Buzzer-beaters galore: The top performances from last week in basketball, track & field

You may have thought that nothing could top last week’s top performances. But these student-athletes proved that wrong, dropping even more awe-inspiring outings.

Take a look at some of last week’s most impressive performances in basketball and track and field. And be sure to vote for the Girls and Boys Athletes of the Week — the polls are open from Tuesday evening to 8 p.m. Thursday.

Who was voted Athlete of the Week? See all the winners for the winter season!

Girls Basketball

Milestone Watch

Souderton senior Casey Harter is 15 points away from 1,000 career points. Harter, a Northwestern commit, has scored more than 20 points in at least three games this season, and has surpassed 15 points in several more. Souderton plays CR North and CR South this week.

Upper Moreland senior EmmyFaith Wood is just 13 points shy of her 1,000th career point, and could reach the mark in Tuesday’s game against Hatboro-Horsham.

Major Milestone:Gabby Casey breaks Lansdale Catholic's all-time scoring record

Clutch Performer of the Week: Mikel Lancit, Upper Moreland

With the game tied and time winding down in the fourth quarter, Lancit sank a 3-pointer as time expired to give the Golden Bears a 36-33 win over CB West. The sophomore finished with seven points in the thrilling win.

Team of the Week: North Penn

The Knights won all three of their games last week, jumping from two games under .500 to one game above, at 7-6 with wins against CR North, CR South and Upper Dublin. Those three teams have a collective 22-13 record. In addition to spectacular play from Caleigh Sperling, who averaged 19 points during the three-game span, the Knights benefited from the return of Abby Plaugher, who had missed a couple weeks due to injury.

Kendall Bennett, Germantown Academy: Bennett had a big week helping the Patriots capture three Inter-Academic League victories. First, she dropped 15 points and seven rebounds against Notre Dame de Namur 48-43, then, against Villa Maria, she had 13 points and 12 boards. Finally, Bennett tallied 18 points and seven rebounds against Episcopal for the Patriots’ third win of the week.

The senior Binghamton commit also had the distinction of being named as a 2023 McDonald’s All American game nominee. Bennett has the opportunity to be one of 24 girls in the country to play in this year’s game, which will be held in Houston in late March.

Caleigh Sperling, North Penn: Sperling was unstoppable in the Knights’ 51-40 win over CR North. The junior had a game-high 29 points and was an impressive 13-for-14 from the foul line. In a 50-45 victory against CR South, Sperling again led the way with 24 points. She finished the week with a game-high 16 points in a win over Upper Dublin.

Reese Zemitis, Neshaminy: After scoring more than 20 points in two games last week, Zemitis continued her scoring spree with a 25-point outing in a 49-39 victory against Pennridge, and she scored 19 points in a win over Villa Maria.

Lola Ibarrondo, Neshaminy: With the game tied at halftime, Ibarrondo tallied 12 points in the second half, giving Neshaminy the 37-32 edge over Souderton in a huge SOL crossover win. Ibarrondo finished with a team-high 16 points. In Sunday’s Hope for Hoops game, Ibarrondo scored nine points in the first half, giving Neshaminy an 11-point lead against Villa Maria. Ibarrondo finished with 17 points in the 48-34 victory, dealing Villa Maria its second loss of the season, and was named MVP.

Alena Cofield, Neshaminy: The sophomore was the defensive catalyst for Neshaminy in a back-and-forth battle against high-powered Souderton. Cofield finished with five rebounds and had four of Neshaminy’s 14 first-half points in the 37-32 win.

Jess Mangoni, Council Rock South: In an overtime win against CB South, Mangoni posted nine points, five rebounds, four steals, three blocks and two assists.

Katie Purpura, Council Rock South: Purpura came through in the clutch, sinking three free throws in overtime to secure the Golden Hawks' 56-52 victory over CB South. Purpura finished with nine points, five steals and five rebounds.

Anna Barry, Central Bucks East: Barry sank seven 3-pointers on her way to a game-high 29 points in a win over Truman.

