Rockway hits playoffs on high note
Clinches first place in the North with impressive victory over Celtics
WATERLOO — What they lack in height, they make up for in other departments.
The Rockway Flames wrapped up the regular-season portion of their District 8 senior boys’ volleyball schedule Wednesday with an impressive 3-1 (25-22, 17-25, 25-19, 25-19) win over the St. David Celtics.
The Flames clinched first place in the North standings with a 9-1 record and will host a D8 semifinal playoff game on Nov. 6.
Flames setter James CarrPries, who turned in an excellent two-way performance, said his teammates are accustomed to squaring off against taller opponents and have shown height isn’t everything when it comes to oncourt success.
“We use our heads and our legs. We’re always moving, we’re always thinking, and we can definitely hop,” said Rockway’s Grade 12 captain. “Today, we were getting hands on all their big hits and we really excelled at keeping the ball in play, making sure it got back over the net.”
Kean Snider, Aaron Dyck and James Torrence-Perks were also solid for the Flames, who are on an eight-game win streak that includes back-to-back wins over the Woodland Cavaliers. Woodland, Rockway’s single-A rival, finished the season at 8-2 to finish second in the North and will host a playoff game Wednesday. Resurrection (1-8) is the North’s other team and is out of the playoff picture.
“Everything we are doing right now is raising our level of confidence and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next for us,” said Carr-Pries
St. David (6-3), which beat Rockway 3-1 in the first meeting, has one regular-season game remaining and will finish third in the North. The weaker South division includes the St. Benedict Saints (6-3), Père-René-de-Galinée Chevaliers (4-5), St. Mary’s Eagles (3-6) and Monsignor Doyle Mustangs (0-9). Rockway, Woodland and St. David are a combined 9-0 against St. Benedict, Père-René-de-Galinée and St. Mary’s.
The D8 league is using a crossover playoff system this fall which, barring upsets Wednesday, will see St. David and Rockway meeting again in a semifinal game and Woodland facing St. Benedict in the other.
St. David captain Quinton Dowling acknowledged his team will have its work cut out for it in a third meeting with Rockway but is quietly confident a victory is possible. Dowling said his team wasn’t at its best Wednesday and would welcome the opportunity for another shot at Rockway.
“We have a tough route to the finals but being ready for the playoffs is what really matters and I think we’re ready,” he said.
“We beat (Rockway) 3-1 a few weeks back and they’ve really improved since then and showed us they’re the team to beat right now. It will be a good game and we’ll have to play our best, but we can do it.”
Dowling and Nolan Spencer were the Celtics’ best players against the Flames and will have to be at their best again to have playoff success.