Stettler’s junior boys volleyball team is headed to zone playoffs in Wetaskiwin this week after making it through the first round, said coach Joe Thibeau.
Thibeau said the team’s defense has strengthened and its serving has improved, giving them the ability to compete as playoffs continue.
“It puts us in, and gives us a chance to win games,” he explained.
In the first round, the juniors from William E. Hay Composite High School lost to Wetaskiwin but defeated Lacombe in two out of three sets, allowing them to continue this week. In the current round they will face Wetaskiwin, Innisfail and Camrose.
The juniors finished their regular season in sixth place out of six teams with a win-loss record of 1-5.
Senior boys
Coming off of a win in Sylvan Lake last week, Stettler’s senior boys are looking forward to competing in zone playoffs this weekend in Camrose, said coach Derrick Hatch.
“I think we’ve progressed all year,” he said. “If we play the game that we possibly could play, we can beat anybody.”
The senior boys lost one set (26-28) and won three (25-23, 27-25, 25-18) against Sylvan Lake’s H. J. Cody School on Nov. 3.
Paul Georget was Stettler’s player of the game. The win puts the team in fifth place out of seven teams, with a 2-4 record.
Junior girls
The junior girls ended their season on Thursday, Nov. 6 in the first round of zone finals in Camrose.
They were defeated by Camrose Composite in two sets, then competed in three sets against Lacombe, winning one and losing two.
Assistant coach Jess Marshall said she was happy with the girls’ efforts despite the loss, noting that the tight scores indicated they were closely matched.
“It was an awesome season with the girls,” she said. “All 12 of our players were equally talented.”
The team finished the season in fifth place with a 4-3 record. Their final regular season match was on Nov. 4 in Sylvan Lake.
There they won one set and lost three; results were 18-25, 18-25, 25-16 and 16-25. Player of the game for Stettler was Ashley Sukkau.
Coach Alicia Kneeland also said she was proud of the girls for what they accomplished and for making it as far as they did.
Senior girls
The senior girls team finished their season on Nov. 4 with a loss to Sylvan Lake’s H. J. Cody School, losing in all three sets. Results were 23-25, 10-25 and 10-25.
Stettler’s player of the game was Olivia Zuk. The team finished seventh of eight teams in their division, with a 1-6 record.
Coach Corinne Stephenson said the team was also scheduled to join in an invitational senior tournament in Camrose over the past weekend.