Final regular season standings:
East (9): Seneca (15-1); Humber (15-1); Algonquin (11-5); Durham (10-6); Georgian (7-9); St. Lawrence-Kingston (7-9); George Brown (5-11); Loyalist (2-14); Sir Sanford Fleming-Peterborough (0-16)
West (7): Niagara (9-3); St. Clair (8-4); Fanshawe (8-4); Mohawk (7-5); Sheridan (6-6); Redeemer (3-9); Algoma (1-11)
Playoff non-qualifiers:
Algoma Thunderbirds: Jessica King, Roberta Reid, Melissa Stumpo, Jennifer Muio, Jennifer Cronin, Alicia Miller, Erin Gordon, Amy Houser, Kara Poldmaa, Amanda Knuff and Courtney Pinder.
George Brown Huskies: Niveal Pastrana, Rochella Reid, Alicia Daley, Diana-Kay Facey, Jessica Boyd, Alison Young, Angela Jonas, Hani Firin, Lyndal Jones, Kisha Roberts, Anika Jarrett, Kathleen Walker, Keshia Ashby, Trisha Francis, Antoneita Howard, Patricia Perez-Gonzalez and Valerie Dulay.
Loyalist Lancers: Jordan McConnell, Ellen McCracken, Amy Rose, Heather Velthuis, Andrea Bonner, Kaela Lalonde, Alex Digenova, Katie Dinning, Stephanie Anderson, Deidre Kelly, Melissa Wynter, Julie Powers, Krystle Laing and Sherika Slack.
Sir Sandford Fleming-Peterborough Knights: Erin Venner, Jennifer Russell, Arita Rasuma, Joanna Woloszczak, Nadine Laform, Nikkie Heseltine, Lindsay Jackson, Sara Blanchet, Kendra Degroot, Ashley Hinchliffe, Jen Coppola, Kimberly Pleizer, Deanna Northey, Cheryl Nethercott, Andrea Rodriguez, Brittany Jefferey and Michelle Coltman.
Humber, Seneca, Niagara and St. Clair qualify automatically for the Final Eight.
In opening round crossover games: …………………………………………………… The Georgian Grizzlies dumped the Fanshawe Falcons 79-62 as Judita Jarkovsky noted 22 points, 19 boards and 9 steals. Cheiko Moriyama added 16, Kristen Adams 13, along with 6 boards. Kim Darch scored 11 and dished 8 assists. Georgian led 39-27 at the half. Jessica Finlay paced the Falcons with 19 points, 11 boards and 5 assists. Meghan McPeak added 15 points, while Penny Ackersviller scored 12 and nabbed 9 boards. The Falcons also included Kristin Bolianatz, Katherine Ford, Julie Yagi, Brooke Symons, Kathryn Gibbs, Amie Baker, Paula Mooney, Jackie Strecker, Chantale Gagne, Sophie Alegbe, Kemesha Campbell and Ashley Weekmark. …………………………………………………… The Mohawk Mountaineers edged the St. Lawrence-Kingston Vikings 49-46 on a late three-pointer by Alexis Rakovac. St. Lawrence led 24-19 at the half and by as many as eight in the first frame. Trailing 43-40 with four minutes to play, the Mountaineers exploded for nine answered points to pull out the win. Rakovac led Mohawk with 14. Susan Shaw-Davis added 12. April Fox led the Vikings with 21. Mellisa Meacham added 14. The Vikings also included Reanne Ogden, Jessica Stang, Rachel Niven, Maysha Townsend, Chansi Lynch, Michelle Huxtable, Sarah miller, Lindsay Hawkins and Danielle Froats. …………………………………………………… The Algonquin Thunder whipped the Redeemer Royals 76-40. The Thunder struggled to score early but maintained their defensive intensity. They eventually to break down the Redeemer zone for easy layups while point guard Jenny Allen began pilfering the ball for layups and built a 44-21 lead at the half. Sophie Caron hit a series of mid-range jumpers and the Thunder guards continued to pilfer the ball as they pulled away down the stretch. Allen finished 27 points, 5 boards and 8 steals. Caron scored 20 while grabbing 7 boards. Samantha Piquette added 11 after missing six weeks on the injury list. The Royals included Jenn Ranter, Hannah Flemming, Alaina Vangoor, Emily Sadlier, Julie Honig, Kara McCarthy, Corianne Janssens, Elspeth Jones, Angela Wiersma, Elizabeth Rauws and Natalie Armstrong. …………………………………………………… The Durham Lords clipped the Sheridan Bruins 52-44. The Lords led 27-19 at the half. Samantha McConnell led Durham with 21 points on 11-12 from the line, 6 boards and 5 steals. Lyndsey McPhillips was named player of the game after notching 8 points, 5 boards and 5 blocks. Caitlin Johannes led the Bruins with 11. The Bruins also include Natasha Dixon, Colleen Robertson, Caity Wright, Tamara Erner, Cassandra Phillips, Charlene Diaz, Rhonda George, Nadene Boothe, Racquel Scott, Roseanne Bailey, Marcia London, Jill Cressman, Kim Cormack and Erika Bedford.
