Dazzling Defenders & Power Pitchers! The top performances in Bucks County high school sports

The regular season may be winding down, but the stellar performances are just getting started! With the push for the postseason underway, these players are putting together clutch pitching performances, huge hits and lockdown defense.

Check out this week's top performances in baseball, softball, lacrosse and track & field, and then cast your votes for the Boys Athlete of the Week and Girls Athlete of the Week!

POLL! Vote for the Girls Athlete of the Week for May 1-7

Defender of the Week: Connor Penderghest, Abington

After finishing 6-11 last season, the Abington boys lacrosse team has orchestrated a complete turnaround this season, with a current record of 11-6. One reason for the Ghosts’ success is team captain Connor Penderghest. The junior defender has forced 64 turnovers, and has also recorded 54 ground balls, five assists and one goal. His defensive efforts have helped the Ghosts hold opponents to an average of six goals per game.

Top Performers in Boys Lacrosse

Frank Fanelli, Pennridge: In a battle between two teams unbeaten in SOL National play, Fanelli made sure his Rams would remain that way. Fanelli scored the game-winning goal in overtime to give the Rams a thrilling 9-8 victory against CB West. Fanelli finished with two goals and one assist for the Rams, who improved to 9-0 in league play. He then tallied four goals and four assists to lead the Rams to an 11-7 non-league win over Perkiomen Valley.

Matt Jacobsen, CB West: The junior midfielder has been dominant at the centerline all season, and on Monday he reached a major milestone when he won his 500th career faceoff. Jacobsen won nine faceoffs in the game against Pennridge, and also had a goal and two assists.

Keith Conner, CB South: The junior tallied four goals and four assists to lead the Titans to a 15-11 win over Neshaminy. On Saturday, Conner scored a pair of goals and dished out three assists to secure a victory against Holy Ghost.

Mitchell Lontchar, New Hope-Solebury: Lontchar scored the game-winning goal in overtime to give the Lions a big victory over Holy Ghost Prep.

David Benjamin, Hatboro-Horsham: Benjamin scored the game-winning goal late in the fourth quarter to give the Hatters a 10-9 victory over Plymouth Whitemarsh. He finished with a game-high five goals.

Liam Goss, CB South: Goss was 10-for-12 on faceoffs, and contributed nine ground balls and one goal in the Titans’ 15-11 win over Neshaminy.

Mike DeZutel, Pennsbury: The senior led the Falcons with four goals, and also recorded his 100th point in Thursday’s victory over Souderton.

POLL! Vote for the Boys Athlete of the Week for May 1-7

Top Performances in Girls Lacrosse

Emma Goodwin, Germantown Academy: Goodwin scored six goals to lead the Patriots to a win over Inter-Academic League rival Hill School. The junior scored her 100th career goal the previous week in a victory against Upper Dublin, when she tallied five goals.

Madie Thistlewaite, New Hope-Solebury: The junior erupted for eight goals in the Lions’ win over William Tennent.

Lexi Matson, George School: The sophomore recorded her 100th career point in the Cougars’ game against Friends School League opponent Shipley School.

Mia Raven, Germantown Academy: The senior Amherst commit scored her 100th career goal against Springside-Chestnut Hill. Entering the game with 96 goals, she scored four times to reach the milestone. Later in the week, she scored three goals in a win against Hill School.

Kalena Mandeville, CB West:  Mandeville earned her 200th career save in Monday’s game against North Penn. She turned away six shots on goal.

Izzy Matson, George School: The sophomore tallied the game-winning goal to give the Patriots a big 10-9 victory against FSL rival Westtown.

More: Council Rock South's Karissa Smedley playing through pain and playing well

Kate Unzicker, Pennridge: The junior scored her 100th career goal in Monday’s victory against CB South. Unzicker scored three goals, and also contributed one assist and two ground balls.

Addi Hurley, Upper Moreland: The Golden Bears’ goalie had a remarkable 18-save outing to help secure a 16-5 win over Hatboro-Horsham.