EmmyFaith Wood, Upper Moreland: Wood scored the only two points of overtime, leading the Golden Bears to a 28-26 victory over Upper Dublin. Wood finished with 10 points, and turned in an excellent defensive performance.

Brooke McFadden, Conwell-Egan: McFadden posted a double-double as the Eagles bounced back from four straight losses with a decisive 56-27 win over Little Flower. The junior guard led the team in scoring (17 points) and rebounds (10), along with five steals and four assists. And she did all that in just 17 minutes.

Girls Basketball: Brooke, Brianna McFadden the perfect pairing for Conwell-Egan

Dylan Burke, Gwynedd Mercy: Burke had a strong defensive effort against Mount St. Joseph, posting eight rebounds and two blocks, along with seven points, in a 49-34 victory.

Reagan Chrencik, New Hope-Solebury: Chrencik led the Lions to their biggest win of the season against high-scoring Abington. The senior captain had a game-high 15 points in the 57-36 win as the Lions dealt the Ghosts their second loss of the year.

Girls Basketball: Reagan Chrencik enjoying senior moments at New Hope-Solebury

Gabby D’Agostino, New Hope-Solebury: The freshman point guard played a key role in the Lions’ win over high-powered Abington. D’Agostino scored 10 points but more importantly ran the offense for the Lions, who had six players score, with four in double figures. D’Agostino’s stellar play carried over to Friday's win against Wissahickon, when she led the Lions with 15 points.

Kitty Randa, Hatboro-Horsham: Randa scored 10 of her game-high 19 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Hatters back from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit in a victory over Tennent.

Gabby Bowes, Germantown Academy: With under a minute to go and down by one point, Bowes hit the go-ahead 3-pointer to give the Patriots the win over Notre Dame de Namur, finishing with 14 points.

Jaida Helm, Lansdale Catholic: Helm had a game-high 24 points in the Crusaders’ PCL victory over West Catholic.

Jayda Coleman, Bristol: The Warriors’ freshman had a big week, beginning with a career-high 21-point performance against Chichester, and then a game-high 17 points against Renaissance, helping the Warriors to wins in both games.

Talia DiMichele, Bensalem: The sophomore scored 20 points, along with seven rebounds and four assists, in the Owls’ 60-52 victory over Wissahickon.

Lizzie Lustig, Council Rock North: Lustig delivered an 18-point outing against Gwynedd Mercy to give the Indians a huge 46-37 victory. Lustig got CR North off to a hot start, scoring 10 points in the first half, including a buzzer-beater to end the second quarter as it dealt the Monarchs (12-2) their second loss of the season.

Emily Knouse, Archbishop Wood: Knouse hit seven 3-pointers in the Vikings’ 53-35 win at the Rose Classic.

Indoor Track & Field

Zyan Greene, Bensalem: The Owls’ senior finished second in the boys 200-meter dash at the ultra-competitive Kristian Marche Memorial Invitational in New York, with a time of 22.30 in the field of 127 runners. Just two days earlier, Greene had sprinted to first place in the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.83 at the TFCAOFGP meet.

Marco Demeo, New Hope-Solebury: The senior took first place in the boys high jump (6-3) and fourth in the long jump (20-7.5) at the Golden Bears Invitational.

Piper Marion, Gwynedd Mercy: The Monarchs’ senior took first place in the shot put with a 32-11.25 throw at the DVGTCA meet.

Faith Fuller, George School: The senior finished third in the 45-meter hurdles with a time of 8.67 at the Peddie Winter Meet, giving her the top time for a PA girl this season.

Dante Ndeta, George School: Ndeta sprinted to a third-place finish in the boys 45-meter dash at the Peddie Winter Meet. His time of 5.81 was the best this season for a PA boy in the event.

Gwen Hamilton, Archbishop Wood: The freshman had two top finishes at Kristian Marche Memorial Invitational at the Armory in New York. She was fifth in the girls 800-meter run with a time of 2:17.61 and sixth in the mile run with a 5:22.29 clocking.

