The Mennonite Educational Institute Grade 8 boys basketball team won the Fraser Valley title last week, knocking off the Tamanawis Wildcats of Surrey 63-47 in the title game.
The victory ran the Eagles' record to a remarkable 36-1 on the season, which includes four other tournament titles and an Abby-Mission district championship.
The MEI boys beat Mt. Slesse (78-20), Fleetwood Park (59-30), local rival Howe Middle (59-42) and Walnut Grove (59-42) en route to the Valley final, where they faced a Tamanawis team they'd edged by one point earlier in the season.
It was all Eagles this time around, though – they led by as many as 20 points in the first half and were up 32-16 at halftime, and maintained the double-digit lead the rest of the way. It marked the first Fraser Valley Grade 8 boys title for MEI since 1999, the year most of the boys on the current team were born.
Ty Rowell was named tournament MVP, while Carson Bargen was an all-star.
The Eagles are the top seed at the provincial championships, which run this week (March 7-9) at Pitt Meadows Secondary. MEI opens against Steveston-London at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.