In the opening round, held in Red Deer: …………………………………………………… The top-seeded Raymond Comets stomped the 16th-seeded Fort McMurray Father Mercredi Trappers 107-19. The Trappers included Julia Bonokoski, Kennedy Brass, Rebecca Deloyer, Jessica Gallagher, Caitlin Hulan, Sarah Johnston, Carlene Kennedy, Karissa Kuhr, Sarah MacLeod, Brittany McLean, Cassidie Miller, Naoka Okomoto, Emily Peck and Arica Price. …………………………………………………… The 8th-seeded Edmonton Archbishop O’Leary Spartans dumped the 9th-seeded Calgary Dr. E.P. Scarlett Lancers 78-60. The Lancers included Gianna Craig, Breanna Hanson, Devon Kendall, Courtney Lyall, Theresa Mercier, Veronica Pocza, Kristina Quan, Jordan Reid, Christina Storey, Lauren Tolley, Caitlin Turbach and Aleisha Vaz. …………………………………………………… The 4th-seeded Sherwood Park Archbishop Jordan Scots clubbed the 13th-seeded Red Deer Lindsay Thurber Raiders 85-70. The Raiders (coached by Kathy Lalor) included Hawley Campbell, Jackie Chapman, Sam Clutton, Christie Hackenbrook, Carlee Harrison, Gillian Magnusson, Kayla Newans, Danielle Newton, Jen Peturson, Emily Sylvester, Courtney Symes and Keitlyn Williams. …………………………………………………… The 5th-seeded Calgary St. Francis Browns nipped the 12th-seeded Spruce Grove Panthers 56-54. The Panthers included Serena Barry, Ari Clemens, Rai Hooper, Megan Ivancic, Alana Jensen, Emily Kabotoff, Jordan Marciciw, Lindsey Papenhuyzen, Vanessa Wideman and Cara Zamburek. …………………………………………………… The 2nd-seeded Calgary St. Mary’s Saints crushed the 15th-seeded Red Deer Hunting Hills Lightning 96-42. The Lightning had no response to the transition game of the Saints or the perimeter shooting of guards Claire Colbourne, who drained six treys, and Tilley Ettinger, who notched 4 treys. Colbourne finished with 35. “We wanted to go through all our offensive sets and our defences so hopefully it gets us ready for tomorrow,” Saints coach Bill McConkey told the Red Deer Advocate. “We played them last year in Cardston and they’ve made big strides since then, but then so have we.” Lightning coach said “they’re an outstanding team with a tremendous transition game. Plus (Colbourne) killed us in the first half. I don’t know how many shots she missed, but it wasn’t many.” The Saints exploded to a 17-0 lead before Lexi Kambeitz finally hit a bucket for the Lightning. “We were nervous for sure,” said Lightning post Katelyn McIver. “But once we got the ball rolling, I thought we played better.” The Saints led 29-14, 61-25 and 75-37 at the quarters. “We did a good job of dealing with their pressure defence considering our inexperience and the calibre of team we were playing,” said Potts. “I thought overall we did a pretty good job of executing on offence, but it was our defensive lapses that killed us.” McIver said “basically we came in as one of the lower ranked teams so our mindset was to give everything we had,” said McIver. “I thought we worked hard. We did a great job against their press, but just didn’t shut down their guards soon enough.” The Lightning (coached by Jill Potts) also included Sara Codd, Corbie Fedyk, Brooke Hanson, Lynette Kootwyk, Stephanie Lem, Dacey Livingstone, Whitney Robinson, Morgan Spencer-Lang, Amanda Stonehouse and Ainsley Wright. …………………………………………………… The 7th-seeded Calgary Western Canada Redmen clipped the 10th-seeded Edmonton Harry Ainlay Titans 67-52. The Titans included Lauren Hughes, Rachel Olsen, Alanna Brook, Kelsey Chamzuk, Chelsea Crawford, Michelle Doiron, Jessilyn Fairbanks, Tayt Garbutt, Danielle Gregoire, Kirsten Hansen, Jillian Karpyshyn, Caitlin McDowell, Becky Olsen, Kirsten Peters and Susanna Smetaniuk. …………………………………………………… The 3rd-seeded Cardston Cougars clubbed the 14th-seeded Grande Prairie Totems 81-55. Taylor Pillsworth led the way for the Totems, with 20 points. Erin Corcoran added 11. The Totems also included Kaitlyn Carrell, Dani DePottie, Chelsea Esau, Alison Hodgins, Holly Howard, Asia Knoblauch, Jesse Lariviere, Miriah Saban, Jessica Teichroeb and Jamie Wigmore. …………………………………………………… The 6th-seeded Edmonton Ross Sheppard Thunderbirds whipped the 11th-seeded Airdrie Bert Church Chargers 69-43. Bert Church coach Ian Ferguson said his team dug themselves an early grave right from the tip off. “We came out in a rough start and dug ourselves in a hole. We never really crawled out of it so it was kind of a disappointing first game.” The Chargers included Jillian Hallworth, Kayla Kennedy, Karlee McTavish, Syndi Prince, Maranda Rolfe, Kaytlynn Soroka, Ashley Tyers, Latisha vanHerksen, Stephanie Vermunt, Chloe Ward, Madison Wilson and Kylie Woolf.
