both Robinson and O’Sullivan, according to Cline, fouled out of Tuesday’s game.
Both squads are 3-2 in league play. The Vikings are 7-2 overall while the Trojans are 6-5.
“I think a lot of teams make assumptions that there are easy games out there, but the toughest part of the Suburban One American Conference is there are no easy games,” Upper Merion coach Tom Schurtz said. “There’s tremendous parity, and on any given night, any team in our league can beat anybody.
“Tonight Wissahickon came out and played a solid defensive game. I give them a lot of credit for making free throws and keeping us at arm’s length down the stretch. In the fourth quarter, when the game was on the line, they made big shots, and we didn’t. Credit Wissahickon for a great effort. It goes to show there’s tremendous balance and depth in our league.”
UPPER DUBLIN 63, SPRINGFIELD (MONTCO) 17
The Flying Cardinals continued to roll through conference play, opening up a 34-7 halftime lead over the Spartans on their way to the lopsided win. For the Flying Cardinals, Curtrena Goff had 14 points and nine assists while Regan Gallagher added 13 points, 14 rebounds, three blocked shots, three steals and three assists. Kayla McAneney had 11 points, six rebounds and four assists and connected on 3-of-4 from three-point range.
For the Spartans, junior Veronica Asman accounted for all but two of her team’s points, finishing the game with 15 points to lead all scorers. Ten of those points came in the second half. Meghan Wheatley had two points.
While the Spartans fell to 0-5 in the league (2-7 overall), the Flying Cardinals, who have won 10 games in a row, upped their record to 5-0 in the league (10-1 overall).
CHELTENHAM 51, UPPER MORELAND 42
UPPER DUBLIN 69, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 32 (Monday, Jan. 7)
The Flying Cardinals jumped out to a commanding 25-0 lead and never looked back on their way to Monday’s decisive non-league win over the Indians. Senior Curtrena Goff led all scorers with 20 points. She also had five rebounds and five assists. Regan Gallagher added 17 points and eight rebounds, and Brianna Spector had a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds. Kayla McAneney had eight points on a night that saw the Flying Cardinals score 46 first-half points.
PENNSBURY 51, LANSDALE CATHOLIC 49 (Monday, Jan. 7)
The Falcons won a basketball game but lost a star when senior Jae Jackson went down midway through the second period with a knee injury. She did not return. Before she left, the senior captain had already accumulated seven points and six rebounds.
Jackson’s Falcon teammates picked up the slack in her absence. Sajanna Bethea led all scorers with 22 points, which included a pair of three-pointers. Kaitlin Kelly added eight points and Alexa Lukas added six.
In the first quarter, LC opened up a quick 6-0 lead only to watch the Falcons – sparked by eight points from Bethea, including a pair of treys – close out the first quarter with a 12-2 run to make it a 14-8 game after one quarter. LC outscored the Falcons 18-12 in the second quarter to make it a 26-26 game at halftime.
Lukas scored all six of her points in the third quarter and Bethea added six points in a quarter that saw the Falcons outscore the Crusaders 17-12 to go into the final frame with a 43-38 lead. They led by as many as seven and then withstood a late LC rally.
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