UPDATE: Central Okanagan teams went 1-for-2 on Saturday’s finals at the B.C. high school volleyball championships in Langley.
The top-ranked KSS girls captured gold, defeating the Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers of Surrey 3-0 (25-21. 25-22, 25-18), as the Owls defended their 4A title, becoming back-to-back champions.
Madelyn Hettinga of KSS was named the tournament’s MVP.
“I just think that my whole team deserves the award, I don’t I should be the one getting it,” said Hettinga. “We have worked so hard as a team, I don’t think it is right for just me to get it.”
The KSS boys, though, fell in their 3A final against the Earl Marriott Mariners of Surrey, losing 3-1 (25-19, 14-25, 11-25, 14-25).
The Owls were looking to break a 66-year championship drought, but the Mariners wound up repeating as provincial champions.
Also Saturday, the George Elliot Coyotes of Winfield fell to Abbotsford Christian in the boys 2A bronze-medal game, falling 3-2 (25-19, 20-25, 23-25, 25-15, 6-15) to place fourth overall.
ORIGINAL STORY:
Three schools from the Okanagan are in the running for provincial glory at the B.C. high school volleyball championships in Langley.
Boys 3A
KELOWNA
The Kelowna Owls are on the cusp of ending a 66-year title drought, as they face the Earl Marriott Mariners of Surrey in Saturday’s championship game at 5 p.m.
The Owls advanced to Saturday’s final after a pair of playoff wins on Friday. In championship-round action, KSS defeated Eric Hamber of Vancouver 3-1 (25-20, 25-17, 26-28, 25-22) in the round of 16, then bested Claremont of Victoria 3-1 (16-25, 25-20, 26-24, 25-17) in the quarter-finals.
KSS opened championship-round play on Thursday with a 3-0 win over Penticton (25-20, 25-15, 28-26).
In round-robin play, Kelowna went 1-2, beating Oak Bay of Victoria 2-0 (25-23, 25-23), but losing 2-1 to Claremont of Victoria (18-25, 14-25) and 2-1 to Earl Marriott (18-25, 14-25).
According to tournament organizers, the last time KSS won the provincial title was 1953, though the Owls have come close before, finishing second six times.
Recent gold-medal losses include 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016.
This year’s team has nine Grade 12s, five of whom have played senior since Grade 10.
“Those two years of experience at senior, coming to provincials in Grade 10 and then in Grade 11, they know what it takes,” Owls coach Mike Sodaro said in a press release.
“They have seen other teams, we have watched them, we have been burned by them a bunch of times, lost a bunch of times and we just knew this was our year to get here.”
OKANAGAN MISSION
The Huskies came close to making it an all-Okanagan final, but fell short, falling to Earl Marriott in Friday’s semifinals, losing 3-0 (25-23, 25-22, 27-25).
As a result, OKM was relegated to the bronze-medal game, where the Huskies lost to Claremont 3-0 (22-25, 19-25, 10-25), placing fourth overall.
In earlier championship-round play, the Huskies beat Steveston-London 3-0 (25-19, 25-13, 25-21) on Thursday, then downed Oak Bay 3-1 (17-25, 25-21, 25-23, 25-20) on Friday morning.
In pool play, OKM went 3-0, beating Eric Hamber of Vancouver 2-0 (25-19, 27-25), Argyle of North Vancouver 2-1 (18-25, 25-19, 15-11) and Riverside of Port Coquitlam 2-1 (25-22, 16-25, 15-11).
MOUNT BOUCHERIE
Like KSS and OKM, Mount Boucherie also advanced to the championship round, but the Bears played just one game, falling to Argyle of North Vancouver 3-2 (17-25, 21-25, 25-11, 25-21, 10-15).
In the placement bracket, the Bears lost to Reynolds of Victoria 2-0 (23-25, 22-25) but bounced back to beat Fleetwood Park of Surrey 2-1 (20-25, 25-21, 17-15).
On Saturday, the Bears beat Steveston-London 2-1 (25-19, 20-25, 15-6) in the game for 13th and 14th place.
PENTICTON
Penticton made it 4-for-4 regarding Okanagan teams advancing to the championship round.
But like Mount Boucherie, Pen-Hi’s stay in the championship bracket lasted just one game, as they were bounced by Kelowna 3-0.
In the placement bracket, Penticton beat Fleetwood Park 2-0 (25-23, 25-21), then Reynolds of Victoria 2-0 (25-20, 25-19).
In the game for ninth and 10th place, Penticton lost 2-0 to Fraser Heights of Surrey 2-0 (19-25, 22-25).
In earlier action, Penticton lost to Delta 2-1 (22-25, 25-18, 7-15), 2-1 to Reynolds (22-25, 25-18, 7-15) but beat Mount Baker of Cranbrook 2-1 (22-25, 25-12, 15-13) and Burnaby Central 3-2 (22-25, 25-16, 25-18, 19-25, 15-10).
Boys 2A
GEORGE ELLIOT
George Elliot will be playing for bronze on Saturday afternoon against Abbotsford Christian at 3 p.m.
The game is a rematch of last year’s championship final.
George Elliot advanced to the final four, but fell to Langley Christian in the semifinals on Friday, falling 3-0 (20-25, 22-25, 21-25).
In earlier championship-round play, George Elliot beat College Heights of Prince George 3-1 (25-19, 18-25, 25-23, 25-14) and Alpha of Burnaby 3-0 (25-4, 25-16, 25-13).
In round-robin play, George Elliot lost to MEI of Abbotsford 2-0 (19-25, 15-25), but defeated Langley Christian 2-1 (18-25, 25-15, 15-12) and Abbotsford Christian 2-1 (25-19, 19-25, 15-11).
