Depleted Magic top Rock South

by TOM UTESCHER

Although numerous absences reduced their roster to just seven players, the Mount St. Joseph Magic still managed to eke out a victory over Council Rock South last Wednesday evening in the Hatboro Horsham summer basketball league.

It took a dozen minutes before either ballclub was able to sink a field goal, and the scoreboard never broke a sweat as Mount St. Joe’s led 12-10 at the intermission and went on to win, 26-22.

Varsity veterans Laura Johnson and Claire Kueny were both missing for the Mount, and several of the incoming freshmen who’d played in previous games were attending their eighth-grad graduation ceremonies. Kate Hagedorn and Meg Sabia, whose little sisters were receiving their grade school diplomas, were left to man the fort along with Aubrey Barrett, Alexa Buchanan, Paige Kenney, Sarah McGorry, and Rebecca Naab.

In a ferocious duel at the free throw line, each team took four foul shots and the Mount proved a little more accurate, gaining a 3-2 lead in the early going. Finally one of the Golden Hawks scored the first field goal of the night with 7:55 left in the first half, and Naab quickly answered with a jumper for the Magic.

In the remaining minutes of the period Naab went three-for-four at the foul line and McGorry and Hagedorn both hit from the open floor to make it 12- 10 at the break.

Rock South tied it up at the start of the second stanza, then Mount St. Joseph pulled away with a 13-2 run that included two buckets apiece from Buchanan and Hagedorn, one from Naab, and a three-pointer by Sabia. After accelerating to a 25-14 advantage, the locals saw their offense sputter in the closing minutes, as just a lone free throw by McGorry was added to their total. Fortunately for the Mount, time ran out on a late rally by the Hawks, who were still four points behind the Magic at the final horn.