MHSAA Tournament Boys A/AA Most Valiable Player: Luke Swain (Miami Marlins)
MHSAA Girls AAA Tournament All Star Team
#21 Kyana Myall – Collage Beliveau; #25 Ava Hall – Leo Remillard; # 12 Kate Swatsky – WC Miller; #9 Isabella Peters – WC Miller; #6 Elli Pomehichuk – Neelinl # 11 Layla Desjarden – Neelin
MHSAA Tournament Girls AAA MVP: #9 Dana Linov – Neelin
MHSAA Boys AAA Tournament All Star Team
# 5 Henry Scarcello SJR; #11 Josh Barrett Louis Riel; #3 Marco Byfield – Linden Christian; #9 Isaak Buhler – Linden Christian; #3 Noah Vandenberg Garden Valley; #9 Isaak Buhler Garden Valley
MHSAA Tournament Boys AAA MVP: #11 Alfredo Enns – Garden Valley
MHSAA JUNIOR VARSITY 2023 A – AAA VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP PARTICIPANTS
Girls
Boys
A/AA
Elton Collegiate Institute
Margaret Barbour Collegiate Institute
Prairie Mountain High School
Carberry Collegiate Institute
Killarney School
Immanuel Christian School
Immanuel Christian School
Elton Collegiate Institute
Warren Collegiate Institute
Warren Collegiate Institute
Goose Lake High School
Green Valley School
Collège régional Gabrielle-Roy
Hamiota High School/Shoal Lake School (Co-Op)
Rosenort School
Glenboro School
Hapnot Collegiate Institute
Miami School
Margaret Barbour Collegiate Institute
Morris School/ École régionale St Jean Baptiste (Co-Op)
Carberry Collegiate Institute
Morweena Christian School
St Paul’s Collegiate Institute (Elie)
Goose Lake High School
AAA
Collège Béliveau
Garden Valley Collegiate Institute
Niverville High School
Linden Christian School
Linden Christian School
Collège Louis-Riel
École secondaire Neelin High School
St John’s-Ravenscourt School
Collège Léo–Rémillard
Calvin Christian Collegiate Institute
Collège Stonewall Collegiate
Niverville High School
W C Miller Collegiate Institute
Westgate Mennonite Collegiate Institute
Virden Collegiate Institute
St Maurice High School
Churchill High School
St James Collegiate Institute
St Boniface diocesan High School
École secondaire Neelin High School
Springfield Collegiate Institute
Swan Valley Regional Secondary School
R D Park Collegiate Institute
R D Park Collegiate Institute
To all the teams who travelled north to our community… we know the road well and we know it’s a long one. We wish you all safe travels home and hope that you are leaving with lots of good memories of Flin Flon! Please come visit us again!
The Neelin Spartans were completely unphased by an 0-3 start to provincials.
While they didn’t win a match in power-pool play, they saved their best for the ones that mattered most. The Spartans ran the table on Friday and Saturday in Winnipeg to capture the AAA junior varsity girls’ volleyball provincial title.
“They left it all out on the floor and it was so awesome to see,” said Neelin head coach Jen Dixon. “It was such a proud feeling as a coach to see that come out in them. The drive to want to win, it was so awesome.
“We started off kind of slow on our Thursday matches because we were playing some tough teams. We knew it was going to be tough competition and it says a whole lot about the group we had to be able to turn their mindset around.”
The 12-team event starts with three pools featuring the top four, next four and bottom four seeds. Neelin was in the top pool and knew it had a bye to the quarterfinals but losing three in a row meant a tougher quarterfinal.
Neelin gutted out a 2-1 win over Stonewall, then avenged an opening-day sweep against College Beliveau in three sets to reach the final.
They faced Altona’s W.C. Miller Aces, who thumped them in pool play. After dropping the first set 25-19, Neelin won 25-11 and thoroughly dominated the tiebreaker, winning 15-7 to secure gold.
“Quarterfinal, semifinal, final, all hard matches with tough opponents that did a lot on their side,” Dixon said.
“Something our girls did, I feel, that helped them achieve that third set was just control our side and give heart. Our girls really showed it in all three of those games.”
Spartans Elli Pomehichuk and Layla Desjardin were named to the tournament all-star team while setter Dana Linov earned MVP honours.
