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| Darryl Smart Photo |
Article By: Darryl Smart
When you have the Holy Trinity Titans’
depth, it’s no wonder coach Richard VandeWiele approaches every
basketball game the same way.
And it’s an approach that is a winning formula.
Like he has all year, VandeWiele kept
rolling out five players at a time as his team completed its perfect
season in the county, capturing the Norfolk Secondary School Athletic
Association junior girls championship, with a 40-20 win over the Simcoe
Sabres.
“It’s not what a lot of teams do, but it
works,” VandeWiele said as he held the championship trophy. “I went with
13 players this season, and I wanted to make sure each one
contributed.”
That mission was accomplished, with 11 of
them getting on the scoresheet in Wednesday’s game at Delhi District
Secondary School.
“It really is a great group of girls, and I
couldn’t be more proud of them,” VandeWiele said. “These girls worked
hard all year, and they really bought into what I was trying to teach.”
It was a system that not only allowed every
player to contribute, it allowed any one player to lead the way in any
game.
And in the final against the Sabres it was Kate Wilhelmus.
“I’m just so excited,” Wilhelmus said. “It’s
such a great feeling knowing that we’ve won this. We all worked so hard
this year. I’m so happy.”
Wilhelmus led all scorers with 10 points,
and it was her four points midway through the first quarter that gave
the Titans all of the momentum.
With both teams jostling for position,
Wilhelmus hit a pair of free throws. On the ensuing inbound, she
intercepted the pass and laid it in for two more.
After that swing, the Titans didn’t look back.
“It’s one of those things we practiced,”
Wilhelmus said. “We knew we might get a chance to do that in the game.
It was just great to be able to do that.”
For Wilhelmus, like many of the Titans, it was their first crack at competitive basketball.
“This year was the first time I’ve played,” she said. “I’ve really liked it. It’s been fun.”
Now the Titans will play an opponent from
the Brant Secondary School Athletic Association in a Central Western
Ontario Secondary Schools Association qualifier Monday. The winner
advances to the AAA championships in Brantford.
Titans scorers: Kate Wilhelmus 10, Rachel
Winger 5, Rowan Sallewsky 2, Breanne Boyd 2, Brooke Magalas 2, Alexis
Paulmert 2, Ling Li Wong 4, Anna Mitchell 2, Justice Wilks 2, Taylor
Ongena 4, Sydney Buis 4.
Sabres scorers: Bianca Bowen 7, Kassie
Courrier 5, Hayley Smith 2, Victoria Lewis 2, Julia Samborski 2, Erica
Wilhelmus 1, Alexandra Dockx 1.
