Springside gets by Chester to win own hoops tourney
by Tom Utescher

Pow-Wow! Freshman Gianna Pownall showed a poise beyond her years as she helped Springside rally past Chester in the Lions’ Holiday Tournament.

Trailing by as many as nine points during the second half in the championship game of the Springside School Holiday Basketball Tournament, the host Lions rallied to seize the tourney title last Tuesday evening, getting by Chester High School, 47-44.

In the tourney semifinals a day earlier, Springside (7-3) rolled past Little Flower, 55-14, while Chester’s Lady Clippers clobbered John W. Hallahan, 70-47. Prior to Tuesday’s championship contest, Little Flower (1-5) picked up its first victory of the season by shading Hallahan (1-5) in the consolation game, 41-39.

Senior guard Colleen Caldwell, who scored a combined 26 points in the two tournament outings, was named MVP of the event, and joining her on the All-Tournament team was sophomore forward Sydni Epps, who accumulated two dozen points during the tourney.

Round out the All-Tourney picks were Chester’s Karen Flagg, Little Flower’s Chelsea Kada, and Hallahan’s Melissa Danao.

In the tourney’s opening game, Chester easily overcame Hallahan after breaking out to a 21-7 lead over the first eight minutes. Malika Staples led the winners with a game high 20 points, and 14 points apiece were added by Flagg and LaQueena Ferguson. Hallahan was paced by Shannon Mack, with 16 points.

CHA senior Brendan Spearing (right), pictured at the Blue Devils’ own invitational tournament, placed sixth at the Ralph Wetzel Classic last week. (Photo by Devon Grieb)

In a change of pace, Chestnut Hill Academy wrestlers went up against some of the PIAA programs from around the region as they participated in the ninth annual Ralph Wetzel Holiday Classic last week. Held December 29-30 at Hatboro Horsham High School, the event featured 17 schools ranging as far afield as Pequea Valley in Lancaster County and Delaware’s Cape Henlopen High School.

Considering that the Blue Devils only entered four wrestlers in the varsity brackets (five others participated on the JV level), CHA emerged with a respectable 14th-place finish, garnering 50 team points. Team champ Downingtown East posted 193 points, but then the Cougars have some three dozen wrestlers in the program, while Chestnut Hill routinely struggles to fill all the weight classes in varsity matches.