Mount tops Pennridge, falls to Wissahickon

by TOM UTESCHER

Mount St. Joe’s summer basketball squad blew out a team from Hopewell Valley, NJ in the middle of a three-game stint last week, but the bookend contests were much closer and more interesting.

On Monday, the Magic recovered from a nine-point halftime deficit to top Pennridge High School, 33-26, and on Wednesday evening the locals squandered an early 15-7 advantage over Wissahickon High, then came back to lead with three minutes to go before finally losing. 40-35.

Despite a three-pointer by Lauren Kummer and a pair of Katie Kerr free throws the Mount trailed Pennridge 5-7 about seven minutes into the first game of the week. Alison Keane struck from the paint for the Magic and Sarah McGorry and Kate Hagedorn both scored off steals to put the locals ahead, 11-7.

The Rams then put their size and strength to work to control the boards, and they stuck a few jumpers, as well. A lone outside bucket by Meghan Sabia was all the Mount could manage in the remainder of the period, and Pennridge had assumed a 22-13 lead by halftime.

Two field goals and two free throws by Kummer and a foul shot by Kerr closed up the score to 22-20 early in the second half. Fouled on a fast break lay-up attempt that could’ve tied the game, MSJ’s Kristen Swamer went down hard, and play did not resume until after she was wheeled out on a gurney. She suffered a concussion, but was able to come back to cheer on her teammates later in the week.

With renewed determination, the Magic kept their comeback going, and had rolled to a 31-22 lead before Pennridge scored its first points of the second period. The Rams added one more field goal with under ten seconds to go, and the Magic’s 20-4 rampage after the intermission earned them a comfortable victory. Kummer collected 11 points, Kerr seven, and Furey four for the victors.

Two nights later McGorry got the Mount on the board with a driving lay-up and two free throws, then Kummer, Kerr and Furey joined in on offense as the Magic forged a 12-6 lead midway through the first half. After a Wissahickon foul shot went in, Hagedorn tallied off of a rebound and then made one of two shots from the charity stripe to make it 15-7, but Mount St. Joe didn’t score again for the rest of the half.

The Trojans tallied on the transition and got a couple of baskets on inbounds plays, while the Magic missed a series of easy lay-ups and grew careless in their ballhandling. Wissahickon’s 13-0 spree gave it a 20-15 cushion at halftime.

Two foul shots by Kerr and a Trojan field goal opened the second stanza. The Mount then went ahead, 24-22, as Kummer hit a lay-up and went three-for-three at the foul line, and Hagedorn converted off of a rebound to cap off a 7-0 Mount spurt. It was close the rest of the way as Sabia and Rebecca Naab helped the Magic hold up their end of the deal.

A fast break lay-up by Aubrey Barrett gave Mount St. Joe its last lead at 35-33, then as the clock dipped below three minutes the Trojans stuck a three-pointer and a shorter jumper for a 38-35 edge. In the last half-minute a steal by Barrett allowed the locals to come downcourt and set up for an attempt at a tying three-pointer, but the Magic seemed disorganized on offense, and with four seconds to go Wissahickon stole the ball back and went down the floor for the final basket of the night.

With nine points, Kummer was again the high-scorer for MSJ, while Hagedorn wound up with seven and Naab with five.