In the opening round, held in London: …………………………………………………… The 2nd-seeded Nepean Bell Bruins defeated the 15th-seeded Etobicoke Collegiate Rams 60-42 as Kelly Lightheart scored 22 and Nana Robinson 17. “We started a little slow, it took the girls a while to get used to the new court and the new surroundings, but we really put it together in the second half,” Bruins’ coach Jeff Wilson told the Ottawa Citizen. …………………………………………………… The 8th-seeded Kingston Regiopolis-Notre Dame Panthers edged the 9th-seeded Sudbury Lasalle Lancers 45-41 on a pair of buckets by Mary Jane Besselink in the final two minutes of play. With the score knotted at 39, Panther Elizabeth Dalton pilfered the ball and fed it to Besselink in the blocks and a minute later, the pair worked a perfect give-and-go to ice it. Besselink finished with 28 points. “We did a good job of rebounding in the second half,” Panthers coach Sean Murphy told the Kingston Whig-Standard. “That was the key. We limited them to one shot. They played man-to-man and we handled their pressure.” …………………………………………………… The top-seeded Scarborough Albert Campbell Celtics dispatched the 16th-seeded Toronto Oakwood Barons 60-37. “They’re not a bad team and gave us a lot of difficulty,” Campbell guard Grace Blake told the Toronto Star. “I guess there really isn’t much pressure on them and to top it off we played poorly.” Ann Murray led Campbell scorers with 20. Andrea Constand added 14. Karen Borsutzky led Oakwood with 22. “We went up against a stubborn team that refused to quit like most others we’ve played this season when we grab a big lead,” said Campbell coach Bryan Pardo. “I’m somewhat relieved that game is over and I’d bet Oakwood is going to pull an upset.” …………………………………………………… The 3rd-seeded Windsor John L. Forster Spartans pounded the 14th-seeded Toronto Don Bosco Eagles 73-31 as Roni-Ann Baechler scored 18, all in the first half. They broke to an early 10-2 lead and romped. Although Bosco closed to within 14-8, Forster closed out the half with a 38-4 run. “We were able to do what we wanted on the break. I was surprised how well it worked since we made a few changes to it in the last two weeks. We got the ball up very quickly and they couldn’t get back,” Baechler told the Windsor Star. “I was surprised how well it worked since we made a few changes in the last two weeks. We got the ball up very quickly and they couldn’t get back.” Tonya St. Germain added 12 points and Melinda Pierce 10. “We played extremely well for being off for nearly two weeks,” said Forster coach Tom Halliwill. “Roni-Ann was unbelievable in that first quarter. They couldn’t even inbound the ball because she kept knocking it away. After a while they started looking around just to find her before they did anything. That’s the type of aggressive game we have to get out of her each time. She sets the tempo for us. She was outstanding and we played very well as a team also. The two performances always go together that way.” Baechler said “our bench was a lot younger last year when we went to OFSAA. We’re much deeper now. Almost everyone on the bench has some senior experience. They played extremely well in the second half. They kept things under control. It was certainly surprising being able to sit on the bench in the third quarter in an OFSAA game.” Eagles coach Cathy Casey said “there isn’t much to say after seeing that. We didn’t handle the press very well. We had prepared for their press but it didn’t make much difference. They’re a very good team and certainly full value for where they are seeded.” Tanya St. Germain added 12 for the Spartans, Pierce 10, Sheri Turnbull 7, Anne Macarian 7, Candy McIntyre 5, Sarros 4, Coates 4 and Elliot 2. Bygrave led the Eagles with 14. Fray added 8, Mirandola 4, Ryan 3 and Blaskovic 2. …………………………………………………… The 6th-seeded Sarnia Northern Vikings pounded the 11th-seeded St. Catharines Collegiate Saints 51-35. …………………………………………………… The 13th-seeded Peterborough Crestwood Mustangs stunned the 4th-seeded Oshawa Paul Dwyer Saints 49-44. …………………………………………………… The 7th-seeded Waterloo CI Vikings whipped the 10th-seeded London Lucas Vikings (coached by Vicki Wilson) 52-29 (also reported as 52-30). Waterloo led 5-4, 19-12 and 38-18 at the quarters, taking command with a 13-0 run in the third frame. Waterloo’s Janice Awad scored 17, Nicola Campbell added 13 and Jennifer Hume 10. Campbell told the Kitchener-Waterloo that “I think we all had good case of jitters. I know I was really nervous at the beginning. Then we seemed to get settled and when we started playing defence like we can, it got everybody going.” Vikings coach John Zdrahal said the difference was “just hard work and tough defence … They played a good 1-2-2 zone against our size inside but once we put sustained pressure on them in the second half, it created a lot of turnovers. Heidi Peever led London with 8. Rosanna Muccioli added 7. …………………………………………………… The 5th-seeded Hamilton St. Thomas More Knights clubbed the 12th-seeded Brampton Aquinas 65-34 as Michelle Vesprini scored 17, Cecilia Ormond 13, Jodie Wallace 10 and Juiliana Vesprini 8. Knights coach Lou Friscolanti told the Hamilton Spectator that “there was a lot of run and gun. We got the job done early and everybody was able to play.”
