South Park girls stifle Freeport for Class 4A 1st-round victory

By: Brennan Valladares
Monday, February 16, 2026 | 10:04 PM

South Park entered its WPIAL Class 4A girls basketball first-round matchup against Freeport as the fourth-best scoring defense in the classification. Getting stops and dictating the game on that side of the ball is something coach Ronnie Drennen has instilled in his team.

“That’s our identity,” he said. “You know, we always want to try to dictate how the game’s going to go through our pressure. So I think our best offense is our defense, you know — looking to create turnovers, get into advantage situations. And I think that’s where we’re at our best. And tonight, we did a tremendous job of applying the pressure, dictating the tempo early and often.”

From the jump, South Park (15-8) let it be known defense was going to lead it to victory as the Eagles held the Yellowjackets to a season low in points in a 49-18 victory Monday night.

Freeport (13-10) struggled all night offensively, making six of its 32 attempts and coughing up 25 turnovers. After one quarter, it was clear the Yellowjackets didn’t have the offensive creativity to combat the Eagles defense. Freeport finished the opening quarter with three points and seven turnovers.

At halftime, South Park’s ball pressure and Bella Stromberg’s paint defense had forced 13 turnovers and held Freeport to 30% shooting from 2-point range.

“I mean, anytime you get a player of (Stromberg’s) size, no matter what, in Western Pennsylvania, it’s a game changer,” Drennen said. “And again she’s the disrupter, right, so when you see that a lot of teams get timid — they start to shy away, they start to angle off a little bit.”

In addition to her rim protection, Stromberg finished the game with 10 points.

Though South Park’s defense was great in the first half, Hayley Bennett was crucial for it to build a 25-9 lead by halftime. She scored 11 of her 12 points in the first 16 minutes and finished the game with three assists.

“She’s the one we like to get the ball downhill and get to the rim,” Drennen said. “And she did a great job of that tonight.”

With a 14-point lead to start the second half, it seemed as though the nerves settled for South Park offensively. After Bennett did most of the scoring in the first half, it was Nika Contakos’ turn in the second.

After starting 2 for 8 from the field and only having five points at the intermission, Contakos erupted in the second half for 15 points. She finished with a game-high 20 on 7 of 16 shooting, including 5 3s.

“My mentality is just keep shooting,” she said. “I know I’m not on all the time. So, like, just trying to warm up, and then finally, like, getting and earning those shots … I just don’t give up on that.”

Contakos started the second half making her first 3, igniting the Eagles’ 14-6 quarter. By the end of the third, South Park held a 39-15 lead. In the fourth, it outscored Freeport, 10-3, bringing the final total to 49-18.

For the game, South Park shot 39.5% from the field and had 18 turnovers. As it prepares to take on No. 2 Oakland Catholic on Thursday — the top scoring defense in 4A — its defensive effort and intensity will have to ratchet up another level with the possibility of offensive struggles carrying over.

“All we can control is our focus, our effort, our energy and our attention to detail as we go these next two days of prep,” Drennen said. “But listen, they’re a great team, well coached, but you never know what could happen. That’s why we play this game.”

Tags: Freeport, South Park