Souderton High School | McClelland Miscellanea

Caitlyn Steinly, Carley Kendall, Liz Mower, and Gabby McAndrews with championship plaque

Libby Wetzler (21) passes inside to Carley Kendall (14)

(Ambler) Souderton separated from Gwynedd-Mercy Academy with a run of eleven unanswered points in the first quarter and went on to capture the girls division of the Wissahickon Holiday Basketball Tournament, 50-38, on Wednesday at Wissahickon High School.

Indian point guard Bianca Picard (35 points in the two-game tournament) was the tourney MVP. Teammates Libby Wetzler and Liz Mower made the All-Tourney team.

Souderton (3-2) jumped on the Monarchs (5-7) early and held a 13-2 lead after six minutes. GW Academy could never get closer than six points (19-13) the rest of the way.

The Indians extended the lead to 37-24 early in the fourth quarter before a Monarch 12-6 run (Taylor Sweeney had two free throws and a three) made it a seven-point game (43-36) with 1:43 left. Souderton wisely kept the ball in Bianca Picard’s hands the rest of the way. The sophomore made seven of nine free throws to seal the championship for the Indians.

First quarter Souderton defense.

Souderton’s dominance inside keyed the run of eleven straight early on. Three of the five baskets were after offensive rebounds by Allison Gallagher (2) and one by Libby Wetzler.

The Monarchs struggled to run organized offense against the trapping and pressing Indians. All that work to get good shots did a number on the GW Academy shooting accuracy.

High scoring Caroline Shimrock drew denial defense from a number of Souderton players including Carley Kendall.

The Indians were efficient enough to run an organized offense on most possessions and turned up more high percentage shots than the Monarchs, especially around the basket. Credit point guard Bianca Picard for a lot of that smoothness.

Libby Wetzler led all scorers with fourteen points including ten in the decisive first half. Bianca Picard added twelve.

Taylor Sweeney paced GW with eleven while the Indian defense held high-scoring Caroline Shimrock to only six points.

Bianca Picard (25) and Allison Gallagher (3) apply pressure

The Dome at Wissahickon High School is one of the best basketball sites I have been in. The lighting, seating, and floor are all high quality.

The Souderton/Gwynedd Mercy Academy girls game was easily the quietest game I have been to this year. There was a decent crowd on hand. Maybe they were just unusually polite??

Souderton box score

Gwynedd-Mercy Academy box score

(The pictures enlarge to normal size if you click on them.)

Bianca Picard (Tourney MVP)

Liz Mower (All-Tourney)

Carley Kendall shoots

Christa Giordano (11) & Katie OConnor (10)

Caroline Shimrock shoots – Libby Wetzler defends

Erin Casey

#12 of Pennridge spikes against Souderton

(East Rockhill PA) I saw the Pennridge Rams defeat the Souderton Indians, 3-0, in high school boys volleyball Thursday night at Pennridge High School.

I had never seen a high school volleyball game before. However, I had seen a number of Gordon College women’s volleyball games a few years ago so I wasn’t a total newbie to what went on.

I knew nothing about either Souderton or Pennridge and chose the game because the outdoor conditions (40-50 degrees) around here “encourage” watching an indoor sport.

It turned out, as I learned in online Intelligencer, that Pennridge is a very good, undefeated team. They are now 5-0 in the Suburban One League Continental Conference. Last year Pennridge was the PIAA District One Class AAA champ.

The Rams jumped in front early in all three games (25-17, 25-15, 25-12) versus Souderton (4-1). That early lead was challenged only in the third game.

High-flying #12 of the Pennridge Rams

I was impressed with the play of #12 of Pennridge. However, with no program available, I cannot name him. This player was very successful in finishing plays for the Rams. He wasn’t very tall but he could leap with good timing.