In the wildcard game, the Steveston Packers edged the Clearbrook MEI Eagles 55-53 as Robin Diehl notched the winner in the final minute. The Packers led 48-37 at the half. Christa Toews paced the Eagles with 20, while nabbing 12 boards. Rachel Sawer added 19 and Julie Ratzlaff 12, along with 17 boards. The Eagles (coached by Ken Bartsch) also included Alison Balzer, Tawnya Toews.
In the opening round, held in Victoria: …………………………………………………… The North Vancouver Windsor Dukes thumped the Victoria Oak Bay Breakers 74-41 as Tiffany Chester scored 24 and 6-3 forward Megan Magee 22. The Breakers included Dany Yusep, Georgina Newell, Sandy Zinkowski. …………………………………………………… The Port Coquitlam Terry Fox Ravens edged the Prince Rupert Rainbirds 66-64 as Karina Lewis scored 33. The Rainbirds included Audrey Dennison, Nina Phillipson, Arlene Schultz. …………………………………………………… The Cranbrook Mount Baker Trojanettes clipped the Penticton Lakettes 69-58. The Lakettes included Deanna Newson, Linette Bontheau. …………………………………………………… The Vancouver Killarney Cougars pounded the Victoria Belmont Tomahawks 85-62 as Kirsten Singer scored 24. Kristene Koop led the Tomahawks with 13. The Tomahawks also included Kirstin Lane. …………………………………………………… The 2nd-seeded Richmond Colts dumped the Prince George Polarettes 75-50 as Dragana Djordjevic scored 23. Polarettes coach Gerry Karpenko told the Prince George Citizen that “we survived. We knew it was going to be tough, but I think the girls learned from it. Even their guards were tall. It seemed like there were always a lot of arms in the way of the passes. We had trouble getting the offence going.” Brenda Strachan led the Polarettes with 12. The Polarettes also included Kara Karpenko, Loralyn Murdoch, Arlene Schultz. …………………………………………………… The Coquitlam Centennial Centaurs crushed the Steveston Packers 74-47 as Sandra Charles scored 21. Chrissy Lam paced the Packers with 17. The Packers (coached by Ann Gillrie-Carr) also included Ainslie Murfitt, Michelle Kelly, Jennifer Mavety. …………………………………………………… The New Westminster Hyacks clubbed the Vernon Panthers 66-48 as Nikola Hanson scored 14 and Anne Baker 14. The Panthers included Paula Dibski, Jina Hanson, Sarah Giddings. …………………………………………………… The Abbotsford Panthers whipped the Duncan Cowichan Thunderettes 87-63 as Jennifer Curley scored 33, Pam Svenson 32, Cathy Richardson 22, Nicki Van Leeuwen 8, Danielle Downey 6, Gitte Lauridsen 2, Sylvie Ingram 2, Lisa Driediger 2 and Caroline Peters 2, while Kuldeep Deol notched 5 steals and 3 assists. The Thunderettes included Nikki Wright, Andrea McLeod, Cathy Richardson, Lisa Craig.
In the quarterfinals, Megan Magee scored 26 as the North Vancouver Windsor Dukes pasted Port Coquitlam Terry Fox Ravens 77-50. Karina Lewis led the Ravens with 17. The Ravens also included Kelli Klein, Amanda Hockey and Nova Czerwinski.
The Cranbrook Mount Baker Trojanettes defeated the Vancouver Killarney Cougars 64-57 as Val Cox scored 24, including 18 in the first half. Mount Baker led 31-25 at the break. Carla Stone, a center on the provincial midget team, scored 20, including 13 in the first half, to pace the Cougars. The Cougars also included Kirsten Singer, Zahara Haji.
The Coquitlam Centennial Centaurs defeated the New Westminster Hyacks 71-61 as Jackie Valois scored 36. Nikola Hanson led the Hyacks with 33. The Hyacks also included Anne Baker, Jen Heron.
In the last quarterfinal, the Abbottsford Panthers defeated the 2nd-seeded Richmond Colts 58-52 as Jennifer Curley scored 25, Pam Svenson 11, Danielle Downey 10, Nicki Van Leeuwen 10 and Lisa Driediger 2. The Panthers led 19-13, 31-30 and 44-42 at the quarters. Shannon Jolley paced the Colts with 14. Colts coach Les Hamaguchi told the Richmond Review that “they were playing our post pretty tough. But we turned it around got our heads back in the game in the second quarter and found ourselves down by just one point at the half. I thought we’d hit our low point, and would be okay. While things actually went well in the second half, we couldn’t put the ball in the hoop. It was just an off-shooting day.” The Colts (coached by Les Hamaguchi) also included Stacey Stevens, Angie Wensink, Dragana Djordjevic, Stacey Stevens.