In the second round: …………………………………………………… The Kingston-Regiopolis Notre Dame Panthers defeated the 14th-seeded Weston Don Bosco Eagles 49-43 as Mary Jane Besselink scored 23. The Eagles (coached by Cathy Casey) included Ayodele Bygraves, Susan Frya, Tina Blaskovic. …………………………………………………… The 3rd-seeded Windsor John L. Forster Spartans defeated the 9th-seeded Sudbury LaSalle Lancers 51-43 despite hitting only 17-31 from the line and having star Sheri Turnbull foul out with five minutes to play and the Spartans only leading by 37-35. But they closed it out with a 14-8 run by getting strong contributions from their bench. Turnbull finished with 16. Tonya St. Germain added 14, McIntyre 8, Roni-Ann Baechler 5, Anne Marcarian 3, Pierce 3 and Rogers 2. Hausenblas led the Lancers with 14. Willgos added 8, Morrison 5, Roe 5, Potvin 4, McDonald 3, Olsen 2 and Nutt 2. …………………………………………………… The top-seeded Scarborough Albert Campbell Celtics dusted the St. Catharines CI Saints 75-39. THE SAINTS ARE ALSO REPORTED AS THE BRONZE MEDALISTS IN THE AA DRAW. ONE OF THESE HAS TO BE WRONG. The Saints (coach Walt Szipilewski) include Jay Cushing, Kari Elmes, Joyce Hamm, Lynne Bertrand, Susan Brown, Jackie Fisher, Tracy Skov, Michelle Henderson, Cathy Nelson and Heather Leach. …………………………………………………… The Nepean Bell Bruins defeated Brampton Aquinas 66-47. …………………………………………………… The Sarnia Northern Vikings whipped the Toronto Oakwood Barons 63-39. The Barons (coached by Pat Quigley) included Karen Borsutzky, Pamela McLaughlin, Shauna Jackson. …………………………………………………… The Hamilton St. Thomas More Knights dispatched the Etobicoke Collegiate Rams 55-50 as Jodie Wallace scored 25 and Juliana Vesprini 17. Knights reserves Katie Henry and Rachelle Nurse stepped up when starters Jodie Wallace and Michelle Vesprini got in foul trouble. The Rams were coached by Paul Pearson. …………………………………………………… The London A.B. Lucas Vikings clocked the Peterborough Crestwood Mustangs 42-24. …………………………………………………… The Oshawa Paul Dwyer Saints edged the Waterloo CI Vikings 28-27. The Saints 2-3 zone shut down Waterloo post Janice Hume. Waterloo led 5-4 after one quarter. O’Dwyer led 18-7 at the half. Saints coach heather Lafontaine told the Kitchener-Waterloo Record that an opening round loss “was probably helpful because us in a position of knowing what we had to do today. We knew we had to win and were able to focus our energies in that direction.” Janice Awad led the Vikings with 12. The Vikings (coach John Zdrahal) also included Nicola Campbell, Anita Toogood, Andrea Jalbert, Stacey Cook, Chris Burrow, Takami Ganaha and Michelle Meyer.
In the quarterfinals, the Nepean Bell Bruins defeated the Oshawa Paul Dwyer Saints 73-46 as Jane Roos scored 16 and Kelly Lightheart 15.
