Queens crowned provincial champs
The Vauxhall Queens girls volleyball team has been crowned provincial champions.
The Queens downed Calgary Rundle College 2-1 in the Alberta Schools Athletic Association 2A girls gold medal game Saturday night in Camrose to cap off an undefeated weekend.
The Queens weren’t the only southern Alberta team to bring home a volleyball provincial championship. The Bow Island Senator Gershaw Gators also turned the feat at the 1A boys provincials in Bashaw, beating St. Mary’s 2-0 (25-17, 25-19) in the final Saturday night.
In the 2A girls final, the Queens lost the first game 26-24, but took the second set with an equally-close 25-23 win. In the final set, Vauxhall prevailed with a 15-9 win to take home this year’s banner.
The Queens beat Peace River 2-0 (25-16, 25-12) in the semifinal Saturday afternoon to earn their spot in the gold medal game. Vauxhall was 5-0 in the round-robin.
The Magrath Pandas were also onhand as the South Zone representative, going 1-4 on the weekend.
In Bashaw, the Gators beat CACHS 2-0 in the semifinal after going 4-0 in the round-robin.
In the 4A provincials in Grande Prairie, the Catholic Central Cougars girls volleyball team earned a provincial fifth-place showing.
Playing in the consolation final, the Cougars defeated Calgary St. Francis 2-1 to earn fifth place.
The Cougars started the weekend with a 3-2 win over fellow Lethbridge school Chinook Coyotes Friday, but were defeated 3-0 by Western Canada later in the day.
They earned their berth in the consolation final with a 2-0 win over Strathcona High School Saturday morning.
The Coyotes went on to take ninth place thanks to a 2-0 win over Calgary Bishop Carroll Saturday afternoon.
Chinook advanced to the ninth place game following a 2-0 win over Chestermere High Friday afternoon.
On the boys side, the Cougars also placed ninth, beating host Charles Spencer High 2-1.
The locals started the weekend with a 3-2 loss to Edmonton Harry Ainlay High School, but beat Calgary Dr. E.P. Scarlett 2-1 Friday afternoon.
In the 3A boys provincials in Rocky Mountain House, the LCI Rams were defeated 2-1 in the quarter-finals by Edmonton Christian.
Earlier in the day, the Rams knocked off Grande Prairie Peace Wapiti Academy 2-1 in their final round-robin game to finish at 41.
Joining LCI as the South Zone reps as the wild card was the Cardston Cougars, who ended their provincial run with a close 2-1 loss to Edmonton Christian in their final round-robin game to finish 2-3 and miss the playoff round.
In 2A boys play in Camrose, the Immanuel Christian Eagles were defeated 2-0 by Edmonton Strathcona-Tweedsmuir in the bronze medal game.
The Eagles were defeated 2-0 by the eventual champion Elk Point F.G. Miller in the semfinal.
Earlier in the day, the Eagles downed fellow south representative Vauxhall Vikings 2-0 in the quarter-finals.
Vauxhall was 4-1 in the roundrobin and Immanuel Christian was 3-2.
At the 1A girls provincials in Bassano, the Picture Butte Sugar Queens placed fourth, losing 2-1 to St. Thomas Moore in the bronze medal game Saturday.
Earlier in the day, the Sugar Queens lost 2-0 to host Bassano in the semifinal, but advanced to that game thanks to a 2-1 win over Bawlf in the quarter-finals Saturday morning.