The Wellington Wildcats hope Superball is one more notch in a super season.
The school’s senior girls’ and senior boys’ basketball teams are both off to hot, undefeated starts in league play, and this week their classmates get a chance to see that these Wildcats have sharp claws indeed.
Wellington’s annual Superball tournament tips off today (Jan. 5).
“Our whole school’s going to be watching and everyone’s going to be nervous but we’re going to go out there and it’s going to be so fun,” said Vicky Brown, Wildcats player.
On the girls’ side of the draw, one team dropped out and so Wellington’s girls decided to fill the void themselves and play some extra games.
Nicole Langford, a Grade 12 veteran on the ’Cats, said the atmosphere at Superball is amazing, with something like 30 classes cheering on the teams. This year, those fans are sure to see winning results.
“Really, really good basketball,” Langford said. “I’m excited.”
Both Wellington teams are coming off lopsided home wins.
On Tuesday at the school gym, the senior AA girls defeated the Ballenas Whalers 61-27. Brown led the way with 16 points and Montana Mjaaland scored 15.
The Wellington girls got up 27-2 in the game and needed only to coast from there.
"We played all right. We kind of lost it in the third quarter; we had to bring it back around," said Langford. "Even though we beat them, I don't think it was the best game we ever played. But overall we did OK."
The second half of the doubleheader saw Welly’s senior AA boys hammer the Barsby Blazers 85-30.
Down in Ladysmith, the host 49ers were able to defeat the Cedar Spartans 72-54 in senior AA boys’ action. The Spartans were missing top scorer Brendan McCarthy due to injury, so Cedar had to go with a different game plan without its primary post presence. Josh Seward led the Spartans with 14 points.
Another senior AA boys’ game Tuesday saw the Woodlands Eagles score a 56-35 road win versus the Kwalikum Kondors. Connor Robertson scored 17 points, Erik Van Waes scored 16 and Bryson Cox added 14.
Also in action Tuesday were the Nanaimo District Islanders senior AA girls, who travelled to Campbell River and defeated the Timberline Wolves 62-22. Leigh Richardson tallied 15 points and Pauline Dawson added 13.
GAME ON … Superball continues through Saturday. Wellington's girls play Cedar tonight (Jan. 5) at 7:45 p.m., then play D.W. Poppy on Friday at 8:15 a.m., take on Woodlands at 11:30 a.m. and face Gulf Islands at 4:15 p.m. Other girls' games include Woodlands versus Gulf Islands today at 6:15 p.m. and Cedar versus Poppy on Friday at 2:40 p.m. In boys' action, Wellington faces Timberline today at 3 p.m. followed by Cedar vs. Ballenas at 4:30 p.m. On Friday, Wellington takes on Ladysmith at 9:50 a.m. and Cedar plays Poppy at 7:25 p.m. The boys' championship game will be Saturday at 2:45 p.m. … The Woodlands boys are also hosting a tournament with games Friday (Jan. 6) and Saturday. On Friday action starts at 1:30 p.m. with Nanaimo District facing Woodlands, followed by Barsby versus NDSS at 3:30 p.m. and Barsby versus Woodlands at 5:30 p.m. On Saturday ND faces Woodlands at 10 a.m., ND plays Barsby at 12:30 p.m. and Barsby and Woodlands meet at 2:30 p.m.
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