In the opening round, held in Calgary: …………………………………………………… The top-seeded Calgary Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs annihilated the 16th-seeded Lloydminster Comprehensive Barons 102-10. “For some of the younger players it was an eye-opening experience to see the level that some of these players are at. For some of them, it just showed that whether it’s off-season, whether it’s practice, you’ve got to work harder, because when it comes time to play those big schools, there’s no time to waste,” said assistant coach Simon Stang. “Right away, it was just like we got on the court and before we knew it, we were down 20 points.” The Barons (coached by Alexa Sackela-Geiger, assisted by Simon Stang) included Keyanna Bannerman, Kyra Bingham, Nakita Dadzeninnare, Kayley David, Kyla Lindsay, Dayley McKevitt, Haley Seffern, Cheyenne Thorpe, Stephanie Tomkins, Courtney Walter, Emily Walter and Kailee Weber. …………………………………………………… The 9th-seeded Calgary William Aberhart Orange dumped the 8th-seeded Edmonton Harry Ainlay Titans 73-53. The Titans (coached by John Huot, assisted by Nicole Sabourin and Katie Barrett) included Chantel Chenard, Jaycee Conroy-Moser, Mackenzie Cook, Chanese Curtis, Megan Johnson, Heather Killips, Catherine Lee, Mariah Mazer, Emily Moore, Joslyn Peters, Chantel Rysko, Jaclyn Rysko and Emilie Thompson. …………………………………………………… The 12th-seeded Spruce Grove Composite Panthers stunned the 5th-seeded Calgary St. Mary’s Saints 74-64. The Saints (coached by Bill McConkey, assisted by Jim Mooney) included Martina Allen, Jasmine Banahene, Sky Blackkettle, Mariah Blunt, Malayah Bruno, Bernadette Catolos, Libby Feaster, Megan Hings, Madeline Kajusa, Miranda Kirker, Ciera McFadden, Rica Migrino, Alicia Tan and Ritchelle Villanueva. …………………………………………………… The 4th-seeded Cardston Cougars pounded the 13th-seeded Red Deer Lindsay Thurber Raiders 64-49. The Raiders (coached by Kathy Lalor, assisted by Pat Rawlusyk and Angela Lajeunesse) included Bretton Bowd, Rachel Bysterveld, Blyss Gellert, Natalie Holmes, Mikaela Kykkanen, Mikayla Morneault, Emma Newton, Erin Seater, Kennedy Shybunka, Kelsie Smale, Janelle Van Tetering, Cara Vandervlis and Amy Whitesell. …………………………………………………… The 3rd-seeded Calgary Centennial Coyotes dumped the 14th-seeded Grande Prairie Composite Totems 51-43. The Totems (coached by Cherish Esau, assisted by Marti Howard) included Megan Belcourt, Katie Bryson, Chenoa Esau, Kurneesh Garcha, Ashley Gillis, Alicia Hawkins, Sydney Litwin, Janaya Plett, Kayla Raiwet, Riese Rycroft, Alyssa Warwick and Kendra Welk. …………………………………………………… The 6th-seeded Raymond Comets clocked the 11th-seeded Edmonton Archbishop O’Leary Spartans 72-52. The Spartans (coached by Kayla Smart) included Alouth Akot, Anissa Armet, Simone Bain, Raylene Boake, Chianna Castro-Telechea, Gabrielle Jubinville, Fareen Lalani, Jordan Lembryk, Michelle Martyniuk, Michelle Melnyk, Kristyn Smart, Triawna St. Germaine and Megan Tywoniuk. …………………………………………………… The 7th-seeded Calgary Bishop O’Byrne Bobcats dispatched the 10th-seeded Sherwood Park Archbishop Jordan Scots 48-41. The Scots (coached by Brian Anstice) included Geri Anstice, Alyssa Byrne, Alexandra DeGrande, Laureen Duckworth, Kianna Greene, Katlin Handel, Drew Knox, Jeannine Levangie, Stacie MacLean, Aislinn O’Neill, Katherine Piche, Chantal Poscente, Paula Stecyk and Erin Van Kuppeveld. …………………………………………………… The 2nd-seeded Lethbridge Chinook Coyotes stomped the 15th-seeded Airdrie George McDougall Mustangs 60-37. “We put in a really good effort,” said Mustangs head coach Joe McLaughlin. “Our defence was excellent, but our shooting was cold.” The Mustangs (coached by McLaughlin, assisted by Eric DeCou) included Vanessa Alberda, Tory Barber, Stephanie Beerda, Annissa Coish, Cassidy DeCou, Selena Drummond, Hanna Friesen, Amanda Kerry, Mady Kerr, Shae Lewis, Keeley McCormick, Jameica Miller, Ayla Weemaels and Leah Zemp.
In the quarterfinals, the top-seeded Calgary Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs dumped the 9th-seeded Calgary William Aberhart Orange 70-60. The Orange (coached by Julie Farquhar) included Chantel Ashauer, Maddison Bader, Natasha Calkins, Victoria Fong, Brianna Ghali, Alison Harrod, Sarah Jorgenson, Danaka King, Renee Kokts-Porietis, Rachel Koskowich, Erin Mcintosh, Rowan O’Connell, Alana Thompson and Giorgia Van Brunschot.
