In the quarterfinals, held in Lethbridge, the Picture Butte Sugar Queens, stepping up from the 2A level in Rick Yamagishi’s last year of coaching, stunned the Sherwood Park Salisbury Sabres 45-36. The Sugar Queens took an early 21-9 lead but the Sabres rallied to within 23-20 early in the second half. “We weren’t used to their 1-3-1 zone,” said Picture Butte’s Pam Shimek, who scored 12. “Once we started to adjust, we were getting the ball inside. … Our adrenaline was going so much. We were really pumped up.” Jodi Bocinar paced the Sugar Queens with 13. Nicki Oosterbroek scored 10. Tracey Lee led the Sabres with 14. “I’m very pleased with the kids,” said Sugar Queen coach Rick Yamagishi. “They ran an offence we haven’t run since last year. I was really pleased with Jodi Bodnar. She played another tremendous game.” He added that Theresa Stroeve was equally effective. “Theresa has so much desire, she just runs all night long.”
The Grande Prairie St. Joseph’s Ceinahs dumped the Lethbridge Catholic Central Cittens 45-34. Trailing 28-25 after three quarters, the Cittens battled back to tie the score at 32 with less than three minutes remaining but were outscored 13-2 down the stretch as the Ceinahs hit 9-14 from the free throw line in the final quarter. Christine Beaulieu led the Ceinahs with 17, while Karen Hesse added 16. Margie Gal paced the Cittens with 12. Barb Kortt added 10. “They put tremendous pressure on our guards and denied the wing pass,” said Cittens coach Cal O’Brien. “But the key was the fact we didn’t convert the one-footers.” The Cittens also included Lorraine Beaudin, Laura Bethlehem, Maria Heilman, Sherry McKenna, Lisa Demers, Sherri Malchow, Jackie Riske, Suzanne Rodinyak, Stephanie Quint and Barbara Babott.
The Calgary Bishop Grandin Ghosts dispatched the Edmonton Archbishop O’Leary Spartans 66-55 as Glenna Cardinal scored 35 and Lisa Richardson 18. Karen Kopinsky paced the Spartans with 21.
In the last quarterfinal, the Calgary Henry Wise Wood Warriors crushed the Edmonton Ross Sheppard Thunderbirds 55-25 as Karen Degner scored 31 and Mary Ann Streukens 13. Allison Wintermute and Susan Edwards each scored 6 to lead the Thunderbirds. The Thunderbirds also included Barb McDonald, Connie Penne.
In the semis, the Calgary Bishop Grandin Ghosts survived the Grande Prairie St. Joseph’s Ceinahs 65-62 in double overtime as Lisa Richardson scored 28 and Glenna Cardinal 19. Christine Beaulieu paced the Ceinahs with 30. Ceinahs co-coach Patrick McDonald told the Grande Prairie Herald Tribune that “we were down 48-41 with eight minutes to go. We went into our press and completely rattled them.” Beaulieu fouled out in the first overtime, while Hope Keats fouled out in the second extra session.
In the other semi, the Picture Butte Sugar Queens clipped the Calgary Henry Wise Wood Warriors 46-35 as Jodi Bodnar scored 18, Pam Shimek 12 and Nikki Oosterbroek 12. Karen Degner led the Warriors with 11.
In the bronze medal match, the Calgary Henry Wise Wood Warriors defeated the Grande Prairie St. Joseph’s Ceinahs 61-48 as Karen Degner scored 42. The score was knotted at 28 at the half. Christine Beaulieu paced the Ceinahs with 15. The seven-member Ceinahs (coached by Patrick McDonald and John Witschen) also included Karen Hesse, Lori Wold, Louise Good, Susan Chatin, Laura Wolitski and Hope Keats.
In the final, the Calgary Bishop Grandin Ghosts defeated the Picture Butte Sugar Queens 52-39 to win the crown in their first provincial appearance. Glenna Cardinal paced the Ghosts with 25. The Ghosts led 20-19 at the half. Calgary coach Wayne McDougall said Cardinal was explosive. “She’s played against box-and-ones, she’s been double teamed, but she manages to get her points.” McDougall added that Mary Jo Sorenson, who scored 13, dictated the tempo. “If Mary Jo is playing her game, I think she’s our most valuable player. She broke the press and controlled the ball for us. … “They were concentrating on Glenna and were giving Mary Jo the top. She took advantage of it.” Grandin led 36-26 after three quarters. Nikki Oosterbroek and Jodi Bodnar each scored 14 to lead the Sugar Queens. Picture Butte coach Rick Yamagishi said the team’s performance was “tremendous, because my goal was just to get here. They’ve come up with the big games. … We gave it the best we could, but they were better.” The Ghosts finished 20-8 on the campaign.
The bronze medalist Calgary Henry Wise Wood Warriors: Karen Degner; Mary Ann Streukens;
The silver medalist Picture Butte Sugar Queens: Pam Shimek; Jodi Bodnar; Nikki Oosterbroek; coach Rick Yamagishi
The gold medalist Calgary Bishop Grandin Ghosts: Glenna Cardinal; Lisa Richardson; Mary-Jo Sorenson; Diane Slopek; coach Wayne McDougall