In the opening round: …………………………………………………… The Steveston Packers pounded the Chilliwack Tillicums 54-34 as Jenny Sutton scored 30, while nabbing 12 boards. Elaine Leachman added 9, along with 15 boards. The Packers led 16-15 at the half. Packers coach Anne Gillrie told the Richmond Observor that “it was first-day jitters, I think. In the second half, we changed our press to a half-court trap and we dominated the boards.” Katherine Jacob paced the Tillicums with 13. The Tillicums (coached by Terri McGovern) also included Nettie Schram, Cammie Cronin, Carol Hentze, Yvonne Oosterhof, Coreen Tap, Lisa Peters, Lonni Manweiler, Cheri Edmondson, Colleen Moore, Leanne Sache. …………………………………………………… The Kelowna Red Angels nipped the Terrace Caledonia Kermodes 57-55 after leading 23-22 at the half. The Red Angels quickly got star Kermodes post in foul trouble and held on for the win. Jacquie Semeniuk paced the Red Angels with 19. Valerie Philpot led the Kermodes with 14. Jaci Sturn added 12 and Stacey Buteau 10. The Kermodes (coached by Dave Crawley) also included Leona Tank, Coleen Anderson. …………………………………………………… The Port Coquitlam Secondary Ravens dusted the North Vancouver Carson Graham Eagles 68-39 as Rene Czerwinski scored 27, Cory Williams 22 and Cheryl MacNeill 10. Daphne Armstrong led the Eagles with 17. Deanna Bell added 16. …………………………………………………… The Vernon Panthers dispatched the Nanaimo District Islanders 63-56 in overtime as Kirsten Tollestrup scored 16, Tracy Johnson 14 and Deanna Maloney 10. Shannon Conway paced the Islanders with 29. Jennifer Berreth added 10. Islanders coach Rose Jossul told the Nanaimo Daily News that Shannon Conway “did a good job on Johnson, but she fouled out in overtime.” The Islanders (coach Rose Jossul, manager Jennifer Kobe, manager Naiha Sloan) also included Sue Walthers, Leah Dillabaugh, Deanna Jones, Gail Armbruster, Shawna Sutton, Joanne Danielson, Jennifer Stewart, Tara Kilmister, Shannon Kitchen, Patricia Jones. …………………………………………………… The North Delta Huskies pounded the Alberni District Armada 58-18 as Shelley Johnston scored 15 and Jill Dyck 15. Trennel Tyerman paced the Armada with 18. Anita Madsen added 13 and Traci Callewaert 10. …………………………………………………… The Williams Lake Columneetza Cougars dispatched the New Westminster Hyacks 66-58 as Silvana Burtini scored 21, Jaylyn Leake 11 and Laura Kautman 10. Gurmeet Deol paced the Hyacks with 16. Loriann Racenello added 12 and Kathie Konkin 11. …………………………………………………… The Penticton Lakettes defeated the Courtenay Georges P. Vanier Towhees 65-55 as Kumel Sidhu scored 21. Lise Newham paced the Towhees with 19. …………………………………………………… Mission dusted the Cranbrook Mount Baker Trojanettes 58-33. The Trojanettes (coached by Mr Lackey and Mr McCall, manager Norma Sherret) included Andrea Pendry, Joanne Tegart, Carmen Woods, Val Olson, Shawn Langard, Kelly Clark, Kelly Radlof, Jacqui Thompson, Shannon Hummel and Karine Stephens.
In the quarterfinals, the Steveston Packers defeated the Kelowna Owls, which had been rated the province’s top team for most of the season, 62-57 as 6-1 center Jenny Sutton scored 26. Jacquie Semeniuk led the Owls with 24.
The Vernon Panthers clipped the Port Coquitlam Secondary Ravens 61-48 as Kirsten Tollestrup scored 20. Rene Czerwinski led the Ravens with 34. The Ravens (coach by JoAnna Ward, coach Mike Hind) also included Cory Williams, Cheryl McNeill, Chris Borghardt.
The Penticton Lakettes nipped Mission 52-50 as Lori Tarasewich scored 13 and Kimel Sidhu 13. Marlijanca Rus led the Roadrunners with 16.
