Cougars confident heading into provincials

By Lethbridge Herald on November 20, 2024.

Herald File Photo by Justin Seward Catholic Central's Dion Dudas attempts to hit the ball past the block of Tarek Jones (right) and Coban DeJager during Prairie Sky Conference senior varsity boys volleyball action earlier this year.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

The Catholic Central Cougars varsity boys volleyball team join the  provincial-host LCI teams as the local contingent at the 4A championships in Lethbridge over the next three days.

The Cougars are the fourth seed going in and will be in the top pool after winning the South Zone championship last weekend on home court.

The Cougars have been preparing by practicing gameplay situations and wash drills, which sees a team attempt do multiple things in a row such as winning a rally .

“So playing against each other is good practice for playing some other good teams,” said Hammel.

The Cougars are expected to use their strength of blocking, strong and bigger middles and outside hitters to their advantage during the championships.

“I think we’re a great offensive team, so we’re going to be strong,” said Hammel.

This will be the Cougars second trip to provincials in three seasons and they will have the experience of two returnees from that 2022 team in Tristan Iwanczuk and Noah Young.

“They’re leaders on and off the court and I mean they’re going to be on the court lots this weekend and leading our team through,” said Hammel.

Iwanczuk think the Cougars know that there is not one team that is unbeatable at the championship.

“We know that we can push the expectations and we can win a match when we need to,” said Iwanczuk.

CCH  is at the bottom of the top pool with being the fourth ranked team.

“We’re going to be expected to lose, that’s what everyone thinks is going to happen, and I want the guys to have fun, and go out there and prove that we’re better than some of these teams,”

 said Hammel.

“We knew this was our year to kind of push through expectations and take it as far as we can,” said Iwanczuk.

The 4A provincial volleyball championships begin today and run through Saturday.

The schedule can be found at http://www.asaa.ca/volleyball/2024-2025-championships/2024-asaa-4a-boys-girls-volleyball/scheduleresults.