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The U12 Girls had an outstanding performance during Week 2 of the Ontario Basketball League (OBL), hosted right here in Belleville. The team swept all four games, showcasing their skills and teamwork.

Game 1

The Spirits kicked off the weekend with a thrilling matchup against the undefeated Markham (DCB) Storm. In a nail-biting, back-and-forth game, Belleville emerged victorious, defeating Markham 35-29. The win was fueled by a dominant second-half defense.

•Game MVP: June Wollenberg with 11 points

•Key Contributions: Sophiya Vance (8 points), Mila Kaliaieva (6 points), and Sammy Bentley (6 points).

Game 2

Next up, the Spirits overwhelmed the Etobicoke Thunder in a decisive 65-8 victory, displaying a balanced offensive attack.

•Game MVP: Kiyon Maracle with 12 points

•Top Scorers: Mila Kaliaieva (14 points), June Wollenberg (10 points), and Gracyn McColl (6 points).

Game 3

Facing a tough and persistent Vaughan squad, the girls overcame an early 8-0 deficit to secure a 24-12 win. Another swarming second-half defense turned the tide.

•Game MVP: Mila Kaliaieva with 8 points

•Key Contributions: Everly Clarke and Eve Mitchell (4 points each).

Game 4

In the final matchup, the team delivered their best offensive performance of the weekend, holding on for an exciting 45-41 victory.

•Top Scorers: Mila Kaliaieva and June Wollenberg (8 points each)

•Game MVP: Sammy Bentley with strong offensive and defensive contributions alongside Irelyn O’Connor (6 points each)

•Additional Contribution: Eve Mitchell (5 points).

The U12 Girls now boast an impressive 6-0 record in Pool D and are poised to move up in the rankings as the OBL prepares for the final six games of the season. Even more impressive, dating back to last year, the team has now won 17 straight OBL games—a remarkable achievement!

The weekend’s success was a full team effort, with all 12 players making significant contributions, including Athena Stapley, Reese Coughlin, and Norah Lad.

Acknowledgements

•Coaches: Terri Coughlin and Sandro Palleschi

•Manager: June Wollenberg

•Parent Volunteers: A special thank you to Kaitie Clarke and the parents who ran a top-notch canteen all weekend, earning rave reviews. Additional thanks to all the parents and helpers who kept score, ran the clock, and supported the team.

•Scarlett Clarke: For her dedication in assisting throughout the weekend in multiple capacities.

Congratulations to the U12 Girls on their incredible teamwork and dedication! Here’s to keeping the streak alive!

This past weekend, the U11 girls traveled to North York for a 4-game OBL weekend, showing impressive growth and teamwork as they stepped up to every challenge.

Game 1 vs. DC Chameleons: The girls came out on fire, dominating 44-11. Tight defense kept DC from penetrating, while Heidi Di Genova Warner led with 19 points, followed by Josefina Tie Ten Quee (9), Iyla Lawrence (6), Paige Richardson (4), and Annabel Georgekutty, Madelyn Harvey, and Irelyn Callaghan (2 each).

Players of the Game: Heidi and Paige for their scoring, smart assists, and fierce defense.

Game 2 vs. Tecumseh Saints: Fatigue set in as the girls fell 35-26 in a hard-fought battle. Missed opportunities proved costly, but the team regrouped with determination for Sunday. #nevergiveup

Game 3 vs. Collingwood Trailblazers: The girls bounced back strong, opening with a 10-0 run and cruising to a 33-18 win. Iyla Lawrence shone with a career-high 12 points, followed by Heidi (8), Annabel (7), and Irelyn, Josefina, and Emily Howden (2 each).

Player of the Game: Iyla, who found her sweet spot and couldn’t miss!

Game 4 vs. Cali Girls Prep School: Despite falling 35-19, the girls rose to the challenge against bigger, stronger opponents. Strong defense and gritty play kept them in the game, with Heidi leading with 8 points, followed by Josefina (7), and Paige and Emily (2 each).

Player of the Game: Lauren Gemmell-Cooke for her relentless defense.

Amazing sportsmanship and team spirit gave the girls every reason to hold their heads high!

