By MorinvilleNews.com staff
Morinville – The MCHS senior boys and girls took to the courts in separate tournaments over the Family Day long weekend but ended their contests with different results. The boys took third in their home tournament Saturday night while the girls pulled off their third consecutive tournament win in Lacombe.
Semi-final hassles
The Wolves entered their home tournament Feb. 17 with a 66-34 victory over visiting Redwater School. The boys entered the semi-finals the following morning with the intention of carrying on to the first place final contest later in the day. However, a couple three-pointers late in the fourth quarter from Louis St. Laurent and some foul troubles for Morinville resulted in the boys being narrowly defeated 64-59.
The boys opponent for the third-place final was Memorial from Stony Plain, a team who had fell 79-74 to Edmonton Christian earlier in the day. Morinville led Memorial 18-13 at the end of the first quarter, but found themselves tied 29-29 at the half. The Wolves entered the third quarter determined to pull ahead and built to a 12-point lead over Memorial at 52-40 by the end of the quarter. The Wolves finished the game 75-61.
Louis St. Laurent, who had knocked the Wolves out of their hopes of playing in final, defeated Edmonton Christian 68-51 to take first place in the Morinville tournament.
Girls take Lacombe
The MCHS Lady Wolves spent the Family Day weekend continuing their winning ways, taking first place in a tournament in Lacombe, their third consecutive tournament win.
In their opening game, the Lady Wolves took on the third seeded 1A team from Daysland, defeating them 52-34. “The game was close for the first half as both teams battled back and forth,” said coach Kent Lessard, noting his team built an eight-point lead by the end of the first half. “In the second half the Lady Wolves really pushed the ball and scored in transition early and often.”
That effort allowed the girls to build a 25-point lead by the end of the third quarter. Although that lead fell slightly in the final quarter, the Lady Wolves earned their victory with a respectable 18-point lead.
Fort McMurray was the Lady Wolves opponent in the semi-final. Despite being a hardnosed team, the Lady Wolves defeated the Fort McMurray squad 47-29.
In the final, the Lady Wolves played the Holy Rosary Raiders from Lloydminster, taking the game and the tournament with a 54-37 win.
“The Wolves came out running but missed easy shots and the Raiders pulled ahead early,” Lessard said, adding his team battled back to earn a 25-17 halftime lead. “In the second half it was a touch and go game as Holy Rosary kept fighting. However, the Lady Wolves pulled away in the fourth quarter winning 54-37.”
wolves feb 18 – 2
Johnny Baillargeon goes for two points in the closing minute of the first quarter Feb. 18.
