Check out the recaps for SOL girls’ basketball teams in action Friday. Pennsbury/Neshaminy photos provided courtesy of Darryl Rule of J&D Photography. New Hope-Solebury/Lower Moreland photos courtesy of John Gleeson. Check back for galleries of both games.
SOL Patriot Division
PENNSBURY 30, NESHAMINY 24
Don’t look now, but a young Pennsbury squad is the lone unbeaten team in SOL Patriot Division play.
Granted, it’s only three games into the season, but it’s a safe bet no one was picking Pennsbury to win its first three division games, including a road game against archrival and defending SOL champion Neshaminy.
But that’s exactly what the Falcons have done, and they find themselves atop the standings heading into the holiday break after a gutsy road win over the Redskins.
Neither squad, it turns out, resembles last year’s team.
“Neshaminy is off to a really good start, but it’s important to know that they are playing four sophomores and have a sophomore heavy rotation,” Pennsbury coach Frank Sciolla said. “Although some of them were on the floor last year in key spots, the roles have changed now. Everyone in tonight‘s game was playing a different role than what they’re used to on both sides.”
The Redskins – sparked by six points from sophomore Grace Weyler – led 11-7 after one quarter, but the Falcons threw some serious defense at them the rest of the way. The Redskins scored just 13 points over the final three quarters combined.
The Falcons went into halftime with an 18-16 lead and then survived a third quarter when they did not score a point but still trailed by just four (22-18) heading into the final quarter.
The Falcons outscored their hosts 12-2 in a fourth quarter that included a 3-for-4 effort at the foul line by Maggie Burns.
Key players: Alyssa Thomas (9 points), Maggie Burns (7 points), Emily Panero (6 points, 6 rebounds)
For Neshaminy, Hayley Kolk had 12 points.
Pennsbury coach Frank Sciolla: “These teams know each other so well, so there’s no surprises. Throw in the fact that Coach Gallagher has many of our freshman on his Mid-Atlantic Magic team in the summer, and there are no secrets. We are certainly happy with the things that he has done to help develop our girls
“It was a good road win for us tonight, and it will be nice to have a few days off to recharge for our holiday tournament. I’m not sure where we are in terms of being ahead of schedule or behind schedule, but one thing I do know is that we’re still here. Pennsbury that is.”
--The game: “The game plan tonight was to try to take them out of their sets and hope that we could drag them into deep water and make it a close game. We have already played so many games we fell behind by the fourth or at the end of the third quarter because they played outstanding defense
“But since the game was close, we felt good about where we were, and we believe that we can create some issues with our pressure, and if we could get the game level again, we would be able to change defenses and maybe create other issues. We got some big turnovers with pressure and slowly inched our way back in.”
--A coachable bunch: “About a month ago, I told this team that they were really fun to coach and that I’m not sure that I remember having an easier team to coach. They are absolutely completely and totally coachable.
“We don’t need to tell them nine or 10 times not to do the same thing. We don’t need to try to sell them on what we think is important. If we give them something in practice, film we’re doing for a game, they make every effort to try and do it. It’s 100 percent buy in.
“The energy from the bench is incredible, and they support each other all the time. If there is an ego on the team, it is only an ego in the best possible sense.”
Surviving the speed bumps: “We realize this is definitely a year where at times we will take our lumps. That certainly happened over the course of the first 10 days of the season. It’s still possible that that will happen often as we have so much growth, but the process has been fun.”
--Props: “Freshman Keira Socha, for the second game in a row, made a really gutsy play for us and knocked down a 15-foot pull-up jumper, which is something that she definitely has in her bag.
“Emily Panaro was again fantastic on the backboard, but more importantly with trying to get her teammates open and her communication on the defensive end. Ava Jordan was very active on defense and in our push. Once again, Alyssa Thomas played far beyond her years and gave us a really clean game by refusing to take the ball into trouble and refusing to play off balance and refusing to turn it over, and she had a healthy challenge in Alena Cofield, who I think is the best athlete in the SOL. Alyssa was also really good on defense.”
Up next: Pennsbury (5-3, 3-0 SOL) will compete in the Windsor Plainsboro Classic and will face the host team on Friday (2:15 pm). Neshaminy (4-2, 2-1) will compete in the Hilltopper Classic at Westmont Hilltop High School in Johnstown. In Friday’s opening game, the Redskins will face Damascus at 4 p.m.
