Coyotes win 2014 CMA Girls Basketball Tournament

Tournament Champs: Chinook Coyotes
Toni Lucas story, photos and videos

There's an atmosphere at tournaments that you don't get at a game. ~ Coach John Lowry

Second place: Notre Dame Pride

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Third Place: Coaldale Christian Titans

2014 CMA Titans

The Castle Mountain Athletic (CMA) Classic Tournament Girls Basketball Tournament was held at Matthew Halton School on Friday, February 7, and Saturday February 8 in Pincher Creek. Seven teams from southern Alberta participated including two JV (younger) teams.

Halton's Hawks - The happiest Consolation winners in town

This was the first time the Senior Girls Hawks and Dragons basketball teams faced each other all season.

There be Dragons

There were a number of tight games throughout the tournament, adding to the excitement.

In the championship game the Chinook Coyotes defeated Notre Dame Pride to win the tournament.

"This is our 12th annual, we didn't have it last year, but we had the eleven years previous to that," said the original organizer, John Lowry who is currently the Head Coach for the St. Michael's Senior Girls.

They planned for 8 teams but there was a cancellation in one team that were going to attend. "We had to do an adjustment to the draw," Lowry explained to make the math of the teams work.
Lowry explained that the Castle Mountain Athletics does run club basketball, after high school basketball season is over.

Dragons vs Pride

"We make sure we give out lots of stuff, because a lot of times you go to tournaments and they don't give you anything. They take the money, and it's thanks for coming," he said about organizing the tournament. All participants got a t-shirt, Player of the games got headbands, Plaques were given out to the teams that won from first place through consolation round. There were other prizes for MVPs and All Stars. "You don't have to be the best player to get something in my tournament, whereas in other tournaments that might be the case."

Hawks Megan McGlynn plays keepaway with Coyotes

"The girls get to have a lot of fun, and some of these teams have come since I have begun. Crowsnest has been at every one, Coaldale Christian has been to at least the last six.  Why we do it is so the kids can get out and have some fun."

Dragons vs Titans

He was appreciative of the sponsors, volunteers and all those that donated to make this tournament a success.  The funds that are raised with raffles and concession helped raise money for local rugby teams.

Games in Order of Play

Game 1:  Kainai Lady Warriors vs Coaldale Christian Titans 37-49

Titans 49, Lady Warriors 37.

Player of the game
Kainai Lady Warriors #12 Teslyn Mountain Horse
Christian Titans Jessica Wierenga

Game 2:  St. Michael's Dragons vs Notre Dame Pride 50-55

This was a tight game throughout, with only a two point difference in scores at the end of the first quarter and a one point difference at the half.  The Dragons defended their key and Notre Dame made some very long plays.  Notre Dame 55, Dragons 50.

Player of the game
Pride #23 Achan Jai
Dragons Jayden Kennedy

Game 3:  Coaldale Christian Titans vs Crowsnest Pass (CNP) Pandas 45-18

The Titans had this one early, and took it to the end.  Titans 45, Pandas 18.

Player of the game
Pandas Brittany Maio
Titans Mackenzie Van Brastenien

Game 4:  Matthew Halton Hawks vs Chinook Coyotes 24-54

Hawks vs Coyotes

This was a hard one on the Hawks home court.  The Coyotes won 54-24.

Player of the game
Hawks Kate Nicas 

Coyotes #11 Jamie Grue

Game 5:  Kainai Lady Warriors vs CNP Pandas 61-43

Lady Warriors vs Pandas

Kainai scored seconds after controlling the tip off, and they dominated the game throughout.  Both teams were in their second game of the day, and it showed.  The Pandas had a short bench with only 7 players while the Warriors could cycle through the bench.

The game was rough, with two Pandas players sidelined for the rest of the game after being hurt, allowing them no substitutions during the game.  The Warriors won 61-43, ending the last game of day one.

Player of the game
Kainai Lady Warriors Shayla
CNP Pandas Danika LaDuke

Halton Hawks

Game 6:  Hawks win overtime thriller with Dragons

This was one of the most exciting games of the entire tournament. Two home town teams that had not faced each other all season, the stands filled at 8:00 am with people cheering for both sides.

During the first and second quarters the game was tied several times, up to a score of 22-22.  Then  Halton  started to pull ahead, ending the half at  up 30-22-30.  The Hawks retained a slim 3 point lead at the end of the third quarter.

