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Abbotsford Christian boys, MEI girls earn provincial volleyball medals

Knights take home silver, Eagles secure bronze to wrap up season
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The Abbotsford Christian School Knights senior boys team celebrate a point during Saturday’s gold medal game. (Greg Laychak/Black Press)

The Abbotsford Christian Knights turned it on in the playoffs, but came up a little short at the B.C. boys AA volleyball championships, which wrapped up in Langley on Saturday.

The Knights went 1-2 in pool play, but then went on a playoff run that saw them beat Sa-Hali in the round of 16 and Prince Charles in the quarter-finals. They then knocked off College Heights in the semifinals to set up one more showdown with the Langley Christian Lightning in the gold medal game.

The Lightning swept the gold medal game 3-0 (25-17, 25-15 and 25-22) to take home the top spot.

“This is the best match we played in the entire tournament,” said LCS coach Carol Hofer. “We worked so hard … no games have been easy (and) we just got better each match.”

Knights head coach Anthony Janzen said he’s proud of his team’s silver medal.

“That was our goal, to make provincials and then make finals at provincials,” he said, following the gold medal game.“Second place is well deserved for my team (and) winning teaches you for next year.”

The Knights came out tentative in the first two sets.

“The first two sets, they were scared and nervous,” he said. “The last set, they showed a bit of character, fighting back.”

The Knights will have more than half their roster returning next season including Canadian National 16U player and tournament first team all star, Cole Brandsma.

“I’m very excited about next year,” Janzen added. “I think we’ve set the ground work this year for some great things next year, so I’m very excited for next year.”

The MEI Eagles senior boys returned home without a provincial medal for the first time in 15 years, finishing seventh overall at the event.

The Eagles took down Gulf Islands in the first round of the championship bracket, but then were relegated to the consolation bracket after losing to the Lightning in round two. MEI then fell to Richmond Christian, but beat Prince Charles to place seventh.

MEI’s Jackson Klaaseen was recognized as a tournament second team all-star.

Over in Vanderhoof, the Eagles senior girls team returned home with a provincial bronze medal.

MEI went a perfect 3-0 in pool play, and then eliminated Prince Charles and Fulton in the championship bracket, but lost to St. Thomas More in the semifinal. The Eagles then beat Pacific Academy in the bronze medal game on Saturday.

MEI’s Teagan Boughen was named a tournament first team all-star, and Brielle Bahnman was awarded as the best server of the event.

-With files from, Gary Ahuja/Black Press



Ben Lypka

About the Author: Ben Lypka

I joined the Abbotsford News in 2015.
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