Strathmore hosts volleyball challenge

Times Reporter   

 

The Strathmore High School Spartans hosted their annual volleyball tournament from Nov. 1-2, as good preparation for hosting upcoming zones for the boys’ side on Nov. 15-16.

“It was literally the best I’ve seen them play in two years of coaching. They battled so hard. Brady Morris served phenomenally; he’s worked on his jump top. It was very effective for most of the teams,” Brandie Dundas said, boys coach. “They just played as a team, and everyone had each other’s back – they were covering, and hurrying for each other. Ultimately in the final game, just a couple breaks didn’t go our way.”

In that final game, Bow Valley High School of Cochrane knocked them out of the semi finals.

“It’s a team we’re going to see again in zones,” Cole Hintz, boys co-coach said. “Everyone got in here or there. They definitely contributed.”

Having beaten rival Medicine Hat High School in pool play, the boys felt that win spurred them on even harder.

“We have a pretty big rivalry with them. They’re all very big, and we’re lucky enough to get the win out of that,” Dundas said. “We had a really tough pool, probably four of the tougher teams.”

The girls of Strathmore High School won their pool, and beat Crescent Heights High School to get to the final against Brooks Composite High School.

“We just thumped them, it was really fun to see,” Coach Randy Moncks said, of the girls game against Crescent Heights.

Moncks’ squad had a poor start against Brooks, going down 21-12 in the second set, but coming back to lose only by 25-21. Brooks’ strong setter and four girls just under six feet tall proved too much for the Spartans.

“We battled. It was good to see them dig themselves out of the hole,” Moncks said. “Between HTA and them, they’re the number one and two teams in our division.”

The girls’ zones are in Cochrane from Nov. 15-16.