In the quarterfinals, held at Redeemer College in Ancaster, the top-seeded Seneca Sting defeated the 8th-seeded Georgian Grizzlies 81-68 as Tamar Haughton scored 18, Ashley Docking 13, Amanda Orr 12, Natalie Smith 8, Alana Vicks 7, Emily Barclay 4, Natasha Thombs 3 and Tanesha Hardie 2. Chieko Moriyama paced the Grizzlies with 23. Judita Jarkovsky added 18, Krysten Adams 8, Beth Hedges 7, Kim Darch 7, Ayako Nada 3 and Sarah Williams 2. The Grizzlies also included Karly Pomes, Samantha Lee, Amanda Watters, Caitlyn Patrick, Alison Haras and Amanda Haynes.
The 5th-seeded Durham Lords nipped the 4th-seeded Niagara Knights 55-53 as Samantha McConnell scored 24, Lyndsey McPhillips 18, Roxina Foster 4, Krista Colley 2 and Lenna Panou 1. Jamie Fong led the Knights with 18. Abby Cass added 10, Lyndsay Cloughley 9, Paula Shaver 7, Kathlyn McKenna 7 and Jessica James 2. The Knights also included Dana Vandermark, Jessica Daulton, Jaylene Poirier, Amy Stark, Justine Rempel, Marteena Blagrove and Jamie Rylands.
The 7th-seeded Algonquin Thunder stunned the 2nd-seeded St. Clair Saints 48-42. St. Clair led 18-17 after the rhythmless first half in which both teams struggled. The Saints led 42-38 with two minutes to play. But Sophie Caron drove to the hoop for a bucket and then a St. Clair player two-handed Kacie Blundel to the floor at midcourt during a dead ball situation. A technical was whistled. Blundell hit both free throws to knot the score and on the ensuing possession, Jenna Ritchie drilled a 15-foot baseline jumper. Jenny Allen added four free throws to ice it. Caron led Algonquin with 15. Ritchie added 12 and 6 boards. Allen scored 10 on 6-6 from the line, Blundell 6 and Sara Maybee 5. Lindsey Nield led the Saints with 11. Whitney Lucas-Bolger added 9, Katherine Hamilton 7, Nadine Phillip 6, Brianne St. Clair 5 and Jenn Gray 4. The Saints also included Karen Stephenson, Michelle Chauwin, Erin Plummer, Dawn-Christy Malone, Amanda McCarthy, Jackelyn Desjardins and Robyn Bott.
In the last quarterfinal, the 3rd-seeded Humber Hawks nipped the 6th-seeded Mohawk Mountaineers 61-59 as Tanya Castang scored 16, Erin Chamberlain 12, Sarah Moxley 10, Kristina Harse 8, Heidi Jaaskelainen 6, Camila-Joan Ocampo 5, Aleisha Colquhuon 2, Karen Fraser 1 and Shauna Prior 1. Susan Shaw-Davis paced the Mountaineers with 18. Rachelle Moore added 15, Alexis Rakovac 14, Dana Steckle 9, Melissa Zwolak 2 and Janine Hewitt 1. The Mountaineers also included Rachel Boyce, Erinn Belot, Amanda McKinley, Shayla Scott, Simon Pantin and Erin Jensen.
In the semis, the top-seeded Seneca Sting whipped the 5th-seeded Durham Lords 80-58 as Natasha Thombs scored 25, Tamar Haughton 20, Ashley Docking 10, Amanda Orr 9, Heather Elchuk 8, Natalie Smith 4, Lisa Best 2 and Cherrida Brown 2. Samantha McConnell paced the Lords with 17. Lyndsey McPhillips added 15, Carly McGhie 12, Amy Reid 10, Allison Gosse 2, Shaina Hodgson 1 and Krista Colley 1.
