Final regular season standings: Mount Royal (14-0); Lethbridge (14-2); Medicine Hat (11-5); SAIT (9-5); Camrose (6-8); Grande Prairie (5-11); NAIT (4-11); Grant MacEwan (2-13); Red Deer (1-13)
Schedule appears to have been an incomplete round-robin.
Playoff non-qualifiers:
Camrose Lutheran: Sherry Knutsvig, Cindy Anderson, Cheryl Anderson, Lynn Craig, Jennifer Roy
Grant MacEwan: Bernie Smandych, Donna Moen, Lorraine Gould, coach Sherry Stevenson
Grande Prairie: Colleen Williams, Marg Drott, Marie Yurychuk, Maureen Walker,
NAIT Ookpikettes: Denise Young, Louise Carignan, Diane Butterfield, Rose McMillan, Violet Stamp, Debbie McVee, Donna Heidel, Liz Thomas, Donna Brochu, coach Gregg Meropoulis, train Kim Canary
Red Deer Queens: LeeAnn Toporowski, Wendy Rogers, Faye Lockern, Tammy Wiebe, Cathy Deschamps, Michelle Merepoulis, Lorna Lentz, Deanna Miyauchi, Pearl Doupe, Lori Chomik, Barb Lalor, Loretta Jarmoluk, Lynn Hodgson, Dawn Witt, coach Terry Burns
In the semis, the Lethbridge Kodiettes defeated the Medicine Hat Kudus 73-49 as Peg Hester scored 19, nabbed 11 boards and dished 10 assists. Brenda Fellger added 12 and Diane Irvine 11. Milli Schaaf and Joanna Van Dam each scored 12 to pace the Kudus. “I think Peg Hester had her best game of the season,” said Kodiettes coach Darrell Wall told the Lethbridge Herald. “It wasn’t a close contest by any means. We dominated play right from the start and was the type of game where everybody scored.” Kudus coach Marj Sihvon told the Medicine Hat News ““I thought it was terrible. That’s probably the worst we’ve played all year defensively.” The Kudus kept within reach of the Kodiettes in the first half on a solid zone and perimeter shooting of by Milli Schaaf and Joanna Van Dam. “But early in the second half Lethbridge started getting hot from outside and we felt we couldn’t really give them those points, so we went man-on-man and we were really weak,” said Sihvon. Lethbridge promptly took a 36-28 lead. “We were down 14 and people started to think they had to score. So they would just get the ball down the floor and chuck it up as if there was only 10 seconds left,” said Sihvon.
In the other semi, the Mount Royal Cougars whipped the SAIT Helenas 80-51 (also reported as 80-53) as Jan Tanjerd scored 20, Tracy Lehman 10 and Heather McKay 10. Cougars coach Bob Rose told the Calgary Herald that “this is the best team I’ve had since I’m here. We have good speed, shooting and height. … There were a few breakdowns but I don’t think there was ever a doubt in the second half.” Jilian Brillon led the Helenas with 14. Rhonda Wallace added 12 and Heather Carey 11. Trojans coach Stephen Altillo said “they’ve got that height and once they put their big man in the middle, they just pass off to the shooters and it’s boom, boom, boom. … He’s got 10 girls who are equal. I have to leave my five on and they’re always in foul trouble.”
In the bronze medal match, the Medicine Hat Kwahommies defeated the SAIT Helenas 58-37. “I’m sure we’re the only team in the conference that is 100 per cent rookie,” coach Marg Sihvon told the Medicine Hat News. “Including the coach. So, to finish third is nothing to be down on.” The taller Kudus built a 23-18 lead at the half by patiently pounding the ball into the post. They got their perimeter game on track in the second half and extended their lead to 43-26 after three quarters. “The Kudus knew they were the better team,” said Sihvon. “It was just a matter of going out and doing a good job to show it. SAIT tends to try to run the ball around the outside and we just kept forcing them out further and further. They were shooting the ball from 20 feet out, and their shooters just aren’t that good.” Helenas’ coach Steve Altillo said his troops were disconsolate over their semi-final loss. “I don’t think they really cared about third place.” Rhonda Anderson led the Kudus with 21. Milli Schaaf and Val Johnson each added 10. Colleen McGimpsey and Rhonda Wallace each scored 16 to pace SAIT. The Helenas (coached by Stephen Altillo and Janice McElroy) also included Judy Seidel, Heather Carey, Jillian Brillon, Shelley Drever, Betty Hannah, Gabe Magas, Kelly Miller, Brenda Duft, Delores Schwartzenberger, Sherry Gardin.
In the final, the Mount Royal Cougars dusted the Lethbridge Kodiettes 63-50 after leading 28-27 at the half. Sharyn Bliss paced the Cougars with 16. Rita Steiert added 9 and Maureen Jacques 9. Tournament MVP Peg Hester led the Kodiettes with 16. Brenda Fellger added 12. Cougars coach called winning a fourth consecutive ACAC title “an emotional experience, a special game.” Sharyn Bliss said “we wanted to win for us, for Bob, the school and for everything.” Peg Hester said “we couldn’t get our press to work and they just kept their cool. We lost Malinda Hamilton (knee injury), then Sandy Schamber (sprained ankle) and Diane Irvine fouled out.” Kodiettes coach Darrell Wall told the Lethbridge Herald that “everyone was keyed up for the game. If you’d have given them a piece of raw leather to chew on, they would. They were so hungry for victory. “We played exceptionally well in the game but we got a few bad breaks with injuries and fouls which slowed us down. Everybody was keyed up for the game and gave it their best shot.” But Peg Hester, Denise Hiebert and Diane Irvine all fouled out, while Sandy Schamber and Malinda Hamilton were injured in the first half. The Kodiettes had taken an early 15-10 lead but folded under the Cougars pressure in the second half.
The bronze medalist Medicine Hat Kwahommies: Joanna Van Dam; Milli Schaaf; Ronda Anderson; Val Johnson; Loreasa Clease; Angel Wahl; Dotty Bauman; Jackie Wouters; coach Marg Sihvon
The silver medalist Lethbridge Kodiettes: Peg Hester; Diane Irvine; Denise Hiebert; Brenda Fellger; Sandy Schamber; Malinda Hamilton; Joyce Pavka; Barb Payne; Denise Erickson; coach Darrell Wall; trainer Doreen Gurney
The gold medalist Mount Royal Cougars: Jan Tangjerd; Theresa Steiert; Tracy Lehman; Darla Anderson; Heather McKay; Sharyn Bliss; Maureen Jacques; Lynn Whan; coach Bob Rose