Xavier Bryan-Booth, North Penn: The senior won the boys high jump at the Kristian Marche Invitational with his jump of 6-4.

Zach Mancini, Central Bucks East: Mancini won the boys pole vault, clearing a height of 13 feet to finish well ahead of the pack at the Kristian Marche Invitational.

Julia Pye, Central Bucks South: The senior finished fourth in the girls 800-meter run with a time of 2:17.39 at the Kristian Marche Invitational.

Riley Rooney, Central Bucks South: Rooney placed second in the girls mile run with a time of 5:11.82 at the Kristian Marche Invitational.

Boys Basketball

Clutch Performer of the Week: Joey Giordano, Central Bucks East

With his team down by one point and time running down, Giordano sprinted from midcourt and launched a reverse layup buzzer-beater to give the Patriots a thrilling 52-51 win over Pennsbury. Giordano finished with a game-high 22 points — eight in the fourth quarter — along with four assists and three steals. Earlier in the week, Giordano had eight points and seven steals in a victory against Harry S. Truman.

Jalil Bethea, Archbishop Wood: Bethea keyed the Vikings’ 13-point fourth-quarter comeback win against Devon Prep on Thursday. The junior guard scored a game-high 19 points, with four free throws and a 3-pointer in the final minute, to secure the 57-50 win. He also contributed 10 rebounds, five assists and a pair of steals. Against Cardinal O’Hara, Bethea scored 27 points to lead the Vikings to their first PCL victory.

Seamus McDermott, Holy Ghost: McDermott had 12 points, all from beyond the arc, in the Firebirds’ 64-45 win, their fourth straight, over Delco Christian. In their previous game, McDermott scored a team-high 15 points as the Firebirds went on a 23-12 fourth-quarter run to take a 57-45 win over CR South.

Boys basketball: Despite struggles, Archbishop Wood eyeing another long postseason run

Kirby Mooney, William Tennent: Mooney’s stellar season continued with a 30-point, 10-rebound game in the Panthers non-league win over Great Valley. He had 21 points in the Panthers’ two-point loss to Quakertown.

Kyle Dittus, Hatboro-Horsham: Dittus had a game-high 17 points to help the Hatters edge Springfield 50-47, while earning head coach Rick Fedele his 200th career win.

Miles Longacre, Quakertown: Longacre tallied 24 points and nine rebounds, leading Quakertown to a narrow victory against William Tennent.

Teddy McAllister, North Penn: McAllister erupted for 17 points in the first half, on his way to a game-high 24, to give the Knights a 42-22 halftime lead en route to a big win over CB South.

Micah White, Bensalem: White went 4-for-4 on free throws in the final minute of the game against CB West, securing the Owls’ 45-39 victory.

Matt Campione, Pennridge: He had a game-high 26 points, and Campione’s two free throws at the end of overtime secured the Rams' 65-62 home win against Neshaminy.

Christian Bliss, George School: George School had a busy week with two FSL games and two tournament games, and Bliss helped the Cougars go 4-0. The point guard tallied 28 points, eight assists and four rebounds in a definitive 79-57 FSL win over Friends’ Central. At the Prep National Classic, Bliss had 19 points and 10 assists in the first game and 21 points and 11 assists in the second.

Kachi Nzeh, George School: Nzeh had a big weekend at the Prep National Classic, tallying 24 points and 12 rebounds in the Cougars’ first game, and 28 points and 11 rebounds in the second, both wins.

Ryan Deininger, North Penn: Deininger scored 11 of his 12 points in the fourth quarter, leading the Knights on a 23-16 run to break open a tied game for the 57-50 win over Dock Mennonite.

Josh Young, Abington: Young did a bit of everything in the Ghosts’ win over WC East. Young posted five points, three steals, two assists, two blocks, and seven rebounds, including a defensive rebound in the final seconds of the game, to secure the 53-51 victory.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: PA High School Sports Bucks Montco Top Performers basketball track