This year’s North Battleford Comprehensive High School Vikings junior girls’ volleyball tournament saw a unique scenario.
Both the Grade 9 and Grade 8 Vikings teams made it to the final.
“I was talking to the coach of the Grade 9 team (Jeff Gibson) and we’re both sure that this is the first time that both teams have been in the championship game,” Grade 8 Vikings head coach Bryan Cottini said.
“Usually the team with the most experience is in there but to have both of us in the finals was really cool.”
The Grade 9 Vikings squad was the team to beat out of the 12 that were in the two-day tournament, as they had a perfect 7-0 record on their way to the title.
“They are an unreal team,” Cottini said. “I’m not sure if they will lose a game all year.
“They have a lot of kids that played at the club level, and they have the experience of being at provincial and national events. They are good at passing, good at serving and good at hitting. They are the total package.”
The Grade 8 team also had a strong weekend as they finished in first place in their six-team pool on the way to the final.
“It’s kind of an unusual team from what we usually see at the Grade 8 level,” Cottini said.
“A large amount of the team are already strong at serving overhand and we have a lot of pretty tall kids that are good at blocking and hitting. It’s exciting, not just for this year, but next year when they move up to Grade 9. The future here is very bright.”
The tournament field also included John Paul II, Unity, Wilkie, Maymont, Medstead, Meadow Lake, Macklin and three teams from Lloydminster.
Both Vikings teams will be back in action this weekend as they will go to a tournament hosted by Holy Rosary School in Lloydminster.
