Rams win regular season volleyball title
In the literal sense, the LCI Rams varsity boys volleyball team have served up the Southern Alberta High School Volleyball League title.
In a battle between the top two teams Monday night at LCI, the Rams defeated the Catholic Central Cougars 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-23) to clinch this year’s regular season title and the hardware that goes with it.
Thanks to a few well-placed shots from the service line — led by Cale Vanderzee’s six service aces — the Rams were able to rattle off the three-set win on the same night the team honoured its graduating players with a pre-game ceremony.
“I think our serving was very aggressive and on the money tonight and I think that gave us a bit of an advantage,” said Rams head coach Dustin McCubbing. “Their passers weren’t able to get the ball to their setters well and it kind of took their big guns out of the play.”
Still, the Cougars didn’t go quietly, keeping the second and third sets close well past the 20-point mark before the Rams were able to put the game away and improve to 6-1, while the Cougars take their first loss to sit at 5-1.
“I thought both teams came out strong,” said McCubbing. “They’re a very strong team and we love the opportunity to play them every time. I expected it to be a close match, within two points each.”
Rams middle blocker Bentley Douglas — one of the five seniors honours Monday — said a good pregame talk helped.
“We had a pretty good pep talk at the begining, so we were playing at our potential when we started the game. We all played well as a team and everybody did their part.”
That ultimately led to this year’s varsity trophy
“Most of these kids play volleyball year-round, so it’s fun to play together,” said Douglas, after the post-game team photo opportunity with the hardware. “We just know each other very well, so it’s a fun experience.”
Prior to the game, the Rams tipped their hat to this year’s senior class, which included Justin Pitcher, Ethon Fisher, Andrew Jacklynn and Vanderzee in addition to Douglas.
“For me, it was great, because of the senior I have the opportunity to coach four of them in their Grade 9 year when they first came to LCI,” said McCubbing. “Now that I get to coach them in their Grade 12 year, it’s very special to me. It’s amazing to see how well they’ve developed over the years.”
Tanner Folder had eight kills and four blocks for the Rams. Douglas added six kills and one block and Vanderzee dished four kills and one block to go along with his six service aces.
In the junior varsity game, the Cougars won 2-0 (25-18, 25-23).
League play resumes tonight on the girls side as the Catholic Central Cougars and Chinook Coyotes battle for the regular season title tonight at the Catholic Central East campus in Pool A play.
In other Pool A play, the Taber W.R. Myers Rebels are at Winston Churchill to take on the Griffins.
The Taber St. Mary’s Zeniths are in Magrath to face the Pandas in Pool B play and the Cardston Cougars are in Coaldale to play the Kate Andrews Pride.
In Pool C, the LCI Clippers are in Picture Butte to square off with the Sugar Queens, while the Raymond Comets visit Immanuel Christian School to play the Eagles.
The Comets/Eagles game is a 6:30 p.m. start.
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