Junior boys’ volleyball team wraps up season with loss in quarterfinals

AFTER POSTING A 6-6 record during the regular season, the EDSS junior boys’ volleyball team finished out the year with a loss in the quarterfinals.

Their season came to an end against Grand River Collegiate Institute, winning just one set to GRCI’s three on Nov. 3.

Head coach Sarah Gerth says even though the season didn’t end the way the team wanted, she is proud of the team for get- ting close in such a short time.

“To come together in two months and become a team, that is difficult. They aren’t a fractured team. It isn’t 12 guys playing individually,” she said. “They have, in two months, become a team that works together, learns together, loses together, wins together, but most of all, they have very quickly figured out how to be extremely cohesive. When they are on the court or in practice, they are one group.”

Their final match up in the quarterfinals didn’t go their way, but Gerth says that isn’t because they weren’t trying their best. The team was missing

erplay while Brampton’s Andrew Borgatti was in the box for high sticking. Brampton tied it up with a marker from Tyler Illidge, but that would be it from the Bombers for the rest of the game.

Biles scored the Kings’ second goal of the game, from Bruce and Spencer Comelli.

It was quiet on the scoring front in the third, with just one goal from Hoelscher, from Kyle Soper and Phillips.

Phillips is a new face on the Sugar Kings roster, joining the team from the OHL’s Guelph Storm just last week. Hailing from Fergus, the newly added defenseman stands a tow- ering 6’5”, adding some serious size to the Kings’ D-line alongside 6’6” defenseman Comelli.

“He is a big guy. Those two hold up the back end there pretty alright,” said Canal with a laugh. “Right now, he is getting comfortable and getting used to things back there again. He is getting his feet wet, getting used to the guys. He’ll be a good addition for us for sure.”

While the team is adding to their roster, they’ve also been paring it down, as Mason Sinkeldam was traded to Cambridge.

“That was just one of those unfortunate things. He got along with the guys, we got along with him well, he is a good kid, it is just unfortunate,” said Canal. “It was about making sure that he wanted to get what he wanted out of the game. There was no bad anything between everyone, it was just one of those timing things that didn’t work out. He played well for us, we like him a lot, wanted him to be part of the long term, and with Brock coming in, we had too many defensemen.”

The Kings will be up against Listowel again on Saturday, but this time, on home ice. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. at the WMC. On Sunday afternoon, Elmira will be in Waterloo, facing off against the Siskins. It is an early game, with puck drop at 1:30 p.m. at the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex.