The host Maple Ridge Ramblers did it with defense, edging a tough GW Graham team 34-27 Saturday to win their third Grade 8 girls’ basketball tournament of the season.
The Rams trailed after the first quarter and at half time in the final, but outscored the Chilliwack team 20-10 in the second half for a nine-point, foul-filled victory.
Kirsten Senchyna led the Ramblers with nine points and 10 steals against GW Graham. Taylor De Adder had eight points and five rebounds. Aly Heppner also had eight points. Paige Bell added seven points, 10 rebounds and four steals, while Ashleigh Lesser was a defensive standout.
Earlier that day, the Ramblers downed the St. Thomas More Knights 27-18.
Heppner had a team-high seven points. Bell had six points, nine rebounds and five steals. Senchyna also had six points, while Emily Morley netted four. Kaila Barteski had a great game for the Ramblers, while Emma Hall returned from a broken wrist and scored a late basket.
“Great team defense was the difference for us in the two games we played on Saturday,” said head coach Don Herman. “We stayed in front of ball handlers and forced them into bad passes, which we were able to turn into layups.”
He added that Bell did a great job guarding the best players on both STM and GW Graham, while De Adder was outstanding at running the offense and had a key steal and layup in the last minute of the final to secure the win.
Ridge opened the tournament with a 67-9 win over Fleetwood.
Bell led the way with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Heppner scored 12 points, while Senchyna and De Adder both added 10. Barteski had eight points and four steals. Sarah Rowbotham and Emma Adams also played well for the Ramblers, now 18-1 this season.
Ridge was to host the Garibaldi Rebels on Tuesday, and plays at Westview on Thursday.
Curlers rock
The Maple Ridge boys curling teams won silver medals with outstanding curling by Jordan Bell and Cody Davies.
The girls team of Jazzmin Murray, Lea Jensen-Desjardins and Erin Foster placed seventh out of 24 teams.
Own the podium
Ridge wrestlers had some excellent results at the Burnaby Central Wildcat Invite.
National and provincial finalist Cam Hicks led the way, with an outstanding tournament soundly defeating all four opponents while wrestling up a weight class.
“Clearly this was one of Cam’s better tournies, complete domination of all of his heavier opponents,” said coach Bill McCrae.
Canada Summer Games athlete and three time provincial and National champion Payten Smith, pinned all of her four opponents in less than 40 seconds.
Devin McCrae, Kodi Strobel and Greg McKenzie also stood on the top pier of the podium with McKenzie wrestling his best tournament in four years.
Wrestling some marathon close matches was Olivia McDonnell.
Grade 8 phenom Wolfie Wallace lost one match only and had to settle with bronze, as did Lucas Kolobara and Antonio Mina.
Senior girls
The Maple Ridge senior girls basketball team went 2-2 over the weekend at the Centennial Top Ten Tournament, dropping games to W.J. Mouat and Argyle, and getting wins over Terry Fox and Yale.
Kate Head was named to the honorable mention all-star team, identifying her as one of the top 16 players in the tournament.