In the interzone playoff, the Victoria Spectrum Thunder smacked the Clearbrook Mennonite Educational Institute Eagles 62-42 as Leslie Farrell scored 25. The Eagles included Annette Enns, Paula Friesen, Bev Plank, Schellenberg.
In the opening round: …………………………………………………… The Duncan Cowichan Thunderettes thrashed the Richmond Colts 59-26 as Val Larson scored 16 and Irena Sladecek 14. Wendy Brown paced the Colts with 18. Nancy Sutherland added 8. The Colts also included Nicole Koevets, Margaret Rengers. …………………………………………………… The Prince George Duchess Park Condorettes dispatched the Vernon Panthers 55-37 as Linda Korolek scored 20 and Debbie Richter 16. Lynn Zwarych paced the Panthers with 12. Sally McCullen added 10. The Panthers also included Sharon Weitzel. …………………………………………………… The Victoria Mount Douglas Rams nipped the Trail J.L. Crowe Hawks 53-52 as Leanne Wilkins scored 15 and Brenda Lindsay 11. Shelly Thompson led the Hawks with 20. Deanne Elthier added 11. The Hawks also included Donna Dergousoff. …………………………………………………… The Salmon Arm Jewels blasted the Kitimat Mount Elizabeth Eagles 74-55 as Denive Dogterom scored 26, Leanne Cowell 16 and Adrienne Weare 8. The Jewels led 11-10, 35-19 and 55-37 at the quarters. Angie Williams led the Eagles with 13. Barby Stockman added 12 and Marie Gubbels 12. The Eagles also included Laurie Bealty. …………………………………………………… The Penticton Lakettes torched the Victoria Spectrum Thunder 83-33 as Lori Brydon scored 30, Kerri Webb 22 and Elizabeth Sara 13. Sue Hagel led the Thunder with 14. The Thunder (coach Donna Blackstock, manager Lisa Brygidyr) also included Carmen Besel, Leslie Farrell, Diane Knight, Chris Sanders, Kim Morgan, Angie Jongerhuis, Leanne Jay, Sheila Ball, Leanne Robertson, Lisa Button, Carol Wong, Lana Robertson. …………………………………………………… The Port Moody Blues edged the New Westminster Hyacks 41-40 as Terri Newell scored 10, Leslie Buhr 8 and Sandy Brown 8. Becky Watson paced the Hyacks with 14. Sheri Taylor added 7. The Hyacks (coached by Rob Grant) also included Kim Phipps. …………………………………………………… The Steveston Packers dispatched the Coquitlam Centennial Cougars 60-50 as Cheryle Meppelink scored 28, Lisa Terry 11 and Jodee Roberts 10. Brenda Giesbrecht paced the Cougars with 15. Karen Minato added 15 and Tammy Jones 14. …………………………………………………… The Abbotsford Panthers spanked the Burnaby Central Wildcats 66-33 as Erin Carson scored 20, Jean Vanderhorst 16 and Sheila Collins 10. Julie Glover paced the Wildcats with 10. The Wildcats also included Karen Murray, Kelly Stubson.
In the quarterfinals, the Duncan Cowichan Thunderettes defeated Prince George Duchess Park Condors 51-40 as guard Kim Poland scored 18 and Val Larsen 16. Liana Korolek led the Condors with 20. The Condors (coached by Annette Gamache) also included Debbie Richter, Chris Nielly, Kathy Bourque, Tina Storey.
The Steveston Packers defeated the top-seeded Salmon Arm Jewels 52-50 after opening with a 20-2 run. Cheryle Meppelink led the Packers with 18. Lisa Terry added 12. The Packers led 20-2, 32-14 and 38-33 at the quarters. Packers co-coach Jim McLeod told the Vancouver Sun that “I wanted to go home after the first quarter but they wouldn’t let us stop.” Jewels coach Terry Mitchell said “I saw this coming two weeks ago.” Denive Dogterom led the Jewels with 28. Liz Kilby added 8 and Adrienne Weare 6. The Jewels (coached by Terry Michell) also included Leanne Cowell, Carol Balt, Brenda Mesich, Susan Charlton, Jerri Lightfoot, Louise Peterson, Arla Sandaker, Louise Peterson, Arla Sandakar, Tracy Shepherd and Carolyn Unterschultz.
The top-seeded Penticton Lakettes whacked the Port Moody Blues 67-42 as Elizabeth Sara scored 15 and Kerri Webb 14. Leslie Buhr led the Blues with 11. Geri Donnelly added 11. The Blues also included Terry Newell, Leanne Wilkins, Sandy Brown.
