In the interzone playoffs: …………………………………………………… In the semis, the Virden Golden Bears clipped the Brandon T.A. Neelin Spartans 69-61 as Heidi Smith scored 16 and Natalie Vachon 13. Paige Thomson led the Spartans with 14. Kira Tufts added 12 and Kate Osadchuk 10. …………………………………………………… In the final, the Swan River Swan Valley Tigers defeated the Virden Golden Bears x-x. …………………………………………………… In the zone 3 & 4 final, the Winnipeg St. James Jimmies clubbed the Sanford Sabres 66-34.
In the wildcard game, the Brandon T.A. Neelin Spartans dispatched the Winnipeg Westgate Wings 60-44.
In the quarterfinals, held in Thompson, the top-seeded University of Winnipeg Collegiate Wesmen stomped the 8th-seeded Swan River Swan Valley Tigers 78-32 after leading 47-12 at the half. Emma Abbott paced the Wesmen with 33. Skylar Boulanger added 21. The Tigers, coached by Shayne Yaschyshyn and Gary Wowchuk, included Kaylene Bielik, Nikki Chartrand, Sevanna Delaronde, Taylor Eisner, Julie Gattinger, Jasmine Langan, Desirae Mosoindz, Sydney Mullin, Megan Oag, Paulina Polachuk and Danika Shaw.
The 4th-seeded Thompson R.D. Parker Trojans edged the 5th-seeded Winnipeg St. James Jimmies 57-54 after leading 26-23 at the half. Janaye Tucker-Titanich paced the Trojans with 14. Tayo Dimeji added 12. Andrea Duncan led the Jimmies with 17. Jo-anna Wichenko added 9. RDPC opened the tournament with a 57-54 victory over the St. James Jimmies March 15. St. James fell behind 14-6 early but battled back to tie the game at 23 apiece late in the second quarter. The Jimmies got the ball back with 12 seconds left in the game, trailing by three, but were unable to get a shot attempt off and turned the ball over, enabling the hosts to run out the clock. Trojans coach Sara Gillis said the 5’8” Tayo Dimeji, who nabbed 12 boards “has to play like she’s 6’2”. She’s just a phenomenal rebounder.” The Jimmies, coached by Ashley Van Aggelen, also included Samantha Courchen, Claudia Elliott, Rayna Haley, Brailyn Houmphanh, Karlissa Little, Zinek Moustarzak, Kelsey Ngo, Lindsay Olson, Brynn Rosjer-Doyle, Lacy Sorokowski and Brittany Statz.
The 2nd-seeded Winnipeg Linden Christian Wings whipped the 7th-seeded Lorette Scorpions 83-49 as Madi Kinzel scored 24 and Megan K. Neufeld 16. Nika Fraser paced the Scorpions with 14. The Scorpions, coached by Remi Gagnon, also included Hailey Dunn, Kylee Formaniuk, Jenn Galea, Rachel Grossman, Rashaan Murdock, Caela Orteza, Jaimie Shaw and Jacquelyn Wiebe.
In the last quarterfinal, the 3rd-seeded St. Norbert Celtics dusted the 6th-seeded Brandon T.A. Neelin Spartans 87-47 after leading 47-18 at the half and 75-33 after three quarters. Paige Bevan paced the Celtics with 28. Jessica Hunt added 17 and Courtney Engel 17. Kate Osadchuk led the Spartans with 16. Kira Tufts added 16. The Spartans, who had defeated the Winnipeg Westgate Wings 60-44 in the wildcard play-in game and were coached by Melissa Stoesz) also included Caitlin Bouvier, Aven Glufka, Bailey Kelleher, Caileen Plante and Hannah Patton (until midseason).
In the semis, the top-seeded University of Winnipeg Collegiate Wesmen edged the 4th-seeded Thompson R.D. Parker Trojans 67-62 after leading 34-25 at the half. Skylar Boulanger paced the Wesmen with 32. Grace Fanhbulleh added 12. Janaye Tucker-Titanich led the Trojans with 30. Sydney Clemons added 14. RDPC had the ball with 8.9 seconds left after University of Winnipeg Collegiate missed a pair of foul shots but an errant pass wound up in the hands of their opponents, though the Trojans got it back for one last-second heave that fell short and would have been too little, too late even had it not. “We went into a really tough game facing the number one team,” said Trojans coach Sara Gillis. “They played hard, they played well.” Down by 20 points at one point in the second half, RDPC drew within single digits as the Wesmen rested their starters. “They were just so gutsy,” said the coach. “The grit and the desire to play and get the job done, they never ever gave up.” The Trojans trailed 34-25 at halftime. Gillis said the game plan was to drive the ball inside in hopes of getting the 5’11” Boulanger and the equally tall Emma Arnott into foul trouble and off the floor, but it didn’t work out as RDPC had hoped, with the Wesmen using the height advantage to block numerous shots early, a situation that led to the Trojans rushing open shots in the second quarter and failing to capitalize on decent looks at the basket.