In the semis, the North Vancouver Windsor Dukes continued their march through the field as they annihilated the Coquitlam Centennial Centaurs 87-38 as Megan Magee scored 24 and Diane Osborne 22. Centennial was paced by Jacqui Valois and Wendy Palmer, who each scored 10.
In the other semi, the Cranbrook Mount Baker Trojanettes upset the Abbotsford Panthers 63-58 as Val Cox scored 18 and Jill Carley 17. Jennifer Curley led the Panthers with 32. Pam Svenson added 12, Lisa Driediger 5 and Nicki Van leewen 4. The Panthers led 32-21 at the half but the Trojanettes opened the final frame with a 10-0 run to take command. Mount Baker coach Bill Stephens told the Vancouver Province “I said to the kids all week that if we play as well as I know we can, we will surprise some people and get into the finals, and we did that.
In the bronze medal match, the Coquitlam Centennial Centaurs whipped the Abbotsford Panthers 79-52 to avenge a four-point loss in the Fraser Valley playoffs weeks earlier. Centennial controlled from the start, running up a 36-25 lead. They led by as many as 29 in the final quarter. Jackie Valois paced Centennial with 30 points. Wendi Palmer added 20. “The kids were excited to play Abby again. We have a real rivalry going with them,” said Centennial coach Steve Pettifer. Abbotsford coach Russ Hall concluded that “basically, they wanted it more than us.” Jennifer Curley led Abbotsford with 24 points. Danielle Downey added 10 and Robbi-Lyn Lamour 7. The Panthers also included Pam Svenson, Cathy Richardson, Nicki Van Leeuwen, Gitte Lauridsen, Sylvie Ingram, Lisa Driediger, Caroline Peters and Kuldeep Deol.
In the final, the North Vancouver Windsor Dukes captured their second consecutive title by blitzing the Cranbrook Mount Baker Trojanettes 91-53 as tourney MVP Suzie Jarosch scored 22. Megan Magee, who accepted a basketball scholarship from the University of Arizona, finished with 24 points. “There is nothing to explain the way that I feel,” Jarosch, who a year earlier had been named an all-star while toiling for the Prince Rupert Rainbirds, told the Vancouver Province. Her family had moved to Vancouver in the offseason and she joined the Dukes. “It may have looked easy on the outside but inside, it was tough on all of us.” Coach Jim Harrison was elated with the repeat. “It’s always a sweeter win the first time. There was a lot of pressure on us to win again, so it was great to see the girls come through and do it.” Jarosch was exceptional in the final, leading the fastbreak while playing tough defence. “She is a great player who always gives it her all. I think out of the 44 games we’ve played this year, she has had just two bad ones,” said Harrison. The Dukes finished (44-0) on the season and easily handled Mount Baker’s full-court press in the final. That proved the difference, said Mount Baker coach Bill Stephens. “What we found is that we couldn’t press them. They are just too strong and too good.” Windsor led 45-19 at the half before the Trojanettes narrowed the margin to 47-31 in the final quarter but drew no further. Guards Lisa Ressler and Val Cox paced Mount Baker with 12 points apiece. The Dukes finished 44-0 on the campaign.
The bronze medalist Coquitlam Centennial Centaurs: Jackie Valois; Wendi Palmer; coach Steve Pettifer
The silver medalist Cranbrook Mount Baker Trojanettes: Val Cox; Lisa Ressler; Jill Carley; Carla Stone; Susan Storch; Heidi Phillips; Jana Dezall; Tammi Janni; Tracy Nagel; Kara Pion; Terri Stager; coach Bill Stephens; manager? Andrea Pendry; manager? Lisa Arsenault
The gold medalist North Vancouver Windsor Dukes: Megan Magee; Suzie Jarosch; Tiffany Chester; Diana Osborne; Cory Adams; Clea Ainsworth; Christy Allan; Jenny Anderson; Michelle Harris; Amy Lennon; Kelly Majer; Heidi Rootes; Coreen Rowa; Shannon Vanderkerkhove; coach Jim Harrison; assistant Joe Miller