Villa Joseph Marie 50, Pennsbury 44

Villa Joseph Marie (50)
Lauren Waterson 0 0-0 0; Meghan Ledwith 1 0-0 2; Kate Abel 4 0-0 8; Suzanne Bierly 4 2-2 10; Carolyne Heston 1 2-4 4; Jennie Quattrocchi 3 0-2 8; Melissa Van Wert 5 2-2 16; Jenny Sandora 0 0-0 0; Christine Gorrell 1 0-0 2; Melissa Poderis 0 0-1 0. Totals: 19 6-11 50.

Pennsbury (44)
Lacey Balascsak 2 2-2 7; Kelsey Balascsak 4 2-3 13; Molly Phillips 3 0-2 6; Lauren Gerity 0 0-0 0; Kelsey Moulton 1 1-4 3; Lauren Pisauro 1 0-0 2; Kelsey Alvino 0 0-0 0; Kelly Rebert 4 3-4 11; Kersten Formento 1 0-1 2. Totals: 16 8-16 44.

VJM: 13-12-12-13--50
P: 12-9-15-8--44

Three-point goals: Van Wert 4, Quattrocchi 2 (VJM); K. Balascsak 3, L. Balascsak (P).

Link to Courier Times article

NINE THINGS

1. Villa Joseph Marie (3-5) led by as many as eight points in the first half. But Pennsbury (1-6) came back in the third quarter and trailed by a point, 37-36, at the end of three. The Falcons led by three points, 40-37, after a drive by sophomore Molly Phillips about 1:20 into the fourth quarter, and had a two-point lead, 44-42, with 3:10 left. VJM's Kate Able scored to tie it at 44-44, and Suzanne Bierly hit two free throws to put the Jems ahead for good with 2:37 left.

2. Guard Melissa Van Wert led the Jems with 16 points. Van Wert hit four 3-pointers, including three 3-pointers in a span of about 2 1/2 minutes in the second quarter. Van Wert also made two foul shots with 1:45 left in the game. “When Melissa’s on, she really has ice in her veins,” VJM coach Becky Flynn said.

3. Bierly scored 10 points for VJM. Forward Kate Abel scored eight points and had two blocked shots, while guard Jennie Quattrocchi scored eight points and added five assists.

4. VJM has struggled with chemistry in the season's first month, but has won three of its last five games after an 0-3 start. “It makes my job challenging, more so than in the past,” Flynn said. “I have to find the right combinations. On paper we look great, but that doesn’t always translate to the court. We played with more intensity tonight. When we play with that kind of intensity, we’re a different team. Everybody who played tonight, played with intensity.”

5. Pennsbury has talent, but is very young. The Falcons nine-player rotation included two freshman and three sophomores. Sophomore guard Lacey Balascsak scored seven points for Pennsbury, and sophomore Molly Phillips added six points. Sophomore Kersten Formento (two points) and freshmen Kelsey Moulton (three points) and Lauren Pisauro (two points) logged significant minutes. “We’re battling, and they’re learning,” Falcons coach Donna Nicholson said. “We just keep getting better every game. They’re getting used to each other. You can’t fault their effort. I’m looking forward to them coming together in the second half of the season. Our future looks bright.”

6. Senior guard Kelsey Balascsak led the Falcons with 13 points and hit three 3-pointers. Junior forward Kelly Rebert added 11 points.

7. Pennsbury has played a tough schedule over the first three weeks. The Falcons have already played Council Rock-North, Bensalem, CB East and William Tennent. Pennsbury doesn't play in a holiday tournament, but hosts North Penn on Dec. 30. The Falcons open January with CR-South, Truman, Conwell-Egan and rival Neshaminy.

8. VJM plays in the Boyertown tournament and begins January with Sacred Heart and Gwynedd-Mercy.

9. VJM junior forward Carolyne Heston is playing with a broken finger and had four points.

Neshaminy 48, Villa Joseph Marie 37

Villa Joseph Marie (37)
Jennie Quattrocchi 2 2-2 8; Carolyne Heston 2 0-0 6; Melissa Van Wert 5 4-6 17; Meghan Ledwith 0 4-4 4; Kate Abel 0 0-0 0; Suzanne Bierly 1 0-0 2; Lauren Waterson 0 0-1 0; Christine Gorrell 0 0-1 0. Totals: 10 10-14 37.

Neshaminy (48)
Kelsey Ryan 6 3-4 15; Avery Wunder 2 4-5 8; Chelsea Rota 2 1-8 5; Jenn Slivka 1 0-1 2; Brianna Weiler 1 2-2 4; Victoria Mazzeo 3 3-6 9; Amanda Lally 1 2-2 4; Demi Tierney 0 0-0 0; Brianna Hires 0 1-2 1. Totals: 16 16-30 48.

VJM: 8-7-9-13--37
N: 8-16-7-17--48

Three-point goals: Van Wert 3, Quattrocchi 2, Heston 2 (VJM).

Link to Neshaminy-VJM game story from Courier Times

Link to Courier Times article about Bensalem's Sharmane Hall

SIX THINGS

1. Junior forward Kelsey Ryan scored Neshaminy's first 12 points and finished with 15. “(Ryan) worked extremely hard in the off-season,” Neshaminy coach Joanne McVey said. “We’re looking for her to have a big year in a number of ways, including leadership.”

2. The Redskins trailed by four, 8-4, in the first quarter. But they scored 18 unanswered points in about 6 1/2 minutes to take over the game. VJM never got closer than three points the rest of the way.

