Silver-medalists in four of the past seven B.C. School Sports provincial AAA boys volleyball championship tournaments, it was almost predictable the Kelowna Owls would be ranked No. 2 going into this week’s 2019 version in Langley.
Of course, only head coach Mike Sodaro is remaining from those medal-winning teams but the history is there for all his current players to ponder.
Photo Gallery (53 photos) on KelownaNowSports Facebook page
While the Owls and Kelowna Secondary School can be proud of their podium-placing consistency, gaining the confidence needed for the current edition of the Black and Gold to break through for gold and a first provincial triple-A title since 1953 has been a work in progress.
But the Owls certainly didn’t display any lack of self-assurance as they breezed to their first Okanagan Valley championship in three years on home court recently.
In fact, they appeared downright cocky in capping an undefeated season in the Okanagan with a dominating 3-0 (25-12, 25-18, 25-21) sweep of the No. 7 provincially-ranked Okanagan Mission Huskies in the Valley’s championship match.
Ranked second to B.C.’s No. 1-seed Earl Marriott Mariners of Surrey all season, the Owls most improved part of their game — since losing a pair of matches to their Fraser Valley nemesis at their own Best of the West tournament last month — was on full display at the Valley tournament.
“Confidence,” replied coach Sodaro when asked what has been the most evident progression for his team’s game this fall. “Being confident that they can come back and win or turn things around when they’re not going well has been huge for us. And remaining composed and sticking to our game plan is a must if we hope to give ourselves the opportunity to win (a provincial pennant).”
That the Owls boast an athletic group that includes seven players 6’4” and over contributes to that confidence, and that all 14 Owls on the roster saw floor time in the Okanagan championship points to the depth of the squad.
Max McDonald (6’5”) and Thys Weststrate (6’4”) dominated in the middle for the Owls at the Valley tournament while Jayden Lalonde and Ethan Braam, both 6’5” basketball players as well, put on an impressive power-hitting show.
The serving of Josh Bermel and Tyson Embree kept the Owls momentum unrelenting and Mason Sodaro steadied the team with impressive passing and strong defence.
“The Owls are prepared and ready for the Provincials,” asserted coach Sodaro after the win over OKM which followed a 3-0 semifinal whitewash of the Penticton Lakers. “We’re a big team, so if we block well, we can set the tone for the match and play strong defensively around it.”
Play in the 16-team championship tournament begins on Wednesday at the Langley Events Centre with the Owls in a power pool with the defending-champion Mariners at Earl Marriott, the No. 3-ranked Claremont Spartans and No. 4 Oak Bay Bays.
Earl Marriott, also a consistent and confident team with several multi-sport athletes who have been playing together since Grade 9, is a strong service team as well.
The Owls have lost three times to the Mariners, once in a semifinal at UBC early in the season and twice (2-1) at the Best Of The West tournament at KSS in mid-October. They were the only AAA team to win a set from Marriott.
A tall and offensive team, Claremont will also be a stiff test for the Owls who defeated the Spartans 25-21, 23-25, 15-13 in their meeting at UBC. Oak Bay dropped a 25-18, 25-20 decision to the Owls at the Thompson Rivers University tournament earlier this fall.
Meanwhile, the OKM Huskies, upset winners over the Mt. Boucherie Bears at the Valley championship, will begin play in a power pool with No. 5 Eric Hamber of North Vancouver, No. 6 Argyle Pipers (North Van) and No. 8 Riverside Rapids of Port Coquitlam.
It’s been a steady climb up the charts for the Huskies under the tutelage of veteran coach Paul Thiessen as the young OKM team started the season unranked in the top 20 in the province.
Now seeded seventh going into the provincial tournament, the young team includes six Grade 10s, five Grade 11s and only one Grade 12 and is riding a high of having defeated the previously higher-ranked Mt. Boucherie Bears in three straight matches including the Valley semifinal.
Coach Thiessen said the Huskies’ goal is to finish in the top eight in Langley.
“It would be incredible for this team to reach the quarter-finals with an opportunity to make it to the semis,” added Thiessen. “With 11 returning players next year, the future is bright for this young squad. They are keen and hungry to see how far they can go.”
Mt. Boucherie, seeded 10th, goes up against No. 9 Yale Lions, No. 11 Fleetwood Park Dragons of Surrey and No. 12 Steveston-London.
Playoff action starts on Thursday and resumes Friday, with the championship match set for on Saturday.
Photo Gallery (53 photos) on KelownaNowSports Facebook page
Photo Gallery (53 photos) on KelownaNowSports Facebook page
If you get value from KelownaNow and believe local independent media is important to our community we ask that you please consider subscribing to our daily newsletter.
If you appreciate what we do, we ask that you consider supporting our local independent news platform.
