Lions defend COSSA AA junior boys title
Young but well-prepared Adam Scott volleyball squad defeats St. Mary Thunder from Cobourg 3-1 for championship
The Adam Scott Lions credited positive energy for helping them successfully defend the COSSA AA junior boys volleyball championship Tuesday, a 3-1 home victory over the St. Mary Thunder from Cobourg in a rematch of last week’s Kawartha final.
The players fed off each other for motivation, particularly after when spirits dipped somewhat during the single game they lost in the final, Jack Sweeting said after celebrating the victory and raising the COSSA trophy with his teammates.
“Big plays definitely played a role and staying positive throughout it,” he said. “We’re just one really tight unit and that really showed in our game.”
“No one is negative … and that really helped us,” added teammate Greg Ebisuzaki-Mackay, who was a force to be reckoned with anywhere near the net, where he blocked dozens of spikes while laying down many of his own.
The Lions started the match strong, building a 7-2 lead in game one before the Thunder drew closer with a spirited rally. But Adam Scott regained the momentum, putting up a run of eight consecutive points in a 25-12 win.
The Thunder stormed out of the gate in the second game, building a 6-0 lead. The Lions clawed back to knot the game at 11 before the lead exchanged hands several times. St. Mary won 25-23, despite a late Lions run of three straight points to draw within one.
Adam Scott controlled the early part of game three, but St. Mary fought back, twice drawing within a point. The Lions held them off to win 25-23.
The home side once again built an early lead in the fourth and final game, but the visitors never fell too far behind. The 24-16 Lions victory included energetic runs of five and three consecutive points late in the game.
Lions coach Chris Entwhistle said the team, which was 42-3 in the regular season, pulled itself out of holes many times this season. He said the team had leaders on the court at all times and the bench played a key role in its’ success.
“They made a big difference,” Entwhistle said. “Whether they were on or off the court, they all played a big part.”
He credited Soul Beach Volleyball, a summer program at Beavermead Park, for helping many of the players come into the season well-prepared.
In his last huddle of the season, the coach told the group of all Grade 9 players he couldn’t have asked for a better group to coach and encouraged them to continue to play at the senior level.
The Lions defeated Centre Hastings 3-0 in the first best-offive semifinal of the day to reach the final, by scores of 25-9, 25-18 and 25-17.
St. Mary defeated Prince Edward Collegiate Institute (PECI) 3-1 in the other semifinal, losing the first game 27-25 before winning three straight by scores of 25-19, 25-15 and 25-20.
PECI then defeated Centre Hastings 2-0 to win the bronze medal in the best-of-three consolation final, narrowly winning both games by scores of 27-25, including completing a comeback in the deciding game.