In the interzone playoffs: …………………………………………………… The Sprague Ross L. Gray Raiders whipped the Winnipeg St. Mary’s Academy Flames 46-27 as Cheryl Brown scored 18. …………………………………………………… The Killarney Raiders whipped the Neepawa Tigers 70-37 as Diane Smirl scored 20 and Melanie Gray 12. Allison Suski paced the Tigers with 12.
In the wildcard game, the Steinbach Sabres defeated the Portage la Prairie Arthur Meighen Saints 43-39. The Sabres broke to a 10-4 lead but the Squires rallied with a full court press and took a 27-21 lead at the half. Veronica Fehr took command in the second half, scoring 14, including the winner with a minute to play. The Saints (coached by Jim Lehman) included Dawn Morrish, Candi Kibbons, Sheryl Ross, Julie Shettell, Shauna Cochrane, Tanis Benedictson, Pam
Edmonson, Shawna Thomas, Nancy Zukewich, Lisa Romanow, Laura Stein, Robyn Ferguson, Donna McLean, Carrie Zawasky, and
Marnie Switzer.
In the quarterfinals, held in Winnipeg, the top-seeded Sprague Ross L. Gray Raiders defeated the 8th-seeded University of Winnipeg Collegiate Wesmen 56-18 as Cheryl Brown scored 12, Emilia Hovorka 11, Leah Hebel 10 and Susan McLeod 8. Starting forward Laura Krasnuik injured her knee in the opener and was sidelined for the remainder of the tournament. The Wesmen included Tahara Shariff, Doris Ho.
The 4th-seeded Steinbach Regional Sabres clipped the 5th-seeded Altona W.C. Miller Aces 50-43. The Aces included Maria Fasl, Leila Brown.
The 2nd-seeded Killarney Raiders stomped the 7th-seeded Warren Wildcats 78-42 as Rhonda Opperman scored 17, Cindy Bartley 14 and Leanne Elwood 14. The Wildcats included Tara Gill, Melanie Boulet, Martha Fehr, Bonnie Brotherstone, Val Proctor, Kathy Nawrowski.
In the last quarterfinal, the 3rd-seeded Dauphin Clippers clocked the 6th-seeded The Pas Margaret Barbour Spartans 75-52.
In the semis, the top-seeded Sprague Ross L. Gray Raiders defeated the 4th-seeded Steinbach Sabres 29-18. The Raiders shot just 24% from the floor but coach Mark Gadient told the Steinbach Carillon that the defensive effort of both teams was superb. Cheryl Brown paced the Raiders with 14. Leah Hebel added 9.
In the other semi, the 2nd-seeded Killarney Raiders defeated the 3rd-seeded Dauphin Clippers 39-38 in overtime. The Raiders led 23-21 at the half. The score was knotted at 36 after regulation. “We had to pressure the ball all game,” said Raiders’ coach Ray Hurd told the Dauphin Herald. “And hope we could tire them out.” Clipper post Tanya Hudyma fouled out in the second half after scoring 9. Raider guard Rhonda Opperman, who scored 8, credited the win to tenacious team defence. “We were pretty successful attacking their big guards. Once they got tired, they started to foul and then we beat them at the foul line,” she told the Brandon Sun. Leanne Ellwood and Cindy Bartley also scored 8 each for the Raiders. Clippers coach Larry McDougall noted that having posts Tanya Hudyma and Christine Smelski tossed with five fouls apiece was too much of an obstacle to overcome. “We had opportunities in the last minutes of the game,” he told the Dauphin Herald. “We had a chance for six points and missed them all. Killarney did a good job of keeping the pressure on. I feel very content on how we played. I also feel we would have been a better match for Sprague.”
In the bronze medal match, the 3rd-seeded Dauphin Clippers defeated the 4th-seeded Steinbach Sabres 48-32.
The Sabres (coached by Mike Fuellbrandt) included Kathy Wiebe, Melody Dyck, Loretta Klassen, Veronica Fehr, Martha Klassen, Wilma Fehr, Renee Desaulniers, Kim Balan, Debbi Kornelsen, Bonni Friesen, Carolyn Rempel, Charlene Melnyk and Lottie Giesbrecht.
In the final, all-star Leah Hebel hit four-foot slashing bucket with 11 seconds to go as the top-seeded Sprague Ross L. Gray Raiders defeated the 2nd-seeded Killarney Raiders 50-45. Hebel finished the game with 17 points. Cheryl Brown added 14, tournament MVP Emilia Hovorka 8 and Susan McLeod 6. Kim Henning led Killarney with 13. Coach Mark Gadient noted that “the game started slow. We were a bit tentative and so was Killarney. It was 20-20 at the half and anybody’s game.” Killarney coach Ray Kurd said “their size and strength really showed up in rebounding. That was the difference.”
The bronze medalist Dauphin Clippers: Tanya Hudyma; Christine Smelski; Dana Harvie; Jackie Czarnecki; Dana Armstrong; Shanna Forman; coach Larry McDougall
The silver medalist Killarney Raiders: Kim Hemming; Rhonda Opperman; Leanne Ellwood; Cindy Bartley; Diane Smirl; Carla Nichol; coach Ray Hurd
The gold medalist Sprague Ross L. Gray Raiders: Leah Hebel; Emilia Hovorka; Cheryl Brown; Susan McLeod; Cheryl Brown; Laura Krasniuk; Patricia Brown; Lisa Preteau; Dawn Bartinski; Adrianna Cote; Dawn Bartinski; coach Mark Gadient; assistant Don McWhirter; equipment manager Alan Fostey; statistician Tara Prasek;