Solid start for south teams at 4A provincials
Six of the eight South Zone teams have advanced to the championship side at the Alberta Schools Athletic Association 4A Basketball Provincial Championships after the opening day Thursday.
On the boys side, the 4A South Zone champion Magrath Zeniths downed the Calgary Foothills Composite High School Falcons 65-54, while the Cardston Cougars downed Calgary Bishop O’Byrne Bobcats 100-80.
The Medicine Hat Mohawks beat the Edmonton Jasper Place Rebels 8175 to advance Thursday, but the Raymond Comets were defeated 10892 by the Calgary Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs.
In the Zeniths win, Taylor Cook led the way for Magrath with 20 points, Parker Clifton added 11 and Brady Tollestrup had 10.
Adam Pahl led the Falcons with 17 points, while Josh Derochie and Tyler Ziehl chipped in with 15 and 10 points, respectively.
In Raymond’s loss to Sir Winston Churchill, Chase Bohne led the way for the Comets with 42 points, including 10 three-pointers.
Boomer Heggie added 28 points for Raymond and Brock Dewsbery drained 11.
The Bulldogs were led by Moreau Amadou with 37 points. Matt Fullerton (29 points) and Pelumi Ajayi (23) also hit double digits for Sir Winston Churchill.
The Mohawks got 18-point performances from Kahden Wright and Anferenee Houmphanh. Bak Nyang hit for 14 points for Medicine Hat and Darin Parker scored 13.
Leading the Rebels was Waktola Eticha with 18 points, while Nebiy Aberra and Ben Krikke each added 14. Emanuel Amaya put up 10 points for Jasper Place.
In girls action Thursday, the secondranked LCI Clippers kicked off provincials with an 83-32 win over the Grande Prairie Charles Spencer Mavericks at LCI.
Leading the Clippers was Jocelyn Neilson with 14 points and Krista Nelson and Hannah Gibb scored 10 each.
For the Mavericks, Josee Caron and Amanda Rothlisberger each scored seven points.
In Raymond, the Comets beat the Spruce Grove Composite Panthers 6759 as Lyvia Jensen led the way with 17 points and Kansas Long added 14.
Jenna Harpe led Spruce Grove with 17 points.
The Medicine Hat Kwahommies also started provincials with a win thanks to a 74-55 decision over the St. Albert Catholic High Skyhawks.
Leading the Kwahommies was Rhiannon Ware with 24 points. Kaesha Milne put up another 12 points for Medicine Hat.
Lauren Cardinal paced the Skyhawks with 13 points and Abby Morrison contributed with 10.
In other girls action Thursday, the Cardston Cougars were relegated to the consolation side following an 8663 loss to the Calgary Centennial Coyotes.
In the late girls game Thursday, the Calgary Western Canada Redhawks beat the Red Deer Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive Raiders 59-51,
Erika Oxsengendler scored 17 points for the Redhawks and Hayley Lalor added 12 points for the Raiders.
The Strathcona High School Lords beat the Okotoks Foothills Composite Falcons 69-62 as Addy St. Hilaire and Tobore Okome each scored 15 points for the Lords.
Hannah Helton and Allison Taylor each put up 18 points for the Falcons and Brooklynn Baker added 11.
On the boys side today, the Zeniths face the fourth-ranked Bishop McNally Timberwolves at 11 a.m. at Raymond High School, while Cougars take on the number-two Harry Ainlay at 1 p.m. also at Raymond High School.
The Mohawks take on the topseeded Edmonton St. Francis Xavier Rams at 11 a.m. at LCI.
The Comets start their day at 3 p.m. when they square off against the Lacombe Composite Rams at Magrath High School.
In other boys A-side action today, Calgary Sir Winston Churchill plays Calgary Lester B. Pearson Patriots at 1 p.m. at LCI.
In girls action today, the Clippers and Kwahommies play at 11 a.m. at Chinook, while the Comets take on Western Canada at 11 a.m. at the Catholic Central West campus.
Cardston kicks off consolation side play at 11 a.m. against the Calgary Foothills Composite Falcons at Winston Churchill.
In other girls A-side play today, the top-ranked Edmonton Jasper Place Rebels face the St. Albert Paul Kane High Blues at 9 a.m. at Chinook and Strathcona takes on Calgary Centennial at 9 a.m. at the Catholic Central west campus.
2A BOYS
At the 2A Boys Provincials at Edson, Claresholm Willow Creek Composite Cobras opened with a 75-61 victory over Glenmary School of Peace River.
Cobras will play Assumption Junior/Senior High from Cold Lake in today’s quarter-finals.
2A GIRLS
At the 2A Girls Provincials at Prairie Christian Academy in Three Hills, Coaldale Kate Andrews Pride dropped their opener to host Prairie Christian 71-46. Pride will play Assumption on the consolation side today.
Immanuel Christian Eagles will see their first action today against David Thompson High of Clearwater County.
3A BOYS AND GIRLS
At the 3A provincials in Medicine Hat, Magrath Pandas opened with a convincing 68-21 victory over Peace Wapiti Academy.
Jenna Taylor, Jianna Hubbard and Ady Strong scored 11 points apiece for the Pandas, who will play Edmonton Christian in the quarter-finals today.
Top seed Taber W.R. Myers Rebels will play their first game today against Bowness.
In the boys’ draw, Taber W.R. Myers Rebels played St. Albert Catholic High on Thursday. No score was available.