The St. Albert Skyhawks duplicated last year’s result at the Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association women’s 4A basketball championship.
The difference this year was the Skyhawks were seeded seventh in the 16-team draw in Red Deer instead of second last year at Jasper Place High School.
Both years the Skyhawks lost their quarter-final contests before closing out the tournament with two wins to finish fifth at 3-1.
“I’m very happy with that finish. We played our best basketball overall this year,” said head coach John Dedrick.
The Skyhawks tipped-off provincials by defeating the No. 10 St. Mary’s Saints of Calgary 69-42, lost 81-69 to the No. 2 Jasper Place Rebels and beat the No. 6 Lethbridge Collegiate Institute Clippers 91-71 and No. 5 Spruce Grove Panthers 71-53.
The loss to the Rebels, silver medallists after falling to the No. 1 St. Francis Browns of Calgary 54-46 in the final, was decided in the second quarter when the Skyhawks were outscored by 13 to trail by eight after leading at the end of the first quarter. The Rebels wired three three-balls out of five possessions to kill the team’s momentum.
It was the fifth loss in five games against the Rebels, who knocked off the Skyhawks 61-53 in the metro Edmonton division one final March 5 to finish 15-0 in league play.
The Skyhawks shot the lights out against the Clippers with a staggering 18 three-pointers and also hit double-digit threes against the Panthers.
Sarah Dedrick blocked 29 shots over the four games and Payton MacNeill returned to the lineup after a lengthy absence with concussion issues to give the team a big lift inside.
The Skyhawks were led by the their third-year players: Jamie Bain, Sam Dargis and Aphia Ward, the team-leader scoring wise at provincials. Bain and Dargis also reached double digits in points in tournament action.
The Skyhawks completed their third 4A season at 29-10 overall, including 13-2 in league play, after losing five players to graduation from the 33-5 lineup last season.
Two years ago, the Skyhawks finished 30-5 overall as bronze medallists in their 4A debut after an unprecedented four-straight 3A provincial banners.
This year also marked the fifth consecutive trip to the division one final and third in a row since the merger of the metro and public Edmonton leagues. The Skyhawks won the premier (now division one) championships in 2010, 2012 and 2013 during a run of six finals in the last seven years.
“Overall, it was a great year. The girls played tough, never backed down and competed their tails off,” said coach Dedrick. “The incoming Grade 10s have big shoes to fill but it should be another great team coming up.”
The Paul Kane Blues ended their season with one win in three games at the Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association women’s 4A basketball championship in Red Deer.
Paul Kane, seeded 11th in the tournament, lost their round of 16 opener 68-52 to the No. 6 Lethbridge Collegiate Institute Clippers and in the consolation bracket defeated No. 14 Hunting Hills Lightning of Red Deer 75-47 before dropping a 77-71 decision to the No. 10 St. Mary’s Saints of Calgary 69-42.
Jenelle Desharnais and Bronwen Barter shared the team lead in points against the Clippers with 12.
Alesha Stanley scored 11 against the Lightning. Brit Mildenberger tacked up 10 and Desharnais added eight.
Stanley also tossed in 14 against the Saints. Mildenberger and Anika Steele had eight apiece.
It was the fourth provincials in five years for Paul Kane, consolation finalists the last two years.
Paul Kane finished 22-14 overall, including a 10-4 showing as the metro Edmonton division one semifinalists, with seven Grade 10s on the roster.
Paul Kane graduates two players in Desharnais, the captain and the team’s top player at provincials, and Ashley Thomas.
The 23rd win in 29 games for the Morinville Wolves was Saturday’s consolation final at the Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association women’s 3A basketball championship in Olds.
Suzanne Van Brabant poured in 28 points, highlighted by a team-high five three-balls, and twin sister, Larissa Van Brabant, tacked up 24 in the 72-62 decision over the Holy Trinity Academy Knights of Okotoks.
The Wolves led by six at halftime and seven after three quarters.
Suzanne deposited two threes in the last quarter and Larissa also hit one three as the Wolves outscored the Knights 15-12.
The victory also marked the last game for six Grade 12 Wolves who played together for 10 years: Rachel Bourque, Hannah Froment, Shayla Kachnic, Jennifer Nielsen and the Van Brabant twins.
The three-time reigning North Central zone champions were seeded fifth in the 12-team draw and in the tournament opener defeated the No. 12 Peace Wapiti Academy of Grande Prairie 53-43.
Suzanne led the way with 16 points, Froment sank 13 and Larissa added 10.
The next game the Wolves lost 65-62 to the No. 4 Chestermere Lakes after leading 37-28 at halftime. It was 48-46 Wolves after three quarters.
The Wolves rebounded to beat the No. 8 Strathcona Christian Academy Eagles of Sherwood Park 72-51 after trailing by six at halftime.
Larissa racked up 17 of her game-high points 31 points in the second half, including a nine-point burst in the third quarter, as the Wolves jumped ahead 44-43.
Suzanne collected 12 points in the last quarter for 14 in total.
Froment’s 11 points included three threes during a stretch towards the end of the third quarter and the start of the fourth to help change the momentum of the game.
The team’s 11-player roster featured eight returnees from last year’s ninth place result at provincials. Two years ago the Wolves finished 0-3 at provincials.