W.L. SEATON
Like George Elliot, W.L. Seaton also advanced to the championship round.
The Sonics’ title hopes, though, ended after one game, a 3-0 loss to Langley Christian (19-25, 21-25, 28-30).
In the placement bracket, W.L. Seaton advanced to the 11th and 12th place game, as they beat St. Michael’s of Victoria 2-0 (29-27, 28-26) but fell 2-1 to Duchess Park of Prince George (25-23, 17-25, 9-15).
The Sonics then defeated Hugh McRoberts of Richmond 2-1 (19-25, 25-22, 17-15) on Saturday morning in the game for 11th and 12th place.
Girls 4A
KELOWNA
The top-ranked Kelowna Owls have advanced to Saturday evening’s championship game.
In semifinal action at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Kelowna defeated No. 5 Handsworth of North Vancouver 3-0 (25-12, 25-20, 25-16).
The defending champion Owls will now face Lord Tweedsmuir of Surrey in the final at 6:30 p.m.
“We have had our ups and downs, we have definitely had our season of injury. I think resilience has been important. Being unconventional when we needed to be,” said KSS coach Kelly Hettinga.
“We moved players around on the floor when we have had injuries. The versatility within a few players just gives us lots of options to deal with that.”
In the other semifinal, which was also played at 11 a.m., No. 8 Lord Tweedsmuir upset No. 2 Lord Byng of Vancouver 3-1 (25-22, 19-25, 25-8, 25-19).
On Friday, KSS crushed Terry Fox of Port Coquitlam 3-0 (25-13, 25-15, 25-9) in the round of 16, then dispatched Mission 3-0 (25-23, 25-12, 25-20) in the round-of-eight quarter-finals.
On Thursday, KSS opened the tournament with three wins in round-robin action to take Pool A. The Owls beat Seaquam of Delta 2-0 (25-20, 25-22), North Peace of Fort St. John 2-0 (25-10, 25-18) and Claremont of Victoria 2-1 (25-21, 22-25, 17-15).
On Saturday at 11 a.m., Kelowna will face No. 5 Handsworth of North Vancouver, with the winner advancing the championship game at 6:30 p.m.
In the other semifinal, also at 11 a.m., No. 2 Lord Byng of Vancouver will play No. No. 8 Lord Tweedsmuir of Surrey.
In high school rankings three weeks before the provincial championships, Lord Tweedsmuir was ranked No. 1, with KSS ranked No. 2. Lord Byng was ranked No. 6.
MOUNT BOUCHERIE
Mount Boucherie is also participating in the tournament in Langley, but did not advance to the top-16 championship bracket.
On Thursday, the Bears went 0-3, as they lost 2-0 to Elgin Park of Surrey (24-26, 8-25), 2-0 to Handsworth (20-25, 8-25) and 2-0 to South Delta (16-25, 18-25).
On Friday, Mount Boucherie lost 3-0 to Burnaby Central (14-25, 7-25, 23-25), then fell 2-1 to Pinetree of Coquitlam (11-25, 25-23, 6-15).
On Saturday, the Bears fell to North Peace 2-1 (25-21, 24-26, 12-15) in the game for 19th and 20th place.
Girls 3A
Three teams from the Okanagan are competing in the girls 3A bracket, but only one advanced to Saturday’s final four.
W.L. SEATON
The No. 4-ranked W.L. Seaton Sonics put in a game effort in semifinal action on Saturday morning, but lost to Little Flower Academy of Vancouver, falling 3-2 (25-15, 25-20, 12-25, 20-25, 8-15).
The loss placed W.L. Seaton in the bronze medal game against Dawson Creek, which Dawson Creek won 2-0 (27-25, 25-7).
Little Flower defeated Carihi of Campbell River 3-0 (25-22, 25-23, 25-20) in the gold-medal game.
During championship-round action on Friday, W.L. Seaton beat Hugh McRoberts of Richmond 3-1 (21-25,25-13,25-17,25-20), then blanked the Okanagan Mission Huskies of Kelowna 3-0 (25-15,25-15,25-20).
During round-robin play, W.L. Seaton went 3-0, beating Charles Hays of Prince Rupert 2-0 (25-15, 25-18), Vernon 2-0 (25-15, 25-14) and Duchess Park 2-1 (26-24, 10-25, 15-9).
OKANAGAN MISSION
Okanagan Mission opened its championship round by beating Crofton House of Vancouver 3-0 (25-19., 25-0, 26-24) before falling to W.L. Seaton.
During round-robin play, the Huskies went 2-1, beating Prince George 2-0 (25-22, 25-19) and Salish of Surrey 2-1 (25-17, 21-25, 15-7), but losing 2-0 to Dawson Creek (25-14, 25-22).
On Saturday afternoon, Okanagan Mission defeated R.A. McMath of Richmond 2-1 (26-24, 17-25, 16-14) and advanced to the fifth-sixth place game against Duchess Park.
Duchess Park won that game, 2-0 (25-21, 28-26) over Okanagan Mission to place fifth, with the Huskies placing sixth.
VERNON
Vernon Secondary also advanced to the championship round, but couldn’t crack the top four.
Vernon beat G.W. Graham of Chilliwack 3-1 (scores unavailable), then fell 3-0 to Dawson Creek (25-17, 25-17, 25-9).
On Saturday at 12:15 p.m., Vernon fell to Duchess Park of Prince George, losing 2-1 (12-25, 25-22, 9-15), placing them in the seventh-eighth place game against R.A. McMath.
R.A. McMath won that contest, 2-1 (15-25, 25-19, 15-10) to place seventh with Vernon placing eighth.
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