HUNTSVILLE - The Huntsville Hurricanes junior girls team, ranked 21st in the province, hosted opponents Collingwood and Sudbury in a pre-provincial warm-up at Huntsville High School on Sunday afternoon.
The Hurricanes began the first of their doubleheader facing the 22nd- seeded Collingwood Trailblazers.
This marked the second time these two teams battled together with the Canes coming out on top in the earlier contest. The first quarter ended with the home team ahead by one point and again finishing the first half by one, 16-15.
As the third quarter began to evolve the Hurricanes widened the margin and pulled ahead 42-27. Despite a valiant effort with some hot shooting by the Collingwood juniors, the Hurricanes finished on top with a 55-46 victory.
Christi Park led the scoring with an impressive career high of 25 points. Maggie Atkins was hot with nine points, as was Keeley Wettlaufer with seven. Michelle Murat had five with Sam Snowden and Brooke Walker contributing three each.
Also adding to the scoring was Emma Fehr with two and Taylor McAlpine with one. Erin Connell and Sarah May both added critical defensive stops.
The second game opened against the 26th-ranked Sudbury Jam, another team the Huntsville junior girls defeated earlier in the season.
The hometown team began solidly, closing the first quarter 15-9. As the game began to unfold in the second quarter, the Hurricanes were the dominant force, refusing to let the opponents from the north back into the game, ending the half 23-18.
The third quarter began with new energy and determination by the Jam, and they narrowed the gap to five points, closing with a 34-29 margin.
The Hurricanes continued to dominate and laid down the hammer scoring 12 points in the fourth quarter. The game ended decisively for the Canes 46-35.
Scoring came from McAlpine and Atkins with 10 each. Park and Murat both had nine. Fehr had five, Snowden chipped in two and Walker with one.
Brittney McCoppen also contributed with some key defensive stops.
The juniors now look ahead to open their first game against Toronto Triple Threat in Division 3 of the Ontario Provincial Championships in Kitchener on Friday, May 4.