A huge thank you to our sponsors: Bidford Mini Storage, Italy-Canadian Quinte Club, O’Flynn Weese LLP, Tackle Depot, French Brothers Roofing, Joe Kilsdonk, and Norma Howden.

-Coach Alex & Coach Mack

The U14 DeVries team made an impressive debut in their first OBL games of the season. They opened strong against a much larger Peterborough Power team, showcasing relentless defense, high energy, and speed. Pushing the game into overtime, they ultimately fell short by just one basket, closing with a tight 46-44 loss.

In their second game, the U14s faced off against the Cali Girls. Their full-court press was relentless, holding the opposition to just 1 point in the first half. With a comfortable lead, the Spirit girls eased up on the press and finished with a solid 45-27 victory.

Standout performances included Kyrah Currin and Abigail Whiten, whose ball-handling set the pace. Ciara Lewis, Aylie Heffernan, Liberty Bergen, Sawyer Crisp, and Shelby Brant brought speed and strong defense, while Raya Holoway contributed with her three-point shooting. Myla Empey, Mac Weaver, and Nora Gabourie were relentless in rebounding efforts.

This talented group has shown that it’s going to be an exciting and competitive season. Their dedication to defense and tenacity on the court are truly impressive. Coaches Gord and Steph were thrilled with the girls’ performances—well done, ladies!

The U12 Belleville Spirits girls kicked off their OBL season with two strong wins this past weekend in Kingston!

In the first game, they faced a skilled and fast Vaughan team that put pressure on early, leading to several turnovers. However, the girls found their rhythm in the second half, building a solid lead and securing a hard-fought, competitive 41-35 victory. Sophiya Vance led the balanced attack with 7 points, while Player of the Game June Wollenberg brought intensity on both ends and added 6 points, matched by Sammy Bentley. Eve Mitchell contributed a crucial 5 points in a single shift, helping turn the game in our favor.

In the nightcap, the team maintained strong play throughout and defeated the home team, Kingston Impact, 33-18. Player of the Game Eve and Sophiya each scored 6 points, with Norah Ladd close behind with 5 in her best game of the season so far.

Success in U12 with Fair Play and a 12-player roster requires contributions from everyone, and that’s exactly what our U12 girls delivered. Each player is an offensive threat and strong defensively, with different leaders stepping up each game. Rounding out our impressive roster are Mila Kaliaeva, Gracyn McColl, Athena Stapley, Everly Clarke, Irelyn O’Connor, Kiyon Maracle, and Reese Coughlin.

Coaches: Terri Coughlin and Sandro Palleschi
Manager extraordinaire: Natalie Wollenberg

Next up, the team will play some exhibition games before hosting a 4-game OBL weekend on Nov 30-Dec 1 at BSS.

This past weekend, the U11 girls competed in their first set of OBL matches in Oshawa, ON, and they continue to dominate with a perfect season record of 6-0!

Game 1 vs. Markham Elite

After trailing in the first half, the girls rallied for a 28-22 victory. Heidi Di Genova-Warner led the scoring with 14 points, Annabel Georgekutty added 10, and Josefina Tie Ten Quee and Madelyn Harvey each contributed 2 points.

In the second half, the team’s defense was unstoppable, completely shutting down Markham’s offense.

Players of the Game:

•Heidi Di Genova-Warner: An unstoppable force at both ends of the court.

•Josie Tie Ten Quee: Relentless with her intense, in-your-face defense throughout the game.

Game 2 vs. Mississauga Monarchs

The girls came out on fire, maintaining their momentum until the final buzzer to secure a decisive 40-18 victory. Heidi Di Genova-Warner led the scoring again with 16 points, followed by Iyla Lawrence with 8, Irelyn Callaghan and Annabel Georgekutty each with 6, and Josefina Tie Ten Quee with 4 points.

Players of the Game:

•Irelyn Callaghan: Showed excellent court vision, finding open teammates and setting the pace with quick buckets in the first quarter.

•Annabel Georgekutty: Dominated the boards, pulling down key rebounds on both ends of the floor.

