COREY
ATKINSON
Today staff
Westwood Trojans player Jasmine
Stroeder has guts, determination, strength and good shooting.
But according to her coach Chris
Henneberry, the most important character trait she has is leadership. Stroeder was named the senior girls' player of the year
at the Frozen Hoops All-Star game Saturday at Composite High School.
"She only scores about 15 points
per game for us, but when she comes and plays with our team, it just brings the rest of them up so much more," said Henneberry,
moments after the all-star team of Trojans and Father Patrick Mercredi Trappers lost 46-36.
Henneberry didn't have Stroeder
available for zones — she was on the junior girls indoor soccer team with the Northern Alberta team at the Arctic Winter
Games — and her presence was missed.
"We got fifth but we should
have gotten a lot better," Henneberry said. "She's like a second coach. She's like a coach on the floor and she motivates
the girls, she communicates. She's very mature for her age and she's a very competitive athlete. Above anything, she's an
athlete more than she's a basketball player. But I wish half the girls had half the leadership she had."
Stroeder felt honoured to win
the player of the year award.
"It's a good end to the season
and high school basketball," she said.
Playing
with the Troj"I remember the girls," she said. "You're with them every day after school for a long period of time. After trips,
you become really close with them. And the coaches, they're always there to help you out."
At the beginning
of the year, the chemistry was a bit off and the team was young.
"It built up and
then it was just really fun playing with everyone," Stroeder said. "You knew where everyone was going and their tendencies.
It was enjoyable. You wanted to come to practice and you just couldn't wait to play with everyone."
Westwood has a young
team and is able to return a lot of players for next season.
"Hopefully they'll
take what Jasmine taught them and we'll move on from there," Henneberry said.
Comp's Kassy Singer
had 19 points to lead the Challenge Cup champions while Karissa Kuhr of Merc had 12 points.
ans for three years, Stroeder
will take a lot of memories with her.
Had the honour of hosting the 5th CJ Phillips Frozen
Hoops All Star Weekend last weekend at Father Patrick Mercredi Community High School and on Monday at Fort McMurray Composite
High School.
Thank you to all the great volunteers who assisted and the 44
local head basketball coaches who continue to unlock the age of enthusiasm in these great groups of kids.
Below are results from four of the five all star games held.
Junior High Girls All Star Game: Team South 28 Team North 16.
Top scorer was Kaitlyn Smith of the Greely Road Roadrunners with 10 points. Smith received a full scholarship
to attend a week of basketball at the 49th Legion Athletic Camp this summer.
Team North came out on top in the Junior High Boys All Star Game
beating Team South 58-39.
St. Gabriel Guardians led Team North with 12 points. Limbitico
will also receive a full scholarship to attend the 49th Legion Athletic Camp which is situated at the International Peace
Garden on the Manitoba/North Dakota border.
St Pails Panthers’ Jordan Moores replied with
12 points for Team South.
The High School Junior Varsity Boys All Star matchup pitted the
Challenge Cup champion Junior Varsity Miners against all star from Westwood and Merc. Miners put 55 on the scoreboard compared
to 48 for the All Stars. Miners marksman Khalid Osman had 14 points while Cody Clyburn sparked the All Stars with
12. Clyburn, a member of the Westwood Trojans, was selected JV Male Player of the Year:
The High School Junior Varsity Girls game featured the undefeated JV
Trappers (19-0) against all stars from Westwood and Comp. In a low-scoring affair the Trappers earned victory No. 20 with
a 15-7 decision. Trappers Cassandra Larson and Meaghan Phillips shared JV Female Player of the Year status.
It was a high-scoring shootout for the Senior High School Varsity
Boys contest; the Westwood Trojans winning 52-49 versus the All Stars.
Trojans top marksman was Shane Moghaddani hitting 15 while Comp
Miners' Aaron Daniels also notched 15 for the All Stars.
Senior High Male Player of the Year was Trojans Shariq Walid.
A class act both on and off the hardwood.
The Senior High Girls All Star Game was held Monday which was
past our CONNECT deadline.
Proceeds from the weekend will also send two other athletes,
Ola Dada and Chiara Viale, to the 49th Legion Athletic Camp for a week of hoops.
Trappers senior girls coach Brendan Toner was named Coach of
the Year and long-time basketball leader Compton Vigilance received the inaugural Above and Beyond award for his 30 plus years
of service to the sport in the community.
Catch you on the rebound.