In the last quarterfinal, the Abbotsford Panthers clubbed the Victoria Mount Douglas Rams 62-41 as Kathy Anderson scored 16, Erin Carson 14 and Brenda Lindsay 13. The Rams included Del Jackson, Leanne Wilkinds.
In the semis, the Duncan Cowichan Thunderettes defeated the top-seeded Penticton Lakettes 57-40 as Kim Poland scored 22 and 6-3 center Carol Bot 17. Thunderettes coach John Hart told the Vancouver Sun that “I’m surprised we won by that much but I’m not surprised that we won.” Penticton was paced by Kerri Webb’s 9 points and Lori Brydon’s 14. Lakers coach Len Cox said “we really only have two big players and we’ve gone a long way with them. We tried to disguise that all season and it has worked until tonight. Poland really hurt us. We tried to protect the boards but she was too good inside. If she wasn’t hot, it might have been a different game. But we gave them the outside and they took it.”
In the other semi, the Abbotsford Panthers defeated the Steveston Packers 55-50 as Erin Carson scored 21 and Jean Vanderhorst 11. Steveston was paced by Cheryle Meppelink led the Packers with 21. Packers coach Jim McLeod told the Vancouver Sun that Erin Carson “is a streak shooter. Unfortunately for us, she was on a streak today. Abby could score inside and we couldn’t today. They should be proud.”
In the bronze medal match, the top-seeded Penticton Lakettes defeated the Steveston Packers 48-34 as Kerri Webb scored 24 and Lori Brydon 10. Penticton led 21-12 after one quarter on the perimeter shooting of Kerri Webb and Packer ballhandling miscues. Cheryl Meppelink led the Packers with 17. Lisa Terry added 10. Packers coach Jim McLeod told the Richmond Observor that “you just can’t give more than 110%.” Assistant Anne Gillrie said “I think we were just mentally and physically tired. We didn’t execute on offence. I thought for a while our defence was going to hold us in there, but they came down the floor and were disorganized. We were forcing the ball and our shots were off.” Terry said “I don’t think we were ready for their man-to-man. They had their guards tight check (and) it was hard to move in and out of the key.” The Packers (coached by Jim McLeod, assistant Anne Gillrie) also included Astrid Whiting, Kathleen Leachman, Jodee Roberts.
In the final, the Cowichan Thunderettes won their second crown in three years by defeating the Abbotsford Panthers 49-42. Abbotsford opened with a 10-1 run to start the game but Cowichan rallied quickly and tied it. In a close game which featured seven lead changes, Abbotsford’s full court press repeatedly rattled Cowichan until Kim Poland calmed her nerves and took over the contest, often running the entire floor past the press. Cowichan led 24-23 at the half. Cowichan coach John Hart said Poland was “the difference in game. She was able to make the clutch hoops when it counted. … She broke the press herself.” Hart told the Vancouver Sun that “I was happy to see that (Irene) Sladacek made the all-star team. They don’t usually notice defensive people. She’s probably the only kid on our team who can go at forward or guard.” Sladacek said “the more I concentrate on defence, the more aggressively I play. Last year doesn’t compare with this. Personally, I felt we would win the whole time. But when I got on the court, I felt really nervous, had my doubts we could do it. Sometimes (the pressure) makes me work harder, sometimes it doesn’t. Tonight, we wanted to say to Abbotsford ‘you’re not going to get the title. It belongs to us’.” Kim Poland finished with 18, defensive star Irena Sladecek 10. Melanie Slade and Cathy Roome also played strong defensive games. Abbotsford was paced by Erin Carson’s 12 points and Jean Vanderhorst’s 10. Erin Carson told the Vancouver Sun that “there was nothing we could do. We were trying to watch her on the press but she’s really fast.” Panthers coach Ross Hall said “they were in there looking at a bunch of Douglas firs. If we had a kid like Poland who could come down the floor and score as consistently, it would have made a big difference.”
The bronze medalist Penticton Lakettes: Kerri Webb; Lori Brydon; Elizabeth Sara;
The silver medalist Abbotsford Panthers: Erin Carson; Jean Vanderhorst; Cherilyn Carson; Blondine Toews; Kathy Anderson; Brenda Lindsay; Sheila Collins; Kim Ross; Tracey Innes; Jasvir Bhogal; co-coach Ross Hall; co-coach John Burns
The gold medalist Duncan Cowichan Thunderettes: Carol Bot; Sandra Hughes; Kim Poland; Irena Sladecek; Melanie Slade; Cathy Roome; Val Larsen; coach John Hart