In the opening round, held in Prince George: …………………………………………………… The top-seeded Penticton Lakettes looked tense against the Clearbrook Mennonite Educational Institute Eagles but prevailed 69-58 as Connie Janzen scored 17, Adele Fedorak 15 and Kumel Sidhu 14. “We looked nervous,” said Penticton coach Len Cox. Cox told the Prince George Citizen that “in this tournament most teams should be able to stay with you in the first half. Whether they can stay with you in the second half is the question.” The Lakers led 20-16, 33-32 and 54-41 at the quarters. Belva Klassen led the Eagles with 27 points and 25 boards. Heather Funk added 14, along with 10 boards, Ratzlaff 9, Huebert 4 and Regehr 2. The Eagles also included Patti Ratzlaff, Tracey Stevenson, Karen Huebert, Sherry Regehr, Sue Siemens, Allison Granleese, Gwen Dick and Connie Limpright. …………………………………………………… The Prince George College Totems defeated the Victoria Mount Douglas Rams 87-66 after exploding for a 24-4 run to open the second half. The Rams led 40-33 at the half. “They had an obvious case of nerves in the first half,” Totems coach Jack Aylward told the Prince George Citizen. “All I told them at the half was that Catherine (Matte) was the only one playing well and that was because she wasn’t nervous. I also told Sylvia (Matte) to keep shooting and soon they’d start going in. … I told Catherine to post low to open Sylvia up and it seemed to work. We ran off all those points, and I think that demoralizes the other team. They’d come down and score and right away there’d be a basket at the other end. What’s the use of coming down and scoring?” Sylvia Matte led the Totems with 32. Catherine Matte added 28, along with 17 boards and 10 assists, while Michelle Matte notched 14. Tracy Curtis, Kristi Simpson and Gail Holotuk each scored 13 for the Rams. The Rams also included Dana Fraser. …………………………………………………… The Kelowna Red Angels edged the Terrace Caledonia Kermodes 61-58 after leading 37-30 at the half. Darcy Vogel led the Red Angels with 20. Jacquie Semeniuk added 16. Caroline Hendry paced the Kermodes with 17. Jaci Sturn added 14. …………………………………………………… The Trail J.L. Crowe Hawks dumped the Duncan Cowichan Thunderettes 64-48 as Eileen Volpatti notched 19 and Joanne Nutini 16. Krista Estey led the Thunderettes with 17. …………………………………………………… The Abbotsford W.J. Mouat Hawks stunned the 3rd-seeded Steveston Packers 48-45 as Mitch Ring scored 21, while nabbing 8 boards, Anna-Lise Bond 17, Melville 4, Kilian 2, Vance 2 and Jodi Blanchet 2. Steveston led 19-14 after one quarter and 27-25 at the half. The Hawks led 39-35 after three quarters. Tracy Frisby led the Packers with 11. The Packers (coached by Jim McLeod) included Cheri Jensen, Luan van Aldcorn, Ann Lacey, Kara Davies, Tracy Frisby, Kelly DeRuiter, Teresa Debou. …………………………………………………… North Delta Huskies whipped the Burnaby Central Wildcats 72-37 as Shelley Johnston scored 14 and Joelle Cameron 12. Anita Vommero led the Wildcats with 13. Janis Matson added 12. The Huskies led 28-15 at the half. …………………………………………………… The Port Coquitlam Secondary Ravens defeated the North Vancouver Carson Graham Eagles 68-44 as Linda Bjerke scored 19, Renee Czerwinski 15 and Glenda Knight 12. Laureen Lohin led the Eagles with 13. Daphne Armstrong added 13. The Eagles included Kathleen Nielly, Jannine Cook. …………………………………………………… The Nanaimo District Islanders edged the Richmond Colts 64-60 as Leslie Cox scored 24, Lynn Montgomery 14, Shannon Conway 12 and Jennifer Bereth 12. Islanders coach Rose Jossul told the Nanaimo Daily News that “the kids were really tired. They seemed to be sucking for air. I think they got caught up in all the excitement too.” Debbie Ramadeen led the Colts with 22. Cindy Ebner added 12. The Colts (coached by Fred Mioska) also included Susie Yurichuk.

In the quarterfinals, the jitters were gone as the Penticton Lakettes pasted the Prince George College Totems 83-48 as Adele Fedorak scored 33 despite playing only two and half quarters. Monica Renkama added 14 and Kumel Sidhu 14. Penticton was ahead 28-6 after the first quarter. No contest. Sylvie Matte paced the Totems with 18. Catherine Matte added 12. The Totems (coached by Jack Alward) also included Michelle Matte.

The Port Coquitlam Secondary Ravens edged the Nanaimo District Islanders 54-51 as Rene Czerwinski scored 22 and Glenda Knight 14. Shannon Conway led the Islanders with 20. Leslie Cox added 14 and Lynn Montgomery 12. Islanders coach Rose Jossul told the Nanaimo Daily News that “we didn’t play good defence in the first half. They had one big girl, Rene Czerwinski, whoe really did a good job inside.” The Islanders (coached by Jossul) also included Jennifer Berreth, Leslie Cox, Deanna Jones, Theresa Johnson.

