Tough Night For Toilers Senior Girls
Despite Loss Coach Happy With Season
Ardens Move To 7 - 0 With One Game Still To Play
Story and Photos by Robert Thomas
Size and strength advantages propelled the Swift Current Ardens to a 90 to 23 victory over the Peacock Toilers in Moose Jaw city league senior girls play.
The loss move the Toilers to a 1 - 7 record as they finish off their regular season.
The win gives the Ardens a perfect city league record to 7 - 0.
Whether or not the Ardens will have a perfect regular season will be decided this evening as the Vanier Spirits travel to Swift Current to play a weather postponed game.
“They’re 5A they’re big for sure. They’re a Comp (Comprehensive). They’re not just a 5A school they’re a Comp so that just means bigger and more girls to come out to tryouts,” Peacock Toilers co-head coach Macaela Williams said in the post game interview.
“They’re talented. You know they’ve got provincial players and they all play club. They’re a good team. And they’re coached well,” Williams said.
Asked if she was happy with this years edition of the Toikers - many who are new to senior basketball as well as smaller than many of their opponents - she said the coaches were happy as they build the team for now and the future.
“Yeah at the end of the day I’m happy to walk in the gym door. I’m happy with our team. There’s never going to be disappointment as a coach. Day by day we are going to keep growing as a program here,” she said.
Despite not winning a lot of games the 11 member team hasn’t given up she said.
“We haven’t had any serious injuries this year thankfully and we justt keep showing up. And that’s what you want. That Peacock character,”
Motivating the team to show up and continue to improve despite the losses is a group effort.
“That’s the name of the game. You have to show up as coaching staff and as a team and we just grind everyday. And we stay motivated,” she said.
None of the 11 girl roster has given up and quit the team but continue to play.
“We don’t give up that’s not our mantra.”
A big highlight this season for the Toilers was at a tournament at Balfour Collegiate in Regina.
The team also has participated in some “big 5A tournaments this year. Where we have been challenged at the end of the day,” Williams said.
Peacock Collegiate was re-categorized as a 5A school from a 4A school. Schools are categorized based upon enrolment.
“It’s a different pool to play in.”
As of press time it’s an unknown if the Toilers will make the playoffs. Tuesday evening game wise was a busy evening for the league.
Williams said the coaches are looking forward to the program’s future.
“Everyday we open the gym doors our junior team and senior team have been linking up a lot and it’s been great just to build that,” she said.
