The Morinville Wolves finished out of the medals with a fourth-place result at the 3A provincial men’s high school volleyball championship in Fort McMurray.
In the bronze-medal match Saturday the Wolves lost 17-25, 20-25 to the Strathcona Christian Academy Eagles.
In the semifinals, the Wolves suffered a 15-25, 18-25 setback to the Magrath Zeniths, who went on to beat the Barrhead Gryphons 29-27, 23-25, 21-19 for the gold medal.
In pool play, the Wolves placed third in the green division at 3-2 (7 GW/5 GL) and one of their losses was 13-25, 20-25 to Magrath (5-0, 10 GW/0 GL).
In the opening playoff round, the Wolves rallied to defeat the Holy Trinity Academy Knights of Okotoks 25-21, 24-26, 16-14.
The Gryphons (5-0, 10 GW/2 GL), Knights (4-1, 8 GW/3 GL) and Eagles (3-2, 7 GW/4 GL) were the top three teams in the gold division.
Zack Ives of the Wolves was among four players to receive individual sportsmanship awards at the 12-team tournament.
The Wolves qualified for their first provincials since 2007, when they placed 10th overall, as the North Central zone wild card team. In the North Central final the Wolves bowed out 16-25, 18-25 to the Gryphons, winners of the 20th annual Lions Western Canadian Challenge that was staged in mid-October in Morinville and St. Albert.
The Wolves’ record after provincials is 36-17. The team graduates four players and seven are eligible to return next year.
The St. Albert Skyhawks met their match in the opening playoff round at the 3A provincial women’s high school volleyball championship Saturday in Cochrane.
The Skyhawks lost 25-27, 20-25 to the Eagle Butte Talons of Dunmore in a rematch of last year’s final.
In pool B the Skyhawks finished second at 4-1 (9 GW/2 GL) and the Talons placed third in pool A at 3-2 (6 GW/2 GL).
The Talons went on to the win the bronze medal with a three-set decision against the George McDougall Mustangs of Airdrie, the top team in pool B who beat the Skyhawks 25-13, 20-25, 15-8.
The Skyhawks, the No. 1 Edmonton zone seed entering provincials, were ranked second in the 12-team draw and the Talons were first.
In the final the Peace Wapiti Academy Titans of Grande Prairie defeated the Lacombe Rams 25-19, 17-25, 15-13 in a battle of pool A teams.
The Titans, winners of the Lions Western Canadian Challenge, were ranked fourth and the Lions were 12th at provincials.
Last year at provincials the Skyhawks fell 22-25-25-14, 18-20 to the Talons in the final. It was 14-13 Skyhawks in the deciding set when they were called for being under the net on what they thought was the gold-medal winning point.
The first trip to provincials for the Morinville Lady Wolves since 2002 ended with an opening playoff round loss at the 3A championship Saturday in Cochrane.
The Wolves dropped a 26-28, 16-25 decision to the Lacombe Rams, the eventual silver medallists.
In pool B the Wolves’ third-place 3-2 (6 GW/6 GL) record included a 25-27, 18-25 loss to the St. Albert Skyhawks.
The Rams placed second in pool A at 4-1 (9 GW/3 GL).
The Wolves were ranked seventh at provincials as the North Central zone champions.
The second-place finishers at the Lions Western Canadian Challenge were victorious in three out of seven tournaments heading into provincials.
