A third place finish was good enough to punch a ticket to the big show.
Royal Bay Secondary B次元官网网址檚 senior boys AAA volleyball team is one of 20 teams to qualify for the senior boys provincial championships this year. The Ravens earned their way to the provincial tournament by defeating the Claremont Spartans in three straight sets at a qualifying tournament on Nov. 17 to 18 at Oak Bay Secondary school. That was good enough for third place on Vancouver Island and a trip to Langley for the main event, explained coach Dante Diponio.
B次元官网网址淲e set our goal at the start of the year on making the Island finals but fell a little short,B次元官网网址� said Diponio, who shares head coaching duties with Kris Johnson, a teacher and coach of the volleyball teams at Dunsmuir Middle school.
Diponio said the team had to play some games without their setter, Nolan Thoroughogood, because of scheduling conflicts arising from his participation on Team CanadaB次元官网网址檚 high school golf team. Thoroughogood, a Grade 12 student, has accepted a scholarship to attend Oregon State University starting next year.
B次元官网网址淲e had to use players in different roles because of the games Nolan missed,B次元官网网址� he explained. B次元官网网址淏ryden Mandy had to step in as setter when Nolan was away. BrydenB次元官网网址檚 also our best attacker, but he sacrificed playing in his usual position to help the team.B次元官网网址�
The Ravens played three games Wednesday against teams ranked ninth to 12th to open the tournament, which runs until Saturday in Langley.
The tournament consists of five power pools of four teams playing in an initial round robin. Winners of pools will move up to a higher group while last-place teams will move down a group., and then be ranked one through 16 for sorting into the playoffs. Royal Bay, ranked 12th, opens with games against Argyle, Kelowna and Elgin Park.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e been told weB次元官网网址檙e in a good pool and have a good chance of advancing,B次元官网网址� said Diponio, who teaches English and physical education and also coaches track and field.
B次元官网网址淭hat should give us a good indication of our chances of advancing. We fell short of the provincials by one place last year, so this is a big deal for the players.B次元官网网址�
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