In the other semi, the 2nd-seeded Winnipeg Linden Christian Wings nipped the 3rd-seeded St. Norbert Celtics 82-77. The Celtics led 20-10 after one quarter. Linden Christian led 34-41 at the half. The Celtics led 52-41 after three quarters. Madi Kinzel paced the Wings with 21. Megan R. Neufeld added 16. Paige Bevan led the Celtics with 32. Jessica Hunt added 15.
In the bronze medal match, the 3rd-seeded St. Norbert Celtics dispatched the 4th-seeded Thompson R.D. Parker Trojans 82-75. “We all ended up the way we were seeded,” said Trojans coach Sara Gillis. “They’ve won provincials many times. They’re a very experienced team.” Gillis also said RDPC hadn’t had the advantage of facing them enough times to develop a specific game plan. “We also only played them one (previously),” she said. Danika Tait nailed a last-second three-pointer to give the Trojans a 36-35 halftime lead but the Celtics opened the third quarter with a 9-2 run to go up 44-38 before the Trojans made it a 46-44 game about midway through the quarter. That was as close as they would get the rest of the way, though they were as close as four points in the final minute before three free throws by St. Norbert stretched the margin to seven points. Janaye Tucker-Titanich was named the game star for the Trojans, who led 21-19 at the end of the first quarter before an 8-2 run gave the Celtics a four-point lead that they stretched to seven before giving up the final seven points in the last 2:22 of the quarter and allowing RDPC to take a one-point lead. Carole Dupuis took game star honours for the Celtics. “[Janaye] had an exceptional weekend,” Gillis said. “We could’ve had a few games where we shot better (but we drove the ball well). We did a lot more of that. They did everything that we’ve been working on through the season. I was happy the way they played. We just came out on the wrong end. Every game was close and competitive. We’re not disappointed. We were good hosts and we were competitive. I’m very pleased with all our players.” Jessica Hunt paced the Celtics with 32. Paige Bevan added 29. Janaye Tucker-Titanich led the Trojans with 23. Sydney Clemons added 15. Coached by Sara Gillis, the Trojans also included Sydney Clemons, Tayo Demiji, Kailin Dreolini, Tatum O’Meara, Nicole Robson, Danielle Spence, Ruth Spence, Danika Tait, Megan Thorne, Finleigh Tucker-Titanich and Krystin Williams.
In the final, the top-seeded University of Winnipeg Collegiate Wesmen defeated the 2nd-seeded Winnipeg Linden Christian Wings 69-64 despite trailing 35-27 at the half. Emma Arnett paced the Wesmen with 23. Skylar Boulanger added 19. Megan R. Neufeld led the Wings with 17. Sam Curtis added 14.
The bronze medalist St. Norbert Celtics: Paige Bevan; Jessica Hunt; Martie Arran; Carole Dupuis; Caitlin Engel; Courtney Engel; Kaelyn Lisoway; Mikaya Sellers-Wiebe; Jaime Simpson; Brooke Turnbull; Erin Turski; Kyla Westra; coach Denis Marinelli; assistant Neil Reavely; assistant Colin Ritchie
The silver medalist Winnipeg Linden Christian Wings: Megan R. Neufeld; Sam Curtis; Madison Kinzel; Brittney Bobychuk; Hailey Glor; Ashlee Jackson; Sarah Janzen; Jessica Keena; Montana Kinzel; Megan L. Neufeld; Jill Rhodes; Ness Siemens; coach John Friesen
The champion University of Winnipeg Collegiate Wesmen: Emma Arnott; Skylar Boulanger; Grace Fanhbulleh; Lenda Ayalew; Breanne Campbell; Gabby Deveau; Kudzaishe Hove; Darren Liu; Kaley Schur; coach JoAnne Small