Going undefeated during the season was great, but winning the Premier Conference boys’ volleyball championship was much better for the Sturgeon Spirits.
“I don’t think it means much to go undefeated but winning it feels really great,” said co-captain Lewis Miller after Saturday’s final in the Metro Edmonton High School Athletic Association.
The Spirits finished 8-0 after knocking off the previously undefeated Bev Facey Falcons 25-22, 19-25, 25-27, 25-23, 15-7 at Austin O’Brien High School.
“Their team played great. It was a fun match. I’m just glad we won it,” Miller said.
Massive momentum shifts dominated the match.
“It was tense. We just stuck to the game plan, didn’t lose our heads and played it the way we could play it,” said Miller, 16.
The Grade 11 power hitter was a returnee from last year’s team that lost to the Louis St. Laurent Barons in the City Conference final.
Sturgeon and Facey placed first in their respective pools at 6-0 for home court advantage in the premier semifinals.
In the preseason Sturgeon defeated Facey in four sets in the exhibition crossover.
Sturgeon’s winning line-up included Chad Brenneis, Jordon Theroux, Seth Perrott, Chris Stuart, Bryce Melville, Dakota Morrison, Chris Jensen, Kagen Kieftenbeld, Joel Nixdorf and coach Aaron Chute.
The Bellerose Bulldogs finished the season with a winning record as City Conference champions in junior boys volleyball.
The Bulldogs improved to 5-4 after sweeping the Archbishop MacDonald Marauders 25-17, 26-24, 25-16 in the Metro Edmonton final Thursday at Austin O’Brien High School.
“The team came into the match focused and determined to win,” said coach Shawn Murray. “They played the best they’ve played all season. They made very few errors and they were hitting the ball well. We mixed up the offence so hits were coming from all positions.
“The boys worked well together, they supported each other and really showed fantastic teamwork.”
In pool B the Bulldogs placed fifth at 2-4 and the Marauders were sixth at 1-5. In the last game before the city playoffs the Bulldogs beat the Marauders in four sets.
Celebrating the Bulldogs’ championship victory were Eric Andres, Luke Wright-Mascotto, Brayden Adamus, Grant Slaa, Connor O’Kell, Dylan Slaa, Ryan MacBeath, Matt Ormandy, Aiden Zalasky, Shawn MacLeod, Zane Hermanutz, Eric Moon and Brett Smythe.
A victory tonight by the Sturgeon Spirits would punch their ticket to the 4A provincial men’s volleyball tournament.
Game time is 6:15 p.m. between Sturgeon and the Scona Lords at Strathcona Composite High School.
Sturgeon is the third Metro Edmonton seed in the Edmonton zone playoffs. Scona is ranked ninth in 4A as the Edmonton public league finalist.
Sturgeon qualified for the zone playoffs by beating the Paul Kane Blues in four sets last week.
Provincials start next Thursday at Dr. E.P. Scarlett High School in Calgary. Last year at provincials Sturgeon finished 11th out of 16 teams.
The St. Albert Skyhawks start their Edmonton zone 3A provincial qualifying tournaments Friday in high school volleyball.
The Edmonton Christian Lions are hosting the 10-team men’s competition. The venue for 11-team women’s bracket wasn’t finalized at press time.
The Skyhawks are ranked third in the women’s draw and fourth in the men’s draw.
Provincials get underway next Thursday at St. Paul for the women and Crescent Heights School in Medicine Hat for the men.
