**Notre Dame Girls’ Basketball Pulls Away Late to Beat Pennington 67-56 in Winter Chill Holiday Classic**
*LAWRENCE TWP.* — When it comes to scoring, the Notre Dame High and Pennington School varsity girls’ basketball teams have plenty of weapons. At full strength, these two Mercer County powers can go head-to-head in an intense battle. Even with Pennington playing shorthanded due to injuries and winter break, the Red Hawks pushed the Colonial Valley Conference squad on Saturday in the Winter Chill Holiday Classic at Notre Dame.
After grabbing the lead early in the first quarter, just before halftime, and again in the first half of the third quarter, Pennington saw Notre Dame take control and pull away for a 67-56 victory.
Throughout the game, both teams delivered plenty of high-scoring performances. Five players reached double figures in scoring, with three of them posting 20 or more points. Notre Dame seniors Caroline Foley and Grace Hempsell each recorded double-doubles, with Foley scoring 23 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, while Hempsell added 20 points and 11 rebounds. Pennington sophomore Makaela Bordner led all scorers with a game-high 28 points.
Pennington head coach Markie Watson’s Red Hawks built an early lead as high as 21-8 early in the second quarter, sparked by a coast-to-coast layup from 5-foot-10 sophomore forward Dayonna Doggett, who finished with 15 points. However, Notre Dame head coach Beth Fitzpatrick’s squad rallied to tie the game twice (21-21 and 28-28) and took the lead twice—first at 24-21 on a long-range three-pointer by Foley (one of her five three-pointers in the game), then again at 31-30 on a three-point play by Hempsell just before halftime.
“We’re missing a lot of players, so we worked really hard,” said Bordner, who transferred to Pennington after a year at Whitehall High near Allentown, Pennsylvania. “We fought as hard as we could, but it got to a point where some of us were gassed.”
In the third quarter, back-to-back three-pointers from Sara Surtz and Bordner gave Pennington a 36-31 lead with 1:45 remaining. But with upperclassmen Foley (5-9 guard), Hempsell (6-1 forward), and Tori Bucchere (5-9 forward/guard) sharing the ball effectively, Notre Dame closed strong, outscoring Pennington 36-20 over the final 15:15 of the game.
“We’re captains this year,” said Hempsell, who is headed to McDaniel College. “Our chemistry on the floor works really well. Coach Fitzpatrick motivates us and gets under our skin when she feels she has to. She has a habit of getting into our heads.”
Yet it was Pennington’s relentless refusal to give up that inspired Notre Dame to elevate their play down the stretch.
“I try to turn up my defense, and that gives me good offense,” Hempsell said. “I know at one point in the second half, I just said to myself, ‘I’m going for the ball.’”
During that closing burst, Hempsell totaled 12 points and nine rebounds, Foley added 10 points including two of her game-high five three-pointers, and Bucchere contributed eight points. The trio also combined for 15 assists overall.
Bordner kept Pennington within striking distance by scoring 12 of her 28 points in the second half, including two of her team-high four treys.
**Game Stats**
Pennington (56) — O’Connell 0-0-0, O’Lee 1-0-2, Surtz 3-1-8, Doggett 5-4-15, Bordner 10-4-28, Cerutti 0-0-0, Vannozzi 1-0-3. Totals: 20-9-56.
Notre Dame (67) — Foley 9-0-23, R. Parker 1-0-2, Hempsell 9-2-20, Bucchere 4-2-10, Hughes 0-0-0, Kniffin 1-0-2, Wood 3-0-7, F. Parker 0-0-0, Scharibone 1-1-3. Totals: 28-5-67.
**Quarter Scores**
Pennington (2-6): 16 | 14 | 10 | 16 = 56
Notre Dame (4-1): 8 | 23 | 16 | 20 = 67
**3-Point Goals**
– Pennington: Surtz, Doggett, Bordner 4, Vannozzi
– Notre Dame: Foley 5, Wood
Notre Dame’s victory showcased their depth and leadership on the court, while Pennington demonstrated fierce competitiveness despite roster challenges. Both teams look to build on this impressive showing as the season progresses.
https://www.trentonian.com/2025/12/27/notre-dame-girls-basketball-picks-up-scoring-in-second-half-versus-pennington/
