Final regular season standings:
N (7): Grant MacEwan (22-2); Concordia (19-5); Augustana (16-8); NAIT (9-15); Grande Prairie (9-15); The King’s Univ. College (5-19); Lakeland (4-20)
S (7): Lethbridge (23-1); Mount Royal (21-3); Medicine Hat (14-10); Red Deer (12-12); SAIT (10-14); Prairie Bible (3-21); Briercrest Bible (1-23)
Playoff non-qualifiers:
Briercrest Bible: Kristy Koop, Beckie Dykshoorn, Krista Osborne, Rebecca Delleman, Andrea Moller, Pam Murray, Miriam DeCock, Natalia Winning, Melissa Rose, Candice Armstrong, Erin Woodward
Grande Prairie: Rebecca Beauchamp, Amanda Weber, Janet Teichroeb, Rose Webb, Stacy Billows, Gillian Gook, Jennifer Seeman, Charlene Barendregt, Stephanie Steuernagal, Lorene Brennan, Rilee Letendre, Kelsey Jones, Loretta Lieverse, Kortney Swap
The King’s University College: Christie Darius, Themis Laffitte, Taylor Bean, Sarah Nicolai, Robin Joy, Kristen McCarroll, Megan Rosborough, Danielle Frost, Tracey Webb, Kim Ingwerson, Julie Schenk, Jen Plantinga
Lakeland: Megan Ragush, Suzanne Campbell, Danielle Hopkins, Carissa Smith, Lisa Baranieski, Lori Bender, Kelsey Weighill, Lisa Worobec, Meaghan Hines, Meghan Finn, Shannon Campbell, Sarah Vinge
Prairie Bible: Kim May, Stephanie Morales, Ginny Bryant, Erica Rude, Rhonda Simpson, Shirley Larson, Shamyia Provo, Kasey Klassen, Angela Morales
SAIT: Mara Pratt, Laura Beeksma, Tammy Dubinsky, Jessica Simmis, Krystal Fahie, Bobbi Bachynski, Kristy Haskell, Kelly Post, Natalie Stephenson, Nicky Connell, Whitney Jekobson, Lisa Sarrasin, Jenna Eicheverry, coach Avery Harrison; assistant Ted Harrison; assistant Kara Vanhooren; manager Francis Sta Maria; therapist Brooke Jensen
In the quarterfinals, the Grant MacEwan Griffins defeated the Red Deer Queens 59-48; 61-65; 72-66 (2g-1). …………………………………………………… In game one, Grant MacEwan clipped Red Deer 59-48. Timmery Welsh paced the Queens with 14. Janet Ariss added 8, while nabbing 10 boards. Red Deer hit 2-12 from the line. Queens coach Sharon Hamilton told the Red Deer Advocate that “we played very hard and we played very well. Defensively, we played well enough to win the game our Achilles heel again, we couldn’t score. Good teams put the ball in the hoop and we’re sort of crippled that way.” …………………………………………………… In game two, Red Deer evened the series with a 65-61 win as Michelle Wilson scored 15, Janet Ariss 14, Jessica Barnes 14 and Jessica Gunether 9. The Queens led 29-27 at the half. Queens coach Sharon Hamilton told the Red Deer Advocate that “you can see what happens when we score. Once again, we played excellent defence and we did a much better job of converting our offensive chances than we did in the first game.” Barnes said “we weren’t about to give in to them.” Barnes flipped the ball over her head as she was about to fall out of bounds in the second quarter, in hopes it would find Michelle Wilson under the basket. It went in for a trey. “It was purely a fluke but we’ll take it,” Barnes said. Wilson said “we did a good job of working the ball and finding the open person.” Ariss iced the win with 3-4 from the line in the final minute. Wilson said “that was one of the keys all night – not forcing things. They have a lot of height but we used our quickness and played an inside-outside game. The girls did a good job of getting the ball in to us – we were able to find the players outside and they were hitting their shots. …………………………………………………… In game three, Grant MacEwan took the series with a 72-66 win. Michelle Wilson led the Queens with 22, while nabbing 14 boards. Janet Ariss scored 14 and Timmery Welsh 10. The Queens also included Jessica Barnes, Kahle Erichsen, Kailey Bastura, Jessica Guenther, Jenna Akre, Taylor Jacobson, Jessie Elias, Caitlyn O’Byrne, Raelyn Palmer, Kelsey Sinclair and Pam Koch. Queens coach Sharon Hamilton told the Red Deer Advocate that “it was a hard-fought game. We totally outplayed them three quarters but in the last three minutes they pressured us, got lucky with some non-calls and made a few points. It was just a couple of little things they did to find a way to win at the end. A couple of their players stood up when they were needed.”
