For one of the first times in many years, both the senior girls’ and boys’ volleyball teams from Ponoka Secondary Campus are heading to volleyball provincials.
The Broncs boys played a tough weekend at zones but were able to make it through as zone champions, explained coach Ron Labrie. He says their opponents were “tough as nails.”
Labrie said the boys had a strong win against Sylvan Lake during their first match, defeating them in two sets. The Broncs played Camrose next, then Wetaskiwin, all in three sets to make it to the finals against Lacombe.
This proved to be their toughest match yet.
“We were down 8-3,” said Labrie of the third set.
They were able to gain some momentum after teams switched sides and win 15-13. In the third set teams always switch sides after the eighth point is made.
“There were probably four (teams) that could’ve been there,” said Labrie of their competitors.
The boys are heading to provincials in Fort McMurray with their first game on Thursday, Nov. 13.
The Broncs girls are headed to Cochrane for provincials after also playing a solid weekend.
“It feels incredible for these girls to reach their goal of provincials. We had set team goals at the beginning of the year and making provincials was one of them,” said coach Joely Churchill.
The last time they competed at provincials was in 2010 as a wildcard team from zones.
Churchill says losing to Lacombe in pool play caused them some concern.
“Wetaskiwin in the other pool upset Sylvan Lake and came out first in the other pool which was better to our advantage. We had beaten Wetaskiwin twice before and went into our semifinals relaxed and confident,” she said.
Churchill says making it to the finals guaranteed a provincials berth and the girls relaxed enough to play a winning match against their rivals, the Lacombe Rams.
“We also passed the best we have under pressure, so we were able to run plays,” said Churchill.
She wants to keep that momentum going into provincials.