The 4th-seeded Cardston Cougars crushed the 12th-seeded Spruce Grove Panthers 64-35. “Obviously any time you lose it’s disappointing,” Panthers coach Dave Oldham told the Edmonton Examiner. “But from where we were a week ago, fighting for our lives just to get here, to end up on the A side of the draw and have a special basketball experience on Thursday … we were satisfied with the way things played out.” The Panthers included Jesse Gibson, Leah Goddard, Kirsten Henkelman, Alicia Hockett, Jayden Hooper, Holly Johnson, Kaitlen Kisiloski, Sydney Kumar, Shyanne Walton, Madison Whiting and Vanessa Wild.
The 6th-seeded Raymond Comets dusted the 3rd-seeded Calgary Centennial Coyotes 83-68. The Coyotes (coached by Ken Zelez, assisted by Matt Lewis and Nadine Blum) included Cori Bailey, Nicole Baker, Shania Baptiste, Kassie Chomyn, Jessica Davis, Brooke Franchuck, Amy Georgson, Cassidy Grue, Megan Lewis, Rhyan Spratt and Madisen Sutter.
In the last quarterfinal, the 2nd-seeded Lethbridge Chinook Coyotes stomped the 7th-seeded Calgary Bishop O’Byrne Bobcats 58-40. The Bobcats (coached by Michael Ryall) included Madison Barile, Jenna Beach, Nicole Cvet, Erin James, Marie Joaquin, Hannah Kesler, Jade Olayinka, Chessa Quiambao, Roslyn Silbernagel, Chanelle Simpson and Shenelle Tamminen.
In the semis, the 4th-seeded Cardston Cougars nipped the top-seeded Calgary Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs 44-42. Logan Moncks dominated the final frame, scoring the final six points as she rallied them from a six-point deficit with 45 seconds to play. Cougars coach Steve Quinton told the Lethbridge Herald that “I saw that Sir Winston Churchill team, they’ve got a couple of players and I just didn’t know if we’d be able to handle them. But the girls never doubted. They believed right from the start and it’s hard to argue with them now. They just had the right attitude, the right mindset and put in so much heart and effort. … Logan had to step up for us, we knew if we could get the ball to her, if we could get her the shots, she’d come through. … It feels awesome. I’m so proud of the girls. We play defence, we play great defence. We did all year and we knew that if we were going to go anywhere it was going to be because we could shut them down.” Moncks led the Cougars with 16. Jena Woodward added 10 and Larsyn Webster 8.
In the other semi, the 6th-seeded Raymond Comets dusted the 2nd-seeded Lethbridge Chinook Coyotes 71-54 as Sunder West scored 41, including 16 in the first quarter as the Comets built a 31-9 lead. Makell Hofer added 12. Kacie Bosch led the Coyotes with 20.
In the bronze medal match, the top-seeded Calgary Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs edged the 2nd-seeded Lethbridge Chinook Coyotes 68-65. The Coyotes (coached by Mike Hansen, assisted by Mike Myndio) included Kacie Bosch, Madi Cameron, Kory Cheshire, Tannis Forbes, Sarah Gillis, Katie Keith, Alexa Koshman, Kassidy Leavitt, Jill Muirhead, Miranda Myndio, Taylor Myndio, Taren Nixon and Jill Tatryn.
In the final, the 4th-seeded Cardston Cougars defeated the 6th-seeded Raymond Comets 71-59. It marked the third time that a school had completed the girls-boys AAAA double but the first that it was accomplished with both head coaches being brothers. Steve Quinton coached the boys, and Kevin Quinton the girls. The Lady Cougars victory was especially heartfelt by assistant coach Ken McMurray, who warned the crowd he would likely get a little choked up during his speech. He wasn’t the only member of the coaching staff to get misty-eyed at times. “I’ve been in this game all my life and been to the ‘big dance’ four times – once as a player and three as a coach – and when you get to that point and you keep coming away empty, you sometimes wonder is this ever going to happen for me?” said assistant coach Ken McMurray, who noted that teams coached by college basketball great John Wooden lost time after time before UCLA would go on to win 11-straight championships. “Because we won, I guarantee you, we’ll win it again,” he said. Steve Quinton said the girls took inspiration from the boys 2012 provincial title last season with forward Logan Moncks telling him it was the girls turn this year. He also praised the CHAMPS club basketball program that inspires young players to be a Cougar, and their many coaches in the years in between.
The bronze medalist Calgary Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs: Alex Bean; Danika Ferguson; Hannah Grewal; Nicole Holmes; Kennedy Hughes; Florence Jennings; Christy McHarg; Emily Morales; Natalie Thompson; Emmalee Turner; Beth Vinnell; Mackenzie Whicker; Kyra Woodman; coach Brian Adams; assistant Alison Leathwood
The silver medalist Raymond Comets: Nevada Bartsoff; Brandi Brooks; Mandy Brown; Julie Drew; Jaclyn Heggie; Makell Hofer; Chloe Jardine; Haylee Ralph; Leah Sieben; Jayme Simpson; Sunder West; coach Jentry Salmon
The gold medalist Cardston Cougars: Mikayla Barfuss; Alex Lewis; Sheridan Many Grey Horses; Kendra Mason; Kasey Merrill; Logan Moncks; Breanne Taylor; Teirra Thompson; Larsyn Webster; Britain Wolsey; Jena Woodward; coach Steve Quinton; assistant Ken McMurray