Pennsbury 7-11-0-12 30
Neshaminy 11-5-6-2 24
Pennsbury (30) – Emily Panero 2 2-2 6; Maggie Burns 2 3-4 7; Sammie Haws 1 0-0 2; Alyssa Thomas 3 2-3 9; Ava Jordan 1 2-6 4; Keira Socha 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 10 9-14 30.
Neshaminy (24) – Grace Weyler 3 0-0 6; Alena Cofield 1 1-4 3; Ashlyn Duffy 1 0-0 3; Hayley Kolk 4 3-3 12; TOTALS 9 4-7 24.
3-point goals: P – Alyssa Thomas; N – Ashlyn Duffy, Hayley Kolk.
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 37, COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 24
The shots weren’t falling for either team in an opening quarter that saw the two teams combine for just five points.
In the second quarter, the Golden Hawks – who led 3-2 after one quarter - took eight trips to the foul line and outscored the Indians 13-11 for a 16-13 halftime advantage. They led the rest of the way.
Key players: Kathryn O’Kane (11 points), Bella Hettler (7 points), Fiona Reckner (7 points), Maria Freeman (7 points).
For Rock North, Julia Koval had eight points.
Council Rock South coach Steve Polinsky: “It was a tough hard-fought game. I loved our defense and how we pressured them the whole game. We have to play defense like that if our shots aren’t falling.”
--Props: “Bella Hettler and Maria Freeman hit some big shots in the fourth quarter. Bella been doing a great job blocking shots and rebounding for our team all season long. Kat O’Kane scored 11 points and had a solid all-around game, not only scoring but setting her teammates up.
--Tip of the hat: “Jack Kelly had his team ready to play, and they had a solid game plan tonight. They played hard and it was a tough North vs South game.”
Up next: Council Rock South (5-3, 2-1 SOL) will will travel to Villa Joseph Marie for a non-league game Friday at 5 pm. Council Rock North (1-7, 0-3) will face Hatboro-Horsham on the opening day of its own tournament Friday (11:30 am).
Council Rock North 2-11-5-6 24
Council Rock South 3-13-7-14 37
Council Rock North (24) – Julia Koval 4 0-0 8; Addie Martin 2 2-4 6; Brynn Rodgers 0 1-2 1; Alexa Bondra 2 1-3 5; Megan Reichenbach 0 2-4 2; Josie Boyle 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 9 6-13 24.
Council Rock South (37) – Bella Hettler 3 1-1 7; Sarah Freeman 1 0-0 3; Kathryn O’Kane 4 3-5 11; Fiona Reckner 1 5-8 7; Lil Metrick 0 2-2 2; Maria Freeman 2 1-2 7; TOTALS 11 12-18 37.
3-point goals: CRS – Maria Freeman 2, Sarah Freeman.
BENSALEM 54, HARRY S TRUMAN 26
Grace McShane had a hot hand out of the gate, burying a pair of 3s and scoring eight points in an opening quarter that saw the Owls connect on five 3-pointers on their way to a 19-9 lead.
The Owls took a 28-15 lead into halftime, and only the 12-point effort of Shy McCleave kept the Tigers afloat in the half, but they would never seriously threaten.
Key players: Grace McShane’s 12 points – all in the first half – led the Owls. Freshman Kamiya Alexander added 10 points, and Mary Beck had nine.
For the Tigers, McCleave led the way with 18 points.
Bensalem coach Steve Johnson: “Hats off to Coach McMiller. She has her girls playing incredibly hard. Shy McCleave has to be one of the best rebounders we have played against the last five years. She put on a rebounding clinic. This was a nice win for us.”
--Props: “Talia (DiMichele) was out with a sore ankle, and Mary Beck and freshman Kamiya Alexander did a great job of running the show. Jordyn Bell sparked us in the third quarter on the offensive side of things. Happy for freshman Kylie O’Neil, who scored her first varsity points in her first varsity game. Great kid who brings it at practice each and every day. Freshman Mischa Ellzy scored her first varsity points as well.”
Up next: Bensalem (2-3, 2-1 SOL) will travel to Wildwood to compete in Boardwalk Classic on Saturday, Dec. 28, when the Owls will face Methacton at 12:15 p.m. Harry S Truman (0-5, 0-3) will travel to Chichester for a non-league game on Friday (1:15 pm).
