Cobras win tournament opener; take fourth

By Rob Vogt – Local Press Writer
The Willow Creek Composite High School senior varsity boys basketball team welcomed teams from around Southern Alberta this past weekend in their annual Cobra Classic tournament, taking fourth after winning their opener in convincing fashion.
The Cobras hosted the Three Hills Royals, winning by a score of 98-40.
Scoring for Claresholm were Hayden McClung with 25 points; Blake Davis with 12 points; Merrik Whelan with 11 points; Tyce DeJong with 10 points; Lucas Read with nine points; Zak Wright and Yorick De Ruysscher each with six points; Owen Van Dellen with five points; Ethan Hall, Eric Johnson and Anderson Leishman with four points each; and Keane Dela Cruz with two points.
The win put the Cobras in the semi-final against a bigger, much more skilled Kainai Warriors team who won by a score of 92-54.
Scoring for Claresholm were Hayden McClung and Merrik Whelan with 15 points each; Zak Wright with seven points; Blake Davis with five points; Lucas Read with four points; Anderson Leishman with three points; Eric Johnson and Owen Van Dellen with two points each; and Ethan Hall hit a foul shot.
The loss put Claresholm in the third place game against Bawlf, who defeated the Cobras 73-66.
Scoring for Claresholm were Merrik Whelan with 20 points; Hayden McClung with 15 points; Zak Wright with 14 points; Ethan Hall with six points; Blake Davis and Eric Johnson with four points each; and Lucas Read with three points.
Kainai would go on to defeat Vauxhall for the tournament championship.