The Charles Hays Rainmakers had a successful playday in Terrace on Dec. 12, going 2-0 with commanding victories against Mount Elizabeth Secondary School (MESS) and Caledonia Secondary School.
“The trip went very well, and we got to play everybody so I think it was successful overall,” coach Ryan Bishop said.
Bishop said he was confident in his team’s ability to score, but wanted to see how well they would perform defensively during their games.
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He said the team was able to hold the teams they played to under 15 points a quarter in five of the eight quarters they played, which was a goal they set for themselves before the playday
In their first game, the Rainmakers beat MESS 123-41 in a strong performance on both sides of the ball. Liam McChesney scored 32 points, Daniel Cachero scored 18 points, Eric Lees scored 13 and Aaron Rubeicek scored nine.
“It was just one of those games where were good offensively and defensively,” Bishop said. “We were just strong.”
In their second game, the Rainmakers defeated CSS 101-61 in another strong all around performance. Kai Leighton scored 23 points, Christian Clifton scored 17 points and Malcolm Brown added 15 points.
Rainmakers will travel to Vancouver for games against AAAA level competition. Bishop said that while the team played well during the Caledonia playday, they would need to work on their communication and team defence to compete against the elevated competition.
“There were times when we didn’t talk as much on defence as we should have,” he said. “When that happens their can be mistakes.”
The Rainmakers will play in an exhibition game on Dec. 6 before entering the No Regrets Tournament Dec. 7-9. Bishop said the team can compete with any squad in the province.
“I think the biggest thing is going down there with confidence,” he said. “Realizing they’re a good team and that any gym they walk into in the province, they’re going to be competitive.”
The Rainmaker’s home opener is Dec. 15 at Charles Hay Secondary School against Caledonia.
matthew.allen@thenorthernview.com
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