Bensalem 19-9-14-12 54
Harry S Truman 9-6-7-4 26
Bensalem (54) – Kylie O’Neil 1 0-0 2; Kamiya Alexander 5 0-0 10; Mary Beck 3 1-2 9; Mischa Ellzy 1 0-2 2; Grace McShane 5 0-4 12; Gianna Creque 1 0-0 2; Jordyn Bell 2 1-2 7; Devon Bell 2 0-2 5; Sydney Daut 1 0-0 2; Arianna Jenkins 1 0-2 3; TOTALS 22 2-14 54.
Harry S Truman (26) – S.Romer 1 0-0 2; Shy McCleave 6 6-10 18; Kiera Martinez 1 0-0 3; Brie Philemond 1 0-0 3; TOTALS 9 6-10 26.
3-point goals: B – Mary Beck 2, Grace McShane 2, Jordyn Bell 2, Devon Bell, Ariana Jenkins; HST – Brie Philemond, Kiera Martinez.
SOL Colonial Division
NORTH PENN 59, PENNRIDGE 42
Comebacks are becoming all but routine for the Knights.
Three days after rallying from 13 down in the second half for a win over CB South, the Knights found themselves down by 10 early and still trailing 16-7 at the end of one quarter.
They were unfazed, outscoring their visitors 19-8 in the second quarter to go into halftime with a 26-24 lead. Senior Leah Mikulski’s three 3-pointers ignited the Knights in the second quarter. Ella Brown kept the Rams in it with 15 first-half points.
Any thoughts of a Pennridge comeback were put to rest when the Knights outscored the Lady Rams 20-6 in the third quarter. Cam Crowley’s seven points led the Knights. The Rams never threatened the rest of the way.
Key players: Leah Mikulski’s 15 points – 10 in the first half – led the Knights’ offense. Lily Brown added 13 points – 11 in the second half, and Cam Crowley had 10 points.
For the Lady Rams, Ella Brown had 23 points to lead all scorers.
North Penn coach Bri Cullen: “It ended up great, but it started out a little rough. At one point, we were down 3-13. The last two games we’ve been starting a little flat. I don’t know if it’s nerves or our youth showing, but for some reason, we seem to settle down once the game starts, so we made some adjustments.
“Ella Brown is an excellent player, and she started hitting shots early, so we made some adjustments to our game plan, and they relaxed and we were fine. I’m just proud of everyone for contributing. We played a lot of girls tonight. Our rotation is pretty big and still pretty open. I think the willingness to go in and play as hard as possible is definitely showing.
“I think the holiday break can determine how season is going to go. We needed this win. Conference games are always more competitive, so I’m glad we’re going into the holiday break off a conference win.”
--A calming presence: “Leah Mikulski was definitely a calming presence. You didn’t hear much about her last year, but she was a starter, and she played her role. This year she’s a lot more vocal and is definitely a vocal leader for us, so I think that piece was ‘Everyone calm down, we’re fine,’ and definitely, the nerves were gone.
“She had two 3s in the second quarter, and that definitely woke us up offensively.”
Up next: North Penn (4-3, 3-0 SOL) will compete in the Ridley Tournament, facing the host team Friday at 3 pm. Pennridge (3-3, 1-2) will host Central Bucks South on Friday, Jan. 3.
Pennridge 16-8-6-12 42
North Penn 7-19-20-13 59
Pennridge (42) – Ella Brown 7 1-3 23; Julia Lenox 1 0-1 2; Emily DeHaven 1 0-0 3; Madison Lapp 2 2-2 6; Erin McCormick 1 1-2 3; Allie Smith 1 0-0 2; Layla Verbit 1 1-2 3; TOTALS 17 5-10 42.
North Penn (59) – Saniah Hammond 1 0-0 3; Cam Crowley 4 0-0 10; Lily McGee 2 0-0 6; Lily Brown 6 1-2 13; Leah Mikulski 6 0-0 15; Jadyn Speprling 1 0-0 2; Mehya Godhania 3 0-0 7; Lailani Williams 1 0-0 2; Tallie Smink 0 1-2 1; TOTALS 24 2-4 59.
3-point goals: P – Ella Brown 2, Emily DeHaven; NP – Leah Mikulski 3, Cam Crowley 2, Lily McGee 2, Saniah Hammond, Mehya Godhania.
CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 45, CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 29
The Titans – behind seven points from Jules Tropea – opened up a 10-4 lead over the Bucks after one quarter. Ella Wheeler’s four 3-pointers sparked a 16-point second quarter for the Titans, who took a 26-15 lead into halftime on their way to the big win – their first in league play.
Key players: Ella Wheeler’s 12 points led a balanced Titan attack. Mia Klein added 10 points, and Jules Tropea had nine points.
For the Bucks, Scarlett Baumgardner had 10 points.
Central Bucks South coach Beth Mattern: “I thought our team had a great team win tonight. We did a better job protecting the ball and it was great to see us play four complete quarters. Everyone left it on the court tonight and played hard.”
--Props: “Jules Tropea started us off strong with her first quarter scoring, Ella Wheeler had a big second quarter, and Mia Klein was a constant throughout the game.”
Up next: Central Bucks South (4-4, 1-2 SOL) will travel to Wildwood for the Boardwalk Classic, taking on Wildwood Catholic Academy on Thursday (4:15 pm). Central Bucks West (1-7, 0-3) returns to league action Friday, Jan. 3, when the Bucks will host Central Bucks East.
Central Bucks West 4-11-5-9. 29
Central Bucks South 10-16-11-8 45
Central Bucks West (29) – Erica Madden 1 0-0 2; Peyton Cramer 2 0-2 4; Miya McDaniel 0 0-2 0; Addy Fay 1 0-3 2; Ava Rihl 1 0-0 2; Audra Lawson 2 0-2 4; Scarlett Baumgardner 4 2-3 10; Janelle Blokker 2 0-0 5; TOTALS 13 2-12 29.
Central Bucks South (45) – Ella Wheeler 4 2-4 14; Jules Tropea 4 0-2 9; Mia Klein 3 3-4 10; Gabby Tropea 3 0-0 6; Morgan McKeever 2 0-0 4; Megan Schmidt 0 2-2 2; TOTALS 16 7-12 45.
3-point goals: CBW – Janelle Blokker; CBS – Ella Wheeler 4, Jules Tropea, Gabby Tropea.
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 54, SOUDERTON 26
The Patriots buried three 3-pointers and scored 15 points in the first quarter, setting the tone for a wire-to-wire win over the Indians.
East took a 24-13 lead into halftime. Sydney Ralph’s six points on a pair of 3s led a balanced Patriot attack.
The Patriots put the game away with an 18-point third quarter that showcased talented point guard Haley Moran, who scored eight of her game-high 15 in the quarter.
Key players: Haley Moran (15 points, 5 assists, 3 steals), Sydney Ralph (10 points), Jess Lockwood (7 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals)
For the Indians, Julia Purvey’s 10 points led the way.
Central Bucks East coach Liz Potash: “Tonight was a total team effort, Souderton did a great job of limiting looks for Jess (Lockwood) and Nat (Berndt), and we had lots of players step up, including a solid game from Syd Ralph. Haley Moran had some tough finishes inside to lead our scoring and contributed five assists. Jess Lockwood continues to create steals in our full court pressure and had eight rebounds.
“We’re looking forward to our upcoming games at the Boardwalk Classic in Wildwood next weekend.”
Up next: Central Bucks East (5-1, 3-0 SOL) will compete in the Boardwalk Classic in Wildwood, opening play Friday (4:30 pm) with a game against Conestoga. Souderton (6-3, 1-2) will compete in the Council Rock North Holiday Tournament and will face New Foundations Charter Friday (1 pm).
Central Bucks East 15-9-18-12 54
Souderton 8-5-4-9 26
Central Bucks East (54) – Sydney Ralph 3 2-2 10; Haley Moran 6 3-3 15; Cece Hayes 1 0-0 2; Emma Penecale 2 0-0 5; Natalie Berndt 3 0-0 7; Savannah Hayes 3 0-0 6; Jess Lockwood 3 0-0 7; Hailey Helmstetter 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 22 5-5 54.
Souderton (26) – Julia Purvy 4 2-3 10; Olivia Herron 0 1-2 1; Madison Bealer 1 0-0 3; Liz Word 1 0-0 2; Emily Dick 2 1-2 5; Erin McGee 2 0-0 5; TOTALS 10 4-7 26.
3-point goals: CBE – Sydney Ralph 2, Emma Penecale, Natalie Berndt, Jess Lockwood; S – Madison Bealer, Erin McGee.
