16U Boys Win Silver at Burgarski Cup
The boys have been steadily improving this year showing flashes of brilliance in many matches this season. Our team goals at this event were to get as many yellow game sheets as possible and win a medal. In order to accomplish these goals, the team would need to display those shining moments on a more consistent basis. This would prove to be a challenge with two of our starting players, Nick Frank and Harrison Smith, playing at less than 100% after being ill this week.
Our first match against MAC 16U was a very well played game by both teams. The boys played one of their best matches of the season to hold off a talented MAC team in two straight games 25-21 and 25-23. Our next match against NVC was much shakier with the Preds losing the first game 25-27 but rallied back to win the next two 25-19 and 15-10. Next up, the #1 seeded Riverside Rage and the battle for first place in our pool was at stake. A determined Preds squad played their best match of the season beating the Rage 26-24 and 25-23 in an intense match to take first place in our pool and 3 straight yellow game sheets!
In playoffs, quarter final action would prove to be a challenge after such an emotional roller coaster against the Rage. The York Spartans proved to be a very scrappy opponent and gave our team all they could handle and upset the Preds 25-19 in the first game. With the possibility of being eliminated from medal contention and failing to reach our goal, the team battled courageously with an exciting 26-24 win and a 15-10 victory. A rematch in semifinal action with the MAC team would result in another two straight wins by scores of 25-19 and 25-22 to clinch at least a silver medal. In gold medal action, another rematch with the Riverside Rage, the boys seemed content to win a silver medal in the opening game losing 16-25. In the second game, the Preds played a fabulous game with a 25-18 win. The final game was a seesaw battle with the Preds getting up 8-7 at the switch but the Rage would rally back to win gold by a score of 15-11.
All players were valuable contributors to our most successful tournament of the season. We got our second medal of the season and our first silver. We also won 5 of our 6 matches to almost earn a complete set of yellow game sheets. Alen Brcanovic and Josh Kirkham led the team with stellar efforts throughout the day, Alen leading the team in kills and Josh setting extremely well all day. Unfortunately Harrison Smith fell ill during the day after playing middle well while he was there. Levi Johns and Chris Thomson were an effective blocking and hitting tandem in the middle all day. Nick Frank, Drew Bryant, Matt Chiasson, Chris Balea, and Logan Scott served and passed well, and were instrumental contributors to this Preds’ team best ever finish!
