Girls Basketball Milestone Tracker: Bucks County players breaking records and more
It’s been a thrilling season of girls basketball, and, with a postseason on the horizon, there’s plenty more to come! Check out which players and coaches have reached major milestones and broken records this season. Be sure to check back for updates as these student-athletes continue to reach for the stars.
These players won league MVP honors:
Emilia Coleman, Gwynedd Mercy
It's not often that a sophomore wins league MVP honors, but Coleman isn't your average sophomore. Coleman was named the Athletic Association of Catholic Academies Girls Basketball MVP after leading the Monarchs to the AACA title. Coleman scored 23 points in back-to-back playoff games, including the championship game.
Izzy Casey, Germantown Academy
The senior Bucknell commit was named the Inter-Ac League Girls Basketball MVP. Casey was the Patriots' leading scorer this season, and helped the Patriots to the PAISAA semifinals.
This player broke the school all-time scoring record:
Reese Zemitis, Neshaminy
Reese Zemitis has been a cornerstone of Neshaminy basketball for the past four years. And as of Friday night, the senior is the team's all-time scoring leader. Zemitis broke the scoring record at home against Council Rock North. Needing just eight points for the record, Zemitis scored 27 points in the win. The previous record was 1,309 points, set by Heather McGinty in 1997. The Division 1 Bucknell commit also holds the school's single-game scoring record of 34 points, which she set in January. See photos from the historic night here!
These players scored 1,000 career points this season:
Holly Gohl, Upper Moreland
The senior was the first player to reach the 1,000-point mark this season, in the Golden Bears’ second game of the season on Dec. 5. Gohl hit the milestone in the third quarter, finishing with a game-high 18 points in a win against rival Lower Moreland. She is just the seventh player to score 1,000 points for Upper Moreland girls basketball. Gohl finished her high school career with 1220 points, and fourth on the school's all-time scoring leaders list.
Sofia Vitucci, Pennsbury
The Falcons’ senior joined the 1,000-point club on Dec. 14 in a home game against CR South. Vitucci needed 13 points to reach the milestone, but she delighted the home crowd by tallying 24 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and going 8-for-9 at the free throw line. She is the seventh player to reach the mark for the storied Falcons’ girls basketball program. She is averaging 18.5 points per game.
Reese Zemitis, Neshaminy
The senior and longtime standout for Neshaminy basketball scored her 1,000th point on Dec. 13 against Lansdale Catholic. The Division 1 Bucknell commit is averaging 19 points per game and has reached 30 points twice this season.
Caleigh Sperling, North Penn
The high-scoring senior reached the coveted milestone on Jan. 17, scoring her 1,000th career point in a win over Bensalem. Needing 17 points, Sperling got there in the fourth quarter, hitting a 3-pointer that also secured the Knights’ victory. The Thomas Jefferson University commit finished with 23 points, and is averaging 17 points this season, and has scored 20 or more points in six games so far.
Amber Howard, Bensalem
The senior captain scored her 1,000th career point on Jan. 27 against Unionville. Howard scored 26 points and also pulled down 10 rebounds in the win. The Division 1 North Carolina A&T commit is averaging 18 points per game and has scored 20 or more points in seven games, and has scored in double digits in every game so far this season.
Lola Ibarrondo, Neshaminy
The senior scored her 1,000th career point on Jan. 30 in a win over Harry S. Truman. The team captain and Holy Family University commit reached the milestone on a 3-pointer from the corner in the first quarter.
Isabella Casey, Germantown Academy
The Patriots senior captain scored her 1,000th career point on Feb. 1 in a win against Hill School. Casey, a Division 1 Bucknell commit, leads the Patriots in scoring this season and is the 17th Germantown Academy player to reach the milestone.
Anna Barry, CB East
The senior scored her 1,000th career point in the District One Class 6A quarterfinals, needing just four points against top-seeded Perkiomen Valley.
Ava Renninger, Archbishop Wood
The senior had an unforgettable performance in the Vikings’ Catholic League championship win over Archbishop Carroll. She scored her 1,000th career point in the second overtime period, where she went 8-for-8 from the free throw line, finishing with a game-high 22 points.
These players broke single-game records:
Emily Knouse, Archbishop Wood
The junior scored 34 points in a win over Lansdale Catholic, which, in addition to being a game-high and career-high, tied the team record for points in a game. She scored 20 of those points in the second quarter, shooting 7-for-7 from the floor to lead the Vikings to a 70-52 win in a rematch of last year’s PCL championship game.
Olivia Boccella, Lansdale Catholic
The senior sank 10 3-pointers against Archbishop Ryan, which tied the Catholic League record for 3-pointers in a game.
Reese Zemitis, Neshaminy
Zemitis broke her own team record on Jan. 29 against Nazareth Academy when she scored 35 points.
These players recorded rebounding milestones:
Layla Matthias, Pennsbury
The senior recorded her 500th career milestone in Pennsbury’s final regular season game, grabbing 13 boards in a win against George School. Earlier this season, Matthias had 14 offensive rebounds in a game.
Alexis Castro, CB West
The star soccer player is also reaching milestones in basketball. Castro surpassed 400 career rebounds on Feb. 2, making her the first CB West player to reach the mark since 2020. Castro had a career-high 20 rebounds in a game as a junior.
More: From the art studio to the basketball court, Amber Howard is crafting a legacy at Bensalem
These coaches reached major milestones this season:
Tom Lonergan, Gwynedd Mercy
Heearned his 200th win with the Monarchs in a Dec. 22 victory against Conwell-Egan. Lonergan, who previously coached at CB East and Bishop McDevitt, has 791 career wins as of Feb. 4. In his 39 seasons coaching basketball, Lonergan won four Catholic League championships and 11 Suburban One League titles prior to GM, and six district championships with the Monarchs.
Frank Sciolla, Pennsbury
Sciolla added to his legacy on Jan. 19, when he won his 500th career game. He is believed to be just the third coach to reach the milestone in Bucks County. In this 28th year of coaching, Sciolla previously coached Bristol, Conwell-Egan and Pennsbury boys basketball before taking over the Falcons’ girls team in 2016. Since then, he’s led the Falcons to a 140-63 record (as of Feb. 2).
Steve Polinsky, New Hope-Solebury
The Lions’ head coach recorded his 100th win for New Hope-Solebury with a victory against Cheltenham on Jan. 23. Polinsky reached the milestone in just his fifth season with the Lions, the lone Suburban One League team in Class 3A. Playing most of their games against bigger schools, the Lions won the District One 3A championship last season after moving down from Class 4A.
Eric Gidney, Lansdale Catholic
The Crusaders’ head coach earned his 100th win at Lansdale Catholic with a victory over Conwell-Egan on Jan. 11. Gidney is in his sixth year with the Crusaders, who won their first-ever PIAA state championship and Catholic League title last season.
John Gallagher, Neshaminy
Gallagher recorded his 100th career win on Jan. 29 against Harry S. Truman. Gallagher started at Neshaminy in 2021, and led the team to back-to-back state playoff berths for the first time in school history.
Live, laugh and love basketball: Alena Cofield leads Neshaminy in humor and defense
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Bucks CountyPlayer, Coach Milestones in 2023-24 girls basketball season