The Dragons tied the game 51-51 at the final buzzer, taking us into a 3 minute overtime.

Three minutes was all that was needed for these teams to pour on the effort, the Dragons getting another six points, and the Hawks another seven to become the victors, winning it 58-57. A great tight game that kept everyone on the edge of their seats.

Rebecca Lowry and Dakota Rae VanLoon vie for the ball

"We had some really tight games, St. Mikes and Halton pulled another classic, and went into overtime," said John Lowry.  "Two years ago the Hawks and Dragons went into double overtime during the championship game. St. Mikes won that game."

Alright, break it up

"I thought both teams played really good. It was a competitive, fun game," said Hawks Coach Randy Whitehead.

Player of the game
Dragons Emily Milligan 

Hawks Ashtyn Duncan

Game 7:  Chinook Coyotes vs Coaldale Christian Titans 50-44

This looked like a runaway for the Coyotes who lead by 10 points at the half.  The Titans put on a terrific effort and tightened up the score to a three point difference at the end of the third but could not take it away, final score 50-44 for the Coyotes.

Player of the game
Titans Melissa Oostenbrug
Coyotes Jamie Grue

Game 8:  Notre Dame Pride vs Kainai Lady Warriors 66-54

This was another great game to watch.  The Pride and the Warriors challenged each other to their best efforts.  The game was tied at the end of the first quarter at 12-12.  Although the Pride were ahead for most of the game, it was a slim lead at best, with the teams often within 2 points of the other.

In the end, the Pride won it 66-54, putting them into the Championship game.

Player of the game
Pride #10 Zoe Hicks
Warriors #3 Lakota Day Rider

Game 9:  St. Michael's Dragons vs Castle Titans 60-46

The Tournament was short a team.  "What we did is I approached all the coaches and asked if they would be interested in having a couple of their players play on an exhibition team. They were very receptive to that," said Lowry about the formation of the team.

Dragons and Castle Titans with coaches Sally Woodard and John Lowry

Players joined the freshly minted Titans from Kainai, Notre Dame, St. Michael's, and Coaldale Christian for game 9 of the tournament.  By the happenstance of the tournament results,  it turned out to be the Dragons that the Castle Titans faced.

 Lowry coached the new Titans team against the Dragons he has coached all season.

"It was pretty fun. The girls did excellent. They never played with each other before, and all of a sudden they were together. They communicated really well. There was a team bonding that happened that I was surprised to see that quickly. They had fun with it."

Titan Tamara Parkin, who normally plays with the Dragons, admitted it was a fun challenge to face her own team.  The Dragons took the game by a wide margin, but the camaraderie and spirit of the entire tournament was summed up in this game.

Player of the game
Dragons Carlee Fitzpatrick
Titans #9 Emmanuella Anye

Consolation Round

Game 10:  Crowsnest Pass Pandas vs Matthew Halton Hawks 28-56

The Pandas had two of their seven players benched due to injuries during the last game of the first day.  Showing real Panda Pride they returned and gave their all.  The Hawks walked away from the game with the victory, but the Pandas walked away with their heads held high.

 Player of the game
Pandas Jillian Montabetti
Hawks Dakota Van Loon

Third Place

Game 11:  Coaldale Christian Titans vs Kainai Lady Warriors 

The Titans got an early lead in this game and kept it. The Warriors staged a comeback in the third, but not enough to take the lead.  The Titans won it 47-41.

Player of the game
Titans Jody Boeve
Warriors Mackenzie Scott-Yellowhorn

First and Second Place:  Championship Game

Chinook Coyotes and Notre Dame Pride vied for first and second place in the tournament.  Again this was an exciting game with many ties between the two teams in the first and early in the second quarters.

The Coyotes pulled ahead to 36-25 by the half, then dominated the rest of the game, taking the championship with 81-53.

Player of game
Coyotes Megan Clark
Pride Kate Vogan

MVPs
Coyotes Haylee Johnson
Pride Sammie Weninger

Team All Stars

Dragons - Rebecca Lowry

Pandas - Raegan Jackson

Hawks - Alyssa Barbero

Titans - Leah Tams

Lady Warriors - Iinakay Russell

Coyotes - Sydney Dykslag

Notre Dame Pride - Raquel Pacunayen

*This article has been updated and corrected for accuracy.