Slaying the dragon
Rattlers women top Kodiaks for first time since 2013
Kennedy Werre and the Medicine Hat Rattlers gave new life to the Highway 3 rivalry on Saturday at the Snake Pit.
The fifth-year Rattler forward posted 14 points and 10 rebounds en route to her first career victory over the Lethbridge Kodiaks, 67-48.
“We all came together. It was a rough game but we still pulled through with it and finished strong,” said Werre, whose Rattlers are 2-0 on the Alberta Colleges Athletics Conference season. “We just had to stick together and grind it out.”
Werre joined the Rattlers to start the 2013-14 season. While she quickly became one of the team’s standout players, a victory against the Kodiaks eluded her squad for all 10 meetings over the last four years. Until Saturday that is, when Werre led her squad to its first win over Lethbridge since Jan. 19, 2013.
“It’s one of those things where, when she’s not playing you notice that you’re missing a little something. Even if we’re rebounding and doing well, we’re missing something,” Rattlers head coach Clayton Nielsen said of Werre. “She just brings so much that it makes the other team really focus on her.”
But Werre wasn’t alone in Saturday’s resounding win. All 12 dressed Rattlers saw time on the floor — including several rookies like former McCoy Colt Katelyn Rozdeba, and Hat High alumnus Jordyn Kearley — and none of them wasted it.
“They’re all doing what we’re asking them, both in practices, the shoots, the workouts — then when they get into the game they’re strong,” Nielsen said of his rookies. “They can handle whatever a team gives us. That’s been really helpful, to be able to get that amount of players in so we can rest the people who need rest as we go through the season.”
Kendell Kuntz led Medicine Hat’s offence, going 7-for-17 from the floor and 4-for-5 from the line for a total of 20 points while Kristen Skjonsby added 10 boards. Rozdeba shot 3-for-5 for six points with two steals and Kearley went 3-for-4 at the line.
“I’m really proud of the rookies,” added Rattlers veteran Courtney Henry. “They played really well and they fit in real well with us. They’re not even playing like rookies.”
The Kodiaks mounted their best effort in the fourth quarter — narrowing a 27point gap to 19 while outscoring the Rattlers 18-10 — but it was ultimately too late to erase the daunting deficit.
“We told the girls we can’t ever quit,” said Kodiaks head coach Deanna Dotts. “Our girls didn’t quit. That was a great lesson for us. We brought that back … On a night where there’s not many positives that’s definitely one of them.”
Shayna Mathison put up a doubledouble for Lethbridge with 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Courtney Kwasney added 11 points and six boards from the bench.
Men fall in OT
The Rattlers men’s squad came up just short in their bid to send the fans at the Snake Pit home happy with a pair of victories — but they didn’t go down without a fight.
Collin Ralko and Aaron Cameron both posted 16 points to lead the Rattlers back from a tough start and force overtime.
The Kodiaks got the early jump on Medicine Hat, running up a seven-point lead through the first quarter thanks in part to eight points out of Cory Richardson. But the Rattlers pushed back hard in the second, limiting Lethbridge to just a pair of buckets while rallying to a 26-24 lead at the half.
The shifting momentum continued through the second half until Lethbridge finally managed to run away with the game in overtime. Richardson finished with a team-high 14 points while Cole Crick had eight board and eight points.
Rattlers forward Osato Obaseki posted a game-high nine rebounds in the loss.
The setback puts the Rattlers at 1-1 following Friday’s 93-81 win over the St. Mary’s Lightning.
The Rattlers return to the hardwood Friday in Calgary against the Ambrose Lions (1-0) before both teams make the trip to the Snake Pit Saturday.