Audrey Silverman, Abington: Silverman scored the game-winning goal in overtime to give the Ghosts an exhilarating 12-11 victory over Wissahickon. Silverman finished with three goals.

Ciara Mory, Quakertown: Mory scored the game-winning goal in overtime, completing the Panthers’ come-from-behind 17-16 victory against Allentown Catholic. Mory finished with four goals for the Panthers, who trailed 5-0 in the first half.

Kayla Stressman, North Penn: The senior tallied her 100th career goal in Wednesday’s win over CB South. The Bloomsburg commit scored three goals and had four assists.

Olivia Graebner, Pennsbury: Graebner dished out seven assists, and scored three goals of her own, in the Falcons’ win over Bensalem. She followed that with a five-goal game to help the Falcons down Plymouth Whitemarsh 11-8.

Zoe Brossman, CR South: Brossman scored three goals and assisted on two more to lead the Golden Hawks to a 13-7 victory over rival CR North.

More: Week 6 Bucks County high school baseball rankings marked by shifts but no changes at top

Top Performances in Baseball

Sean McGettigan, Germantown Academy: The freshman pitcher tossed a complete-game no-hitter on Saturday, delivering a thrilling win for the Patriots against Conestoga. He struck out six batters en route to the 5-0 victory.

Cole Guy, Bristol: The freshman had a huge impact in the Warriors’ win over Church Farm. Guy had five RBIs and scored four runs on three hits, including a home run. In their previous win against Philadelphia Charter, Guy went 3-for-3 with a double, four stolen bases, and four runs scored.

Patrick Gozdan, Archbishop Wood: Gozdan hit a two-run double in the sixth inning to help the Vikings come back from a three-run deficit against Archbishop Ryan. He finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored in the win, and in the next game hit a three-run home run in a victory against Nueva Esperanza.

Quinn Illig, CB West: Illig hit a go-ahead two-run single in the sixth inning as the Bucks defeated Pennsbury 9-7.

Owen Wheeler, CB South: In his next start after pitching a no-hitter against Council Rock South, Wheeler gave up just two hits and struck out nine through 6⅓ innings to secure the Titans’ 3-1 win over Bensalem.

Trey Sajeski, CR South: Sajeski went the distance, giving up just four hits in the Golden Hawks 4-1 win over Souderton.

Connor McCloskey, Pennsbury: McCloskey pitched a complete-game shutout, allowing just four hits with nine strikeouts in a 4-0 victory over CB South.

Brian Curry, CR North: Curry was 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, four RBIs and three runs scored in a 13-8 win over CB East.

Jake Kozlowski , Neshaminy: Kozlowski’s bases-loaded single drove in the winning run to give Neshaminy the 6-5 walkoff win against CB West. Kozlowski finished with three hits, a double and three RBIs.

Brooks Saft, New Hope-Solebury: Saft led the way with a pair of RBIs on a double and a home run in a 6-1 victory over South Cumberland, securing the Lions’ first win in their last nine games.

Top Performances in Softball

Julia Shearer, North Penn: Shearer hit three two-run homers in the Knights’ win over Bensalem, in between pitching a two-hitter where she struck out 12 batters. On Friday, Shearer recorded her 500th career strikeout, dealing a one-hit shutout while striking out 15, in an 8-0 win against Pennridge.

Casey Sokol, North Penn: Sokol hit it out of the park — three times — in the Knights’ win over Truman. After a solo home run in the second inning, Sokol hit two three-run home runs in her next two at-bats, giving her seven RBIs in the five-inning game.

Tess Kearney, Hatboro-Horsham: Kearney crushed a grand slam that gave the Hatters a lead they wouldn’t lose in their victory over Cheltenham. Kearney finished 2-for-3 with four RBIs and two runs scored. In a win against Wissahickon, she went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored.

