In the opening round, held in Edmonton: …………………………………………………… The top-seeded Spruce Grove Panthers stomped the 16th-seeded Fort McMurray Westwood Community Trojans 72-41. “We were excited, not nervous,” Panthers guard Jenna Harpe told the Spruce Grove Examiner. “We knew we were number one and had a good shot, the hard work we put in over the season gave us comfort and confidence.” The Trojans (coached by Christopher Henneberry, assisted by Mrs. T. Hourihan and managed by Christy Critch) included Asma Abbas, Raphaelle Bechette, Jaylin Boudreau, Jinan Daqqa, Shelby Hearn, Taylor Hourihan, Brittany Latham, Noku Mpofu, Stephanie Nacheff, Sam Peach, Amy Taylor and Brittany Zaharichuk. …………………………………………………… The 8th-seeded Calgary Bishop Grandin Ghosts defeated the 9th-seeded St. Albert Paul Kane Blues 70-65. The Blues (coached by Karen Hurlburt, assisted by Ian McKay and Patti Holtz) included Paige Derworiz, Jenell Desharnais, Britney Hinecker, Allison Hunder, Sydney Hurlburt, Serena Lillo, Rachel McIntyre, Brit Mildenberger, Jordan Powell, Chloe Schell and Ashley Thomas. …………………………………………………… The 4th-seeded Calgary William Aberhart Orange clipped the 13th-seeded Edmonton Strathcona Lords 60-51. The Lords (coached by Robyn Fleckenstein, assisted by Liz Nelson and managed by Wade Rolph) included Madison Chamberlin, Abby Duduig, Haley Gilfallan, Lise Heinricks, Olivia Lakey, Amanda McDonald, Emilia Pangrass, Madison Pon, Katie Rudkevitch, Meisha Scott, Kara Thurston and Lindsey Walsh. …………………………………………………… The 12th-seeded Raymond Comets stunned the 5th-seeded Calgary Western Canada Redhawks 64-61. The Redhawks (coached Sheldon Brady, assisted by Carey Blaskin, and managed by Claire Dube and Annika Hjalte) included Tea Adams, Jordan Blaskin, Jess Cameron, Claire Feasby, Emma Hamitaj, Rochelle Jorgensen, Charity Marlatt, Claire Mitchell, Kamsi Ogbudibe, Jillian Pearce and Megan Pearce. …………………………………………………… The 2nd-seeded St. Albert Catholic Skyhawks whipped the 15th-seeded Calgary E.P. Scarlett Lancers 99-16. The Lancers (coached by Andrew Rasmussen, assisted by Joe Knight and trained by Michael Rowley) included Cassandra Betts, Victoria Deneka, Krista Donkersloot, Alana Johnson, Ginelle Mah, Natasha Pye, Jessica Simpson, Emily Thiessen and Gabrielle Veenstra. …………………………………………………… The 10th-seeded Medicine Hat Kwahommies knocked off the 7th-seeded host Edmonton Jasper Place Rebels 40-31. “We did a better job of moving our feet, chased the shooters off the three-point line and hit our foul shots when we really needed to,” Kwahommies coach Jeff Harrold told the Medicine Hat News. The Rebels (coached by Lauren Green, assisted by Breanne Frizzell and managed by Mackenzie Drefs and Jillian Slamko) included Jocelyn Algeo, Courtney Brodrecht, Alyssa Gerhardt, Olivia Huang, Paige Lakeman, Makenna Ledgister, Morgan Mudge, Airra Raymundo, Maggie Russell, Haily Weaver and Camille Wilson. …………………………………………………… The 3rd-seeded Calgary St. Francis Browns stomped the 14th-seeded Okotoks Foothills Composite Falcons 94-41. The Falcons (coached by Allen Stretton, assisted by Vince Hunter and managed by Joanne Bakker) included Lauren Bailey, Chayle Clark, Bailey Corbierre, Bethany Hardy, Hanna Helton, Shannon Jones, Stephanie Powell, Kennedy Schaalje, Jocelyn Skrilec, Courtney Smith, Katie Stuart, Halle Wood and Joelle Wooldridge. …………………………………………………… The 6th-seeded Cardston Cougars dumped the 11th-seeded Red Deer Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive Raiders 73-53. The Raiders (coached by Kathy Lalor and Dwayne Lalor, assisted by Gradyn Bowd and Fiona Rumohr, and managed by Charlotte Just and Kaitlyn Hounsome) included Bretton Bowd, Morgan deBoon, Kiera Fujimoto, Jenna Hawkes, Kelsey Lalor, Kallie Loewen, Reece McGuire, Shaelyn Moltzahn, Elizabeth Morneault, Molly Rumohr, Nikki Thomas, Sarah Thomas and Jana Tuazon.
