CANMORE – They might have been the underdogs, but the Canmore Wolverines JV boys volleyball team had that dog in them at zones.
With persistence and drive, the Wolverines won bronze in the biggest tournament of the year, knocking the Strathmore Spartans off the podium in three sets (16-25, 25-22, 15-5) in Saturday's (Nov. 19) game in Strathmore.
“It was great to reflect on because Canmore is often seen, especially the boys’ volleyball team, we’re often seen as the underdogs; we don’t have many supporters,” said Conrad Boiger, an outside hitter on the team. “It was great to come out and show that we’re actually made of something and get a bronze at zones.”
Notoriously slow starters, the Wolverines took an L in the opening set against the Spartans. The hometown team tried to creep back into the first set, but it was too little too late as Strathmore gained a 1-0 lead in the game.
The next two sets, however, were all Canmore, all day long.
"By the third set we kind of had all the momentum so we really swept the floor with them," said Boiger.
After the tourney, Wolverines team manager Astrid Heidenreich was impressed with the boys, especially their never-give-up attitude.
“They fought with heart and soul, and the other thing is everyone was there in whatever role they played to the utmost,” said Heidenreich. “We had some who never played but they kept on cheering from the sidelines for example, but they were all so present.”
Three other local teams played at their respective zones tournaments last weekend, but came up empty-handed.
The Wolverines senior girls volleyball team advanced to the quarterfinals in Cochrane, but were eliminated by the George McDougall Mustangs in two sets (13-25, 18-25).
The tournament had gotten off to a bumpy start for the senior girls. In the opening game of the round robin, they lost to the Olds Spartans. It was a match the team had banked on winning, which would have set them up in better positioning in the playoff round.
“We were unable to attend our final tournament of the year in Strathmore two weeks ago because of travel restrictions due to poor weather and I think that really affected us,” said head coach Darren Anderson. “We had not played a meaningful match for almost weeks leading into zones and it really showed with the nerves we had in the opening match.”
The Wolverines JV girls played at zones in High River, but didn’t advance to the playoff round.
The Our Lady of the Snows Avalanche hosted the girls’ zones tournament on Friday and Saturday, finishing seventh after barely missing the playoff round.
With one victory each, the Avalanche went up against the Didsbury Dragons in a qualifier match. But it wasn't meant to be for the local girls, who lost a heartbreaker in three sets (25-23, 22-25, 14-16).
