Kaitlyn Flanagan helps Plymouth Whitemarsh return to form in District 1-6A 2nd round win over Souderton

WHITEMARSH >> Plymouth Whitemarsh won its first 13 games of the season by an average of 27.9 points. Junior Kaitlyn Flanagan suffered a hamstring injury before the final three games of the regular season, which were wins by three and five points sandwiched around a three-point loss.

After two full weeks of rest, Flanagan returned to the court Wednesday night for the second round of the District 1-6A playoffs. Her stats weren’t flashy – no points, three assists, one rebound and one block – but the point guard’s presence on the floor helped the No. 2 Colonials return to form in a 45-18 win over No. 18 Souderton at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School.

“I hated every second of it,” Flanagan said of the two weeks off, “but I tried to contribute as much as I could from the sidelines. I’m glad we got to this point where we could come out like this.”

Flanagan, who had no doubt she was ready to go, played most of the game before the starters were pulled early in the fourth quarter with a 41-7 lead. She guided the offense in an efficient performance that saw just two turnovers through 26 minutes – a big difference from their 16 giveaways in their loss to Central Bucks East without her last Tuesday.

“Offensively, (having Flanagan) allows everyone to go back to their comfortable position,” PW coach Dan Dougherty said. “In a normal game, she plays like 28 minutes per game. It allows everyone to get back into a rhythm offensively and I thought that really showed tonight.”

“Kaitlyn, being a point guard, is in charge,” PW senior Anna McTamney added. “She has to tell us where to go, what to do and we all listen to her. It was great having her back.”

McTamney led a balanced offensive attack for the Colonials with 14 points. Gabby Cooper added eight, Erin Daley seven and Abby Sharpe six.

It was the Colonials defense, however, that took over the game. After allowing a three-pointer on Souderton’s first possession of the game, they didn’t surrender another field goal until the 5:55 mark of the third quarter. The starters allowed just seven points before exiting the game in the fourth quarter.

“I thought our press was outstanding and disciplined,” Dougherty said. “Souderton is a team that beats the press by passing. That’s what we really practiced – how they want to try to pass to beat the press. We really focused on that.”

“Honestly, I don’t know who is going to beat (PW),” Souderton coach Lynn Carroll said. “They’re just so solid at every spot. Strong, athletic, long, they really have it all and they’re playing really well at the right time. Obviously I would’ve preferred if we found a way to battle a little bit better, but I think defensively we were pretty good except keeping them off the boards. Offensively we could never get into any kind of flow. We missed a couple layups early – maybe that changes our mindset that we can play with them if we make those layups, but they’re just the better team without a doubt.”

Plymouth Whitemarsh will host No. 10 CB West in the quarterfinals Saturday.

Souderton’s season ends with the loss.

“Our three seniors,” Carroll said, “Jordan (Zimmerman), Liv (Schneider) and Hayley (Fenchel) – I can’t thank them enough for everything they’ve given during their time in the program. Their teammates love them, it’s a very close group, there were a lot of tears down there in the locker room. We’re really going to miss those three.”

Plymouth Whitemarsh 45, Souderton 18
(18) Souderton 4 1 2 11 – 18
(2) Plymouth Whitemarsh 16 10 11 8 – 45
Souderton: Zimmerman 3 0-0 8, Bohmueller 0 1-2 1, Schneider 0 1-2 1, Harter 1 0-0 2, Thatcher 0 0-0 0, McConnaha2 0-0 4, McGillian 0 0-0 0, Hamilton 0 0-0 0, Fenchel 0 2-2 2, Stefanowicz 0 0-0 0, Schewe 0 0-0 0. Total 6 4-6 18.
Plymouth Whitemarsh: Zolty 0 1-2 1, Balcer 0 0-0 0, Flanagan 0 0-0 0, Gooneratne 0 0-0 0, Daley 3 0-0 7, Sharpe 2 1-2 6, Cooper 3 2-5 8, McTamney 4 5-6 14, Allen 2 0-0 4, Thomas 1 1-2 3, Evans 1 0-0 2, McGrorty 0 0-0 0. Total 17 10-17 45.
Three-point goals: S: Zimmerman 2. PW: Daley, Sharpe, McTamney.