Queens remembering one of their own

Greg Price
Vauxhall Advance
gprice@tabertimes.com

The Vauxhall Queens girls basketball team played its last River Ridge Basketball League game of the season last night in foremost with heavy hearts remembering one of their own alumni who was lost in a tragic car accident.

The Queens MVP last year in Megan Kondor was traveling eastbound on Highway 524 early Monday morning when her vehicle hit the ditch and rolled over. She was taken by STARS Ambulance to Foothills Hospital in Calgary, where she would eventually succumb to her injuries.

“Her younger sister who is one of my better players in Grade 10 is out this week, but the other players wanted to lay as a tribute to her, but they are pretty devastated as is the whole school,” said Allen Matthews, head coach of the Vauxhall Queens girls basketball team.

“They’ll be playing with some heavy hearts and they’ll have to work through that. We were supposed to be going to a tournament in Sedgewick this weekend, we won’t be going to that, but the girls felt this game (against Foremost) was important to play this game and dedicate it and the rest of the season to her.”

The Queens have possessed the same fighting spirit their former MVP did as the team has looked to get healthy all season long, having 80 per cent of its starting line up out with injury at the start of the season. The team has slowly been getting back from its long-term injuries as the calendar makes its way to March, but is still not at 100 per cent.

“We are still not fully healthy. I have got two girls who have knee problems, they are still there, but we just have to give them limited minutes,” said Matthews.

Nevertheless, the team is getting stronger, having placed third at a tournament in Hanna earlier this month.

“They host a good, 12-team tournament there with mostly 2A teams. We are definitely playing better,” said Matthews.

River Ridge play-in game for playoffs is Monday with the regular playoffs going next Wednesday and Thursday in Bow Island with 2A zones the following week.

The Vauxhall Vikings boys basketball team will be hosting its River Ridge Basketball league playoffs next Wednesday and Thursday.

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