The team has worked incredibly hard in practice, and their resilience shows when they face challenges on the court. They play unselfishly, trusting each other to finish the job, and they’d rather assist than score themselves.

A special thank you to my assistant coach, Mackenzie Callaghan. You are a phenomenal mentor for these girls—their respect and admiration for you speak volumes. You’re a model of strength and grace, and I’m grateful for your trust, support, and friendship.

Injured and deeply missed by her team: Paige Richardson

Finally, a huge thank you to our sponsors: Bidford Mini Storage, Italy-Canadian Quinte Club, O’Flynn Weese LLP, Tackle Depot, French Brothers Roofing, Joe Kilsdonk, and Norma Howden.

The U12 girls got off to a good start to their season. The girls played their first two games in a tri-meet at Nicholson.

In the first game, the girls overcame some rustiness on the offensive side and defeated a big and equally strong Kingston Impact team, 34-31. Gracyn McColl and Mila Kailiaieva led the scoring with 6 points each, followed by June Wollenberg with 5.

Pitching in with 4 points and her relentless defense was Player of the Game Irelyn O’Connor.

In the second game, the Spirits were firing on all cylinders and overwhelmed our friends from the County, defeating the Clippers 53-17. Every player scored at least one basket. Sophiya Vance, the Player of the Game, led the team with 12 points, followed by Gracyn with 11 points and Mila with 8. Birthday girl Reese Coughlin pitched in with 5 points.

Our motto this year, playing like a ‘We’ team and not a ‘Me’ team, propelled us over the weekend.

We will play a controlled scrimmage with the U13 Kingston Impact this Wednesday in Kingston and return to Kingston on Saturday to play our first two OBL games.

Thanks to Geordie Mitchell, who organized the tri-meet and arranged for us to piggyback with their U13 Spirit boys, who also had a successful tri-meet of their own. A big shout-out to our parents, siblings, extended families, friends, and players from the older Spirit girl teams. We really appreciate the tremendous support!

Thank you, girls, for a strong effort and an entertaining, fast-paced brand of basketball. The rest of the team, all of whom made good contributions, included Sammy Bentley, Athena Stapley, Eve Michell, Everly Clarke, Kiyon Maracle, and Norah Lad.

Coaches: Terri Coughlin and Sandro Palleschi; Manager: Natalie Wollenberg.

This past Sunday, the U11 Warner team took on the U11 Brockville Blazers, U11 Ottawa Shooting Stars, and U12 Brockville Blazers. Here’s how each game went down:

Game 1 vs. U11 Blazers

The girls came out strong, dominating with a 47-7 win over the Blazers. Heidi Di Genova Warner led the team in scoring, with Irelyn Callaghan following closely. Special shoutout to Irelyn for stepping up as point guard, delivering pinpoint assists, and demonstrating excellent court vision—she did everything needed to keep the team rolling! On defense, every player was on point, forcing turnover after turnover.

Player of the Game: Clara Wells (stellar defense)

Game 2 vs. Ottawa Shooting Stars

In a nail-biter, the girls pulled off a hard-fought 28-26 victory. Big boards and solid defense from Heidi Di Genova Warner, Annabel Georgekutty, and Lauren Gemmell-Cooke helped secure the win. Heidi led the scoring again, with contributions from Irelyn Callaghan, Annabel Georgekutty, and a clutch performance by Josie Tie Ten Quee.

Player of the Game: Josie Tie Ten Quee

Game 3 vs. U12 Blazers

In the final game, the team took on the older U12 Blazers. The first half stayed close, but the girls showed some fatigue after an intense day. Still, they fought hard, keeping the score within 4 points and finishing 30-26. Heidi Di Genova Warner led in scoring again, playing tight defense to shut down scoring opportunities, with support from Josie Tie Ten Quee and Irelyn Callaghan.

Player of the Game: Heidi Di Genova Warner

Incredible effort, determination, and teamwork from these girls all day! They left it all on the court.

#nevergiveup

Basketball tryouts for girls in grades 7-8 will begin on Monday 🏀 All skill levels are welcome!

To register or learn more about our rep program, visit the tryout page here