In a game of momentum swings the PGSS Polars junior boys A volleyball team grabbed hold of it and didn't let go Saturday until securing the gold medal.
Steve Bordeleau said the Polars were having an up-and-down weekend in the PGYVC Kodiak Classic high school volleyball tournament at the College of New Caledonia until a play in the team's semifinal match versus the D.P. Todd Trojans changed things.
"We were having a funk when our libero, Garrett [Lakey], ended up digging a spike out and after that we had nothing but momentum," said Bordeleau, coach of the Polars.
The Polars knocked off the Trojans, before dispatching the College Heights Cougars in the gold-medal final 2-0 (25-19, 25-21).
"I told them to come out and just have one big play," said Bordeleau, about his advice before the tournament began Friday.
In the bronze-medal game, the Trojans fell 2-1 (25-20, 20-25 and 7-15) to the Duchess Park Condors A team. It was double bronze for the Condors as the junior girls A team downed Correlieu of Quesnel.
In the junior girls final, the Cedars Eagles defeated North Peace from Fort St. John in straight sets, 25-15, 26-24.
The northern visitors started slow in the opening set, falling behind 10-2, which was too great a deficit to overcome. North Peace fought hard in a back-and-forth second set, but the Eagles' desire for gold prevailed.
With the set tied at 24-24 the Eagles' Shannon Kragt stepped up to serve.
"I usually miss my serves," said Kragt.
Sensing her veteran player's nervousness, Eagles coach Michelle Karpenko, called a time-out to help Kragt relax.
It was just want the 15-year-old needed. When she returned to the back-court line, Kragt put all her power into her serve.
"Those ones got over and they were aces, which was nice," smiled Kragt.
Megan Karpenko of the Eagles was named MVP of the tournament, while Duchess Park's Hazel McLean was the top defensive player. The girls' all-stars were: Shana Olsen, Duchess Park; Alyssa Mailloux, Correlieu; Kristen Anton, Cedars; Jamie Lee, North Peace; Hannah Pudlas, Cedars and Jessica Kalkman, North Peace.
On the boys' side, Jacob Loreth of PGSS was MVP and Brady Patterson of College Heights the top defensive player. The all-stars were: Evan Gilhooly, Duchess Park; Josh Rockwell, D.P. Todd; Scott Wiebe, PGSS; Dakota Curry, College Heights; Nick Potskin, PGSS and Brandon Cosh, College Heights.
