Top performances in Bucks County area basketball, swimming, wrestling
We're only a week into the winter season, but milestones are being reached, and records are being shattered.
Check out all of top performances in boys and girls high school basketball, swimming, track & field and wrestling from last week, and don't forget to vote for the Athletes of the Week. This week's Athlete of the Week polls will run from Tuesday evening until 8 p.m. Thursday.
Top Performances in Indoor Track & Field, Cross Country
Aiden Maue, Souderton
What he did: The senior placed 29th in the Running Lane Cross Country National Championships Boys 5K Gold Race with a time of 15:37.60 on the outdoor course. The event, held in Huntsville, Alabama, featured the top runners throughout the country.
Cole Casadei, La Salle
What he did: He finished 33rd in the Boys 5k Gold Race at the Running Lane Cross Country National Championships with a time of 15:39.50.
Shana Kearney, Bensalem
What she did: The senior took second place in the girls 3,000-meter run at the Delaware Valley Girls Track Coaches Association (DVGTCA) indoor meet with a time of 10:46.45.
Ava Wilson, Bensalem
What she did: The junior had a great start to the season at the first DVGTCA meet of the winter. She finished seventh in the high jump and 11th in the 60-meter hurdles (10.31). Her height of 4-9 in the high jump broke the school record in the event.
Destini Smith, Souderton
What she did: The junior won the girls high jump at the DVGTCA meet with her mark of 5-4.
Ashley Landis, Pennridge
What she did:Landis was the winner of the DVGTCA’s 800-meter run, crossing the finish line in 2:18.44.
Leah Fowler, Souderton
What she did: The senior took second place in the long jump at the DVGTCA meet, with her mark of 16-5.5.
Risha Sarya, Council Rock South
What she did: Sarya vaulted to a fourth-place finish in the pole vault clearing 9-0 at the DVGTCA meet.
Top Performances in Girls Basketball
![Upper Moreland's Holly Gohl (24) being embraced by teammates Charlie Clement (14), Marie Meyers (25), Lilly Hansen (12), and Mikel Lancit (1) after scoring her thousandth point against Lower Moreland during their girls basketball game in Willow Grove on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023.
[Daniella Heminghaus | Bucks County Courier Times]](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/RBExrEQBmPA7ES.Y1YaaLw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD05MjA-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/aol_gannett_aggregated_707/92ec80336357bfe2b66d85b5aba3037c)
Izzy Casey, Germantown Academy
What she did: It was quite the week for the Patriots’ senior, who scored in double digits in all four games. Casey led the Patriots to a pair of wins at the She Got Game Classic, where she had games of 18 and 21 points, and was named MVP. Earlier in the week, she had 16 points against Villa Maria and 17 points vs. Friends Central. To top if off, Casey announced her commitment to play Division 1 basketball at Bucknell University.
Layla Verbit, Pennridge
What she did: The junior, who played mostly JV last season, had an impressive pair of games last week. Verbit scored 21 points in a win over Boyertown, and had 20 points in a victory against Souderton. She had five 3-pointers in each game.
Ava Pistone, Quakertown
What she did: Pistone scored 25 of the Panthers’ 33 points and had five steals in a loss to Southern Lehigh.
Izzy Elizondo, New Hope-Solebury
What she did: She powered the Lions with 23 points in a close loss to Springfield and had 14 points against Cheltenham.
Holly Gohl, Upper Moreland
What she did: The senior reached a coveted milestone in Tuesday’s game against Lower Moreland. Gohl recorded her 1,000th career point in the third quarter, finishing with a game-high 18 points in the 41-36 win. She is the seventh player to hit 1,000 points for Upper Moreland girls basketball.
Jess Lockwood, CB East
What she did: The sophomore sank four 3-pointers, on her way to 16 points, to lead the Patriots over rival CB South, 52-49.
Amber Howard, Bensalem
What she did: The senior NC A&T commit showed off her skills with a game-winning buzzer-beater against CR North. Howard, who had a game-high 19 points, took a pass from Talia DiMichele and promptly drilled a 3-pointer to give the Owls a 41-40 lead.
Avery Kocur, William Tennent
What she did: She hit five free throws late in the fourth quarter to clinch the Panthers’ first win of the season. Kocur finished with a team-high 15 points in the 40-39 victory over Upper Moreland.
Reese Zemitis, Neshaminy
What she did: The senior posted a career-high 30 points, along with nine rebounds and a pair of blocks, to lead Neshaminy over CR South in OT. She had 13 of her points in the second half, and six in overtime. In another OT win, this time against rival Pennsbury, she tallied 10 points, six rebounds, four steals and three blocks.
Emily Knouse, Archbishop Wood
What she did: The junior started her season with an impressive performance at the She Got Game showcase in Washington. In two games, both wins, Knouse accumulated 37 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists and 3 steals. She was named MVP of both games.
Emilia Coleman, Gwynedd Mercy
What she did: In the Monarchs’ first two games of the season, the sophomore scored a team-high 19 points against Methacton, and 12 points vs. Episcopal Academy, both wins.
Paris White, Bristol
What she did: She had a huge week on the boards, pulling down 39 rebounds in two games/wins for the Warriors,. Against Chichester, White tallied 9 points, 21 rebounds and 5 steals.
Allie Esposito, Lansdale Catholic
What she did: The freshman’s varsity career got off to a promising start for the defending state champs. She posted a team-high seven assists, six points, four steals and two rebounds in the Crusaders’ season-opening win against Calvary Baptist.
Lily Milewski, Conwell-Egan
What she did: The junior had 22 points and seven rebounds to lead the Eagles to a season-opening win at the She Got Game Classic, and was named MVP of the game. She had 17 points and seven rebounds the following day, in a 76-43 victory.
