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The Crowsnest
Consolidated High School senior boys’ and girls’ squads hosted their respective season openers against the St. Michael’s Dragons from Pincher Creek last Wednesday, December 1st.
The girls kicked things off with a close-matched game, with both teams keeping things in a state of back-and-forth throughout the first period, seeing the score stay generally within one basket.
The Pandas excelled in defense in the first period, working hard to keep the opposing team from landing many of their baskets.
The Dragons were successful in sinking a total of nine baskets, versus the Pandas’ seven, bringing the score to 18-14 for the visiting team at the end of the first period.
The Dragons then scored the first basket of the second period, setting the tone for the rest of the game.
The Pandas were outshot in the second period, primarily due to impressively quick footwork and sharp shooting by the Dragons offense, mainly in the form of Catherine DeCock (#11), Kellie Potts (#12) and Elice Wocknitz (#5).
After a hard played second period by both teams, the score was set at 30-17 heading into half time.
After regaining much of their strength during half time, the Pandas came back with force in the third period, excelling in working together and communicating on the court, scoring several baskets and letting in only six, bringing the score to 42-33 for the Dragons at the end of the third.
The Pandas then took the lead in the fourth period, scoring the first basket 31 seconds in and another 90 seconds later.
However, roles soon reversed and the Dragons took off on a scoring streak, landing six baskets and ending the game 54-40.
In addition to court leadership by Allison Farfus and Captain Galen Paton, Pandas Coach David Vigna commended the hard work of the team’s first year players and veteran player Courtney Green, who scored nine points for the Pandas.
“I thought the girls played very well for our first league game,” said Vigna. |
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“Especially considering Pincher Creek are the defending 1A provincial champions.”
He said the team ran the ball well, played excellent defense and that they really picked things up the second half, while adding that their major weakness was offense.
“Offensively right now we’re struggling a bit,” said Vigna.
“Offense and shooting is how we’re going win those games, so we’ll be working on that.”
He said the girls worked on basic offensive skills at their practice last Thursday following the game, focusing on shooting, layups, dribbling, passing and other basic skills which will help them produce points.
Following the girls’ game, the boys took on the Dragons’ boys’ squad.
The Dragons set the tone of the game, scoring the first basket 10 seconds in, then a second, before the Panthers scored their first basket 90 second later.
Two successful foul shots by Captain Bryan Koentges (#9) and two more by Brennan Smith (#8) helped to bring the Panthers’ total to 14 points, trailing the Dragons by 13 at the end of the first period.
In the second period, the Panthers lacked the explosive energy exhibited by both teams in the first period, resulting in the boys finding themselves unable to sink a single basket.
With an additional nine baskets by the Dragons, the score came to 45-15 for the visiting team heading into half time.
Koentges picked things up a bit in the third period, scoring two baskets and four foul shots, while the Dragons kept up their steady pace and scored another eight baskets and a foul shot, resulting in a 62-24 lead at the end of the third.
In the fourth, two fouls and one basket by Brennan Smith versus 10 successful baskets by the Dragons saw the final score tallied at 82-28.
Both teams will host their next game against Pincher Creek’s Matthew Halton High School Hawks this Wednesday, December 7th.
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