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In a season of peaks and valleys, the George Elliot Coyotes were at the top of their game at Mount Boucherie (Secondary School) this week.
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The Lake Country junior boys volleyball team — seeded fourth going into the provincial championship tournament in West Kelowna — won seven straight matches to capture Elliot’s first-ever B.C. junior boys title.
A 3-1 (26-24, 25-19, 27-29, 25-17) victory over the Richmond Christian Eagles in the championship match capped the perfect weekend for the Coyotes, who, despite posting impressive 16-1 record during the regular season, needed to overcome a late-season doldrum to make school history.
“We had a bit of a letdown after winning the Best of the West tournament (at Kelowna Secondary School) last month, but the guys regrouped and refocused to take the Okanagan Valley championship and then played their best volleyball of the season at provincials,” said head coach Jenn Callow. “I think that dip in intensity and focus actually helped in the long run. They didn’t like the way they were playing leading up to the Valleys and were intent on turning things around.”
Callow, also coach of the Thompson-Okanagan zone team at the 2016 Summer Games in Abbotsford that included five of the Coyotes, said the depth of the team was the key to success.
“Everyone in the lineup got some good court time,” noted the former Thompson Rivers University assistant coach and Kelowna Volleyball Club coach. “It was so good to look down the bench and know that whoever we put in would know their role and get the job done. Everyone was involved in a significant way during the tournament.”
Leading the way for the Coyotes was captain and power hitter, Ben Magel, who was selected as the most valuable player among the nearly 300 players and 24 teams from throughout the province.
“Ben was his usual ‘steady eddy’ all weekend,” said his coach. “He was not only our most valuable player, but our most reliable player. Nothing fazes him and he leads by example.”
Three other Elliot players — Grade 9 right side Roan McCarthy, middle Tommy Parish and lefty Garrett Anderson — were also recognized for their outstanding contribution by being named to the tournament all-star team.
“It was great to see those guys get the recognition, but again, it was a total team effort — passing, setting (Jake Kupchanko), hitting and blocking — it all came together. I couldn’t be more proud of the way the boys represented the school and the Okanagan.”
While they had a relatively easy time in the final against No. 6-seed Richmond, that wasn’t the case in semifinal play — a 2-1 (16-25-29-27, 15-13) win over the No. 1-ranked and perennial powerhouse MEI Eagles of Abbotsford.
After losing the first set and trailing for much of the second, the Coyotes clawed their way back. It looked as though their bid for a provincial title had come to an end when MEI appeared to claim match point (25-23), but the Eagles were called for a net violation. Elliot took advantage and went on two force the third set and eventually clinch a berth in the final.
It was the second consecutive win for the Coyotes over MEI, having defeated the Fraser Valley team in the final at the Best of the West.
Elliot had earned a berth in the semis by upsetting No. 2-seed College Heights Cougars of Prince George 2-0 (25-19, 25-23) in quarter-final play. The Coyotes had lost to College Heights twice in tournament play this season — in a quarter-final match in Kamloops and in the title match at the UBC Okanagan tournament.
The weekend began with Elliot sweeping their opening three matches against the Sa-hali Sabres of Kamloops, Const. Neil Bruce of West Kelowna and the Earl Marriott Mariners of Surrey. They breezed to a 25-24, 25-15 victory over the Vernon Christian Royals in the first round of the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the host Mt. Boucherie Bears, runners-up to Elliot in the Valley championship, finished in a tie for ninth place, losing to 2-1 to Langley Fundamental in the first round of the playoffs after posting a 1-2 record in pool play. The Bears won their final two matches — against Claremont of Victoria and Moscrop of Burnaby.
Boucherie coach and tournament director, Norm Hanson, was lauded by Callow for hosting the huge undertaking.
“Kudos to Norm,” said Callow. “He and his committee did such a fantastic job hosting the event the past three years. It really boosts the profile of the sport in the Okanagan. It was much appreciated.”
Boucherie will again play host to the junior provincials in 2017.
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