Dakota dynasty within reach

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This article was published 12/03/2024 (910 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Dakota Lancers endured a 31-year provincial varsity girls high school basketball championship drought before finally capturing the AAAA crown in 2022 and then retaining it a year later.

The squad has no intention of loosening its grip now.

Dakota, ranked No.1 in Manitoba, is set to collide with the fourth-ranked Daniel McIntyre Maroons in one of two championship semifinals this week.

Game time Wednesday is 6 p.m. at Investors Group Athletic Centre on the University of Manitoba campus.

The two-time defending champions trounced the Westwood Warriors 121-48 in the quarterfinals on Saturday, while the Maroons knocked off the Sisler Spartans 78-55.

The Lancers varsity girls program reigned supreme in 1990 and ’91 before going three decades without prevailing again. They now have an opportunity to duplicate the ‘three-peats’ registered by the Oak Park Raiders (2016-19) and the Glenlawn Lions (1999-2002).

“A lot of us feel this is pretty historic, and it will be incredible if we manage to pull off the three-peat this year,” said Grade 12 student-athlete Darya Rom, one of three players (along with Abby Sweeny and Izzi Fust) on the Dakota squad looking to win three titles in a row. She’s committed to play for the U of M Bisons next fall.

“The biggest thing for us is to stay focused on what we can control, and that’s a conversation we have at almost every practice and every meeting before a game when we’re preparing mentally.”

The Lancers went 11-0 in league play and posted an overall record of 24-3 during the season, including a triumph over the Maroons.

As Rom so wisely pointed out, anything can happen in a one-game showdown.

“We know that we’re not an unbeatable team, so staying humble really helps us before a game” said the 17-year-old guard/forward. “Knowing what our game plan is and how we need to execute, to be able to pick away at what we need to do. It’s about taking it one game at a time and not jumping the gun. Just focusing on the next step.

“It doesn’t really matter who you beat or lost to before, it’s about how you play in that moment. Every game from now on is going to be difficult and we have to show up to be able to get handle on things.”

In the other semifinal, the second-ranked Garden City Gophers battle the Vincent Massey (Winnipeg) Trojans, with an 8 p.m. tip-off Wednesday at IGAC.

The Gophers beat the Maples Marauders 76-50 in the quarterfinals, while Massey outlasted the Kildonan East Reivers 83-62.

The Manitoba final is slated for Monday, March 18 at 6 p.m. at IGAC.

Lancers coach Eric Sung is most impressed by how his squad has remained grounded despite all the hype of a possible dynasty brewing.

“They’re obviously excited for the opportunity but the whole thing this group has never done is take anything for granted. That’s what drives them and motivates them to show up every day and work hard,” he said. “They’re just really excited to compete together. This group has been together for a long time and has played together in school and outside of school, so they’re excited to showcase what they’ve been doing the last few years.”

Meanwhile, the top-ranked Trojans varsity boys have a chance to knock the two-time defending champion and fifth-ranked St. Paul’s Crusaders to the sidelines on Thursday night in semifinal play. Game time is 6 p.m. at IGAC.

“It’s not lost on us that (the Crusaders) have had a couple of really good years and we’ve got a chance to end that and start something on our own,” said coach Cameron Fay.

Dakota, ranked No.2 in the province, meets No.6 Oak Park in the other semifinal at 8 p.m.

The final is Monday at 8 p.m. immediately following the varsity girls showdown.

Vincent Massey defeated St. Paul’s twice during the season and has the upper hand on paper, however, Fay has reinforced to his players that rankings and previous performances are meaningless during crunch time.

“St. Paul’s is a very good team. What I’ve told our guys is that (the Crusaders) won’t beat themselves. They don’t make mistakes. They execute. Don’t expect they’ll gives us the win, so go out there and earn it.”

The Trojans dumped Maroons 120-79 in the quarterfinals over the weekend, St. Paul’s beat Garden City 98-90, Oak Park downed Kildonan East 86-72, and Dakota hammered Maples 108-67.

Vincent Massey went 9-0 in league play and cruised to a 26-2 overall record. All that will be irrelevant if the squad falls short of its intended target.

“We haven’t really thought of ourselves as the top seed. Everybody at this stage is pretty equal, so it’s just a matter of getting the job done,” said Chris Piotrowski, 17, a guard in his final year at Vincent Massey.

“Everybody on this team plays for each other. No one person plays for themselves. My success is just as important as the next guy’s success. It’s about the 15 of us getting it done together.”

— Staff