The Spartans are champs heading into this weekend's tip off against the NBCHS Vikings in local weekend tournament. (Photo/Andrea Dubray)

By Julia Lovett-Squires

B-Ball Champs

Carpenter’s Spartans head into this weekend tournament champs

Feb 9, 2024 | 5:04 PM

The Carpenter High School proved to their opponents that leading into this weekend’s basketball tournament why they bear the name of the feared fighting force of antiquity: Spartans.

Last weekend, they held a home tournament for eight teams across the province, including Makwa Sahgaiehcan, North Battleford, Melfort, and Humboldt, and had two of their own teams in the event where they took home the top prize.

“[We] actually got a chance to spotlight both our senior A team, which I coach, and our Senior B team,” said Kendra Paramchuk, who is also one of the school’s vice principals.

“We came out beating Melfort 82-29 (in the semifinals) and then we met up against North Battleford (Comprehensive High School) in the final.”

The Spartans had played the team the week prior where the Vikings gave the Spartans a “good battle.”

Riderville

Riders seem confident heading into trading camp

May 07, 2024

Golden in Finland

Ritchie, Canada beats United States 6-4 to win under-18 men's world hockey championship

May 05, 2024

Writing Group

Writers group host inaugural May 2 at Meadow Lake Library

May 01, 2024

“They’re a very aggressive, very talented hardworking team,” she said of the game Sienna Andersen was given the ritualistic honour.

“The girls played really well, it was nice to play at home and also win at home.”

Playing at home

Coach Paramchuk said the team doesn’t often do home games as there isn’t an official league due to their geography and the teams they have to play with.

“The only times we host is if we host a home tournament or you happen to get a regional, which is in March and that again depends on the rankings and the seedings of everybody in 4A,” Paramchuk said, noting they’ve hosted the last two regionals.

“It is exciting to play in front of our crowd but again I think sometimes there’s a little bit of nerves in that first game, though the girls handled themselves very well,” she said.

The team’s end goal is to get to provincials, so they go in every weekend preparing to be better than the week before. Paramchuk explained one thing they celebrated school-wide was that along with having both the A and B teams in the home tournament, they also had the Grade 9 girls playing in Saskatoon.

“Across the board knowing that that many girls in high school are a part of a team, being able to develop some skills and just playing basketball is a huge success for us,” Paramchuk said.

—

julia.lovettsquires@pattisonmedia.com

On X: jls194864