Katey Brennan, Conwell-Egan: The senior center fielder was all over the base paths, as well as roaming the outfield, in the Eagles’ win over PCL rival Archbishop Ryan. Brennan went 3-for-3 with a triple and two home runs, driving in three runs and scoring four times in the 10-4 win. Against Notre Dame, she went 2-for-3.

More: Standout sophomores! These are 15 of the top softball players in Bucks, Montgomery County

Rylie O’Toole, William Tennent: The sophomore pitcher faced a daunting task when she entered the game in the fifth inning with the bases loaded and no outs. O’Toole retired three straight batters to work out of the jam, and went on to pitch four innings without giving up a hit to ensure the Panthers’ 6-5 win over Plymouth Whitemarsh.

Laney Freiband, Pennsbury: The senior pitcher threw her best game of the season with a complete-game no-hitter against CB West. Freiband gave up just one walk and struck out 10 batters in the 2-0 win.

Ava Storlazzi, Pennsbury: Storlazzi had three of the Falcons’ four hits against CB West. In addition to going 3-for-3 with a double, Storlazzi stole three bases and scored a run.

Sienna Lawson, CB West: Lawson gave up just four hits and didn’t walk a batter when facing Pennsbury on Tuesday. She struck out nine batters and allowed one earned run in the pitchers’ duel, which ended in a Pennsbury win.

McKenna Schroding, Souderton: Schroding issued a one-hit, complete-game shutout against CR North. The junior struck out 12 while walking just two batters in the 3-0 win.

Olivia Hughes, Neshaminy: Hughes led the way with four hits, three RBIs and three runs scored in Neshaminy’s 20-10 victory over CB East. Hughes’s two-run homer in the sixth inning sparked Neshaminy’s come-from-behind win against CB West.

Skyler Williams, Quakertown: Williams went 3-for-4 with a double, three RBIs and four runs scored in the Panthers win over New Hope-Solebury.

Bella Karpovich, Hatboro-Horsham: Karpovich pitched a complete-game shutout, giving up just three hits and striking out nine in the win against Cheltenham.

Lucy Mills, CR North: The freshman pitcher gave up six hits and two earned runs while striking out nine to secure the CR North’s 5-4 win over CB East.

Morgan Kocher, William Tennent: Kocher hit a three-run, go-ahead home run to give the Panthers a 6-3 win over Abington. The sophomore finished with two hits and four RBIs.

Grace Helbling, Pennridge: Helbling gave up five hits and struck out 13 in a complete-game, 8-1 triumph over Bensalem.

Reagan Bauman, Pennridge: Bauman was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate, which included a home run, three RBIs and two runs scored in a win over Bensalem. Also, Bauman hit a walk-off home run in the seventh to give the Rams a 1-0 victory against CR South.

Averi Dockey, Pennridge: The sophomore tossed a two-hit, complete-game shutout while striking out 10 to give the Rams a 1-0 win against CR South.

Nora Sidorski, CB South: Sidorski scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Titans a walkoff win against Pennsbury. Sidorski got on base with a single, then proceeded to steal second and third base, putting her in position to run home on a wild pitch.

Ella Wheeler, CB South: Wheeler’s sacrifice fly sent the winning run across the plate to give the Titans a 7-6 victory over Bensalem. She was 2-for-4 with a double and five RBIs.

Hollie Schaub, CB South: Called on to pinch hit, Schaub came through with a two-run, two-out, game-tying double for the Titans, who would go on to win 7-6 against Bensalem.

Elena Ault, Faith Christian: Ault’s two hits were a triple and home run, as she drove in four of the Lions’ runs in a 6-1 win over Renaissance Academy. In a victory against Plumstead Christian, Ault hit two doubles and drove in three runs, and against Academy Park, she went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs.

Lily Gonzalez, Bristol: Gonzalez smacked a three-run, go-ahead home run in the fifth inning to give the Warriors a 10-7 win over Dock Mennonite.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Top Performers in high school sports spring softball baseball lacrosse