In the other semi, the 7th-seeded Algonquin Thunder nipped the 3rd-seeded Humber Hawks 76-74 in overtime. Humber built a 34-32 lead at the half by successfully pounding the ball to Sarah Moxley and Kristina Harse in the blocks. The teams traded the lead until the final minute and then forced overtime at 62-62. In the extra session, both teams got hot. The Thunder took a 74-70 lead but Humber answered with a trey. Sara Maybee added a three throw to make it 75-73. Humber got a free throw and then Maybee was fouled again, hitting one. Caron led Algonquin with 25. Maybee scored 14 and grabbed 9 boards. Jenna Ritchie scored 14 and grabbed 8 boards. Jenny Allen scored 13, Kacie Blundell 6 and Jessica Lapensee 4. Blundell held Hawks star Erin Chamberlain to 12. Tanya Castang paced the Hawks with 15. Sarah Moxley notched 13, Heidi Jaaskelainen 13, Kristina Harse 8, Aleisha Colquhuon 6, Shauna Price 3, Camila Joan Ocampa 2 and Monique Faulknor 2. Hawks coach Denis Perrier told The Coven that “the game was tough. I don’t think we should have lost, but we did, and there had to be a winner and a loser. We didn’t shoot well and we didn’t come ready to play.” Guard Erin Chamberlain said “you can’t blame the refs, but I know that we all felt like we were playing against Algonquin and the refs.”
In the bronze medal match, the 3rd-seeded Humber Hawks dumped the 5th-seeded Durham Lords 61-50 as Erin Chamberlin scored 27, Sarah Moxley 15, Kristina Harse 6, Tanja Castang 6, Shauna Prior 4, Heidi Jaaskelainen 2 and Karen Fraser 1. Samantha McConnell paced the Lords with 21. Lyndsey McPhillips added 12, Amy Reid 6, Carly McGhie 6, Allison Gosse 2, Roxina Foster 2 and Krista Colley 1. The Lords also included Lenna Panou, Shaina Hodgson, Lauren Sisson, Christa Andrews, Anita Poole, Jennifer Medland, Lenna Panou, Nakita Matthews and Jennifer Medland. Hawks guard Erin Chamberlain told The Coven that “we wanted to end our season on a good note and we knew what we had to do. We didn’t want to feel sorry
for ourselves.”
In the final, the top-seeded Seneca Sting thrashed the 7th-seeded Algonquin Thunder 78-54. The Sting exploited Algonquin’s lack of depth by making it a full-court game, streaking out in transition and using a full-court press to wear down the Thunder. Seneca led 8-0 early and maintained roughly that margin til the half, after which they led 35-25. The Sting ran Algonquin into the ground in the second half. The Thunder continued a 23-year drought in failing to capture the title. In fact, back in 1973, when the Thunder last collected an OCAA crown, there wasn’t even a national championship tournament, so they’ve never qualified for the Canadian College Athletic Association championship draw. “We just ran out of gas,” said Thunder coach Brian White. “They ran 10 players at us the entire game and we didn’t have enough after a tough semi last night.” Despite the loss, White was elated with his young team’s development over the season. “It was a great season. We ended up winning silver, which was improvement over the bronze we got last year. Maybe next year, it’ll be our year.” Natasha Thombs paced the Sting with 23. Tamar Houghton added 12, Emily Barclay 10, Amanda Orr 9, Heather Elchuk 8, Alan Vicks 7, Natalie Smith 4, Ashley Docking 3 and Cherrida Brown 2. Jenny Allen and Sophie Caron each scored 17 to pace Algonquin. Sara Maybee added 8, Jenna Ritchie 6, Kacie Blundell 5 and Svetlana Gavric 2.
The bronze medalist Humber Hawks: Tanya Castang; Karen Fraser; Audrey Ngongo; Roxanne Plummer; Sarah Moxley; Josie Brackett; Erin Chamberlain; Heidi Jaaskelainen; Shauna Prior; Sarah Fenwick; Camilla Joan Ocampa; Kimberley Archer; Aleisah Colquhoun; Kristina Harse; Monique Faulknor; coach Denise Perrier; assistant Koren Bogle-Glenn; assistant Paul Pearson; therapist Kyra Lindsay; manager Tracy Brackett
The silver medalist Algonquin Thunder: Sophie Caron; Jenny Allen; Sara Maybee; Jenna Ritchie; Samantha Piquette; Kacie Blundell; Jessica Lapensee; Jessie Simon; Noellee Gordon; Svetlana Gavric; Christine Spice; Brigitte Gratton; coach Brian White; assistant Cara Weiss; assistant John MacInnes; manager Brigitte Gratton
The gold medalist Seneca Sting: Amanda Orr; Cherrida Brown; Ashley Docking; Alana Vicks; Tamar Haughton; Stephanie Wilding; Natasha Thombs; Tenesha Hardie; Emily Barclay; Lisa Best; Natalie Smith; Heather Elchuk; coach Marcy Skribe; assistant Mervin Busby; assistant Craig Walker; assistant Liesa Coleman; therapist Kristin Bokalo