On the strength of a purely dominant performance, the Banff Community High School boys volleyball team has made history.
For the first time in 30 years, BCHS won the junior varsity A-AA volleyball zones banner with a crushing victory over Strathcona-Tweedsmuir on Saturday (Nov. 21).
Playing on their home court, the Bears were untouchable through round-robin play, allowing fewer than 10 points against each opponent. In the final, the Bears got a bit of a scare, but managed to overcome nerves and win 25-17, 25-17.
“It was pretty awesome,” said coach Michael Geertsema. “They have such a powerful attack, they were able to take over games. There was only one team that competed against us, and there were multiple times we held the opposition to less than 10 points.”
On a team that has come close in the past, but hadn’t been able to close out a title until Saturday, Geertsema said it all came together this year. The Bears steamrolled several opponents and truly gelled as a team.
“This is a team where every player is a Grade 11. They started playing together as a full team in Grade 7 and you could tell they were athletically minded. Through the years they worked together and almost won zones, but came in third. Those losses were tough, but they were good experience and paid off on Saturday,” Geertsema said.
In the championship game, co-captains Kyle Burt and Max Lozeman stepped up for Banff in a big way to ensure victory. Although they fell behind early, the team remained calm and dedicated. Lozeman’s massive block midway through the first game set the tone for the Bears, as their talent was too much for Strathcona-Tweedsmuir in the history-making match.
“Kyle is a quiet, calculating guy. He’s the strategist and by far the best setter on any team we saw this year. He had a wide range of guys to send it to, so he was perfect for our team,” Geertsema said.
“Max is more of the enthusiastic guy on the team. He encourages guys and can run an offence better than anyone. He’s a shorter middle and a powerhouse on the block. You could see in the final, when Strathcona tried to come to the middle, Max just said no way, and made a tremendous block, right to the floor. We took over at that point.”
The win was special for the team, which had an inkling it had the potential to make history.
“The boys knew there were not a lot of volleyball banners hanging from the rafters. There’s lots of rugby, but no volleyball,” Geertsema said.
The coaching staff of Sharon Oakley, Masaki Yokota and Geertsema knew they had a special group this year, but planned 2015 to be a developing season. They had no idea the team would improve so much.
“We had a choice to compete at the senior or JV level for zones. We thought JV would be a better spot and we thought they would be competitive, but we didn’t think they would dominate,” Geertsema said. “I can’t wait to see what they can do next year, as the entire team will be back as seniors. I’m sure we’ll compete again for another title.”
