Cougars plenty tough in P.G.
On local high school volleyball courts this season, the College Heights Cougars have been unbeatable. The trend continued this past weekend when they hosted the Tuff Enuff senior girls tournament.
At the eight-team event, the Cougars won all of their matches, including a two-sets-to-none victory against the PGSS Polars in Saturday’s championship final. The tournament victory was the Cougars’ fourth in Prince George this fall and they elevated their local match record to 24-0.
“We’ve got an extremely wellrounded team,” said Cougars head coach Jason Olexyn. “Up to any semifinal match, I’ve been able to change the lineup every second set so we’ve got a great young group of girls.”
The Cougars feature just two Grade 12 players – middle blocker Anika Schroeter and right-side hitter/middle blocker McKenzie Woodringh. Their roster includes seven players who are in their Grade 11 years and three who are in Grade 10. The Grade 11s are Reeyse Desmarais, Brooke Eberherr, Emily MacDonald, Rachel Kidd, Alysha Madsen, Natasha Kozlowski and Sydney Bazinet and the Grade 10s are Justine Guillet, Morgan Johnson and Ally Steindl.
At the Tuff Enuff tournament, the Cougars were trying out a new defensive system and, anchored by Desmarais, it worked well. Desmarais is typically a power hitter but played as a libero or defensive specialist instead.
“She played outstanding as the libero,” Olexyn said.
“I think she’s found a place at libero that will complement everyone else very well.”
Offensively, one of the leaders for the Cougars was Eberherr, who is the team captain and setter. Schroeter and Woodringh were also key performers, as were power hitters MacDonald and Kidd, and right side hitter Madsen.
The Cougars came into the Tuff Enuff tournament having already won the season-opening Kodiak Classic, as well as gatherings hosted by Cedars Christian School and Kelly Road. Two weekends ago, they were in a major tournament at Kelowna’s UBC Okanagan, where they played well on the opening day but weren’t as sharp the next and were eliminated in their first playoff match. Overall, they compiled a 3-3 match record.
Provincially, the Cougars started the season in the triple-A division but were then moved to double-A because the number of Grade 11 and 12 female students at College Heights didn’t meet the triple-A threshold. While they were still in the triple-A group, they were ranked as high as No. 6 in B.C. and slipped to No. 10 after the UBCO tournament. The latest double-A rankings had not been released as of Tuesday afternoon.
The Cougars are off this coming weekend and will compete in a Duchess Park tournament the following weekend.
Up to any semifinal match, I’ve been able to change the lineup every second set so we’ve got a great young group of girls. — Jason Olexyn