In the quarterfinals, the top-seeded Spruce Grove Composite Panthers defeated the 8th-seeded Calgary Bishop Grandin Ghosts 57-50. The Ghosts (coached by Mr. Holowaychuk, assisted by Breanne Frizzell, and managed by Mr. Lyster, Ms. Caron, Ms. Neilsen and Mr. McFarland) included Haley Jackson, Brittany Kachuck, Taryn Kehler, Erin Kehrig, Marina Keyrig, Hannah Patterson, Maya Quiadisimao, Morgan Rackel, Emily Wagner, Lauren Wenc, Katrina Wittenberg and Sam Wittig.
The 4th-seeded Calgary William Aberhart Orange defeated the 12th-seeded Raymond Comets 70-62. The Comets (coached by J.J. Salmon, assisted by Robyn Fairbanks and managed by Parker Johnson) included Nevada Bartsoff, Sam Dewsbery, Brittany Holt, Bretteny Jensen, Dez Jensen, Abby Maxwell, Amy Mendenhall, Haylee Ralph, Megan Sno, Kipty Terry and Teyah Weir.
The 10th-seeded Medicine Hat Kwahommies stunned the 2nd-seeded St. Albert Catholic Skyhawks 65-57. Jenna Spruyt paced the Kwahommies with 15 points and 12 boards. Isabel Rattai added 13 points and 4 steals. Jordyn Kearly added 12 and Mariene Mangosong 12. “They jumped out to a good lead, they were the ones being the aggressors,” Kwahommies coach Jeff Harrold told the Medicine Hat News. “Our defence really stepped up. We did a good job of closing out on their shooters and getting rebounds down the stretch.” The Skyhawks (coached by Paige Gaudreau, assisted by Carly McLennan and managed by John Dedrick) included Jamie Bain, Marina Cain, Lauren Cardinal, Jamie Cole, Sam Dargis, Jessa Ivicak, Marinya Marcichiw, Peyton McNeill, Alexie Pusch, Riki Steward, Aphia Ward and Brielle Wise.
In the last quarterfinal, the 3rd-seeded Calgary St. Francis Browns edged the 6th-seeded Cardston Cougars 70-67. The Cougars (coached by Steven Quinton, assisted by Ken McMurray and Jarom Phillips, and managed by Cassidy Bishop) included Emily Bishop, Justys Conrad, Sadie Duce, Shaylee Farren, Mattlen Gibb, Athena Heninger, Matlin McMurray, Bailey Nelson, Jaycee Nish, Jill Nunn and Melissa Olsen.
In the semis, the top-seeded Spruce Grove Panthers clipped the 4th-seeded Calgary William Aberhart Orange 68-55.
In the other semi, the 10th-seeded Medicine Hat Kwahommies edged the 3rd-seeded Calgary St. Francis Browns 68-66. “It’s an undescribable feeling,” Kwahommies coach Jeff Harrold told the Medicine Hat News. “It was a first for me to win zones. I’m so proud of those girls, it’s amazing.” Isabel Rattai notched 19 points, 4 boards and 3 steals. “We got off to a great start… they brought it back,” said Harrold, who also got 17 points and 10 rebounds from Jenna Spruyt, 13 points from Jordyn Kearly and 12 from Mariene Mangosong. “We talked about playing through the dry spells… Mentally, we really stuck together and hung in there. … Give them credit, they hit some big shots, kept attacking.”