SOL Liberty Division
ABINGTON 70, WISSAHICKON 22
Maya Johnson put her named in the program record books.
With her 11th and final assist of Friday’s win, the senior point guard became the program’s all-time assist leader with 341, breaking the record of 340 held by Khalis Whiting.
Johnson finished with an impressive double-double – 14 points and 11 assists.
Stealing the spotlight offensively was Mikiaya Durham, who scored 30 points in just three quarters. She set the tone early, scoring 12 first-quarter points as the Ghosts – who owned the game from outset – opened up a 32-10 lead after one quarter.
The Trojans managed just single digits in each of the next three quarters, scoring just 12 points.
Key players: Mikiaya Durham torched the Trojans for 30 points – 18 in a dominant first half. She had three 3-pointers and was a perfect 5-for-5 from the foul line.
Maya Johnson set up many of Durham’s buckets with 11 assists to go along with 14 points.
Aniya Williams add 11 points, which included three 3-pointers.
For the Trojans, Kai Potter’s 13 points led the way.
Abington coach Allison Lawson: “We played well as a team today and we were patient on offense working the ball to find the open girl. That is something we knew we needed to work on and it’s starting to come together.”
Wissahickon coach Kathie Sims: “It was a tough game. The girls gave it their all and fought hard on every possession, but we struggled to find our rhythm on offense.
“Kai Potter led the team with 10 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks.”
Up next: Abington (3-4, 2-1 SOL) will compete in the Keystone Classic Saturday at Phil-Mont Christian. The Ghosts will face Conwell-Egan at 11:30 a.m. Wissahickon (2-6, 0-3) will return to action after the holiday break against Martin Luther King on Jan. 6.
Wissahickon 10-2-7-3 22
Abington 32-14-17-7 70
Wissahickon (22) – Katelyn Thomson 0 2-2 2; Kai Potter 4 5-9 13; Julia Lettieri 0 3-4 3; Lydia Schultz 1 0-0 2; Kristen DiGiovanni 0 2-2 2; Georgia McNichol 0 0-2 0; TOTALS 5 12-19 22.
Abington (70) – Ayona Miller 1 0-0 3; Maya Johnson 6 1-2 14; Nora Luskin 1 0-0 2; Mikiaya Durham 11 5-5 30; Shya Crafton 2 0-1 4; Paula Jamul 1 0-0 2; Hailey Hernandez 2 0-1 4; Aniyah Williams 4 0-0 11; TOTALS 28 6-9 70.
3-point goals: A – Mikiaya Durham 3, Aniyah Williams 3, Maya Johnson, Ayona Miller.
SOL Freedom Division
NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY 53, LOWER MORELAND 42
New Hope-Solebury kept its perfect record intact with a road win over Lower Moreland.
The host Lions – despite seeing one player after another go down with an injury – hung with NH-S – and trailed by just one at halftime, 22-21.
New Hope took a 36-29 lead into the final quarter, and the visiting Lions won it at the foul line, converting 9 of 14 foul shots. Freshman Mary Tresler came up big in the frame, scoring six points which included a 4-for-4 effort at the foul line. For the game, New Hope converted 20 of 25 foul shots.
Key players: New Hope had three players in double figures – Emily Wilson (17), Izzy Elizondo (16) and Kayla Fennel (11).
For LM, Dani Brusha 20 points, which included three 3-pointers, led the way. Sofia Fey added 13 points in another big outing.
New Hope-Solebury coach Andy Krasna: “We feel fortunate to come away with a win against a Lower Moreland team that played fearless for 32 minutes. From my days coaching in the BAL, Coach Becker, his staff, and his teams have always given me nightmares. Dani Brusha was terrific this afternoon. She has a complete game and can hurt you in so many ways. Sofia Fey was not on our radar; however, she helped to keep her team close most of the way.
“In this win, we showed how we can share the ball and be patient offensively. We had balanced scoring and rebounded with some tenacity.”
--Props: “Seniors Emily Wilson and Izzy Elizondo will sleep well tonight as their effort and energy was off the charts. They were the focus for Lower Moreland and were still able to score in multiple ways. Freshman Mary Tresler settled in and had a big fourth quarter, scoring six points and going a perfect 4 for 4 from the line. Junior Kayla Fannell was fantastic once again, scoring double figures, rebounding, and converting some important free-throws down the stretch.” 
