Above: 📷 Cole Schisler
By Sports and Lifestyle Editor Cole Schisler
The Mariners have had a rough end to their season. Four Mariners are on the injury list, and the Mariners have lost five of their last six games.
“Our game plans are changing weekly,” Head Coach Bill McWhinnie said. “We haven’t been able to go five-on-five in practice since October. We’re learning on the fly, the girls have been really good at adjusting, and being flexible.”
Fifth-year forward Stephanie O’Sullivan is playing with a torn ACL, second year guard Avery Snider and first year guard Shayce Johnston are is out for the year with a torn ACLs, first year guard Shayce Johnston is out for the year with a torn ACL, and first year forward Chantel Went recently recovered from a concussion. Coach McWhinnie says the Mariners will have only eight healthy players going into provincials.
The Mariners began their losing streak on February 3 against the Langara Falcons, when they lost a close match, 49-45. The next day, the Mariners lost 70-61 to the Quest Kermodes. On February 10, the Mariners hosted the Capilano Blues, who defeated the Mariners 52-43. The Douglas Royals visited the next day, and won 64-47 over the Mariners. The Mariners’ most recent defeat was at home against the Camosun Chargers, who won the island rivalry matchup 54-50 over the Mariners.
“It’s been a theme for the last six weeks that we’re not executing,” Coach McWhinnie said. “The talk is there, but we’re not following through, and doing what we’re supposed to be doing.”
McWhinnie says that the Mariners need to improve their communication on the court, and work to reduce their errors. He says that the Mariners need to be more effective on offense, improve their shot selection, connect with more accurate passes, and be more cohesive on their defensive efforts.
“If they see a teammate that’s out of position or making a mistake, if they talk to them early enough, they can correct the mistake before it happens, and they weren’t doing that tonight,” McWhinnie said, following the loss to Camosun.
The Mariners ended their season with a decisive 68-38 victory over the Columbia Bible College Bearcats. At the end of the first quarter, the Mariners led 13-11, and by the half, they increased their lead, 30-23. The Mariners took off in the third quarter, punishing the Bearcats with basket after basket, resulting in a 51-25 lead at the end of the third.
Heading into provincials, the Mariners will be focused on translating their passion at practice into results on the court.
Cole is a second-year Bachelor of Arts student majoring in creative writing, minoring in political science. He has an interest in all things exciting, mundane, or otherwise. He hopes to one day become an author, actor, comedian, editor, and rapper, while moonlighting as an astronaut.
