In the Saskatoon city final, the Bishop Mahoney Saints clubbed the Nutana Collegiate Blues 64-45. Both teams advanced to the Northern zone playoffs.
In the Northern zone playoffs: …………………………………………………… In the opening round, the Prince Albert Carlton Crusaders crushed the Saskatoon Nutana Collegiate Blues 77-52 as Traci Wallace scored 20 and Barb McLeod 10. Megan McLean led the Blues with 18. Alana Sies added 16. The Blues also included Maia Steinstra. …………………………………………………… The North Battleford Comprehensive Vikings nipped the Saskatoon Bishop Mahoney Saints 42-40 as Charmaine Anderson scored 16. Kim Donoval led the Saints with 20. The Saints (coached by Debbie Ward) also included Kim Donovel, Angie Tittle. …………………………………………………… In the first qualifier, the Prince Albert Carlton Crusaders defeated the North Battleford Vikings 88-51 as Traci Wallace scored 15 and Leigha Dorion 14. Yvonne Snyder led the Vikings with 16. Charmaine Anderson added 10. …………………………………………………… In the repechage, the Saskatoon Bishop J. Mahoney Saints eliminated the Saskatoon Nutana Collegiate Blues 47-40 as Kim Donovel scored 20. Alana Sies led the Blues with 18. Megan Mclean added 11. …………………………………………………… In the second qualifier, the North Battleford Vikings eliminated the Saskatoon Bishop J. Mahoney Saints 55-46 as Sybil Johnson scored 13. Kim Donovel led the Saints with 27. The Saints also included Mandy Youde, Sheryl Greva, Angie Tittle, Brenda Beavis, Julie Tronkiewich.
In the South playoffs: …………………………………………………… In the first qualifier, the Swift Current Ardens defeated the Luther Lions 81-57. …………………………………………………… In the repechage, the F.W. Johnson Wildcats eliminated the Yorkton Regional Raiders 59-43. …………………………………………………… In the second qualifier, the Regina F.W. Johnson Wildcats eliminated the Regina Luther Lions 65-41. The Lins (coached by Sandy Nelson) included Suzanne Meiers, Heather Barnsby, Jennifer Shaw, Heather Christenson, Kasia Murchinski, Laura Laird, Kristine Korven.
In the provincial semis, the Prince Albert Carlton Crusaders dumped the Regina F.W. Johnson Wildcats 51-38 as Christine Ife scored 10 and Traci Wallace 10. Raelene Stelleck led the Wildcats with 14. Jai Fleishhaker added 9.
In the other semi, the Swift Current Ardens clubbed the North Battleford Collegiate Vikings 76-34 as Lisa Wilson scored 30 and Terri Martin 20. Linda Bonse led the Vikings with 11. Charmaine Anderson added 10.
In the bronze medal match, the Regina F.W. Johnson Wildcats edged the North Battleford Comprehensive Vikings 52-51 as Jai Fleishhaker scored 13 and Shelley Anderson 12. Linda Bonse led the Vikings with 20. The Vikings also included Charmaine Anderson, Yvonne Snyder, Sybil Johnson.
In the final, the Swift Current Ardens defeated the Prince Albert Carlton Crusaders 77-57 as Terri Martin scored 27 and Sharolyn Szakacs 14. Christie Ife led the Crusaders with 11. The Ardens built a 20-pont lead in the first half with their full-court pressure. Martin told the Regina Leader-Post that “we do well because we love the game. It’s what you put into it and we put in a lot. We travel all season every weekend and it can get to you. By the end of the season, like now, it’s motivation for the game that keeps us going.” Rookie Ardens coach Lori Garchinski said “they’re very coachable. They accepted me from the start and took it from there. I had strong veterans who helped me and a lot of good younger players. Once we got going, I knew the girls could win this.” Crusaders coach Jackie Smith-Thorsteinson said “we to think of them as a dynasty coming to an end. Swift Current doesn’t take too many teams that seriously, so we thought we’d have a chance if we played a good defensive game. Their front three players ended up killing us, though, and they got title number four.” Martin told the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix that “there’s that added pressure each year with people saying that we should win, no problem. But we played them before and we knew they were tough.” Garchinski said “the height difference was really effective in allowing us to do what we wanted. We try to work the inside game because that’s where our strength lies.” Smith-Thorsteinson said “I don’t think Swift Current took too many teams seriously all year. I think we made them take us seriously though. We wanted to take the smiles off their faces and we did. … Their aura’s not gone, but it’s fading.”
The bronze medalist Regina F.W. Johnson Wildcats: Raelene Stelleck; Jai Fleishhaker; Shelley Anderson; Doreen Chow; Cindy Moss; coach Henry Schubach
The silver medalist Prince Albert Carlton Crusaders: Traci Wallace; Barb McLeod; Christine Ife; Leigha Dorion; Debi Zheetnoff; Carrie Dreaver; Arlene Grassick; coach Jacquie Smith-Thorsteinson
The gold medalist Swift Current Ardens: Terri Martin; Lisa Wilson; Sharolyn Szakacs; Karen Harvey; coach Lori Garchinski