The Lethbridge Kodiettes defeated the NAIT Ooks 79-57; 81-50 (2g-0). …………………………………………………… In game one, Lethbridge pounded NAIT 79-57 as player of the game Mickey Folsom scored 29, Laura Campbell 12 and Kathryn Bekkering 11. Nicole Fessler led the Ooks with 17. Jenna Badry added 8. …………………………………………………… In game two, Lethbridge completed the sweep by pounding NAIT 81-50 as Laura Campbell scored 18 and Tara Griffith 16. Nicole Fessler and Lorraine Stelck each scored 10 to lead the Ooks. Campbell told The Endeavour that “we’re always confident. You have to be. We all worked hard. Defence was key.” Lethbridge coach Brad Karren said “in the first half, we kept them to 17 points, which was our goal. Our office kind of comes through our defence.” The Ooks included Nicole Fessler, Jenna Badry, Jill Lindstrand, Lindsay Liber, Cali Payne, Lorraine Stelck, Kelsey Charuk, Anna Hastey, Ashley McNeill, Brandi McGonigal and Tamara Urbanovitch.
The Concordia Thunder defeated Medicine Hat 63-48; 63-45 (2g-0). The Rattlers included Pamela Gottselig, Dana Skorenki, Heather Munro, Sara Nosworthy, Jill White, Janene Hooper, Lindsay Woodward, Clare Tomczyk, Janice Moch, Amanda Anderson, Jocelynne Adams, Sara Sidey and Darine Alame.
In the last quarterfinal series, the Mount Royal Cougars defeated the Augustana Vikings 70-55; 65-55 (2g-0). In game one, Susan Stefan scored 18 to lead Mount Royal. The Vikings included Miriam Mol, Paige Gaudreau, Sophia Thompson, Sara Brown, Joan Wheat, Alana Martinson, Heidi Marciukoski, Erin Mercier, Katie Deuchar, Gillian Hagg, Jamie Doyle and Stephanie Heier.
In the Final Four semis, the Lethbridge Kodiettes nipped the Concordia Thunder 84-81.
In the other semi, the Mount Royal Cougars defeated the Grant MacEwan Griffins 75-66.
In the bronze medal match, the Grant MacEwan Griffins defeated the Concordia University College of Alberta Thunder 62-48. The Thunder (coached by Scott Edwards) included Lisa Francis, Amber Smart, Stephanie Raush, Kayley Brooks, Heather Harasymchuk, Bonnie Hommy, Megan Stevenson, Ashley Nealon, Leanne Barrett, Lauren Green, Nicolle O’Connor, Meghan Stevenson and Erin Slemp.
In the final, the Lethbridge Kodiettes defeated the Mount Royal Cougars 57-50. Alisha Marriott keyed the win with a trey with 90 seconds to play. “The three-pointer was huge,” Kodiaks coach Brad Karren told The Endeavour. “It put a lot of pressure on Mount Royal.” Kodiak starters Micky Folsom and Tara Griffith were forced to bench with early foul trouble but the bench stepped up. “The harder we play on defence, the better we play on offence,” said Karren.
The bronze medalist Grant MacEwan Griffins: Alana Pyzyk; Jill Hanson; Emma Rowbotham; Janet Hatfield; Megan Campbell; Rebecca Hansen; Ashlee-Ann Pigford; Rachel Nosworthy; Rachel Vanderveen; Jessica West; Jolene Stang; Alison Talbot; Sacha Kirkland; Brittany Hardman; Janelle Watson
The silver medalist Mount Royal Cougars: Susan Stefan; Jamie Bell; Joanna Card; Gina Guimont; Erin Jopp; Brittany Paterson; Nadeane Jackson; Lauren Wallace; Jessica Binder; Megan Klaus; Krista McMillian; Ashlee Guise; Natalie Svarich; Savannah Magnussen; Allison Masterson; coach Donovan Martin; assistant Wendy Klassen; assistant Callie Lomenda; therapist Jackie Neidrauer
The gold medalist Lethbridge Kodiettes: Nicole Hanna; Michaela Dilworth; Laura Campbell; Debbie Balderson; Kathryn Bekkering; Karma Jo Kubik; Micky Folsom; Tara Griffith; Deana Dypolt; Karen Bridge; Alisha Marriott; Natasha Arthur; Nisha Nelson; Mandy Burns; Lana Gwilliam; coach Brad Karren; assistant Kim Woolf; manager Erin Hogan; therapist Jim Manzara