GIRLS BASKETBALL: CR South’s experience shows against Souderton in Jim Church Classic title game

FRANCONIA — Souderton’s been there, and so has Council Rock South.

A year ago, the Indians were the experienced team that knew its identity and had some high goals for the season while the Golden Hawks were a team on the younger side still putting some things together. Now, the scripts have flipped sides, CR South the team full of vets who know what they do well and the Indians rebuilding after a very successful era.

South’s experience won out, a strong second quarter spurring the Hawks to 53-27 win in the title game of the Jim Church Classic girls bracket on Saturday.

“We played two really established programs in Souderton and Abington, year to year things change, but it’s two programs rich in history,” CR South coach Jesse Krasna said. “I thought (Souderton) had a really good gameplan coming out, we were on our heels a little bit but the great thing about our girls is they really trust each other.”

The first eight minutes ended with CR South ahead 13-6. The next eight minutes were all Golden Hawks, a 25-3 advantage in the quarter blowing the game open.

Juniors Lil Metrick, Fiona Reckner and Kathryn O’Kane – all of them AAU teammates with Upper Makefield Heat Hoops – led the way as CR South’s ball-movement and shooting on offense and aggressive pressure on defense rattled the hosts. Souderton, which returned just one starter from last year’s state playoff team in senior Brooke Fenchel, isn’t ducking its inexperience this fall.

While the title game wasn’t theirs to have, Indians coach Lynn Carroll had an overall positive outlook on the opening weekend of the season.

“Our girls can keep it all in perspective and understand what we accomplished this weekend,” Carroll said. “I’m incredibly proud of our second half effort, they played every possession like it mattered. We now know where we stand against a team that’s well-coached, very quick and experienced.”

It was Fenchel who provided the weekend’s best moment with a buzzer-beater to beat William Tennent on Friday. She wouldn’t get her first points on Saturday until the fourth quarter, CR South paying her plenty of attention

Carroll wasn’t surprised by it, Fenchel’s a known quantity while the rest of her roster hasn’t much of a name for themselves yet. The Indians will see the Golden Hawks again this season in SOL crossover play, so their coach is hoping that changes by then.

“I’m excited to see how far we can progress between now and the end of the season, I think we have a lot of potential and a lot of good pieces,” Carroll said. “There will be some growing pains, we have to stay positive and get back to work.”

Reckner was named the tournament MVP, the junior scoring 15 points with seven of them coming during the second quarter. Known primarily as a defensive player her first two years at South, the 5-foot-9 forward is bringing a more aggressive mentality this winter coming off a state playoff run in the fall as a midfielder on the Hawks’ soccer team.

“I’ve been trying to be more of an offensive threat,” Reckner said. “My first two years at South, I was used more for my defense. I wanted to be more of an attacker, drive to the basket and take things for myself.”

Metrick was also named to the all-tournament team, the sharpshooting guard connecting on a trio of three-point shots as part of her 11 points. O’Kane added nine points, three assists and two steals while six other CR South players scored while 11 saw playing time.

Krasna, in his first season at CR South, won his second Jim Church Classic title as a coach, having previously led the CR North boys to a tournament title in his first year there.

“We have the luxury of being able to play a lot of girls because they’ve all worked really hard on their skill level,” Krasna said. “There’s definitely an adjustment coming in, we’re doing some different things, but they’ve really embraced us as a coaching staff. It was good to see some of the things we’ve been working on, them going and executing it.”

Freshman Kiera Fadden did a nice job for Souderton with seven points and seven rebounds while junior Emily Dick matched that point total off the bench. Fenchel finished with five points.

“Brooke is the name people know right now,” Carroll said. “We have a lot of unknowns, it won’t stay that way. Other people needed to be able to step up and handle the ball so it’s a good experience for them.

“Ultimately, you use every opportunity as one to get better and I’m glad we did that in the second half.”

Council Rock South 14 25 8 6 – 53

Souderton 6 3 5 13 – 27

Council Rock South: Fiona Reckner 15, Lil Metrick 11, Kathryn O’Kane 9, Sarah Freeman 5, Haley Thompson 5, Cam Gregory 3, Katie Purpura 2, Maria Freeman 2, Gabriella Hettler 1.

Souderton: Kiera Fadden 7, Emily Dick 7, Brooke Fenchel 5, Julia Purvy 3, Jac Bermel 2, Avie Sackor 2, Olivia Herron 1.