Raiders win gold at Bears Invitational

Chris Clegg
South Peace News

The Prairie River Raiders girl’s basketball team just keeps getting better as the season goes on. The Raiders won three straight games and the title at the High Level Bears Invitational Tournament Feb. 2-3. Raiders coach Noela Vandermeulen is pleased and optimistic for the upcoming zone tournament in Grande Prairie March 2-3. “I have never seen them play better,” says Vandermeulen. The Raiders first defeated Grimshaw 54-33 before narrowly defeating Buffalo Head Prairie 45-39. That put them in the final where they defeated La Crete Public School 49-43. The Raiders, as they’ve been during the regular season in the Smoky River Basketball League, were never threatened against Grimshaw. They led 32-18 at the half an never looked back. Shaylene Patenaude scored a game-high 17 points to lead the Raiders including 12 in the first half. Chris Gordey added 10 points and Ashlee Kocon eight. Chevannah Ward scored five points and Meagan Lacoste three while Jessie Johnson, Kylie Williscroft, Chelsea Smith, Shelby Pratt and Jenna Douglas all added two points. Katelynn Patenaude added a free throw to complete the scoring. Jordan Fordyce scored 10 points to lead Grimshaw. The Buffalo Head Prairie game was a back and forth affair with each team enjoying the lead throughout. The Raiders trailed 18-16 at the half in the closely contested game. The Raiders were led by their top scorers in this one. Shaylene Patanaude scored 15 points and Kocon 12. Ward chipped in with 10 points and Gordey eight as only four Raiders scored in this game. Andrea Drieger scored 15 points to lead Buffalo Head Prairie. The final was another exciting game as the teams battled back and forth with PRJH winning 49-43 marking their second straight six-point win. PRJH led 25-12 at the half but watched as La Crete rallied to make the game close by outscoring the Raiders 31-24 in the second half. For the third straight game, Shaylene Patenaude led the Raiders in scoring with 16 points, including 10 in the second half. Gordey added 14 and Douglas six. Kocon added five points, Lacoste four, Smith and Ward two points each. The boy’s team also went to the tournament but lost to the Peace River High Nomads 39-37 and High Level Christian Academy 42-26. Their final game was a 66-12 pasting of the Peace River T.A. Norris Timberwolves.

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