3. Neshaminy senior forward Chelsea Rota really disrupted the game with her aggressiveness, speed and athleticism. “(Rota) doesn’t put up a lot of numbers, but she creates havoc,” McVey said. Ryan added, "(Rota) is one of the quickest players I've ever seen. She will blow people away."

4. Redskins junior Victoria Mazzeo and sophomore guard Jenn Slivka were also very effective on defense.

5. Seven of Villa Joseph Marie's 10 field goals were 3-pointers. Midway through the fourth quarter, VJM had seven 3-pointers and one two-point field goal.

6. Neshaminy is smaller than VJM, but beat the Jems on the boards with quickness and aggressiveness. VJM had 16 total rebounds. Neshaminy's Brianna Weiler (seven rebounds) and Mazzeo (five rebounds) got close to that on their own.

Villa Joseph Marie 2008-2009

Coach: Becky Flynn (4th season)
Last year: 14-9 (8-6 AACA)

Schedule
Dec. 5 at Neshaminy L, 37-48 (0-1)
Dec. 8 Conwell-Egan L, 42-49 (0-2)
Dec. 11 Nazareth L, 31-54 (0-3, 0-1)
Dec. 12 at Pottsgrove W, 45-37 (1-3)
Dec. 16 at Mount St. Joseph L, 30-58 (1-4, 0-2)
Dec. 18 Merion Mercy W, 49-47 (2-4, 1-2)
Dec. 19 St. Hubert L, 35-49 (2-5)
Dec. 22 at Pennsbury W, 50-44 (3-5)
Dec. 29 Pennridge W, 44-32 (4-5)
Dec. 30 Great Valley L, 28-37 (4-6)
Jan. 6 at Sacred Heart
Jan. 8 Gwynedd-Mercy
Jan. 10 at St. Basil
Jan. 13 Villa Maria
Jan. 15 at Nazareth
Jan. 20 Mount St. Joseph
Jan. 22 at Merion Mercy
Jan. 24 Archbishop Ryan
Jan. 27 Sacred Heart
Jan. 29 at Gwynedd-Mercy
Jan. 31 St. Basil
Feb. 3 at Villa Maria

Nazareth 54, VJM 41

VILLA JOSEPH MARIE (41)
Kazarnowicz 2 2-2 6; Quatrocchi 2 0-1 5; Files 0 0-0 0; J. J. Heston 3 1-1 7; Abel 1 4-5 6; Van Wert 4 0-2 9; C. Heston 2 0-0 6; Bierly 1 0-0 2; Waterson 0 0-0 0; Ledwith 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15 7-11 41.

NAZARETH (54)
Brady 3 3-6 10; Brown 3 3-4 9; Hladczuk 2 0-0 5; McGee 5 5-13 17; Haddow 1 0-0 2; Malboeuf 0 0-0 0; Borski 0 0-0 0; Matthews 1 3-4 5; Kudzmas 0 1-2 1; Sylvester 0 0-0 0; Dirscherl 2 0-0 5. Totals: 17 15-29 54.

VJM 9-10-7-15—41
N 21-11-5-17—54

3-point goals: C. Heston 2, Van Wert, Quatrocchi (VJM); McGee 2, Brady, Dirscherl, Hladczuk (N).

Link to Courier Times game story

THREE THINGS

1. VJM went down big early and never got closer than seven points.

2. With the win, Nazareth finished tied for third in the AACA with St. Basil, which pulled a shocking upset of Mount St. Joseph on Thursday to knock VJM from the four-team AACA playoffs. Mount had been unbeaten in the AACA and ranked No. 1 in the state in Class AAA. VJM (14-8, 8-6) finished in fifth place, one game behind Nazareth and St. Basil.

3. While sitting on the stairs at Nazareth waiting to conduct interviews after the game, I leaned back and hit my head on a concrete wall. That's why this is so short. Sorry. Ouch.

Conwell-Egan 51, Villa Joseph Marie 39

VILLA JOSEPH MARIE (39)

Files 1 0-0 3; J. Heston 4 3-5 11; Kazarnowicz 2 2-3 6; Quattrocchi 4 0-1 9; C. Heston 2 0-0 4; Van Wert 2 0-2 6; Abel 0 0-0 0; Bierly 0 0-0 0; Quinones 0 0-0 0; Farr 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15 5-11 39.

CONWELL-EGAN (51)

Tyson-Thomas 6 6-7 20; Griffin 2 3-4 8; Cloonan 3 1-1 7; Rongione 1 0-0 2; Moore 0 1-4 1; Mauer 1 2-3 4; Chase 0 2-2 2; Watson 0 0-0 0; Howell 1 0-0 3; Breslin 2 0-0 4. Totals: 16 15-21 51.

VJM 11-12-10-6—39

CEC 17-9-8-17—51

3-point goals: Van Wert 2, Files, Quattrocchi (VJM); Tyson-Thomas 2, Griffin, Howell (CEC).

Link to Courier Times game story

SEVEN THINGS

1. CEC junior guard Carmen Tyson-Thomas: 20 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and two steals. The two-time Catholic League North MVP has 1,092 career points.

2. CEC senior guard Theresa Griffin scored all eight of her points in the fourth quarter and added four assists. Griffin had 10 points and four assists in a 57-40 win over Shipley on Friday.

3. VJM got within one, 34-33, at the end of the third quarter.

4. Senior forwards Jennie Heston (11 points) and Sarah Kazarnowicz (six points) played very well at times.

5. Tyson-Thomas scored CEC's first eight points in 2 1/2 minutes.

6. Conwell-Egan has a big test against Germantown Academy on Tuesday.

7. VJM guard Jennie Quattrocchi scored nine points.