Stampeders gallop over Rams to final

   Parkside will host the TVRA Central Division tier one junior girls basketball

   final Wednesday after dropping Laurier, 59-21, in their semifinal

  November 22, 2021

By Rob J. Ross 

ST. THOMAS - The Parkside Stampeders are heading to the Thames Valley Region Athletics Central Division junior girls' basketball final.

Emma Giesbrecht scored 13 points, while Taylor Pettit and Annie Renaud both dropped in 10, as the Stampeders galloped over the Laurier Rams, 59-21, in a semifinal, today at Parkside.

"The girls have been practising really hard and tonight's game we had defence from the whole roster," Parkside coach Gerald Hikele said. "We kept our cool and we played extremely good basketball."

The Stampeders jumped out to a 16-7 lead in the opening quarter and never looked back, building a 34-11 advantage by half time.

"We've come into the philosophy of just pushing the ball and we're athletic and we like to run. That's been our primary offence," Hikele said. "We've risen to the occasion and we're peaking and it's a good time to peak."

Parkside will host the final Wednesday, 3:30 p.m., against the Medway Cowboys, who branded the Lucas Vikings, with a 52-45 loss in their semifinal.

"It's a short season but we saw the top teams and there is a lot of good competition," Hikele said. "We'll be ready for whoever comes here Wednesday."

The Stampeders finished first in the Central Division's tier one with a 5-0 record.