Warriors primed for playoffs

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This article was published 25/02/2022 (1552 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Westwood Warriors AAAA varsity girls basketball team put up a tough fight against the Daniel McIntyre Maroons during its last regular-season game of the year.

The opposing team’s home gym was cacophonous. Students whacked snare drums, shook sleigh bells, and flashed homemade signs. Each time the Maroons scored, fans shot up from the bleachers and rushed to the sidelines — a welcomed sight for many following empty stands owing to pandemic restrictions.

Basketball Manitoba said in a Feb. 17 return-to-play update that there are currently no capacity restrictions on spectators, as per the province’s new public health guidelines.

With the opposing team’s energy filling the gym, the Warriors managed a narrow loss, only their second regular-season defeat since returning to the courts in December. The Maroons earned a similar performance, going undefeated during the regular-season, save for a four-point loss against the Kelvin High Clippers in January.

The Warriors now stand in second place behind the Maroons in the Winnipeg Tier 1 league.

“We have a strong group, and if we can continue on this streak, then we will have a lot of success,” Morgan Cross, the Warriors’ head coach, said.

The Warriors’ 17-year-old point guard Delaney Galera devoured gym time in preparation for the basketball season, which was a challenge given pandemic restrictions.

“We have a talented group of girls,” Galera said. “All of us have the same passion for playing.”

This year the Warriors varsity girls team welcomed five Grade 10 athletes to its roster to round out the lineup. The junior varsity team saw a strong turnout of Grade 9 players, so it had athletes to spare.

“We decided to pull some of them up to give them the experience,” Cross said.
Grade 12 student Brooke Schrader, who plays post, said being a part of the basketball team again has been a welcomed motivator.

“It’s nice to be with the girls again and just have the support from everyone, as well as those goals in terms of rankings that push you,” Schrader said. “I miss it.”

The Warriors got a sample of tournament play during the Pembina Trails Bison Classic in December before the Omicron variant halted all high school sports. The Warriors ranked second place out of 16 teams, falling short to the Dakota Lancers in the finals.

“At this point, it’s anyone’s game,” said Lily St. James, a guard for the Warriors. “There’s a lot of really strong teams at the varsity level, and I think the top five or so are all pretty equal. We’re preparing for everyone and looking out for everyone.”

The Warriors are looking ahead to playoffs and then provincials. But, unlike much of their regular season, the Warriors can expect to see friends and family members cheering them on.

Following the province’s plan to remove proof of vaccination requirements on March 1, the Manitoba High Schools Athletics Association will permit spectators in all provincial championship venues for curling, hockey, and basketball.

According to the MHSAA, Westwood was the second-ranked AAAA varsity girls basketball team in the province behind the top-ranked Dakota Collegiate squad at press time, while Daniel McIntyre was ranked third.