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Methacton knocks off previously undefeated Spring-Ford

01/05/2023, 11:15pm EST
By Zak Wolf

By Zak Wolf (@ZakWolf22)
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Going into Methacton’s matchup with undefeated Spring Ford, Warriors head coach Craig Kaminski told his team to play without pressure.

He relayed that there was no need to be uptight and worried about their opponent and to have fun and enjoy themselves on the floor. All the pressure was on the Rams, and if the Warriors controlled the tempo and did the little things well it would lead to success.

Methacton took what Kaminski said to heart, executing its game plan perfectly as it handed Spring Ford a 50-42 loss — the Rams’ first of the season. 

The Warriors dominated throughout, controlling the tempo and holding a double-digit lead for most of the contest. Methacton came out hot and set the tone while Spring Ford never responded, failing to threaten at any point. 

“We talked about coming in using this as a measuring stick to see where we are,” Kaminski said. “This team needs to learn how to win the big games and overall this was our best game of the season. … It’s great anytime you can beat Spring Ford because we use that as a measuring stick. You want your program to be like a Spring Ford.”

“We had to stay confident in ourselves and know that we can win games like this,” senior guard Renna Torres said. “We knew they were beatable and because we have the talent to do that.”


Methacton's Cassidy Kropp had 13 points in a win over Spring-Ford. (Photo: Zak Wolf/CoBL)

The two teams are no strangers to each other, facing off three times last year. Methacton (8-3, 3-1 PAC) got the better of Spring Ford twice during the regular season in 2021-22, but the Rams (11-1, 3-1) knocked off the Warriors in the PAC semifinals. Kaminski didn’t credit the win as revenge, explaining it’s a “new season,”  but Torres and classmates Cassidy Kropp and Mairi Smith all agreed there’s always some “tension” playing against a rival like Spring Ford. 

Methacton had a game against Owen J Roberts on Tuesday, meaning they had limited time to prepare for Spring Ford. As soon as the game finished, the Methacton assistants started watching film on the Rams, going over their offensive playbook. The Warriors wanted to make sure they were disruptive on the defensive end. 

The Rams came into the matchup 11-0, coming off games against teams from all over the country, defeating Corona Centennial (Cal.), St Thomas Aquinas (N.J.), and the Bullis School (Md.). Methacton wasn’t concerned with who they’d played against, they knew they could compete with their local rival.

Right from the jump, Methacton took it to Spring Ford, starting the game on a 5-0 run after Torres drained a three and Kropp converted on a drive to the hoop. Spring Ford responded with seven straight points, but Methacton didn’t panic. The Warriors went on an 18-4 run during the first half to put them up 23-11. 

“We were calm with our offense,” Kropp said. “We knew if we moved the ball well and kept it moving and not let their defense make us uncomfortable we had a good shot at winning.”

Kropp was the driving force for Methacton running the offense for the Warriors. Her patience and poise was key, especially during the big run in the first half. She attacked the basket numerous times while playing tough defense on Spring Ford point guard Anna Azzzara. Kropp finished with a team-high 13 points and four assists. 

One of two returning starters from last year, Kropp has stepped up into an increased role this season. Along with Torres, the two guards are trying to fill the shoes of Nicole Timko. Timko Methacton’s all-time leading scorer, scored more than 1,700 points in her career — second most in PAC history. Torres did an excellent job knocking down open shots, hitting three triples, finishing with 11 points.

Despite starting four seniors, Kaminski described his team as “young”, because three of them played limited roles last season. Methacton got contributions from all over the place on Thursday. Along with Kropp and Torres, the veteran forward Smith had 11 points while senior Ashley Fisher finished with eight.

“We just trust our starting five,” Kropp said. “Everyone is a threat, we each have the ability to score the ball and play hard on defense. If we just play together then we can beat anyone.”

Methacton rolled into halftime with a 10-point lead and just as they did to start the game, they came out hot in the second. 

The Warriors scored the first four points of the quarter, extending their lead to 14, their largest of the game. Outside Mac Pettinelli, Spring Ford struggled to knock down open threes. Pettinelli finished with a game-high 18 points, hitting three triples, but only one other Ram was in double figures. Katie Tiffan had 10, and Azzara had an off shooting night, finishing with 9. 

With Methacton up 40-29 with 3:07 left in the game, Kropp was exhausted. She’d been all over the place, playing each minute. She looked over at the bench and could tell something was wrong before the ref called timeout. Kropp ran to the sideline feeling wheezy holding her head over a trash can during the time out. 

After a few sips of Gatorade and water, Kropp checked right back into the game as if nothing happened. She went right back into action as the ball was passed right to her to set up the offense. 

“That's what we love about her,” Torres said. “She's always right there with us. She never let her team down no matter what.” 

Spring Ford got it to a seven-point game with under a minute left, but Methacton closed the game out at the free throw line to hold on for the win. 

Methacton knows Thursday’s victory was a huge step forward, but they also know they can’t sit back. The Warriors showed what  they’re capable of when everything’s clicking.

“We just can’t let this be our season,”  Kaminski said “We’ve got a quick turn around, playing against a good Pennridge team on Saturday, so we can't go backwards. We have to continue this momentum going forward.”

By Quarter

Methacton: 13 | 14 | 10 | 13 || 50

Spring Ford 7 | 10 | 7 | 15 || 42

Scoring 

Methacton: Kropp 13, Smith 11, Torres 11, Fisher 8, Arnold 5, Coope 2

Spring Ford: Pettinelli 18, Tiffan 10, Azzara 9, Miller 3, Prophet 2 


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