Abby girls exit playoffs with loss to Tigers

By Nathaniel Underwood

The Abbotsford girls basketball team saw their season come to a close in the second round of the WIAA Division 4 playoffs when they were defeated on the road by Stratford. The fourth-seeded Tigers were able to hold the fifth-seeded Abbotsford squad to just 10 points in the first half and then opened things up with a 39 point second period to down the Falcons 56-34 last Friday night.

While a defensive battle in the first half seemed to initially be to Abbotsford’s benefit, the Tigers were able to find some consistency on offense later in the period, a trend that continued into the second period. While the Falcons’ own shooting began to improve in the latter half, Stratford continued to force empty possessions from their opponents while shooting well both from the field and from the free throw line.

“A few girls got into foul trouble early on, affecting our confidence to play tough defense, and allowing 22 points off Stratford’s free throws,” head coach Ally Meserole said after the game.

“[But] Sommer Brodhagen was able to find weaknesses in Stratford’s defense, leading our team with 16 points.”

Brodhagen was the chief source of offense for the Falcons on Friday night. She made an impact early, working her way into the lane to score on Abbotsford’s first possession of the game and then scoring again to give her team a 4-2 advantage. After the Tigers tied the game, a three from Sydney Falteisek once again gave the visitors the lead, one that they held through the middle portions of the half.

A 10-0 run for Stratford changed the complexion of the playoff affair. A six minute scoring drought following the Falteisek basket set the Falcons behind. The Tigers’ Kayla Casperson tied the game with a three-pointer at the midway point of the period and Tria Tubbs put them on top a few possessions later.

Seven more points for Stratford gave them a 14-7 advantage and they would lead 17-10 at halftime.

Brodhagen cut the Stratford lead down to four in the opening minutes of the second period with a three-point shot, but the game very quickly turned back to the home team’s favor. Seven straight points for the Tigers once again gave them a double digit lead and the Falcons could never recover.

With Stratford’s offense now locked in, Abbotsford was kept on the back foot the rest of the way. Even after a slow first half, the Tigers ended the game shooting 50 percent from two point range and made 78.6 percent of their free throws. The visitors, meanwhile, shot 33.3 percent and 61.5 percent in those categories respectively. Stratford was also better able to take advantage of turnovers, scoring 27 points off 29 Falcon turnovers compared to three points for Abbotsford when they were able to force a turnover.

Brodhagen finished shooting 6-for-12 from the field and was the only Falcon to finish with more than one field goal. Falteisek added seven points and 10 rebounds, Briseida Escalera and Lillian Graun both had three-pointers and Azul Diaz and Neveah Treankler finished with two points each. McKinley Klabon rounded out the scoring with one point.

The Falcons finished 13-12 overall and took third in the Marawood-North by going 5-5 in conference games. With a number of senior leaders in their starting lineup set to graduate, Abbotsford will have a different look next season, though younger players did have significant minutes this year to build off of.

BOXING OUT - Lillian Graun fights for a rebound during the Falcons’ second round playoff game against Stratford. STAFF PHOTO/NATHANIEL UNDERWOOD

LOCKED-IN - Sommer Brodhagen zips through the lane en route to two of her team-high 16 points on Friday evening.

STAFF PHOTO/NATHANIEL UNDERWOOD