A win over Wetaskiwin gave Stettler’s junior varsity girls the consolation title in a basketball tournament held over the weekend.
The JV girls from William E. Hay Composite High School traveled to Wetaskiwin to compete in the tournament, held Friday, Feb. 13 and Saturday, Feb. 14.
After losing to Leduc in their opening game on Friday, the team defeated Spruce Grove on Saturday morning, with coach Kim Poapst crediting them with skillful passing.
They then faced their tournament hosts in the consolation final, winning 53-47. Poapst noted that the teams had also faced off in Stettler’s season opener in December, in which Wetaskiwin won 65-33.
“They ran the offense very well and passed very well,” she said of Saturday’s game, noting that their challengers suffered in relying too much on certain key players.
The game also saw five Stettler players score seven or more points. The team had a total of 39 foul shots and scored on 18 of them, a 46 per cent success rate.
The JV girls hosted Red Deer’s Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School on Wednesday, Feb. 11, losing 44-41 in a hard-fought match.
Despite the loss, Poapst said she was pleased with the girls’ efforts against a much larger school.
“They’re listening well, they’re trying hard,” she said, noting that they struggled against the visitors’ zone defense. “It’s not lack of effort . . . That’s some of the best ball we’ve played as far as defense.”
Sydney Poapst was the top scorer in that game with 16 points, while Hailey Loeppky and Megan Kobi scored six points each.
Kim Poapst said the team will likely challenge the Stettler senior girls to an exhibition game in the coming weeks to keep them active on the court between now and playoffs.
She said the JV girls were likely looking at a fifth-place berth in playoffs.
JV boys
Stettler’s junior varsity boys also hosted Lindsay Thurber on Feb. 11, losing 87-27 in a blowout match for the visiting team.
Surveying the wreckage, assistant coach Rachelle Campeau acknowledged that it was a tough game but a helpful opportunity for her team.
“It gives them an opportunity to see a speedier game,” she said. “We got to try a couple of new defenses, we got to try our press break against an actual press.”
Tyler Matchett was the high scorer with seven points, while Keegan St. Denis and Mitchell Gudgeon scored six points each.
The boys also competed in the weekend tournament in Wetaskiwin, but results were not available at press time.
Up next
The JV teams will visit Red Deer’s Notre Dame High School on Wednesday, Feb. 18, and are scheduled to compete in playoffs in Red Deer on the weekend of Feb. 27 and 28.