The athletes at Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Academy broke new ground in 2015-16 and made school history in three sports along the way.
The OLS Avalanche produced its first championship level team in the senior girls volleyball program, which won the school’s first South Central Zones title this past November.
The title and banner were major sports moments for not only the volleyball team that “came out of nowhere” to secure the victory, but for the entire school.
The junior boys basketball squad was next to win its first ever zones banner on home court following a comeback victory over the Three Hills Royals in March.
Then the junior boys handball team flattened the field to win its first provincial championship in May.
The banner year where the Avalanche buried its competition was celebrated during the OLS Athletic Awards ceremony on June 9.
Taking home the junior male and female athletes of the year were Noah Arvisais and Hannah St. Hilaire.
In the senior categories, it was a Grade 11 sweep for athlete of the year as Caleb Pittman won senior male and Maria Buchko and Bryanna Meggs were named the co-female athletes of the year.
“I was kind of surprised,” said Pittman, who also received MVP for handball and the desire, dedication and determination award (3D) in basketball.
“I expected an award in handball or basketball because I felt I improved a lot from last year, but (senior) male athlete of the year, I didn’t really expect that at all.”
Buchko received the MVP in volleyball, and just like the senior girls athlete of the year award, shared 3D co-honours with Meggs in basketball.
Buckho said she was a bit surprised at her awards due to being sidelined with an ACL injury towards the end of basketball season.
Meggs looked back to her favourite moment during the volleyball team’s meteoric rise to the top after being lower ranked all season.
“We kind of came out of nowhere,” said Meggs. “We lost most games throughout the season and then zones came and we somehow managed to sneak our way to the top.”
Buchko added her favourite moment in the volleyball finals was when teammate Clara Terra hit a “perfect cross court hit” that secured the victory.
The OLS athletic award winners for 2015-16:
MVP= Most Valuable Player
MIP= Most Improved Player
3D= Desire, Dedication and Determination
Athletes of the year
Jr. Female: Hannah St. Hilaire
Jr. Male: Noah Arvisais
Sr. Female: Maria Buchko/Bryanna Meggs
Sr. Male: Caleb Pittman
Cross Country
MVP: Nick Suzuki
MIP: Lucas Ambler
3D: Olivia Nowlan
Track and Field
MVP: Alina Arvisais
MIP: Tori Kelly
3D: Josh Lamb
Grade 7-8 Boys Volleyball
MVP: Justin Hughes
MIP: Bode Procinsky
3D: Julian Gascon
Grade 9 Boys volleyball
MVP: Noah Arvisais
MIP: Kieran O’Neill
3D: Owain Nickerson
JV Boys volleyball
MVP: Jadon Domingo
MIP: Alexander Vanc
3D: Naoto Isayama
Grade 7 Girls volleyball
MVP: Kaitlyn Fynn
MIP: Elisabeth Tomanova
3D: Bridget Messier
Grade 8-9 Girls volleyball
MVP: Ari Kolenda
MIP: Ella Stokowski
3D: Camilla Faehndrich
JV Girls Volleyball
MVP: Maria Buchko
MIP: Karena Uy
3D: Clara Terra
Grade 7-8 Boys Basketball
MVP: Christian Gilbao
MIP: Yoshiya Isayama
3D: Corey Banks
Grade 8-9 Boys basketball
MVP: Alexander Mamalis
MIP: Oliver Morgan
3D: Isaac Wilson
JV Boys basketball
MVP: Mike Foster
MIP: Fred Faehndrich
3D: Caleb Pittman
Grade 7-8 Girls basketball
MVP: Bridget Messier
MIP: Trisha Mae Clavo de Comer
3D: Bridget Messier
Grade 8-9 Girls basketball
MVP: Camilla Faehndrich/Adrianna Domingo
MIP: Stephanie Atillo
3D: Camilla Faehndrich
JV Girls Basketball
MVP: Mia Landi
MIP: Patricia Gascon
3D: Bryanna Meggs/Maria Buchko
Jr. Boys Handball
MVP: Michael Fladager/Alfie Phillips
MIP: Aidan Cuell
3D: Nathan Ellis
Sr. Boys handball
MVP: Caleb Pittman
MIP: Mike Foster
3D: Jadon Domingo
Jr. Girls handball
MVP: Camilla Faehndrich
MIP: Kaitlyn Fynn
3D: Kiera Gorrigsen
Sr. Girls handball
MVP: Mia Landi
MIP: Megumi Brownlee
3D: Rosie Wilson
