The Mariners weathered adversity and relied on their collective inner compass.
Meanwhile, the Eagles soared to heights so lofty, it seemed that internal pressure was their only rival.
And by the time Saturday evening had rolled around at the Langley Events Centre, the top two teams this season from the Fraser Valley zone were hoisting hardware and celebrating golden finishes at the B.C. senior boys volleyball championships.
Here’s a look at the two tiers and their respective champions:
TRIPLE A
Surrey’s Earl Marriott Mariners had never won a provincial senior boys volleyball title until last season, but now they’re repeat champions following a 3-1 (25-23, 20-25, 25-16, 26-24) win over the Kelowna Owls in a rematch of the 2013 final.
“They were underdogs all season,” said Mariners’ head coach Bob Smith. “There was injury and adversity, and really, I don’t think they found their groove until the final. Once they were there, though, they did a great job of staying loose.”
The Mariners battled past Victoria’s Oak Bay Barbers 3-1 in one Friday semifinal, while Kelowna advanced to its third straight final by taking out its crosstown rival Mt. Boucherie 3-1 in the other.
Marriott’s left side Justin Faester was selected tournament MVP, while middle Eric Lee was picked to the first all-star team, where he was joined by Kelowna’s Devon Cote and Eli Risso.
DOUBLE A
Abbotsford’s MEI Eagles finished their season playing as dominant a brand of volleyball en route to a provincial title as perhaps any team in recent B.C. history.
By sweeping past a tough-and-gutsy Clarence Fulton Maroons squad 3-0 (25-11, 25-20, 25-15), the Eagles not only went through the entire tournament without dropping a set, but will take a 40-match winning streak into next season.
And as a testament to their status as the tournament’s superstar team, the all-star selection committee simply could not ignore their excellence.
MEI had three players — Levi Block, Kaden Gamache and Jordan Loewen — named to the first all-star team. It also had Keaton Boughen selected Libero of the Year, and setter Jordan Koslowsky named tournament MVP.
Eagles’ head coach Jordan Geransky said the focus level of his team was right where it needed to be throughout the week in Langley. And when it came time to prepare for Saturday’s final, a special moment took place.
“We sat around in a circle for an hour and every guy said what he was thankful for,” said Geransky. “Ten times I heard the word love which is unique for 16- and 17-year-old guys. But it was all from a sense of community and our culture, and the seniors all said they will miss it. I know this is not something you are going to find in every collection of guys.”
KUDOS TO THE MUSTANGS
Earlier in the week we brought you the story of Penticton’s Princess Margaret Mustangs, who survived a bus crash on their way to provincials, arriving shaken and late for the start of the party on Wednesdsy.
Well, the Mustangs did themselves proud, advancing all the way to the semi-finals on the Double A side of the draw before losing a five-set heartbreaker to its crosstown rivals, Clarence Fulton. The ‘Stangs lost 16-14 in the deciding set, and were thus denied their chance to face MEI in the final. However they bounced back to beat Woodlands of Nanaimo 3-2 in the bronze medal match on Saturday.
B.C. SENIOR GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
All four of the B.C. senior girls varsity volleyball championships were held outside of the Lower Mainland this season. Here’s a look at the final results from Saturday.
*At Cranbrook, North Vancouver’s Argyle Pipers, led by tournament MVP Anna Price and first-team all-stars Kendra Finch and Sarah Haysom, survived a tough second set to post a 3-0 (25-14, 29-27, 25-13) win over Port Coquitlam’s Riverside Rapids in the B.C. Quad A final at Mt. Baker Secondary. Taryn Toscani was named a first-team all-star for the Rapids.
*At Parksville, Nicole McNamara was named the MVP in leading the South Delta Sun Devils to a 3-1 win over Campbell River’s Timberline Wolves in the Triple A final. It marked the fourth straight B.C. title for South Delta’s Nicole and Megan McNamara and Cassidy Pearson. The trio won the JV title in 2011 and back-to-back Quad A senior titles 2012-13 before Saturday’s triumph. Megan McNamara and Ashley Klassen of South Delta were named first team all-stars and were joined by Timberline’s Sarah Chase and Brooklyn Reesor.
*At Mill Bay’s Brentwood College, Surrey’s Pacific Academy Breakers swept past the Ladysmith 49ers 3-0 to claim the B.C. Double A championship.
*At Kelowna, the host Immaculata Mustangs went to five sets before coming away 3-2 winners over the Langley Christian Lightning in the B.C. Single A championship final.
