Pool A
Bluevale Knights - Waterloo (WCSSAA)
League Finish: 12-0, 1st overall
Playoff Finish: WCSSAA Champions
Key Players: Hannah Fishbein, Sarah Hamm, Tessa Dent, Natalie Bishop
What to Expect: At minimum, a semi-final appearance. The Knights have loads of talent, not to mention depth, which is key at a tournament like CWOSSA where you have to play 4 games in 2 days to win. Furthermore, this club is loaded with grade 10s who made an appearance at last year's CWOSSA tourney --- so they'll at least have the confidence of knowing what to expect.
Centennial Spartans - Guelph (D10)
League Finish: 5-9, 5th overall
Playoff Finish: Lost in D10 Quarterfinals
Key Players: Hannah Newman, Hannah Ferguson, Micayley Cromwell
What to Expect: Pretty much anything --- especially if the other clubs take the Spartans lightly. They are much better than their record might indicate, having played in the tough D10 junior league. They lost 3 league games by 3 points or less, and they have beaten other quality teams in tournament play (i.e. Resurrection CSS at the Southwood tournament).
St. Benedict Saints - Cambridge (D8)
League Finish: 10-0, 1st overall
Playoff Finish: D8 champions
Key Players: Janelle Case, Dana Milani, Hilary Ferguson
What to Expect: The Saints to use their size to their advantage. They nearly doubled up Resurrection on the 'boards in the D8 finals, and I'd expect more of the same here. In order to have success, the Saints (who are not as deep as the other teams in their pool) will have to keep the pace slowed and play games in the 30s. They are a definite "darkhorse" that could make some noise if given the opportunity.
Pool B
St. John's Green Eagles - Brantford (D5)
League Finish: 10-0, 1st Overall
Playoff Finish: Brant County Champions
Key Players: Braelyn Verschoore, Megan Piette, Megan Thompson, Rebecca Dabor
What To Expect: To be fair, anything less than a finals appearance will be viewed as a disappointment with this talented squad. In addition, they'll have home court advantage and their home-town fans supporting them, so they are the "odds on" favourite to take home the title.
Guelph CVI Gaels - Guelph (D10)
League Finish: 8-6, 4th overall
Playoff Finish: Lost in D10 Semifinals
Key Players: Jamie Young, Katie Strongman, Clay Barley-Janzen
What To Expect: A "probable" semi-finals appearance. The Gaels are talented on offense, and have the ability to get right back in games even if they get down by double digits. As such, teams in their pool (and possibly the semi-finals) can't relax on them.
Cameron Heights Golden Gaels (Kitchener - WCSSAA)
League Finish: 6th
Playoff Finish: Lost in WCSSAA Quarterfinals
Key Players: Ashanti Lewis, Cathy Bekhyt
What To Expect: A solid effort. Not many people expected the Gaels to be here at the start of the season (or even mid-way through the season), so expect them to make the most of the opportunity. Their opening game against GCVI will likely determine the second semifinalist in this pool (along with St. John's).
Mark's Predictions
Pool A
Bluevale 2-0
St. Benedict 1-1
Centennial 0-2
Pool B
St. John's 2-0
Guelph CVI 1-1
Cameron Heights 0-2
Semifinals
Bluevale over GCVI
St. John's over St. Benedict
Final
St. John's over Bluevale
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