The Clearbrook Abbotsford W.J. Mouat Hawks nipped the Kelowna Red Angels 66-65 as Leanna Vance hit the winning free throw with one second to play. Mitch Ring paced the Hawks with 19, along with 11 steals. Anne-Lise Bond added 19, along with 14 boards, Vance 11 and Kathy Melville 4. Jackie Semeniuk led the Red Angels with 28 (alternately reported as 20). Jill Corrado added 16. The Red Angels led 22-21, 41-28 and 57-44 at the quarters.

In the last quarterfinal, the North Delta Huskies defeated the Trail J.L. Crowe Hawks 55-46 as Tracey Peterson scored 19 and Joelle Cameron 13. Joanne Nutini paced the Hawks with 22.

        In the semis, the Penticton Lakettes nipped Port Coquitlam 52-49 as Adele Fedorak scored 23 and Connie Janzen 11. Port Coquitlam was led by Rene Czerwinski 26 and Glenda Knight 10.

In the other semi, the Abbotsford W.J. Mouat Hawks defeated the North Delta Huskies 58-52 as Mitch Ring scored 22, along with 12 steals. Anne-Lise Bond added 8, along with 19 boards, and Leigh-Ann Hotner 6, along with 14 boards. The Huskies led 13-12 after one quarter but the Hawks took command when North Delta guard Sara Haave got in foul trouble in the second quarter. The Hawks led 30-19 at the half and 49-33 after three quarters and then buried the Huskies with a 10-0 run in the final frame. North Delta was led by Lorelei Common’s 16 points. Sara Haave added 10.

In the bronze medal match, the North Delta Huskies edged the Port Coquitlam Secondary Ravens 69-67 as Sara Haawve scored 23 and Shelly Johnston 13. The Huskies led 32-20 at the half. Rene Czerwinski paced the Ravens with 17. The Ravens (coached by Joanne Ward) also included Glenda Knight, Linda Bjerke, Cheryl McNeill, Alison Buckham, Lisa Ort, Stephanie Setcell, Michelle Bentley, Shannon Rennie, Colleen Treloar and Denise Wilson.

        After finishing as bridesmaid, a year earlier, the Penticton Lakettes won their first provincial crown with a 66-62 victory over the Abbotsford W.J. Mouat Hawks despite nearly blowing a 19-point lead in the second half. Mouat rallied to within two at 64-62 in the final minutes before Penticton pulled out the victory as Adele Fedorak hit the winner on a Fastbreak with 10 seconds to play. Adele Fedorak finished with 15, despite being in early foul trouble, while Kumel Sidhu added 12, Monica Renkama 10, Connie Janzen 7, Stephanie Scott 6, Lorraine Witowski 6, Shannon Overland 4, Heather Quamme 4 and Sheri Campbell 2. Mitch Ring led the Hawks with 22, while nabbing 11 boards and pilfering 7 balls. Anna-Lise Bond added 17, Leanne Vance 8, Jodi Blanchet 7, along with 11 boards, and Debbie Kilian 5. Penticton coach Len Cox said the victory was a testimony to the good district and elementary basketball programs in the regions. “The program has been getting stronger and stronger,” he said, noting that Penticton’s bench strength and depth were the difference. “It builds on itself. Much of our strength was that we were able to use all our players and they all made a major contribution to this team. We got scoring from nine players. It has been that way all through the tourney. Adele was outstanding for us offensively and defensively. Unfortunately, in the final, she had a little foul problem. When she was going strong, we got out to a pretty large lead. They sort of whittled away at it. We had two players with five fouls and two with four. That presented a pretty tough problem for us. Adele got a clutch basket for us in the last 15 seconds that gave us a four-point lead.” Hawks coach Lorraine Olsen told the Abbotsford News that “Penticton’s overall height, bench strength and fast break made the difference. However, my girls had the biggest hearts in the tournament. I’m proud of them. They never quit until the final buzzer.”

        The bronze medalist North Delta Huskies: Sara Haave; Shelley Johnston; Joelle Cameron;

        The silver medalist Abbotsford W.J. Mouat Hawks: Mitch Ring; Anna-Lise Bond; Leanna Vance; Jodi Blanchett; Kathy Melville; Debbie Kilian; Wendy Teague; Nancy Clark; Cathy Kobley; Suzanne Carlson; Leigh-Ann Hotner; Joanne Rennie; coach Lorraine Olsen

        The gold medalist Penticton Lakettes: Adele Fedorak; Connie Janzen; Kumel Sidhu; Monica Renkama; Stephanie Scott; Lorraine Witowski; Shannon Overland; Heather Quamme; Sheri Campbell; coach Len Cox