Three Estevan teams won titles at district school volleyball championships on Nov. 12.
The Estevan Comprehensive School intermediate boys team won the title on their home court. Teams from Estevan, the Weyburn Comprehensive School, Lampman School, 33 Central School in Fillmore and McNaughton High School in Moosomin participated.
Matches in the round-robin were two-set, total-point contests. ECS went 4-0 during the round robin, losing just one set to Moosomin, but winning that match on total points.
The Elecs went straight to the final, where they played Weyburn. Estevan won the best of three final 2-1 (26-28, 25-20 and 15-10).
“They served really well again and they played as a team and they didn’t get too discouraged when things didn’t go their way,” said Kevin Toombs, who coached the team along with Trevor Gordon. “That was probably the best thing that came out of it is that they kept confident in their game, and it prevailed for them in the end, because they pulled it off.”
The players have worked hard and they have come a long way since the start of the season. They finished second at their home tournament last month, and they have shown dramatic improvements in setting and hitting the ball over the net.
“It’s been great to see how far the kids have come, and to see their hard work paying off here,” said Toombs. “We’ve had two successful tournaments.”
They practised twice a week and kept their interest high throughout the season.
Toombs also paid tribute to manager Simone Saigeon for all her hard work to keep the team organized this year.
The intermediate Elecs are largely comprised of Grade 9s and 10s, but they also have one Grade 11 player. Toombs expects there will be a few members making the jump to the senior boys volleyball team in 2020.
The Hillcrest School Hornets No. 2 team also won at home, capturing the junior co-ed tournament. Coach Rebecca Bonokoski applauded them for their teamwork throughout the season, and their ability to get the ball in play.
“They were very respectful towards all of the other schools that came, they were very helpful at any time that the other teachers asked them to do anything.”
Macoun School, Carievale School, Gladmar Regional School and Lyndale School in Oungre joined Hillcrest 1 and 2 for the tournament. Hillcrest 1 finished fourth.
A round-robin was held at the start of the tournament. Macoun and Hillcrest 2 were tied for top spot, so then they had to count total points from the games, which put Hillcrest in first.
Carievale and Macoun played in the semi-final, which Macoun won, and so they met Hillcrest in the final. Hillcrest won the final 2-1. (Set scores were not available, but Bonokoski said all three sets were close).
Bonokoski noted that Hillcrest 1 and 2 played together throughout the year, but they had 16 players for the district tournament. They were split based on grades, with Grade 7s largely on team 1 Grade 8s on the other squad.
She praised the players for their progress this season.
“At the beginning of the year, we could barely bump a ball or set it, and by the end of the year, both teams had no issues with it. They were calling the ball every time. It was a great improvement.”
The Pleasantdale School Bulldogs girls team won their junior district tournament at Arcola School. Joining Pleasantdale for the tournament were Spruce Ridge School, Sacred Heart School/École SacréCoeur, 33 Central School and the host Arcola School team.
The Bulldogs went 3-1 in the round robin, and defeated Spruce Ridge in the semifinal round to reach the final against Sacred Heart. Pleasantdale won the final 2-0 (25-21, 25-20) to take districts.
