It was a good time for two Vernon teams at a junior girls volleyball tournament in Kamloops.
It was a howling good time for the Seaton Sonics.
Alyson Lypchuk’s squad defeated cross-town rivals Vernon Panthers 26-24, 25-21 in the championship all-Vernon match of the 24-team Thompson Rivers University Howler tournament.
“The last three games of Saturday were particularly fun because it was all teams we had lost to earlier in the season at different tournaments,” said Lypchuk, joined on the bench by co-coach Janelle Robertson.
Seaton finished second in pool play Friday, then became unstoppable on Saturday (Oct. 22).
The Sonics defeated West Kelowna’s Mt. Boucherie Bears in straight sets to move to the gold championship side of the bracket. In the quarterfinals, Seaton defeated the Kelowna Owls in three sets, then needed three sets to defeat Abbotsford Christian Knights to advance to the gold-medal game against their Vernon rivals.
“All 12 girls played an important role this weekend and it was great to see all their hard work in practice paying off,” said Lypchuk, whose squad has finished top-3 in three of the four tournaments they have attended so far this year (2nd at VSS, 3rd at Osoyoos and 5th at Best of the West in Kelowna).
“So it was awesome to finally come out on top,” said Lypchuk, who praised the play of Kaitlyn Anderson and Marley Cormier, who both played multiple positions throughout the Howler tournament and were solid no matter where they played.
Kennedy Hamilton-Jackson played setter almost every set this weekend including all sets during the playoffs, and Lypchuk loved the excellent front row defence/blocking from middle Kianna Gardner and right side Ellie Koleba, great digs in the back row by libero Sophie Scott, and some really strong serving all around but particularly from Lucia Manton.
Mike Bertram’s Panthers reached the final by coming first in their pool, defeating Correlieu Coyotes of Quesnel, Langley Christian Lightning B team and Kelowna’s Okanagan Mission Huskies B squad, all in straight sets.
In the Round of 12, VSS knocked of the College Heights Cougars of Prince George 25-22, 25-17, then defeated the Valleyview Vikings of Kamloops 25-20, 25-17 in the quarterfinals. In the Final Four, Vernon swept past the South Delta Sun Devils 25-23, 25-18.
“South Delta has a very strong team who play a great style of volleyball,” said Bertram. “They have strong hitters and strong defence, and this was a statement win for the girls.
“Seaton played really well all weekend and really raised the level of their game to win it all,” said Bertram. “It was amazing to have two Vernon teams in the final of such a prestigious tournament.”
Once again Kaydence Kitzul and Devyn Hildebrand were the leaders for the Panthers. Avery Springer, Charlotte Schommer and Addy Beacom raised their level of play all weekend. Kenidy West, Sadie Quinton, Peyton Romeril and Amelia Spitzer all contributed to the strong showing.
The Junior Panthers are now 33-4 on the season.
• Eight North/Central Okanagan teams are ranked in the top 10 of the various senior girls and boys high school volleyball rankings.
Vernon’s Seaton Sonics are ranked No. 1 in the latest B.C. AAA girls poll, just ahead of Lake Country’s George Elliot Coyotes, who are No. 2. Vernon Panthers crack the list at No. 10.
Seaton lost the 2021 provincial final to Victoria’s Mt. Douglas Rams.
The Kalamalka Lakers of Coldstream are third and the Fulton Maroons fifth in the high school senior girls AA rankings. Seaton,VSS, GESS and Kal, along with Armstrong’s Pleasant Valley Hawks, the Sa-Hali Sabres and Valleyview Vikings of Kamloops, and the Princess Margaret Mustangs of Penticton will compete at Fulton’s high-level home tournament Nov. 4 and 5.
The fifth-seeded Maroons defeated the third-ranked Lakers 3-1 in Vernon City Play Tuesday, Oct. 25. Fulton took the contest 25-21, 25-20, 22-25, 25-19 to remain undefeated in City League action.
Makenna Doyle and Vlada Puchkova both had 10 kills and five service aces to lead the Maroons while Mollie English controlled the offence and had one ace serve and two2 blocks. Next action for the Sr. Maroons is Friday when they on the AA Kelowna Christian Knights in exhibition play.
On the boys side, the Vernon Christian School Royals are No. 7 in the Single A standings, while the Lakers (sixth) and Panthers (eighth) crack the top-10 in the AA list.
This story was updated Wednesday, Oct. 26, at 4:02 p.m. with City League results
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roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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