In the quarterfinals, the top-seeded Raymond Comets edged the 8th-seeded Edmonton Archbishop O’Leary Spartans 62-57. The Spartans included Adut Bulgak, Richelle Chabot, Samantha Dupras, Ashlynne Gentles, Kaylie Mattiussi, Meagan McIntosh, Lisa Monikowski, Merces Moodie, Cheyenne Pyrozko, Alexandra Racic, Stephanie Treasure, Jennifer Walsh and Alysha Zuczek.
The 4th-seeded Sherwood Park Archbishop Jordan Scots nipped the 5th-seeded Calgary St. Francis Browns 55-53. The Browns included Robyn Griffiths, Chelsey Bertsch, Brittany Craig, Kristen Docherty, Sarah Lee, Karlen Majcher, Karla Miller, Victoria Moretti, Jessica O’Connell, Florence Oloya, Cassidy Osterling and Arianne Sakundiak.
The 2nd-seeded Calgary St. Mary’s Saints stomped the 7th-seeded Calgary Western Canada Redmen 76-42. The Redmen included Dominique Calvert, Brianne Coglon, Jill Festival, Lindsay Grimbly, Jordhynn Guy, Sydney Kernahan, Carleigh Knoll, Erin MacIntyre, Sarah Mackie, Alyssa Morrison, Alex Naylor and Mel Poce.
In the last quarterfinal, the 6th-seeded Edmonton Ross Sheppard Thunderbirds edged the 3rd-seeded Cardston Cougars 78-76. The Cougars included Jennica Barfuss, Shaylee Hanson, Kristen Hartley, Avery Leavitt, Karen Low, Katelyn Nay, Chantai Olsen, Brigitte Russell, Dani Sheen, Jenna Sommerfeldt, Taylor Stepan and Courtney Traweek.
In the semis, the top-seeded Raymond Comets defeated the 4th-seeded Sherwood Park Archbishop Jordan Scots 65-58.
In the other semi, the 6th-seeded Edmonton Ross Sheppard Thunderbirds upset the 2nd-seeded Calgary St. Mary’s Saints 82-77. Midway through the season, Thunderbird guard Sarah Nolette was diagnosed with Acute Disseminated Encephaloyelitis, an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord that paralyzed her legs. She sat on the sidelines and cheered on her teammates. “We didn’t play very well in the first half,” said Saints coach Bill McConkey.
In the bronze medal match, the 4th-seeded Sherwood Park Archbishop Jordan Scots whipped the 2nd-seeded Calgary St. Mary’s Saints 75-55. The Saints (coached by Bill McConkey) included Michala Allen, Claire Colbourne, Allissa Coulter, Lauren Dale, Stephanie Deighton, Tilly Ettinger, Alex Hill, Jordan Hill, Heather Michaluk, Marta Njiessen and Tracy Zahavich.
In the final, the top-seeded Raymond Comets dumped the 6th-seeded Edmonton Ross Sheppard Thunderbirds 68-54 to complete a boys-girls double and collected their second provincial crown in four years. The Comets took command with an 11-0 run to open the second half. They led 31-27 at the half after using their running game to neutralize the Thunderbirds height. “We played them once before and our speed showed in that game and we hoped it would continue tonight,” said Comets guard Katlyn Olsen. She added that they felt the pressure. “But it was easier tonight as this was where we wanted to be and we finally got here.” Comets coach Karie Tollestrup said “I thought we came into this game breathing a lot easier as the pressure of getting to the final was off the girls. You could see everyone was more relaxed and looser. … There’s a real winning tradition in our town. Plus we have so much support from the town and the community. That’s a real benefit. … I don’t have words for it. The girls were just amazed when we saw all those cars and all those people. There was the firetruck and the girls just saw it and there were tears. It was just the way this community supports us. We’re so lucky and so thankful. … It’s satisfying. Ridiculously satisfying. I’m just basking in the peaceful satisfaction of it.” Mackenzie Meeks led the Comets with 14. Natalie Tollestrup added 13 and Olsen 12. Jill Hopkins led the Thunderbirds with 16. Ilhan Ibrahim added 14. Coach Karie Tollestrup told the Lethbridge Herald the town’s response to the win was “unreal. There were 60 or 70 cars waiting for us as we turned to go into town. It was unreal. … I talked to the U of C coach and she said I probably didn’t have a girl in the top 10 of the tournament and I’ve been saying all year we don’t have a legit post player. What we have is a team of girls who would not lose.”
The bronze medalist Sherwood Park Archbishop Jordan Scots: Megan Wickstrom; Jessica Veldhuizen; Jen Pratt; Erin MacKinnon; Alyse McLean; Peyton Achtymichuk; Kennedy Clayton; Kristy Weisgerber; Breanne Thompson; Valerie Diffaro; Marlo Hey; Kaitlyn Hay; coach Brian Anstice
The silver medalist Edmonton Ross Sheppard Thunderbirds: Keshia Gordon; Tammy Tin; Jill Hopkins; Anita Kalistsky; Ilhan Ibrahim; Ari Clemens; Sarah Nolette; Kim Davies; Alaeshia Scott; Michelle Berkovich; Arden Mathieson; Reighanna Reid; Sam Harper; coach Kim Wyley; assistant Perry Feldman; assistant Matt Feldman
The gold medalist Raymond Comets: Ali Cameron; Katlyn Olsen; Carrie Pickering; JuHee Thompson; Natalie Tollestrup; Mackenzie Meeks; Kimber Snow; Keelia Harker; Morgan Maxwell; Becky Sparks; Gabby Williams; Kaitland Hill; coach Karie Tollestrup