--LM’s injury bug: “From my vantage point, back-to-back games are a recipe for injury. This is why we see so many overuse injuries during the AAU season. I understand the need to squeeze in a 22-game schedule, so back-to-back games are a necessary evil we must live with. Lower Moreland suffered three injuries in the past 24 hours (playing back-to-back), and their players and coaching staff responded like true champions. If we had a similar injury experience at New Hope, we would have to forfeit games because of our small roster.”
Lower Moreland coach Rich Becker: “This was another tough game. We were down three starters going into the game, and the girls battled. We were even in the second quarter when Emma DiJoseph suffered a low ankle sprain while backpedaling on defense with no one around her. Her injury along with New Hope going 11-for-14 from the line in the fourth were the difference in the game.”
--Down a fourth starter: “Being down a fourth starter was just too much to overcome. Andy is a really good coach with some talented players who know how to close out a game, so you have to give them credit. While our situation is not ideal, none of the injuries are season ending. The minutes that our girls are getting now will hopefully pay off for us in the long run.”
--Fey steps up: “As a coach, it's nice to see Sofia Fey really step up and give us good minutes. She's making some big shots for us, and he
r defensive footwork is really improving. After the game we used her as an example of leadership through perseverance. I'm happy that she's taking advantage of this opportunity.”
--More props: “Also stepping up for us are Maddie Broderick and Keira Huber. Keira's a senior who's battled injury and illness for the last two seasons. She's playing tough defense and making smart decisions on the court.
--Wildwood awaits: “We have two tough matchups coming up in Wildwood. At this point we're just hoping to compete in our tournament games and looking forward to possibly starting the second half of the year back at full strength.”
Up next: New Hope-Solebury (6-0, 3-0 SOL) will face Oley Valley Friday (1 pm) in an opening game of the Marian Catholic Holiday Tournament. Lower Moreland (1-2, 3-4) will face Wildwood Catholic Academy Monday (4:15 pm) in the Boardwalk Classic in Wildwood.
New Hope-Solebury 10-12-14-17 53
Lower Moreland 10-11-8-13 42
New Hope-Solebury (63) – Kayla Fennell 4 3-4 11; Izzy Ilizondo 4 6-9 16; Emily Wilson 5 4-4 17; Mary Tresler 1 5-6 7; Ella Dudick 0 2-2 2; TOTALS 14 20-25 53.
Lower Moreland (42) – Dani Brusha 6 5-6 20; Nikki Sahl 1 3-6 6; Maddie Broderick 1 0-0 3; Sofia Fey 5 3-4 13; TOTALS 13 11-16 42.
3-point goals: NH-S -Emily Wilson 3, Izzy Elizondo 2; LM – Dani Brusha 3, Nikki Sahl, Maddie Broderick.
WILLIAM TENNENT 53, SPRINGFIELD TWP 48
In one of the night’s most competitive SOL games, it was the visiting Panthers edging the Spartans.
Springfield Twp – behind eight points from Ava Culler – led 12-10 after one quarter, but the Panthers rebounded, outscoring their hosts 11-6 in the second to go into halftime with a 21-18 advantage. Halie Staub was the offensive catalyst for the Panthers, scoring 12 of her team-high 22 points in the first half.
In the third quarter, the Spartans rallied to knot the score 36-36 heading into the final frame. Again, Culler was the catalyst, scoring 10 points in the quarter.
The Panthers won the game at the foul line, and no one was more effective than Avery Kocur, who was 7-for-8 in the quarter. Staub had four points and was 2-for-2 from the charity stripe.
Key players: Staub’s 22 points led the Panthers while Kocur added 19 points – 14 in the second half. Meg Volz added eight points.
For the Spartans, Ava Culler led the way with 20 points, and Keira Brandon added 12 – six in the fourth quarter.
William Tennent coach Laura Whitney: “This was a big time win for our girls tonight. It was another example of how tough it is to win in our division. Nothing is guaranteed and you better be prepared for a dog fight.
“I’m so proud of our effort tonight. The girls came to play and really bought into the game plan. We had some key stops that resulted in points at the other end and did a great job of staying poised late in the game and closing it out.
“Ava (Culler), #43, is so tough to contain. She’s super athletic and crashes the boards so hard that we knew we had our hands full. Even with two people boxing her out, she out rebounded us at times. Or when we did box her out, we left someone else wide open for the put back.
