Senior hoopsters win NorWOSSA gold

They boarded the bus contenders. Fifteen-and-a-half hours and one dominating performance later, they were NorWOSSA champions.
The Muskie senior girls’ basketball team had to wait longer than any of their travelling companions to take the court at Dryden High School on Friday.
But the result was worth the wait as the Muskies crushed the host Eagles 43-19 to capture the NorWOSSA crown.
“We thought we’d come out good, but not that good,” said rookie guard Miranda Miller, who was part of the all-out defensive blitz launched by Fort High that gave them an 11-0 lead after the first quarter.
The black-and-gold had earned a bye to the final by virtue of their 6-2 record to finish in first place during the regular season.
While they had to wait until 8 p.m. to finally see action after beginning their road trip at 6:30 a.m. on Friday, rusty legs were never an issue from the opening tip-off.
The defending champion Eagles sank only two field goals the entire first half as the Muskies’ press manufactured a multitude of bad shots and misdirected passes from the taller but slower Dryden squad.
Danielle McGee paced the Muskies with 12 points while Tricia Smith added 11. The Eagles were led by Kristin Wiedenhoeft with six points, while Ashley Latimer chipped in with five.
The Muskies will host the as yet undetermined representative of the Thunder Bay high school league in the best-of-three NWOSSAA final Nov. 22-23, with that winner advancing to the all-Ontarios on Nov. 28-30.
Meanwhile, it was close but no cigar for the Muskie junior girls’ hoopsters, who gutted out a 41-35 semi-final victory against the Kenora Broncos before falling to Dryden 45-39 in the final.
Laura Busch had a team-high 15 points for the Muskies in their win over Kenora while Ashlyn Jewell poured in 10 points to lead the defending champs versus Dryden.
In boys’ volleyball action Friday in Dryden, the Muskie juniors also were unable to hold on to their title from a season ago, dropping a 3-1 decision in the best-of-five final to the Broncos.
Game scores were 21-25, 25-20, 25-22, and 25-21.
The Muskies had survived a semi-final scare from the host Eagles earlier in the day, grabbing a 3-1 victory. Game scores were 25-16, 19-25, 25-23, and 25-23.
Kenora also beat Muskie senior boys, rallying from a one-game deficit for a 3-1 win in semi-final action.
Game scores were 21-25, 25-15, 25-18, and 25-19.