The top-seeded Scarborough Albert Campbell Celtics dumped the Kingston Regiopolis-Notre Dame Panthers 56-36. Elaine Blake paced the Celtics with 23 as the Panthers proved unable to contain her in the paint. The Celtics forced a ton on turnovers in the absence of Panther point guard Jackie Doyle, who was diagnosed with strained abdominal muscles and forced to sit out the match. The line-up shuffle undid the Panthers, coach Sean Murphy told the Kingston Whig-Standard. “I moved Elizabeth Dalton into the point-guard spot and started Shari Taylor at the post position. I moved Paula King from the post to a wing. We had to do a lot of restructuring, but the girls played well. … We trailed 28-17 at the half but Scarborough opened up an 18-point lead early in the third quarter and that was the game. It hurt not having Jackie in the lineup because there is so much that she can do. But the rest of the team played well.” Mary-Jane Besselink led the Panthers with 19. The Panthers (coached by Sean Murphy) also included Elizabeth Dalton, Jackie Doyle, Paula King, Bricaire, King, Taylor, Heyman, McDonald, McKenna, Murphy, Pitts, Radley and White.
The 3rd-seeded Windsor John L. Forster Spartans defeated the Sarnia Northern Vikings 47-40 as Roni-Ann Baechler scored 12. Rookie forward Melinda Pierce shut down Sarnia center Linda Veach, holding her to four points, 16 below her season average. “All I had to worry about was front her and getting some rebounds,” Pierce told the Windsor Star. “I just looked around for No. 20 every time. I never looked at her face because I was fronting her. I knew Sheri (Turnbull) would give help from the back. Actually, I didn’t know what she looked like until we shook hands after the game.” Pierce added 8 points, including a pair of free throws that snuffed a late Sarnia rally and made it 39-36 Forster. “We had come back so far to get to 37-36 and those free throws kind of stopped us,” said Northern coach Bob Cornelious. “We had to use up so much effort trying to get back into it. Once we got there, we couldn’t quite make it over the hump.” Forster had opened the second half with a 13-2 run to take a 35-25 lead before succumbing to sloppy ballhandling. Pierce’s free throws ignited a 7-0 run that put the game out of reach. Tonya St. Germain notched 11 for Forster, Sheri Turnbull 11 and McIntyre 5. “I think the key had to be the way Melinda played,” said Baechler. “I can’t believe how well she is playing. Her defence tonight was great. She did exactly what she was told to do. The experience of her being at OFSAA before even though she was a junior owed.” Eagleson led the Vikings with 11. Gabriel added 11, Packer 8, Wood 6 and Veach 4.
In the last quarterfinal, the Hamilton St. Thomas More Knights whipped the London A.B. Lucas Vikings 67-43 (also reported as 66-43) as Heidi Preiner scored 19, Jodie Wallace 17 and Michell Vesprini 5.
In the semis, the 2nd-seeded Nepean Bell Bruins defeated 3rd-seeded Windsor John L. Forster Spartans 66-56 as Jane Roos scored 16, Robinson 15, Kelly Lightheart 14, Martha Sandilands 12, Benasis 7 and MacGregor 2. Forster took an early 21-4 lead but suddenly became unglued as Bell broke to a 36-29 lead at the half and romped. Tanya St. Germain led the Spartans with 22. Roni-Ann Baechler added 22, Sheri Turnbul 6, Pierce 4 and McIntyre 2.
In the other semi, the top-seeded Scarborough Albert Campbell Celtics defeated the Hamilton St. Thomas More Knights 74-52 as Ann Murray scored 30. Heidi Preiner led the Knights with 17. Jodie Wallace added 17. Knights coach Lou Friscolanti told the Hamilton Spectator that “in the second half, we tried a double team with Michelle (Vesprini) in front and Heidi (Preiner) behind her (Murray). They started to dish off to the other kids, thought, and Murray still managed to get her share of points. She stuffed a few of our girls early in the game. … I didn’t have the opportunity to go to our bench. The first five were on the floor for pretty much the entire game. It was a really draining game for our kids because they were so good on the boards and we had to work tremendously hard to get our points. Albert Campbell showed more discipline than I’ve see in other teams. … They had good communication with each other on the floor. That was very noticeable. When we adjusted, you could hear them yelling out the adjustments.”
