Senior Vikings take it to the limit at COSSA

Posted By JEFF GARD

Posted 2 months ago

Coach Sam Cavanaugh says his Cobourg District Collegiate Institute West Vikings senior girls basketball team has a lot to be proud of for an "excellent season" that ended last week.

They won an early season tournament, the Kawartha Classic, in Peterborough and went on to go undefeated in six South Kawartha high school league games.

At the Kawartha Secondary School Athletic Association championship tournament, the Vikings won their semifinal match-up against Peterborough Collegiate and by doing so advanced to the final and ensured themselves a spot in the next week's Central Ontario Secondary School Athletics tournament.

CDCI West lost the Kawartha final, which set the stage to face the Bay of Quinte champion in the COSSA semifinals.

That said, the Vikings weren't about to back down. While they didn't win the COSSA title, the CDCI West girls sure put a scare into the eventual champs from Nicholson Catholic College of Belleville.

Nicholson emerged victorious, 48-40 over CDCI West in the COSSA semifinal November 19 in Peterborough. The Vikings trailed by just two points at the half and battle against the veteran Nicholson squad as the score was even after three quarters.

With three minutes to play, Nicholson held a four-point advantage. The Vikings struggled at that point, turning the ball over, not making successful key shots from the field while being unable to get to the foul line.

Meanwhile, despite good defensive play by the Vikings, the strong-shooting Nicholson squad made good on the opportunities they did get, including on some shots from long range, and landed in the championship final where they won.

"We were just that close," Cavanaugh said. "In the end we played like Grade 11s. We were a little bit young and not quite ready for it. Hopefully they'll come back as hard next year."

Cavanaugh was pleased with the way the players followed much of the detailed game plan, especially when it came to making good passes.

"We have to work on our shooting and put the ball in the basket more. That's the bottom line," the coach said.

Cavanaugh added, however, "they did well, worked hard" this season.

As for next year, "I just think they'll be better understanding of what we're trying to do on offence and defence," he said. "We've got a core of the team returning so hopefully we'll be strong again next year."

Alex Dixon, who scored a team-high 20 points for the Vikings in the COSSA semifinal, expects the team to keep improving.

"Since most of our team is Grade 11s and we've all played with each other since we were kids, we'll get better and better," she said. "We all get along really well. We're all talkative and happy and pretty good friends. We all know our strengths with each other."

While the high school basketball season is over for the Vikings, the team is not completely finished for the year.

Next Wednesday, Dec. 2, the Vikings will head south of the border.

First they'll fly into Nashville to see what college basketball is like in the United States. Then they'll head to Kentucky to play a couple of games.

Cavanaugh said he "got lucky" when he contacted some coaches of teams who were willing to host the players "and the whole thing just fell into place."

"We're going to face very stiff competition," he added, "but it's going to be a great experience and, quite frankly, basketball is secondary."

Cavanaugh expects the trip to be quite a cultural experience for the players.

"Even though it's just the U. S. it's a totally different mindset there as far as athletics go and how serious they take it and how skilled those players. And just the fact they meet people they never would've come across otherwise."

Players, who have fundraised to ensure this trip became a reality, are looking forward to the experience.

"I'm pumped, it's gonna be good," said Danika Cziranka-Crooks. "I think meeting the other teams since we're billeted with them, that's going to be fun. I hope we have some good games against them. It's good that they're good teams since then we become better players."