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Crusaders claim Fire Fighters championship

Holy Cross defeats Lord Tweedsmuir in final
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Mellissa Schott of the Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers battles with a pair of Elgin Park Orcas opponents during a round robin game at the Surrey Fire Fighters Goodwill Classic tournament at Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary in Cloverdale last week. The Panthers defeated Elgin Park 56-49

For several seasons, the Holy Cross Crusaders have had their run at the Surrey Fire Fighters Classic halted by the Elgin Park Orcas.

So when the perennial provincial powerhouse team from South Surrey was upset in the preliminary round, Holy Cross took full advantage, topping the host Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers 79-42 Saturday evening in Cloverdale to win the all-Surrey Senior girls high school basketball tournament for the first time since 2002.

“For the last few years, it always seemed we would be playing Elgin Park in the semifinal round,” said Crusaders head coach Steve Beauchamp. “We were always getting knocked out, and playing for third place.

“And last year, we finally got the to final, and we gave them a good game, but lost again.”

The Orcas were favoured for a sixth straight Fire Fighters title last week, but in their second game of the round robin portion of the competition, were upended 56-49 by a Panthers team playing in their home gymnasium at Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary.

Winners of their three-team group with a pair of wins, Lord Tweedsmuir advanced to the tournament final for the first-time ever.

Holy Cross, meanwhile, easily won their group in preliminary play, starting with a 70-26 victory over the Panorama Ridge Thunder, then finishing up with an easy 83-27 triumph over the Fleetwood Park Dragons.

“We had played Tweedsmuir in the semifinals last year,” recalled Beauchamp. “And a lot of our girls know their players through soccer and other (community sports). We knew they’re a good team.

“We were ready to play Elgin Park, but when Tweedsmuir won, our team just said ‘we know Elgin Park was good, maybe Tweedsmuir is better.’ ”

Led by the efforts of tournament Most Valuable Player Tessa Beauchamp, and Best Defensive Player award winner Jessica Villadiego, the Crusaders completed their three-game run through the six-team Axe Division of the tournament with a 37-point victory over Tweedsmuir.

“In addition to the award winners, a pair of Grade 12s really stepped it up for us,” said coach Beauchamp. “Claudia Garzitto took a couple of charges, hitting the floor hard. And Cecile Ehman was Miss Versatile for us, doing a nice job of playing the different roles we asked of her.”

Cara Bagry of Lord Tweedsmuir won the Most Inspirational Player honour, while Jasmine Sidhu of Panorama Ridge was the three-point shooting champion.