Hill School boys get Senior Day victory
The Hill School boys basketball team avenged an early-season loss to Phelps School Wednesday, using a gritty defensive effort to grind out a 52-44 nonleague win.
Determined to not lose on Senior Day, the Hill fought back from a 33-31 deficit to start the fourth quarter, built an eight-point lead midway through the final quarter and put the game away down the stretch. It was the Blues’ ninth win in their last 10 games.
In the game, four-year program stalwart Caleb Dorsey hauled in 10 rebounds to become the school’s all-time leading rebounder. Dorsey is now also the program’s career wins leader with 71 victories.
While it was a night to honor the 2020 class, the 2021 guard tandem of Daniel Nixon and Gabe Dorsey led the way with 15 and 12 points, respectively. Seniors Zach Lezanic chipped in eight assists and three steals; and Toni Buchmann had a strong game on the glass with eight boards; he helped contain Phelps’ 6-11 forward Sam Onu, who hurt Hill badly when the teams faced off back in November.
Girls basketball
HILL SCHOOL 45, BALDWIN 35 » The Blues honored their seniors with one final regular-season victory Wednesday, 45-35 over Baldwin School.
The senior quartet of Eve Nealon, Addie Steele, Jana Williams and Alex Conway made valuable contributions during the game and throughout their Hill careers. Nealon paced Hill with 17 points and junior Cynthia Williams had 14. The two combined for 22 first-half points.
In the second half, the Blues received timely offensive contributions from freshman Courtney Bodolus (five points in the fourth quarter), sophomore Aine Farrell and junior Elena Mendez, who put up crucial three-pointers to help push Hill to the win.
WILSON 70, DANIEL BOONE 22 » Kaya Burkhart had 17 points to lead the Bulldogs over the Blazers in Wednesday’s Berks Conference action.
Lyndsay Surkosky was Boone’s leading scorer with eight points.
Girls swimming
OWEN J. ROBERTS 90, POPE JOHN PAUL II 66» The Wildcats completed their 10-0 run through the Pioneer Athletic Conference Tuesday with a 90-66 win over PJP. The regular-season finale saw the Wildcats finish first in eight of 11 events, with seven swimmers heading individual events.
Winning races were Mikayla Niness (200 free, 1:59.31), Izzy Moes (200 IM, 2:23.02), Lauren Zelinske (50 free, 25.71), Eliana Crew (100 fly, 1:02.81), Maddie Flamiano (100 free, 1:01.96), Hillary Mack (100 back, 1:25.18) and Abbey Malmstrom (100 breast, 1:15.19).
Crew, Malmstrom and Zelinske also joined with Meredith Mutter to win the 200 medley relay in a time of 2:03.10.
PJP got its lone individual first from Bella Greco in the 500 free (6:44.48). Greco also took part in the Golden Panthers’ winning 200 free relay (2:08.87), with their other first in the 400 free relay (5:19.72).
PHOENIXVILLE 91, UPPER PERKIOMEN 78 » Erini Pappas factored in three wins by the Phantoms in Tuesday’s PAC meet with the Indians.
Pappas took the 100 fly (1:06.48) and 100 back (1:07.92) in addition to swimming the lead leg on Phoenixville’s firstplace 200 medley relay (2:13.26). For UP, Noel Fresa scored firsts in the 200 free (2:17.31) and 100 free (1:02.48). SPRING-FORD 87, POTTSGROVE 75 » with Kasey Linton, Kira Byers and Jamie Ford on the 200 medley (2:05.42) and joining Isabelle Rouyer, Maris Sadowski and Alyssa DeFlavia on the 200 free relay (1:49.48). Pottsgrove’s winning individuals were Molly Krock in the 200 IM (2:27.66), Jaelyn Kennedy in the 50 free (27.68), Alaina Christ in the 100 back (1:11.97) and Dominique Parkinson in the 100 breast (1;21.20).
GOV. MIFFLIN 139, DANIEL BOONE 37 » The Mustangs took first place in all events on the way to Tuesday’s Berks Conference win over the Blazers.
OWEN J. ROBERTS 75, POPE JOHN PAUL II 38 » Nathan VanNatter won two individual events Tuesday to head the Wildcats’ PAC victory over the Golden Panthers.
VanNatter took the 200 free (1:52.62) and 100 fly (1:00.12) while swimming a leg of Owen J’s winning 400 free relay (3:41.41). PJP got individual firsts from Matt Brun in the 100 back (1:44.29) and Josh Murtaugh in the 100 breast (1:11.18). UPPER PERKIOMEN 87, PHOENIXVILLE 82 » Sean Lyman figured on four first-place finishes the Indians scored in Tuesday’s PAC meet with the Phantoms.
Lyman took the 200 IM (2:16.06) and 500 free (4:18.22) while swimming legs of UP’s winning 200 medley (1:58.81) and 400 free (3;54.82) relays. Phoenixville got a pair of wins from Jack Hussin in the 200 free (1:56.54) and 100 free (54.52). SPRING-FORD 91, POTTSGROVE 44 » Andrew Cubbler figured on three first-place finishes by the Rams in Tuesday’s PAC meet with the Falcons.
Cubbler headed the 100 fly (1:00.12) while swimming the lead legs of SpringFord’s winning 200 medley (1:48.35) and 200 free (1:42.02) relays. Nathan Jorgensen was a two-event winner for Pottsgrove, taking the 50 free (25.91) and 100 breast (1:14.68).
PERKIOMEN VALLEY 57, POTTSTOWN 13 » The Vikings rode six pins and three forfeits to victory over the Trojans in Wednesday’s PAC divisional crossover match.
Falls by Kelly Kakos (120), LUke Ricci (126) and P.J. Kakos (132) were key to establishing PV’s initial 24-0 lead, and Grant Euker (160), Jacob Sturm (195) and Jacob Sterling (220) added their drops after Pottstown cut the Vikes’ lead down to 24-13. Demond Thompson scored a pin for the Trojans at 138, with Jared Hewitt adding a major decision at 145 and Travis Harvey a sudden-victory verdict at 152. POTTSGROVE 72, OLEY VALLEY 3 » The Falcons marked their Senior Night festivities Wednesday by rolling over the Lynx in a non-league match.
Pottsgrove, which benefited from six forfeits by Oley, got pins from Trenton Allen (120), Shane Caffrey (152), Landon Shivak (160), Dominic Sithens (170) and Manny Allen (285). Matt Bechtel got another six points for the Falcons with the Lynx’s Jacob Busnach injured and unable to finish their 145-pound bout. SPRING-FORD 58, WILSON 12 » The Rams tuned up for the weekend’s PIAA Duals competition at Hershey by rolling the Bulldogs in non-league action Tuesday.
Spring-Ford (16-1), fresh off a championship showing in the District 1-AAA Duals last weekend, scored six pins and two technical falls in opening a 52-9 lead with two weights left to contest. Quinn Tobin (132), Jack McGill (152), Jason Lepore (170), Gavin Hartman (182), Joey Milano (195) and Seth Brogan (285) had the pins while Cole Smith (106) and Zach Needles (138) collected the tech-falls. POTTSGROVE 39, BRANDYWINE HEIGHTS 34 » With a late-match surge, the Falcons overtook the Bullets to win Tuesday’s non-league pairing.
Trailing 24-6 through six weights, Pottsgrove won six of the final eight in a duel pocked by seven forfeits. Pins by Shane Caffrey (152) and Zachary Van Horn (220) helped bring Pottsgrove within one point (34-33) of BH before the Falcons’ Nico Marchionne accepted a forfeit at 285 to claim the victory.