In the opening round: …………………………………………………… The top-seeded Outlook L.C.B.I. whipped the Warman Wolverines 64-16 as Rylee Mortensen scored 12. Kaitlin Schmitz led Warman with 7. …………………………………………………… The Dalmeny Cougars defeated Indian Head 54-44. Candace Hueser led Dalmeny while Rebecca Toews was Indian Head’s leading scorer. The Broncos also included Dara Focht, Shana Blenkin, Josie Thomson. …………………………………………………… The Moose Jaw Vanier Spirits stomped the Canora Cougars 66-21 as Caitlin Folk scored 17. Breanne Lozinski led Canora with 9. Vanier opened with an 11-0 run and led 19-4, 31-8 and 50-16 at the quarters. …………………………………………………… The Regina Christian Grizzlies clipped Melville 73-44 after leading 18-12, 34-27 and 54-36 at the quarters. Heather McMaster led the Grizzlies with 22. Karyn Booy added 18. Kelsey Zulyniak paced Melville with 16. Kelsey Lazar added 8. …………………………………………………… The 2nd-seeded Clavet Cougars stomped the Melfort Comets 67-20 as Sarah Thiesson scored 10. Jakke Thiessen led Melfort with 11. Clavet led 37-5 at the half. …………………………………………………… The Lumsden Angels nipped the Prince Albert Collegiate Institute Golden Bears 61-60. PACI held the lead with under 5 minutes to play before Lumsden came back to tie the game with under a minute left. Quinn Hanoski sealed the win from the free throw line with 2 seconds left on the game clock. Talena Scott led Lumsden with 16. Crystal Davidson led the Golden Bears with 35. Lumsden led 26-19 at the half. …………………………………………………… The Outlook Blues dumped the Tisdale Tornados 71-30. Both teams played an inspired first few minutes with the Blues establishing a 5-4 lead. As the perimeter shooting for Outlook started to find its mark the Blues stretched the first quarter lead to 23-7. By half time the Blues had gained controlled of the game with a 45-12 lead. Tisdale continued to play hard throughout the game and the second half score ended up being 26-18 for Outlook. Amber Blow led the Tornados with 6 points while Rayanne Brown put in 15 for the Blues. …………………………………………………… The Shaunavon Silhouettes crushed the Watrous Wildcats 43-26. Both teams struggled to score early in the game and the first quarter ended with Shaunavon leading 13-5. Watrous would close to a few but then Shaunavon would answer back with some timely perimeter shooting. Half time score was 25-17 for Shaunavon. The third quarter and beginning of the fourth saw the game continue in the same manner until Samantha Benesh hit a three midway through the fourth and Shaunavon pulled away. Benesh led the Silhouettes with 11 points and Kelsey Teneycke countered with 11 for the Wildcats.
In the quarterfinals, the Outlook L.C.B.I. Bisons whipped Dalmeny 64-37 as Damara Wig scored 17 and Nicole Akre 10. Candace Hueser led Dalmeny with 12. Brielle Gartner added 11.
The Moose Jaw Vanier Spirits edged the Regina Christian Grizzlies 65-61. The lead seesawed early in the first quarter but by the end Regina had taken control and were up 17-10. The second half was evenly played with Vanier cutting into the lead a couple of times only to have Regina pull ahead. Vanier had a late surge to pull within 31-29 at the half. Vanier started the second half on fire grabbing a small lead and was able to hold it for most of the second half. Vanier led 50-45 after three quarters. With Vanier up 8 with 6 minutes left Regina made their move and tied the game at 57. Some clutch shooting by Vanier in the last two minutes allowed them to come out on top. Kelsey Crone led Vanier with 25. Karyn Booy led Regina Christian with 26. The Grizzlies also included Renee Martens, Brittany Bechard.
The 2nd-seeded Clavet Cougars stomped the Lumsden Angels 74-47 as Katie Hanbidge scored 25. Talena Scott led Lumsden with 12. Nikki Wilke added 11. Clavet led 45-24 at the half.
In the last quarterfinal, the Outlook Blues edged the Shaunavon Silhouettes 50-46. Both teams started the game cautiously and the first quarter ended 12-11 for Shaunavon. The Silhouettes hit their stride in the second quarter and stretched their lead to 25-17 at the half. The third quarter was a very tight affair with neither team able to generate much offense against two outstanding defenses. The Blues found their mark in the fourth quarter hitting three successive threes to tie the game at 37. Two more threes and some quality free throw shooting allowed the Blues to finish the game in the lead 50-46. Samantha Benesh was outstanding for Shaunavon scoring 19 points. Erin McNeill with 18 led the Blues.