In the bronze medal match, the 3rd-seeded Calgary St. Francis Browns nipped the 4th-seeded Calgary William Aberhart Orange 84-81. The Orange (coached by Brian Hutton, assisted by Bill Garner and managed by Elizabeth Collins) included Chantel Ashauer, Madison Barber, Marnie Garner, Sarah Ghali, Yasman Harvey, Janessa Jordan, Jamie Kerr, Danaka King, Kate Lindsay, Erin Mcintosh, Erin Neufeld and Alexa Spencer.
In the final, the 10th-seeded Medicine Hat Kwahommies continued their magical run by dispatched the top-seeded Spruce Grove Panthers 59-48. Isabel Rattai, Jordyn Kearley and Jenna Spruyt each notched 24 for the Kwahommies. Kathryn Sutherland led the Panthers with 14. Madison Whiting added 13. As South zone champs, heading into the tourney, the Kwahommies felt they were underseeded, coach Jeff Harrold told the Medicine Hat News. “We did feel a little disrespected, but it is what it is. Everyone’s beating everyone, so there wasn’t that clear No. 1 or No. 2. We definitely used that as motivation to prove we deserved a little more. It’s just a great feeling.” The Kwahommies led by six at the half. Panthers coach Dave Oldham told the Spruce Grove Examiner “we couldn’t get the last one and that stings, no question about it. But I’m so proud of who they are as basketball players and young women. What a remarkable season, with the character they’ve shown throughout, the success they’ve had.” Guard Jenna Harpe noted that “I don’t think we matched up very well, they were a lot bigger and stronger. But we knew hard work and perseverance could get us anywhere, our teamwork was unstoppable.” Forward Kathryn Sutherland said “Medicine Hat is not the most skillful team, but they won a lot of close games and had great belief and pride in themselves, proving it doesn’t matter what your ranking is. Plus, we had a lot of things going against us. Injuries, rolling ankles, bloody nose, being sick. All teams have to cope with it, we just had some things not go our way.” The Panthers knotted the score in the second half but the Kwahommies clamped down on defence. “Their size was overwhelming and they protected the rim really well,” said Oldham. “We didn’t knock down a couple outside shots that would have loosened us up and made them play us a little bit more.” Sutherland said “they were getting hands in crossing lanes and we weren’t able to be confident in passing because of it. Playing against their zone was a weakness, they were tenacious on defence.” The Panthers finished 32-3 on the campaign.
The bronze medalist Calgary Saint Francis Browns: Hannah Blischak; Reyna Crawford; Brianna Fehr; Christy Fehr; Grace Guderyan; Madison Holik; Emma Kary; Molly Kavanagh; Jamie MacDonald; Summer Masikewich; Molly Neufeld; Brooklyn Rowe; Meagan Siemasciewicz; Michelle Tiffany; coach Justin O’Connell; assistant Barry Blischak; manager Trista Catonio
The silver medalist Spruce Grove Composite Panthers: Tennille Doige; Jenna Harpe; Alicia Hockett; Holly Johnson; Aiden Kilcommons; Christine Kootenay; Rachel Pearce; Georgia Sherstan; Kathryn Sutherland; Lexie Taylor; Madison Whiting; Vanessa Wild; coach Dave Oldham; assistant Robyn Oldham; assistant Jarett Gravelle; assistant Hailen Dickson; manager James Scalzo; manager Aislyn Lee
The gold medalist Medicine Hat Kwahommies: Danielle McGregor; Ciara Bonogofski; Paige Cooper; Jordyn Kearley; Vanessa MacGregor; Kaesha Milne; Mariene Mongosong; Isabel Rattai; Makayla Schultz; Jenna Spruyt; Kayla Stegan; Tayler Sweet; coach Jeff Harrold; assistant Patty Hinman; manager Mark French