The Maple Ridge elementary boys’ basketball team took home the School District No. 42 elementary title, defeating Harry Hooge 30-20 in the final last Wednesday at Pitt Meadows Secondary School.
Maple Ridge was led offensively by Jayden Anderson and Daytin Vidovich, who helped Maple Ridge get out to a double-digit lead by halftime against the previously unbeaten Harry Hooge team.
It was Maple Ridge elementary’s second district title and third final appearance in the past four years, said parent-coach Steve Anderson.
“We played well defensively and got out to early leads,” he said. “I’m really proud of the boys.”
Maple Ridge opened the playoff tournament with a semifinal win over Eric Langton, 40-31. Eric Langton went on to down Davie Jones elementary to take third place at the tournament.
In the girls’ competition, Alouette elementary defeated Eric Langton to take the district title.
Anderson said he was happy to see teachers continue with the annual elementary basketball tournament, despite a voluntary ban on extracurricular volunteering by the local teachers’ union as part of the ongoing contract dispute with the provincial government.
“Everyone involved wanted to finish what we had started for the kids,” he said. “They put in a lot of hard work organizing this. We’re really thankful”
Members of the Maple Ridge elementary boys’ basketball team: Jayden Anderson, Nathan Faccin, Cole Mathews, Jake Pauls, Quinn Sabyan, Daytin Vidovich, Ryan Cordoni, Trey McDonald, Devon Taylor, and Colorado Zelinski.