In the semis, the 2nd-seeded Clavet Cougars defeated the Outlook Blues 62-48 as Sarah Thiesson scored 20. Rayanne Brown led Outlook with 15. It looked to be either team’s game throughout the first half. The Cougars built the most slender of leads. “We had difficulties finishing some shots,” Cougars coach Heith Drennan told the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix. “I have to give big time kudos to Outlook, they really come out to play today.” Point guard Rayanne Brown led the Blues in more than just setting up the play. She was diving for balls on defence and led her team on offence. With her team nursing a narrow lead in the second half, Cougars captain Melissa Armstrong kicked it up a notch. The silky-smooth shooter swished shot after shot from mid-range during the third and fourth quarters. “That’s been the story of Melissa this year,” said Drennan. “When we were missing shots, Melissa was the one who stepped up and started making them.” Armstrong finished with 14 points.
In the other semi, Outlook L.C.B.I. Bisons defeated Moose Jaw Vanier Spirits 75-65 as Leah Adelman scored 15. Jobey Wills led Moose Jaw Vanier with 23. Spirited ball pursuit by Vanier led to a pile of turnovers in the near upset. From the outset Outlook’s height advantage pushed Moose Jaw’s offence to the outside, while its boisterous fans must have had the Spirits feeling like they were the visiting team, even with the game at a neutral site. The Lady Bisons played poised, led by the steady hand of point guard Leah Adelman. “Amazing,” LCBI coach Bryan Akre said of Adelman to the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix. “We had a couple of leaders who really stepped up.” Trailing 40-29 at the half, Vanier emerged from the dressing room inspired. Its already aggressive ball pursuit was doubled. Turnover followed turnover and the lead whittled away. By the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Spirits had a two-point lead. Jobey Wills and Kehlsie Crone were knocking down three-pointers, while Caitlin Folk was grabbing boards and netting mid-range shots. An aggressive battle ensued in the fourth. “It was an emotional roller-coaster, with ups and downs,” said Adelman. “We just had to find the right balance.”
In the bronze medal match, the Moose Jaw Vanier Spirits defeated the Outlook Blues 65-54 as Caitlin Folk scored 20 and Alisha Amey 15. Rayanne Brown led the Blues with 23. Erin McNeill added 11. The Blues (coached by Lyle McKellar) also included Jordan Redlick, Sarah Butler, Magen McIntosh, Nicole Richards, Maxine Butler, Danielle Anderson, Alyssa Silverthorn, Kaci Halseth, Elise Spigott, Morgan McKellar and Lindsay Solnicka.
In the final, the Outlook L.C.B.I. Bisons edged the 2nd-seeded Clavet Cougars 49-47. It was a replay of the 2007 final, which the Cougars won by five points. Two years ago, the Lady Bisons lost the final by one point after edging the Cougars in the semifinals. “These are two very good basketball programs,” said Lady Bisons coach Bryan Akre. “It’s a pretty good tradition.” Sarah Thiesson was a force for the Cougars in the first quarter, producing 11 of her team’s 17 points. The Cougars led by nine. “We were a little bit anxious at the beginning,” said Lady Bisons point guard Leah Adelman. “Then everything started flowing, we got comfortable and we just took off.” The Lady Bisons limited Thiesson to four points in the final three quarters. She was left grimacing in pain on a devastating blindside screen in the third quarter. Adelman led a potent fast break for the Lady Bisons and knocked down a trio of free throws in the final minute. Adelman finished with a game-high 20 points. With three seconds left and the Cougars trailing by two points, Rochelle Kwochka received an inbounds pass and launched a desperation shot from half court. The ball bounced off the rim, providing an exclamation mark to a –dramatic final. Lisse Lander added 9 for LCBI. Sarah Thiesson led Clavet with 15. Katie Hanbidge added 12.
The bronze medalist Moose Jaw Vanier Spirits: Jobey Wills; Courtney Kelly; Michelle Turcotte; Caitlin Folk; Kehlsie Crone; Alisha Amey; Halsey Shaheen; Taylor Mitchell; Kirstie Dwan; Alex Kowalski; Chloe Froehlich; Allison Gottselig; Linnea Smith; Katie Cotter; Megan Binner; Kathleen Kritoff; coach Bob Gottselig
The silver medalist Clavet Cougars: Ann Hanbidge; Kelsey Cooper; Dani Cyr; Pettiya Fenner; Jessica Kwochka; Melissa Armstrong; Sarah Thiessen; Andrea Lendsay; Rochelle Kwochka; Katie Hanbidge; Erin Beresh; Maria Epp; Danica Cox; Justine Shenher; coach Heith Drennan
The gold medalist Outlook Lutheran Collegiate Bible Institute Lady Bisons: Sydney Little; Rylee Mortensen; Madison Burgess; Leah Adelman; Demara Wigg; Kathleen McCullough; Brianne Knutson; Nicole Akre; Paige Lemke; Holly Chappell; Lisse Lander; Jessey Dahlseide; coach Bryan Akre