Special to the Sydenham Current
The Wallaceburg Tartans Junior Girls Basketball team started the season off on the right note over the weekend.
The team, consisting of 10 Grade 9’s and four Grade 10’s, traveled up the 401 to Guelph for there first games and tournament of the young season.
The Tartans first game of the weekend was against St. James High School from Guelph.
The nerves and jitters were very evident at the start of the game, as the team showed their age.
The game started out a little sloppy, but the young Tartans found there groove going in to the second quarter with a slim 16-11 lead. They took control on the defensive end and did not allow St. James to score a point in the quarter.
With a halftime score of 27-11, the Tartans just kept working on both ends of the floor for the second half and easily pulled away for the first victory of the year 51-29.
Leading the way was Grade 10 Laura Marcus with 21 points.
The Tartans next opponent was a very skilled and tough team from Orangeville.
Right from the opening tip to the final buzzer, this game was always within six points for both teams.
Both the Tartans and Orangeville squad worked extremely hard at both ends of the court with punches and counter punches for 32 minutes.
When the buzzer ended, the Tartans took the victory, 46-40.
Leading the way once again was grade 10 Laura Marcus with 15 and Grade 10 Gabi Whiteye with 8, and Grade 9 Ferrah Blackbird with 7.
Up next was the championship game against Frontenac from Kingston.
Just like the semi-final before, this final may have been more action packed, which is hard to imagine.
Both teams once again went hard at both ends, with runs and counter runs.
This game was with in eight points either way, all game.
The first half showed that neither team was willing to lose the game, you had to earn it.
The halftime score was 25-24 for the Tartans.
The second half did not disappoint the parents in the stands, as both teams just kept attacking, looking for any crack in the armour, but there wasn’t much room to budge.
When the final buzzer went, the Tartans earned a 50-46 win and there first tournament championship of the year.
Leading the way was Blackbird with 14 points.
She was also named game MVP.
Marcus chipped in with 10 points and Grade 10 Abby Mahu added 8 points.
Up next for the Tartans is there LKSSAA league opener at home on Tuesday, September 19 against the Chatham-Kent Golden Hawks at 5:30 p.m.
The Tartans will be in another tournament in Kingsville starting September 22.
– Submitted photo: From left to right/front to back, KJ Ritchie, Abby Mahu, Kayla Nogueira, Katie Forgie, Sam St. Croix, Keely Mccarter, Haley Vancoillie, Coach Jeff Byrne, Laura Marcus, Gabi Whiteye, Enya Gittens, Julia Veenstra, Meagan Berkivns, Ferrah Blackbird and Coach Brooke Lee.
