The Sr Girls Netball Club headed to the High School Provincial Championships this past weekend hosted at Burnaby Mountain Secondary. Placed in a pool with Burnaby Central, Centennial High School from Coquitlam, and the Burnaby North "A team" (who they had lost to in 2015 in the finals, in OT, by 1 point), the Cavs knew they had an uphill battle ahead of them.
Luckily, through each game, the girls continued to find confidence and understanding, and managed to win their pool 3-0. The girls were all very positive and flexible, adjusting to the different positions on the court, Ms. McLaughlin made them play.
During the playoff series, the Cavaliers came up against a feisty Gleneagles team and a veteran group of players from Barriere but managed to get past both teams with a comfortable margin of victory.
That set up the finals against a very good Moscrop team, who were the winners of the BNWSSAA league - the best league in the province. It was a very closely matched game, and the Cavaliers showed some nerves at the start but managed to keep the game close going into the half. After a few tweaks and adjustments, the Cavs headed off into the final frame and managed to pull away and seal the win and the championship.
Jacqui Kelly was named MVP for her hard work and tenacity at GD, one of the toughest positions. But truly, all the girls involved were stellar. Brand new to the game this year, Emma R, Charlotte C, Rachael C, and Heather R all played valuable minutes, made great steals, and helped move the ball efficiently up the court, showing improvement each game. Kayleigh G was a force to be reckoned with under the post as GK, intimidating the opponents' shooters. Rachel N was clutch with her "feeding" (passing) of the circle. Muneet G shot an outstanding 85% from the floor as our GA.
Seniors and three-time silver medalists Tiana W and Nikki S-M were fantastic throughout the entire tournament. Tiana was everywhere on the court as the C, making steals and connecting with the shooters from around the circle. And Nikki was cool under pressure, providing poise and guidance to her circle partners as the GS.
Truly, the team was awesome and left the netball community impressed by their accomplishment and teamwork. Hopefully, their success and enjoyment will help encourage more girls to come out and try this fantastic sport next year - speak to Ms. McLaughlin or any of the girls if you are keen!
