In the quarterfinals, held in Rimbey, the Picture Butte Sugar Queens defeated the Carstairs Trojans 45-26 after leading 24-12 at the half. Pam Shimek paced the Sugar Queens with 22. Stephanie Kubik added 8 and Theresa Stroeve 7. Celeste Bazinet paced the Trojans with 7. Carol Heumiller added 6.
Hanna dispatched the Vermilion Marauders 33-29 as Sherry Seaman scored 11 and Dawna Kaster 9. Kim Wasylik led the Marauders with 11. The Hawks lost Una Walsh to a knee injury in the first half.
The Rimbey Spartans slaughtered the Whitecourt Chargers 66-16 as Mavis Tkacik scored 15, Ronda Salmons 14, Holly Stutheit 12, Deanna Wood 9 and Chris Bergesen 5. Maureen Sondergard paced the Chargers with 9. Alexis Ritchie added 4 and Luanne Hunt 3. Spartans coach Joanne Susut told the Red Deer Advocate that “we played the type of game we were looking for … a well-rounded team effort. We wanted to gain some momentum and certainly didn’t want to give them a chance to upset us … They had some size but not the polish … It was one of our best passing games of the season.” Rimbey led 14-4, 29-9 and 51-11 at the quarters.
In the last quarterfinal, the Hughenden Tigers whipped the Sexsmith Sabres 46-20 as Eileen Street scored 12, Lynn Manning 9 and Donna Campbell 6. Dawn Bastien led the Sabres with 8. Shelly Sorken added 6.
In the semis, the Picture Butte Sugar Queens defeated the Hanna 55-10.
In the other semi, the Rimbey Spartans whipped the Hughenden Tigers 50-37 as Deanna Wood scored 16, Ronda Salomons 14 and Holly Stutheit 7. Eileen Street led the Tigers with 16.
In the bronze medal match, the Hughenden Tigers edged the Hanna J.C. Charyk Hawks 44-40. The Hawks included Una (Ina?) Walsh, Dawna Kaster, Sherry Seaman.
In the final, the Picture Butte Sugar Queens defeated the Rimbey Spartans 36-30 after leading 20-10 at the half. Coach Rick Yamagishi told the Lethbridge Herald that defence, discipline and ball control proved the difference. “We controlled the tempo of the game. We’d run our offence and then we’d stall — and that frustrated the whole gym. It was a psychological as much as a physical win. Our defence took away the boards and our seniors in the back court, Pam Shimek and Karen Ayukawa, played well. Shimek broke their press.” Pam Shimek paced the Sugar Queens with 11. Stephanie Kubik added 9, Rose Bergen-Henengouwen 4 and Theresa Stroeve 4. The Sugar Queens led 8-7 after one quarter and 20-10 at the half. Marvis Tkacik led the Spartans with 12. Holly Stutheit added 7 and Deanna Wood 6. Spartans coach Joanne Susut told the Red Deer Advocate that “there were a lot of expectations surrounding this team all year and a lot of pressure. Overall, they handled it extremely well but we were tight early and that did us in.” Yamagishi told the Red Deer Advocate “they had a tough game in the semis and weren’t able to rest their starters much. So we put on a press attempting to tire them out and I feel it worked. But I have to give them credit. They didn’t give up.”
The bronze medalist Hughenden Tigers: Eileen Street; Lynn Manning; Donna Campbell;
The silver medalist Rimbey Spartans: Mavis Tkacik; Holly Stutheit; Deanna Wood; Ronda Salomons; Chris Bergesen; Mary Hunt; Bonnie Robinson; coach Joanne Susut
The gold medalist Picture Butte Sugar Queens: Pam Shimek; Stephanie Kubik; Jodi Bodnar; Karen Ayukawa; Nicki Osterbroek; Theresa Stroeve; Shari Evans; Rose Bergen-Henengouwen; Jeannette Tersteeg; Marietta Vanderheyden; Rose Swartzenberger; Elaine Ayukawa; coach Rick Yamagishi; manager Donna Koenen