In the last quarterfinal, the North Delta Huskies edged the Williams Lake Columneetza Cougars 59-56 as Shelley Johnston scored 25. Sylvana Burtini led the Cougars with 18. The Cougars (coached by Sandy Chambers, manager Connie Laflamme) also included Jay-Lynn Leake, Laura Kautman, Paula Levens, Harjit Pooni, Rava Bassra, Anne Ashley, Cynthia Dare, Angella Johal, Liz Haiz and Linda Elfstrom
In the semis, the Steveston Packers defeated the top-seeded defending champ Penticton Lakettes 52-49 to avenge two mid-season losses (by 17 and 7 points, respectively) as Elaine Leachman scored the winning field goal on an outside jumper in the final minute of play. Steveston, which dominated the boards, was paced by Jenny Sutton 19, Carol Reddin 12 and Cindy Yakemchuk 11. Sheri Campbell paced the Lakettes with 13. “Nobody wants to win more than Jenny Sutton,” said Steveston coach Anne Gillrie. “If you were to cross a tightrope over Niagara Falls to win the B.C.’s, Jenny would be the first to do it.”
In the other semi, the North Delta Huskies defeated the Vernon Panthers 37-34 as Shelley Johnston scored 10. Tracy Johnson paced the Panthers with 17. Kirsten Tollestrup added 10.
In the bronze medal match, the Penticton Lakettes clipped the Vernon Panthers 68-55 as Sharon Grant scored 16. Tracy Johnson led the Panthers with 25. The Panthers also included Lisa Glennie, Deana Malloney, Kirsten Tollestrup.
In the final, the Steveston Packers returned the provincial crown to the lower Mainland by defeating the North Delta Huskies 60-55 as Jenny Sutton exploded for 31. Jo Cantner added 11, Kelly DeRuiter 6, Elaine Leachman 4, Carol Reddin 4 and Cindy Yakemchuk 4. Jill Dueck paced the Huskies with 15. Lynsee Mallett added 14, Cherie Trudeau 10, Joelle Cameron 8, Shelley Johnston 5, Anita Guszowaty 2 and Jodie Biggan 1. Steveston coach Anne Gillrie-Carr noted that her team “matured greatly over the season. Point guard Kelly DeRuiter and guard Carol Reddin were young but tough.” Gillrie-Carr told the Abbotsford News that “I thought we were in control but they just kept coming back for more. North Delta has always been tournament tough. We told our kids to forget about the ratings. Bev Barnes puts fighters on the court and we had a real battle.” Steveston led 29-28 at the half but trailed 43-41 after three quarters. The Huskies led 47-42 but faltered when 5-10 forward Shelley Johnston and forward Joelle Cameron fouled out. Stevenson ripped off an 8-0 run and eventually iced it on an and-one from Sutton. Gillrie-Carr said she told Sutton to stop standing around. “We were having trouble getting inside. I told her to keep moving, taking players with her to open things up. Not only did she do that, she took charge. Great effort from a grade 11.” Barnes said “it’s safe to say we earned our respect here this week. This is when it counts the most.” Sutton told the Richmond Observor that “I think we needed to be down, so we’d have to work harder if we wanted to win. We felt confident. We put everything we had into it and pulled it out.” DeRuiter said “it’s just the way we are. We had to win. There was no doubt in our minds. We wanted it. … I loved it. It proved we’re number one. It was scary but we did it.” Gillrie-Carr said “this is the nicest way to end the season. I don’t think I’ve ever felt we’d never win. Each year, we’ve been close. It just seems like this year, everything came together as we hoped. … It’s funny. I really believed we were going to come back. The kids knew we were going to get back into it. We just had to execute our game plan and that’s what we did. … Our whole focus this year has been team effort. If everyone did their job, we’d be successful. The kids knew that and set themselves some goals and they came out and did it. I just can’t say how happy I am with the level of play we achieved.” Barnes said “I think we certainly surprised a few people. We were ready for them – I think that was indicated by how close the score was.” Barnes added that the focus was on shutting down Sutton. “They played a lot like I expected. We had a game plan to play around her. In the first half, it was working (but) we would up paying the price when we got into foul trouble. We lost our composure and they maintained theirs.”
The bronze medalist Penticton Lakettes: Sheri Campbell; Lori Tarasewich; Sharon Grant; Kimel Sidhu;
The silver medalist North Delta Huskies: Shelley Johnston; Jodie Biggan; Jill Dueck; Lynsee Mallett; Cherie Trudeau; Joelle Cameron; Anita Guszowaty; coach Bev Barnes
The gold medalist Steveston Packers: Jenny Sutton; Elaine Leachman; Carol Reddin; Cindy Yakemchuk; Jo Cantner; Kelly DeRuiter; coach Anne Gillrie-Carr; co-coach Ian MacTavish