Whitehorse’s three high schools were represented by two girls teams apiece at the Yukon Grade 8 Volleyball Championships, but only one could take the title.
The Porter Creek Rams Red Team defeated the F.H. Collins Warriors B Team 25-16, 27-25 in the final to take gold at the championships on Saturday at F.H. Collins Secondary.
“They had a great tournament. They played really well as a team,” said Rams head coach Dan Bisson. “I told my girls the whole time, the best team always wins ... You play as a squad, you win as a team, you lose as a team.
“The kids did that really well - both (Rams) teams.”
The Warriors were just a point away from pushing the final to a third set following an unreturned serve from Brynn Serbatius to make it 26-25.
But the Red Rams leveled the score on a kill from Robyn Lee. Teammate Rebecca Koser then found a gap on the Warriors’ court with a deep bump for match point and Peyton L’Henaff put a kill down the middle for the win.
Lee had back-to-back kills to take the first set and was named tournament MVP.
“Consistency. She was great with her serves, she didn’t panic,” said Bisson. “We played regular (three-hit) volleyball, which is a big thing for these kids to learn, and she was at the centre, very positive all the time.
“We lost a player today - she wasn’t able to come - so the team dynamic changed a little bit. She rose to the occasion, she stepped up and became a leader and won MVP.”
The Rams Red Team placed second in the six-team round-robin behind the Rams Black Team that went undefeated up to the playoffs.
The Warriors B Team placed fourth behind the Warriors A Team in the round-robin. The Vanier Crusaders teams finished fifth and sixth.
“I think the girls played great, we’re really proud of them,” said Warriors head coach David Schroeder. “They battled the whole tournament and exemplified a lot of sportsmanship and teamwork.”
The Rams Black Team beat the Crusaders 23-25, 25-20, 15-4 for the bronze medal.
Contact Tom Patrick at
tomp@yukon-news.com