“Dana is a non-stop effort player. You can ask any coach, spectator in the gym,” Dixon said. “Multiple people come up to me after games, up to her after games and say she’s such a pleasure to watch because she is 110 per cent effort the entire game.
“Not only at provincials, every single game throughout the season she gives her all as a player.”
• • •
The Vincent Massey Vikings are one win away from a Brandon sweep of the AAA and AAAA JV girls titles.
Massey dropped the Sturgeon Heights Huskies in straight sets in the AAAA semifinals on Saturday and plays Steinbach Regional on Monday at 6 p.m. in the gold-medal game at Winnipeg’s Investors Group Athletic Centre.
The AAAA boys’ final features Sisler and Gabrielle-Roy.
• • •
The Viking varsity girls are headed back to the final four with a 3-1 (22-25, 25-20, 25-23, 26-24) win over the Fort Richmond Centurions.
Jersey Hansen-Young had a massive 24 kills and 20 digs for Massey, with Mackenzie Lyburn posting 17 kills and five aces.
Kypling Black chipped in four blocks.
The Vikings play the No. 1 seed Lord Selkirk Royals on Wednesday at IGAC at 6 p.m. Steinbach and Jeanne-Sauve meet in the second semifinal at 8 o’clock.
» tfriesen@brandonsun.com
» X: @thomasmfriesen
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Written by Clayton Drege
The Neelin Spartans are Provincial AAA Junior Varsity girls volleyball champions. Neelin defeated Altona’s Miller Aces 19-25, 25-11, 15-7 in the final. Spartans setter Dana Linov was named the tournament MVP. Neelin’s Elli Pomehichuk and Layla Desjardin were All-Stars.
The Vincent Massey Vikings will face the Steinbach Regional Secondary School in the final of the Provincial AAAA Junior Varsity girls volleyball championship Monday at Investors Group Athletic Centre on the campus of the University of Manitoba in south Winnipeg. The Vikings swept the Sturgeon Heights Huskies 25-18, 25-17, 26-24 in the semifinals Saturday night at Dakota Collegiate.
The Zone 9 champion Killarney Raiders lost out to Gabrielle Roy of Ile des Chenes in a play-in game at the Provincial Junior Varsity A/AA volleyball championship in Flin Flon. The Neelin Spartans will face College Beliveau in the girls semifinals at the AAA championships in Winnipeg. Virden were eliminated by Leo Remillard in the quarterfinals. Neelin boys lost out to St. John’s Ravenscourt in the quarterfinals.
It’s an exciting day in Roddickton as Indigenous Games are featured at the Cloud River Academy, Fall Meet!
This marks the first time the sport is being played since becoming a Foundation Sport!
3 Schools are competing in both traditional & non-traditional sports.
#SSNLFoundation #SSNLVarsity #SchoolSportsNL
Our school hosted their Fall Meet today. Students from CRA, Mary Simms All Grade and HG Fillier Academy participated in traditional and non-traditional sports. It was a great day of friendly competition, sportsmanship, and teamwork as these students socialized and participated together! We love hosting this event and hope to see more just like it in the future. What a great day of learning!
GOLD STRIKE! – The F.H. Collins Warriors junior girls struck gold at the 2023 Dawson Invitational Volleyball Tournament. The DIVT was held Oct. 26-28.
Warriors mine medals at Dawson Invitational Volleyball Tournament
In the latest edition of the Dawson Invitational Volleyball Tournament (DIVT) held Oct. 26-28, Dawson once again showcased warm hospitality, and passion for the sport.
By Freelancer on November 6, 2023
In the latest edition of the Dawson Invitational Volleyball Tournament (DIVT) held Oct. 26-28, Dawson once again showcased warm hospitality, and passion for the sport.
This year’s tournament witnessed a remarkable increase in rural team participation, with teams traveling from various locations including Watson Lake, Haines Junction, Faro, Mayo, Pelly, Carmacks, and Inuvik.
Dave Rawlins, returning from Whitehorse, played a pivotal role in organizing the event and expressed his gratitude for the incredible support from the good people of Robert Service High School, and Dawson.
The competition was fierce, with several finals being decided by just a few points in the third set. St. Francis emerged as the champions in three divisions, while Mercier is trying to become more than just the new kid on the block, and the F.H. Collins Junior girls displayed an unstoppable determination on their path to securing the gold. It is worth noting that head coach Sean McCarron, who teaches at St. Francis, highlighted the remarkable success of the school, suggesting there may be something special in the water.