Brooke McFadden, Conwell-Egan
What she did: It’s been quite the week for the senior. After announcing her commitment to The College of New Jersey, McFadden posted a pair of double-doubles at the She Got Game Classic. She had 15 points and 11 rebounds in the first game, and 15 points and 12 rebounds in the second, both wins.
![George School's Gianna Johnson (55) under the basket against Pennington's Keke Nwoye (25), Morgan Matthews (11), and Anna Kaisa-Hokannen (14) during their girls' basketball game in Newtown on Monday, Dec. 11, 2023.
[Daniella Heminghaus | Bucks County Courier Times]](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/6wja1iGstmNyePDNkh4uIQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD05Mjc-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/aol_gannett_aggregated_707/8916006f5cfcddea5bfb6111ffc9398e)
Gianna Johnson, George School
What she did: The senior had a dominant showing at the She Got Game Classic, tallying 31 points and 13 rebounds, four steals and four blocks in a 62-42 win, and was named MVP of the game.
Top Performances Swimming
Joshua Einolf, Quakertown
What he did: The senior took first place in the boys 100 butterfly and second in the 100 breaststroke at the Souderton Tri Meet.
Owen Lever, CB East
What he did: Lever won two individual events in the Patriots’ opener against Quakertown. He took first place in the boys 500 freestyle and 200 IM to lead CB East to the win.
Andy Zhou, Germantown Academy
What he did: The senior had a record-breaking day in the Patriots’ season opener against Lawrenceville (N.J.) School. Zhou won the boys 100 breaststroke with a time of 55.58, breaking the school’s record of 56.40 set in 1987 by Olympic silver medalist David Wharton. He also won the 100 freestyle at the meet.
Amelia Gipson, Germantown Academy
What she did: The freshman had an impressive debut at the Patriots’ season-opening meet against Lawrenceville. Gipson won two individual events in the meet (200 IM, 100 butterfly) and two relays (200 medley, 200 freestyle) while leading the Patriots to the win.
Top Performances in Boys Basketball
![William Tennet's Kirby Mooney (1) against Upper Moreland during their boys’ basketball game in Willow Grove on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023.
[Daniella Heminghaus | Bucks County Courier Times]](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/I2jXZN7.2b4dTVnZX4V9cA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD05NDI-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/aol_gannett_aggregated_707/226ab07d308d36b221bba6de3545476f)
Kirby Mooney, William Tennent
What he did: The senior earned a spot in the history books with his performance on Thursday night. Mooney became the first Panthers’ player to reach 1,000 career points since 2002. He scored a game-high 24 points in the game, following his 40-point performance in an 83-53 win over Springfield. Mooney’s 40 points are believed to be a school record.
Noah Morris, Bensalem
What he did: The senior sank five 3-pointers, all in the first half, en route to game-high 17 points in a 64-44 win over CR North. He scored 18 points in the Owls’ season-opener, a 74-62 victory against CR South.
Ahmaar Godhania, North Penn
What he did: He scored 15 of his game-high 20 points in the second half, including eight in the fourth quarter, to lead the Knights to a 47-45 comeback win against CB West. He also had 18 points in a victory over Pennridge and 15 points in a loss to Sankofa Freedom.
Clinton Kikonjo, Souderton
What he did: He hit a game-clinching 3-pointer in Souderton’s 66-65 OT win against Upper Merion, and finished with 11 points.
Bill Sackor, Souderton
What he did: Of his game-high 19 points, 5 were in the fourth quarter, including the game-tying basket against Upper Merion. Souderton won in OT, 66-65.
Jeremiah Lee, Abington
What he did: Lee earned MVP honors in Saturday’s All-City Classic win, posting 13 points, 10 rebounds, six steals and four assists. Earlier in the week, he had 11 points, four rebounds and four steals in a victory over Hatboro-Horsham.
Emeer Coombs, Neshaminy
What he did: He scored 17 of his 22 points in the second half to lead Neshaminy to a win over Norristown. In addition, Coombs contributed eight rebounds and four assists.
Xavier Peters, Pennridge
What he did: A huge game by Peters, who scored a game-high 30 points, secured the Rams’ first win of the season, a 76-67 victory over Souderton.
Tyler Dandrea, CB East
What he did: He scored 16 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Patriots to a comeback win against St. Georges Tech (Delaware). Dandrea finished with a game-high 23 points in the 55-45 All-City Classic win and was named game MVP.
Tony Martin, Dock Mennonite
What he did: Martin scored all of his seven points in the second half, including a pair of free throws in the final seconds, that clinched the 45-41 win over Church Farm School.
Magic Moment: William Tennent's Kirby Mooney reaches 1,000 career points against Upper Moreland
Top Performances in Wrestling
Jack Baron, Germantown Academy
What he did: At the Sam Lovello Classic, Baron won the 114-pound championship match, defeating his top-seeded opponent by major decision (11-2).
Dante Burns, Conwell-Egan
What he did: Burns pinned his opponent in 1:14 in the 189-pound championship round of the Sam Lovello Classic, helping the Eagles to the win in the 15-team tournament.
MacKenna Atkinson, Souderton
What she did: The freshman had an impressive outing at the North Penn Girls Invitational, going 3-0 and winning her championship match, pinning her opponent in just nine seconds.
Julia Horger, Conwell-Egan
What she did: Horger pinned her opponent in 1:30 in the 109-pound championship match at the North Penn Invitational.
Gisele Ramirez, Souderton
What she did: The senior went 3-0 on her way to the 118-pound championship at the North Penn Invitational, winning all three by first-period falls. Souderton finished seventh out of 29 teams in their first official girls wrestling tournament.
More: Everything you need to know about boys, girls basketball: See all our preseason content here
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Bucks County high school basketball, swimming, wrestling best of the week
