Just a week into the season, volleyball teams from William E. Hay Composite High School are already busy Wildcats.
The Wildcat senior boys’ team went to a tiebreaker last Wednesday before losing to the host Camrose Trojans in season-opening action.
“It was a tough match,” said Stettler coach Jefferson McClung.
The Wildcats took two out of four sets to force a tiebreaking match, which they lost 17-15.
“The boys played well and strong,” McClung said.
The Wildcat JV boys didn’t have a league game last week, but they were victorious in their season-opener this Monday at Rocky Mountain House.
The JV boys and the senior boys will host Lacombe this Wednesday for their home-openers.
Stettler’s senior girls won their first game last Tuesday at Camrose, but then lost three straight games to the Trojans by narrow margins.
“All the girls played well,” said Wildcats coach Rachelle Campeau. “Although there were a lot of mistakes made, after all, it was our first game.
“One major issue that hurt us the most was conditioning, with fatigue already starting to visibly set in by the end of the second match. But that is something that will come in time with practise and workouts.
“My assistant, Michelle Bruce, and I commented that we are fortunate to have a deep bench this year, in that I am confident in putting any one of the girls out there and know they have the ability to play to the level expected of them. They also showed some really good things that make me believe they have the potential to be a very strong team as the year progresses.”
The Wildcat JV girls played their first league game in Camrose last Tuesday, winning the third of four matches.
“The team put up a good fight, keeping the second and fourth matches very close in points scored,” said coach Alicia Kneeland.
Stettler’s Brooke Clark was awarded player of the game for her setting and serving abilities, even while healing from a minor shoulder injury, her coach said.
Both the senior girls and the JV girls were slated to face HJ Cody of Sylvan Lake on Tuesday in their home-openers.
The senior boys and girls Wildcat teams travelled to Ardrossan on the weekend for their first tournament of the volleyball season.
“The Wildcat boys played very well,” McClung said. “We played some difficult matches.”
Although the Stettler teams didn’t win any trophies, the senior girls won the consolation final.
“It was a definite team effort,” Campeau said after Stettler edged Assumption 15-12 in the third and deciding match.
“Being their first tournament, we had a few rough moments, but I was pleased to see the improvements in game play and the overall dynamics in teamwork throughout the weekend,”
“All the girls had a part in the action by showing the depth our bench has in playing ability.”
The JV boys and girls Wildcat teams played in the Bishop O’Byrne tournament in Calgary on the weekend.
“Both teams showed great improvement of skills and team work,” said Kneeland, who coaches the girls.
“On Saturday, the junior boys played well and were involved in several close and tense games,” said coach Derrick Hatch. “It left us wishing that this wasn’t the last day of the tournament.”
Cross-country
William E. Hay cross-country runners Corey Garbutt, Jenny Taylor and Andrew Kim, all of Grade 12, and Max McHollister of Grade 9, ran in Wetaskiwin on Saturday in the 15th annual Peace Hills cross-country meet. Each runner accomplished their personal goals, said Wildcats coach Lorrie Stayura.
Garbutt, Taylor, Kim and McHollister, along with Aaryn Lynham, Alicia Nibourg, Alyssa Henderson and Nikyta Lachowsky, plan to attend the Spartan Tough invitational meet Thursday at New Norway.
— High School Report