The St. Albert Skyhawks are headed in the right direction as the number-one-ranked 4A women’s basketball team in Alberta.
The 2014 provincial bronze medallists and metro Edmonton division one finalists have their sights set on a championship-winning season after their prolific 30-5 performance last season following a historic run of four consecutive 3A championships.
“Our team has set goals this year to surpass our league and provincial finishes from last season,” said Paige Gaudreau, head coach of the 9-0 Skyhawks. “The girls have been working very hard to meet our high expectations. They’re up to the challenge and try to be better each day they’re on the court.”
The repeat winners of the 17th annual Mike Dea Classic and 33rd annual REB Invitational graduated only two players from their 4A provincial debut while adding four Grade 10s to a lineup of eight returnees, including five seniors.
“We had a great start to the season defending our Mike Dea and REB titles,” said Gaudreau of the team’s 6-0 tournament record, highlighted by the 45-33 victory over the Holy Cross Crusaders of Saskatoon in the REB final to become the first women’s team to repeat at the Jasper Place High School competition.
The Skyhawks, Spruce Grove Panthers and Paul Kane Blues are the only metro Edmonton teams to crack the Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association top-10 rankings. The Panthers are second and the Blues are ninth.
Last year the Panthers ended the Skyhawks’ two-year reign as metro champions with a 70-65 decision in the final. It was only the fourth loss of the season for the Skyhawks but their third against the Panthers.
At provincials, the Skyhawks knocked off the Panthers 56-51 for bronze.
Rounding out the top five 4A teams are the Cardston Cougars, St. Francis Browns of Calgary and Centennial Coyotes of Calgary.
The Jasper Place Rebels and Strathcona Lords of the metro league earned honourable mentions in the rankings.
“The coaching staff, the team and myself are very excited to be number one during the first ranking period,” Gaudreau said. “However there is still so much improving to do and a lot of season to go. So although we’re very excited, we realize there is a lot more work to do.”
League play resumes Wednesday for the Skyhawks (3-0) against the Rebels (2-2) at 6:30 p.m. at Jasper Place.
The Skyhawks hoop it up against some strong southern Alberta teams at the Chinook Invitational in Lethbridge Friday. The Skyhawks lost last year’s tournament final 61-40 to the host Chinook Coyotes in what was billed as a showdown between the top-two ranked 4A teams.
Chinook also defeated the Skyhawks 72-69 in the provincial semifinals and in the final lost 61-55 to the Raymond Comets.
Chinook is eighth and Raymond is an honourable mention in the 4A rankings.
