Gold Medal Winners - Avonlea Eagles. Back row (l to r): Jorden Wheeler, Ryan Geisler, Dereck Mondor, Jared Chicoine, Boyd Holland, Logan Beitel, Matt Petruic, Coach Brent Lothian. Front row (l to r): Kyle Hackywicz, Jonathan McRorie, Matt Getzlaf, Mike Holland.

Kennedy Langbank School had the privilege of hosting 1A Senior Boys Volleyball this past weekend. This was made possible by our community sponsors and by the hard work and dedicated staff, students, parents and community members. We would also like to thank the Kipling staff and students for their help in this as well. Kipling provided the second gymnasium and all the workers and support needed to co-host the tournament.

Twelve teams from across Saskatchewan were in Kennedy and Kipling to play volleyball, and play volleyball they did!

From the north, we has Goodsoil, Landis, Kenaston, Zenon Park, Arborfield, and Annaheim. From the south we had Kennedy, Rouleau, Avonlea, Abbey, Eyebrow, and Craik.

The caliber of play and sportsmanship was phenomenal. Many of the matches went to the best of three with both teams giving it their all. Hard hitting and intense play is the only way to describe most of the matches.

The top three teams from each pool advanced to the Quarter Finals. These were Abbey, Avonlea, and Arborfield from pool A, and Rouleau, Annaheim, and Eyebrow from pool B.

Rouleau and Abbey, Avonlea and Arborfield then met in the Semifinals.

The fourth/Bronze medal game between Arborfield and Rouleau saw lots of back and forth action that kept spectators on the edge of their seats. In the end, Rouleau came out the victor: Set 1 Arborfield 25 - Rouleau 15; Set 2 Rouleau 28 - Arborfield 26; Set 3 Rouleau 27 - Arborfield 25.

The Gold and Silver medal game between Abbey and Avonlea was hard fought, but in the end Avonlea had more energy to finish the job: Set 1 Avonlea 25 - Abbey 22; set 2 Avonlea 25 - Abbey 14.

As usual the teams were supported with strong contingent of hometown fans. The gymnasiums in both towns were “rocking” for two days. My staff commented on how well behaved, polite and sportsmanlike the players were.

Alvin Will &
Jill Dorrance