“The thing I’m most proud of was the grit we showed as a team. Every time we went on a run or hit a big shot, it seemed like Springfield would answer. The game could have easily gone the other way, but our girls were so resilient. They played together and for each other.”
--Props: “Avery (Kocur) and (Halie) Staub showed why they are our leaders and down the stretch played with a refuse-to-lose attitude. They were a combined 13-for-14 from the line the second half, which was huge.
“Lindsey Catoni showed a lot of toughness tonight. She didn’t score many points but had the tough task of guarding Ava (Culler) for most of the game. Even though Ava still scored 20 points, she made her work for them.
“Meg Volz continues to impress as a first-year varsity player. We are hard on her and keep pushing her to get better and she’s been stepping up and answering the call. She was very physical tonight and made some big plays around the basket.
“Carissa Malpezzi plays so calm as a freshman and works her tail off.
“We’re looking forward to a couple days off before we get back in the gym to prepare for our Holiday Tournament.”
Up next: William Tennent (4-3, 2-1 SOL) will compete in the Upper Merion Tournament where the Panthers will face Penncrest in Friday’s opening game (12 noon). Springfield Twp (2-5, 0-3) will travel to the Marple Newtown Holiday Tournament where the Spartans will face Freire Charter in Friday’s opening game (2:30 pm).
William Tennent 10-11-15-17 53
Springfield Twp 12-6-18-12 48
William Tennent (53) – Lindsey Catoni 1, Avery Kocur 19, Halie Staub 22, Meg Volz 8, Carissa Malpezzi 3
Springfield Twp (48) – Caitlin Lewis 4, Kiera Brandon 12, Julia Guicheteau 5, Ava Culler 20, Karly Hartman 7.
3-point goals: WT – Avery Kocur 2, Halie Staub; S – Julia Guicheteau
Non-league
UPPER DUBLIN 46, GREAT VALLEY 19
The Flying Cardinals threw some suffocating defense at the Patriots, allowing just five first-half points – one in the second quarter.
UD led by a comfortable 14-4 score after one quarter but then erupted for 23 second-quarter points. Emilia Coleman’s 12 points – which included three 3-pointers – led the Cards in the half. Megan Ngo had all eight of her points in the first half for the Cards, who took a 37-5 lead into halftime.
Key players: Emilia Coleman (15 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 steals), Megan Ngo (8 points, 6 assists), Tamia Clark (10 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals), Bridget DiMartile (7 points, 5 rebounds)
Upper Dublin coach Morgan Funsten:
--The game: “I thought we came out and played a great first quarter, but we didn’t shoot the ball as well as we’ve been recently. Defensively, we were playing with a ton of energy and rebounding the ball well.
“The second quarter our offense caught up to our defense, and from late first quarter to halftime, we went on a 30-1 run.”
--Props: “I’ve been so lucky to have coached Meg the last few years and see how she makes her teammates better, but we have another special player in Emilia this year that interacts with her teammates in a similar way. I have been so impressed with Emilia’s ability to consistently make the right decisions, and it’s really fun coaching a girl like her who comes from a basketball family and who values playing the game the right way. She filled the stat sheet up again tonight.
“The defensive effort and focus all night was impressive, even without shooting the ball as well as we’ve been.”
Up next: Upper Dublin (7-1, 2-0 SOL) will compete in the Cardinal O’Hara Holiday Showcase and will face Villa Maria Academy on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
Upper Dublin 14-23-6-3 46
Great Valley 4-1-6-8 19
Upper Dublin (46) – Bridget DiMartile 3 0-1 7; Tamia Clark 4 2-3 10; Megan Ngo 3 0-0 8; Lexi Ngo 1 0-0 3; Emilia Coleman 5 1-2 15; Ella Morris 1 0-0 3; TOTALS 17 3-6 46.
Great Valley (19) – Catherine Brogur 3 0-1 6; Charlie Person 0 0-2 0; Kate Weikert 1 2-2 4; Reilly Lackman 1 3-4 5; Fiyin Osikoya 1 0-0 2; Kacee Magee 1 0-0 2; TOTALS 7 5-9 19.
3-point goals: UD – Emilia Coleman 4, Megan Ngo 2, Bridget DiMartile, Lexi Ngo, Ella Miller.
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