Wounded Red Devil seniors leave their game on the OFSAA court

Delhi Raider Madison Fazekas (right) looks for a teammate under defensive pressure from Woodstock CI's Morgan Smith. (Jeff Tribe Photo)

Jeff Tribe, Echo Correspondent

Woodstock CI’s 39-26 Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) A senior girls’ basketball tournament-opening victory over the Delhi District Secondary School Raiders illustrated the Red Devils’ experience at provincial championships.

It showed WCI’s depth, resilience and ability to adapt, shifting strategy to meet the challenge at hand.

It also featured the loss of two starters, Bavieen Sajjan to a fractured bone in her foot and co-captain Morgan Smith with a broken pinkie finger on her shooting hand. Their injuries combined with a respiratory virus that took fellow starter and co-captain Peyton Barron out of the lineup proved an unwelcome and potentially costly cumulative loss.

“Within five minutes we went from medal contenders to survivors,” said coach Jason Poole, both pleased and proud with how a group of Red Devils without as much experience in big games responded.

“They went in raw, got their feet wet and gave us a chance to win,” he credited. “I was beyond proud of what they did.”

WCI opened its OFSAA quest on Nov. 21 at Kitchener’s Rockway Mennonite College, seeded fifth in the 18-team draw. The 17th-seeded Raiders surprised the Red Devils with a strong first quarter, knocking down a pair of three-point field goals as part of a balanced inside-outside approach leading to a 12-4 lead. WCI’s attempts to press full court were frustrated by both a lack of scoring which limited opportunities, and also Delhi’s ability to move the ball well against pressure.

The Red Devils were able to adjust, shifting to a tenacious person-to-person halfcourt defence which limited Delhi’s outside threat. WCI also displayed its depth, playing all 15 team members during the contest, with 11 seeing significant time on the court, an advantage that played out as the game advanced.

“We’re an all-around team,” said Smith. “Everyone can contribute.”

The Red Devils eked out an 8-6 scoring advantage in the second quarter, taking back control of the game with an 18-5 run through the third. WCI closed within one (20-19) with around five minutes remaining. Delhi’s Maddison Fazekas responded with her second three-point field goal of the game, however the Red Devils kept on coming, Claire Harmer closing the gap on an eight-foot shot between the right baseline and elbow, and then squaring accounts at 23 on a free throw.

Harmer found Kate Hooker at the right elbow for a field goal that gave WCI its first lead of the game (25-23) adding a put-back for a four-point advantage. Smith upped that to seven in the third quarter’s final minute on a strong drive, adding a free throw off a steal. The Red Devils carried their momentum through the fourth quarter, locking up a 13-point come-from-behind victory.

“We’re a gritty team,” said Harmer, “we don’t give up even when we’re down.”

The game hadn’t started well, she admitted.

“But we still played as a team, stayed positive. I think staying positive is a big factor.”

Smith and Sajjan led the Red Devils offensively with ten points apiece, Harmer added five and Hooker, Kaiden Martin and Autumn Vance four points apiece. Mel Steinhoff had 11 for the Raiders with Fazekas adding eight.

Coming to OFSAA together as a team represented a big win said WCI’s Mikaela Runstedler, however, the Red Devils were also looking to be competitive.

“End it on a good note.”

WCI’s depleted lineup dropped a tough 38-35 overtime decision to ESC Nouvelle Alliance the morning of Friday, November 22nd. Vance led the Red Devils offensively with 13 points. The loss was dually tough in both emotional letdown and the fact it pushed WCI into the consolation side of the draw.

“They gave so much in that game,” said Poole. “We needed to lick our wounds, quit feeling sorry for ourselves and refocus on the consolation bracket.”

The coaching staff’s pre-game message was for the Red Devils to leave their game on the court, leaving no room for ‘what-ifs’ during the game.

“And they didn’t,” credited Poole.

WCI would exit the OFSAA A draw with a 32-27 loss to North Lambton SS. Ava Bickell led the Red Devils with ten points.

Sports comes down to a combination of the controllable and uncontrollable, fate, composure and the work players and teams put in Poole summed up.

“It’s easier to swallow this piece with the group of girls we had. Win or lose, they made the whole experience worth it.”

The fact a shared high school basketball experience was coming to an end hit graduating Grade 12 veteran Ava Thistlewaite with around ten seconds remaining in the final game.

“We all started crying,” she recalled, a reaction reflecting regret but also joy at their shared journey, capped as it was at a provincial championship tournament. “It was sad but it was happy to get to do it with all these girls.

“To get to finish it at OFSAA was amazing.”