New roster, division for WCI senior girls, but same game and goals

Woodstock College Avenue Knight Aaliyah Thompson cuts to the basket against Tillsonburg Gemini Z. Zwicker. (Jeff Tribe Photo).

Jeff Tribe, Post Correspondent

Seven club players have graduated, and instead of a large A school, Woodstock CI is now a small AA entity. But the game and the goals remain the same for the Red Devils senior girls’ basketball team.

“Still get to WOSSAA (Western Ontario Secondary Schools Athletic Association) said veteran forward Kate Hooker. “Hopefully OFSAA (Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations provincial championships).”

“Try our best,” Avril Craven continued, adding with a smile, “look good doing it.”

While the fundamental goals remain the same, much has changed for the Red Devils. Coach Jason Poole concedes they might not be the smoothest-shooting squad.

“But we’re a good rebounding team. We rebound and transition.”

In practice, that realization and modified approach translated into a 65-22 victory over the visiting Ingersoll DCI Blue Bombers on Oct. 2 at the WCI Devildome. Poole ran successive waves of mixed lineups at the Blue Bombers. Although IDCI had a clear height advantage, WCI’s aggression and court awareness—skills honed through the Red Devils program—propelled them to a commanding 21-0 lead after the first eight minutes, an advantage they eventually stretched to 31 points.

“We’re doing pretty good as a team,” said Craven.

“Coming together using everyone, I think that’s our strength,” agreed Hooker. “We’re all hard workers and everyone has experience.”

“Definitely different,” Craven admitted.

“But it’s working,” Hooker concluded.

Ingersoll’s Bryer Fleming broke off the shutout with under three minutes remaining in the second quarter, following up an initial shot with considerable tenacity.

“Like four (putbacks),” she smiled. “But I did get the first four baskets.”

The Blue Bombers actually outscored the Red Devils 11-10 in the second quarter, playing a much better second half.

“It wasn’t a great game, but… just keep going,” Fleming added.

She finished with a team-high eight points to lead the Bombers. C. Nicholls added six, K. Lindsay five, B. Csincsik one field goal and C. Garcia one free throw. Hooker had a dozen for WCI, Lilli Taylor, Mikaela Runstedler and Kathleen McCreery ten apiece, Ava Bickell eight, Natalia Thomson five and Addison Trepanier, Mallory Hagen-Johnson and Eden Fraser one field goal each.

IDCI guest coach Becky Elliott credited the Blue Bombers for working hard throughout the contest.

“We have a lot of athletes, they have a lot of basketball players,” assessed Elliott, a Blue Bombers alumnus who can regularly be found on the Blue Bombers junior girls basketball bench, looking to help build the program up from that level.

“That’s the goal.”

As the players mentioned, the Red Devils’ senior goal remains WOSSAA and OFSAA. Historically, their pathway to the former was either via an effective bye or qualifying game against what tended to be a weaker opponent.

“We’re not going to get that this year,” says Poole, welcoming the additional challenge - and he believes reward - of their new AA reality.

“Now it’s like if we get there, we’ve earned it.”

TVRA Junior

Tillsonburg Glendale 33, Woodstock College Avenue 13

Although not where they want to be, the Thursday, October 2 game represented progress for the Woodstock College Avenue Knights.

“We did better than other games,” said the Knights’ Aaliyah Thompson. “We all worked together today.”

She led the Knights offensively with five points, teammates Claire Bigham, Adelyn Horinga and Breanna Nevill adding a field goal apiece. S. Monsere had eight to pace the Gemini.

“Are we making progress, are we having fun?” Knights coach Colin McKinnon asked rhetorically. “There you go.”

A ‘football guy’ at heart, McKinnon stepped up to fill a need in the basketball coaching ranks, looking to contribute to the overall program.

“We’re trying to build some skills up so they can go on and join the seniors,” he concluded.

TVRA Southeast Girls Basketball

Senior

Woodstock CI 65, Ingersoll DCI 22

Woodstock College Avenue 32, Tillsonburg Glendale 12

Aylmer East Elgin 34, St. Mary’s 14

Tuesday, September 30

St. Mary’s 37, Glendale 30

Woodstock Huron Park 32, Ingersoll DCI 12

St. Thomas St. Joe’s 32, College Ave 12

Sept. 25

St. Joe’s 34, Ingersoll DCI 14

College Ave 37, St. Mary’s 33

Sept. 23

St. Mary’s 41, Ingersoll DCI 21

Woodstock CI 29, College Avenue 27

St. Joe’s 30, Huron Park 10

Sept. 18

St. Thomas Parkside 38, Woodstock CI 31

Junior

Oct. 2

Woodstock CI 34, Ingersoll DCI 14

St. Thomas Central Elgin 20, Woodstock Huron Park 16

Aylmer East Elgin 33, Woodstock St. Mary’s 24

Sept. 30

Woodstock St. Mary’s 16, Tillsonburg Glendale 13

St. Thomas St. Joe’s 28, Woodstock College Avenue 8

Ingersoll DCI 27, Woodstock Huron Park 20

Sept. 25

St. Mary’s 24, College Avenue 4

St. Joe’s 40, Ingersoll DCI 20

Sept. 24

Woodstock CI 49, East Elgin 29

Sept. 23

Woodstock CI 23, College Avenue 3

Ingersoll DCI 35, St. Mary’s 26

St. Joe’s 38, Huron Park 18

Sept. 18

Woodstock CI 56, St. Thomas Parkside 36