The DIVT also featured a lively pep rally involving the entire Dawson elementary school, creating an electrifying atmosphere that carried over onto the volleyball courts.
The path to gold was paved with standout performances in every division. Coach Holway’s St. Francis Junior Boys left spectators in awe as Joe Popadynec unleashed a barrage of incredible hits, while Mannix Bingham’s unwavering serving found Mercier in distress. Meanwhile, coach McCarron’s F.H. Junior girls showcased their dominance with not one, but two formidable middles reigning supreme. Lia Hinchey and Sabine Kelsey commanded the court, leaving their rivals puzzled. Coach Paula Stoker’s St. Francis Senior Girls, guided by the exceptional setting of Kia Larkin and amazing court play of Denise Alfaro, proved to be an unstoppable force.
And let’s not forget coach Dwayne Stoker’s St. Francis Senior boys, whose journey to victory was propelled by the awe-inspiring prowess of Ethan Stoker, who unleashed a fury of attacks. Adding to the excitement, Krish Shwarma’s spooktacular jump serve astounded the crowd, delivering an impact that sent shock waves, keeping Liam Milford and the Warriors on their toes. This was a display of sporting excellence to be remembered.
In addition to the thrilling matches, the DIVT offered a Halloween dance at Diamond Tooth Gerties, (no gambling though), adding to the festivities of the event. The participants represented their schools admirably, and everyone had a great time. In good taste, no one tried to spike the punch.
The excitement is far from over, as the Super Volley finals between F.H. and St. Francis happened Thursday, Nov. 2 at F.H.C. Following that, the Sr. Volleyball Yukon Championships will be Nov. 16-18. With well-coached players and teams continuing to improve, it is a must-watch for sports enthusiasts.
Keep an eye on your calendars, as basketball season and the Jamie Shaw Tournament are around the corner.
F.H. Collins thanks Lotteries Yukon for supporting their participation in this year’s DIVT.
TWICE THE TRIUMPH – THE F.H. Collins’ junior 9-10 Warriors pose with their championship banners at St. Francis secondary school in Whitehorse Friday.
Double glory as Warriors secure two Yukon Championship banners
F.H. Collins’ 9-10 Warriors left an indelible mark on the Yukon Championship, dazzling fans with a stellar performance that earned them not one, but two championship banners.
By Freelancer on November 15, 2023
F.H. Collins’ 9-10 Warriors left an indelible mark on the Yukon Championship, dazzling fans with a stellar performance that earned them not one, but two championship banners.
The championships were played Nov. 8-9 at St. Francis Secondary School.
Guided by the strategic brilliance of coach Jeremy Staveley and assistant coach Liam Milford, the Junior Boys faced fierce competition, most notably the formidable St. Francis team. Despite a setback in the form of an ankle injury sidelining key player Andrzej Benson, the team’s resilience, fuelled by the precision passing of Jaxson Long and Ezra Quaile, and the savvy play of Maze Clemente, led to a jaw-dropping upset.
In a thrilling final showdown, Benson’s triumphant return propelled the Warriors to victory over Mercier, sealing the Championship banner.
The F.H. Collins Junior Girls, under the astute leadership of Sean McCarron and Tonya Hinchey, executed a winning formula that culminated in the conquest of the Championship banner.
With invaluable advice from Tonya, the team navigated through challenging matchups, including a riveting rematch against St. Francis 1 in the final. Captains Leah Hinchey and Sabine Kelsey showcased exceptional skills, playing pivotal roles in a commanding 25-13, 25-13 victory.
The team’s unwavering energy and contributions, both on and off the court, underscored their collective determination and seamless teamwork.
F.H. Collins’ dominance reverberated beyond the Junior divisions, with the Warriors now claiming banners in three out of four divisions, and the Senior teams eagerly awaiting their turn on the court.
The level of volleyball play in the Yukon continues to improve, which is a testament to the unwavering dedication of the players, educated coaches, and the steadfast support from officials (like Peter Grundmannis and Gary Sealy), volunteer club coaches (who extend the training year-round), parents, and the roaring fans. Heartfelt congratulations to all involved for orchestrating a resounding success at the Yukon Championships, creating memories that will be cherished for years to come.
