The York City Classic was held over the weekend, co-hosted by the Yorkton Regional High School and the Sacred Heart High School.
The YRHS played their way into the 'A' side championship when they met the North Battleford Comprehensive School Vikings in a game that required five minutes of overtime.
"I thought both teams played really, really hard," offered Jason Payne, coach of the YRHS squad shortly after the overtime ended in a 90-87 OT loss to the Vikings.
The loss capped an otherwise perfect weekend for the YRHS senior squad, currently competing in a high school basketball tournament in New Waterford, NS.
YRHS and SHHS combined to host the tournament this past weekend. Both teams played out of their own gym. Both teams got off to a good start in their openers.
YRHS beat Martin of Regina, 70-61 while SHHS beat Weyburn, 64-51.
YRHS went throughout the round robin undefeated. They beat Moose Jaw's Peacock by a 73-65 final to close out Friday's schedule.
SHHS went up against the eventual tournament champions from North Battleford, a 74-62 Viking victory.
"We didn't do so good," said Garrett Karcha, SHHS coach. He lost one of his team's top shooters early in the tournament.
The loss on Friday night put SHHS into the 'B' side playdowns where they took another beating against Carlton Comprehensive High School, the latter went on to win convincingly by a 66-38 final. SHHS rounded out their tournament in the 'B' consolation game where they played Moose Jaw's Albert E. Peacock, who went on to win 70-46.
Despite the scores, Karcha said his team wound up playing their best basketball against the same team that wound up winning the entire tournament. North Battleford went through all of their games without a loss.
"We had a really competitive game vs. North Battleford," said Karcha, reflecting on how things went inside the Halo Dome Saturday evening.
"We fought hard to keep it closelast night vs. North Battleford, we realized we could run with one of the better teams in the province. I hope we learn from the experience."
Karcha was referring to an injury to one of the team's top shooters, Preston Liebrecht, who went down with a tournament-ending injury during Friday's play.
Following their win over SHHS, the Vikings would roll down the street to play the Raiders at the YRHS gym in a battle for top place in the tournament.
Karcha said his team played North Battleford tough. Asked what the Regional might have to do to be better, Karcha insisted simply: "play good defencebe able to break their press".
For an entire first quarter, it did not look like YRHS heard any of Karcha's advice. North Battleford scored first and led 22-15 after the opening quarter.
Second quarter dominance continued and the visiting school led by seven at the half, led by post player #21 Cody Buziak.
"I'll give North Battleford some credit," says Payne following the game. "They came back with very little time left."
YRHS made a comeback of their own in the second half, chewing away at the Viking lead until they trailed by only two points at the end of the third quarter.
"It's just how it goes," insisted Payne.
YRHS grabbed a lead an held onto it until the last seconds of the game when North Battleford tied the game on a three-point jump shot to send the SHSAA matchup into extra time where North Battleford held on to win by three in a 90-87 victory.
The game turned into a three-point showcase favouring the Orange and White.
Tanner Kardynal and Tyler Boychuk each chipped in.
"He spends hours and hours and hours and hours honing his craft," says Payne of Kardynal.
"Tyler also shot the ball well."
NOVA SCOTIA
YRHS hopes the shooting goes as well when they compete in games this week while at a tournament in New Waterford, NS, for the Coal Bowl. For more on this tournament, see related story in this week's Sports Section.
