The Yukon Schools Athletic Association hosted the Grade 9/10 Volleyball Championships at Porter Creek Secondary School in Whitehorse from Nov. 14 to 16.
In the girls final, the Vanier Catholic Secondary School Crusaders took on the F.H. Collins Secondary School Warriors for the championship.
The two teams were closely matched in the first set, trading points most of the way until the score was ultimately tied 23-23. The Warriors were then able to score the final two points and take a 1-0 lead with a 25-23 set win.
While the first set was mathematically as close as could be, the second set was not. The Crusaders jumped out to a 16-2 lead and cruised to a 25-10 set win to tie the game at 1-1.
Being a tournament, the decisive win set up a winner-take-all third and final set to 15. Again, the Crusaders rolled through the Warriors, building an 11-1 win and taking the set and the championship with a comfortable 15-4 victory in the third set.
Tournament most valuable player was Vanier’s setter Carla Dumadag who was key in orchestrating the Crusaders attack throughout the weekend.
Next on the court was the boys final, which featured the Vanier Crusaders against the Porter Creek Secondary School Rams.
In the first set, the Crusaders built an 11-4 lead and held that margin over the next 16 points as the Rams tried to climb back into the set. Up 19-12, the Crusaders won six of the next seven points to win the opening set 25-13 in a solid team performance.
The second set saw the Rams take an early 9-7 lead, but after trading points the Crusaders were in the lead 20-18 with victory in sight.
The Crusaders kept up the pressure, building a 23-21 lead and ultimately winning 25-22 to take the championship.
Tournament most valuable player was Josh Wanless of the Vanier Crusaders.
The Grade 8 Volleyball Championships were also held Nov. 14 to 16, and the Vanier Crusaders won both the boys and girls finals.
Contact John Hopkins-Hill at john.hopkinshill@yukon-news.com
