South Delta teams capped off a terrific high school volleyball campaign with a pair of medals at their respective provincial championships last week.
In Victoria at Oak Bay Secondary, the Delta Pacers senior boys captured the silver medal after losing in the AAA championship final in three sets to Elgin Park.
Last year the Pacers won bronze at the provincials.
The Pacers finished 2-1 in power pool play setting up a round of 16 match with North Peace which they won in three sets.
Next up was McMath in the quarterfinals and it was another three set win for the Pacers putting them in a semifinal match with Okanagan Mission.
The Pacers pulled out a five-set thriller to head to the final.
“Incredibly proud of the boys,” said head coach and DSS co-athletic director Andrew Robson. “We had a significant injury five points into the first set of the quarterfinal match, so we had a Grade 10 player step in, and he did a great job. Then in the second set, we lost another one of our top players, so we had to rally. It was just a real cool moment to see how the team reacted, and the guys step up.”
Robson said the success of the volleyball program has started in the lower grades.
“Kids have bought in, and we have had a lot of people help with the club system, which also pushes kids forward, so it’s a collective effort for sure,” he said. “There is a tremendous sense of pride, but also a hunger. Guys wanted the gold, and guys will be back to try and go for gold next year.”
First team all-star awards were presented to Jack Thompson and Chase Wilson.
Last week the junior boys from DSS won bronze at their provincial championships in Kelowna.
“I think myself and Kayla Jow, my co-AD, we have tried to shift the culture. For the longest time we have been a school that does not win a whole lot,” said Robson. “So, it is exciting to see the three teams get so far in their respective provincials. Winning breeds winning, so the more success one team has, the more the other teams want to do the same.”
On the senior girls’ side, the South Delta Sun Devils beat the Pacers in three sets in the bronze medal game.
The AAAA tournament, co-hosted by Earl Marriott and Seaquam, saw the Sun Devils finish 0-3 in power pool play, while the Pacers went 1-2.
In the championship bracket, SDSS beat Seaquam in four sets in the round of sixteen, while the Pacers beat Handsworth in four sets.
In the quarterfinals, SDSS beat Kelowna in four sets, while the Pacers knocked out Earl Marriott in three sets.
Next was the semifinals, where SDSS lost to the eventual champions from Okanagan Mission in four sets, while the Pacers lost to Riverside in three sets.
“It was a fantastic week for us” said DSS coach Grant Hornby. “We were led by Maddy Cortonesi and Chantel Peters all season long. They were just unbelievable throughout the South Fraser championships and the provincial championships. In the very end, it was amazing to see the whole team push through.”
Hornby said the team battled through a lot of sickness during the week.
“For some reason, we seemed to play our best despite that,” he said. “This is the first year our school has qualified for provincials at AAAA, so this was just an amazing finish for the team. They were all extremely happy.”
SDSS assistant coach Gatlin Saip said it was a special week for volleyball in South Delta.
“It is a tribute to the kids. We inherited a great team from our junior program and our Grade 12s showed a high level of maturity and the level of play that they brought to the provincial tournament,” said Saip. “In regard to Delta Secondary, this is a huge accomplishment as this was their first year at the AAAA level, so to crack the top four was an unbelievable achievement.”
Saip gave special recognition to Claire Thompson, Jenna McKaig and Syliva Ferrari for their exceptional play and leadership.