In the bronze medal match, the 3rd-seeded Windsor John L. Forster Spartans defeated the Hamilton St. Thomas More Knights 71-41 as Sheri Turnbull scored 31, Pierce 19, Tanya St. Germain 8, Roni-Ann Baechler 4, Morrison 4, Anne Marcarian 2 and Dorian 2. Turnbull told the Windsor Star that “it was a lot easier than (the semis). They didn’t have 6-3 people. It was easier for us to get the ball to Melinda and me inside. We got it inside as much as possible and then we went to the boards. If we couldn’t get it in, we just brought it back out and started all over again.” Melinda Pierce added 19 points. “I’m learning more each time I play,” she said. “Sheri has taught and worked with me all season. I don’t have to think what I should do with the ball as much now. I’m much better at getting rebounds and putting them right back up.” Forster blew the game open with a 21-6 second quarter as they took a 47-22 lead at the half. Knights coach Lou Friscolanti said his troops were badly beaten in the paint. “We’re only an averaged sized team but no one was ever done that to us on the boards. They absolutely destroyed us. They beat us with some great post-up moves and they beat us up physically.” Friscolanti told the Hamilton Spectator that “we couldn’t control Windsor’s height. We were the second smallest team in the tournament and it showed in that game.” Michelle Vesprini paced the Knights with 16. Jodie Wallace added 8, Katie Henry 5, Juliana Vesprini 3, Heidi Preiner 3, Cecilia Ormond 2, Ann Goldsmith 2, Mason 1 and Marshall 1. The Knights (coach Lou Friscolanti, assistant Ianazio Fortino) also included Rachelle Nurse.
In the final, the top-seeded Scarborough Albert Campbell Celtics defeated the 2nd-seeded Nepean Bell Bruins 63-42 to earn Metro Toronto’s first title. “We’re very proud to be the first club to do that. It means a lot to the school and to Scarborough,” said coach Bryan Pardo, adding that many were concerned that the Celtics couldn’t take the title because they rarely faced stiff competition during the regular season. “But the girls knew what had to be done, they all played superbly and it was a great meet for us. There was no question we were the best team there. I thought we had a legitimate shot at it last season, but it didn’t work out. That’s why this one was so important. We didn’t want to lose it again. And the girls more than made up for last season’s results.” West Virginia-bound Ann Murray and Grace Blake paced the Celtics, along with Elaine Blake, who was playing with a full knee brace after undergoing arthroscopic surgery earlier in the year. “Those two were just great all meet,” Pardo told the Toronto Star. “No one could stop Grace. She was so quick and her outside shooting was deadly. It was a remarkable year for the team. They did everything you could ask them to.” After some early jitters, Campbell took and 8-6 lead with 3:49 to go in the first quarter and it was clear sailing from then on. The Celtics dominated and totally neutralized the Bruins’ height advantage, while effectively hounding Bell with full-court pressure. Just before the half, the Celtics kept Nepean off the scoresheet for 3 1-2 minutes. “Unbelievable, I told you so,” quipped Pardo. “They played an excellent game. We wanted to run, run, run all over Bell and keep the ball away from their big kids. What a job, they were superb.” Bruin Nana Robinson said “their quickness got to us early, congested things in the key and whenever we tried to get things moving, they were all over us, stealing the ball and causing trouble.” Bruins coach Jeff Wilson had predicted the game to be a lot closer. “I thought 10 points, either way, but I got really worried when they started to pour the points on from the wings. That kid (Grace) Blake was hot as a pistol. Couldn’t stop her and then when we tried, someone else was popping them in.” Bell’s only two losses during a 34-2 season were to the Celtics. Grace Blake paced Campbell with 20 points. Ann Murray added 16, Andrea Constand 13 and Elaine Blake 11. Nana Robinson paced the Bruins with 15. Martha Sandilands added 14.
The bronze medalist Windsor John L. Forster Spartans: Sheri Turnbull; Melinda Pierce; Candy McIntyre; Roni-Ann Baechler; Tanya St. Germain; Anne Marcarian; Tara Elliott; Hannah Morrison; Pierce; Sarros; Coates; Elliott; Dorian;
The silver medalist Nepean Bell Bruins: Nana Robinson; Martha Sandilands; Jane Roos; Kelly Lightheart; Stephanie MacGregor; Katrina Benescis; Alison Korn; Karen Taylor (injured mid-season); Laura Maxwell; Jennifer Irving; Karen Dawson; coach Larry Wilson; assistant Richard Mageau
The gold medalist Scarborough Albert Campbell Celtics: Ann Murray; Grace Blake; Elaine Blake; Andrea Constand; coach Bryan Pardo