And so ends another year of scholastic volleyball in the NWT, but not before another big weekend of action in Yellowknife.
In the case of schools from the South Slave, it was definitely worth the trip to the capital.
Four of the eight banners up for grabs left for Hay River and Fort Smith following finals day on Sunday. Diamond Jenness Secondary School took home two of those four by winning the 15U girls and 19U girls championship contests in Tier 2.
The 15U girls managed to overcome Sir John Franklin High School of Yellowknife in a five-set battle; the ladies won the final set, 15-11, to set off some rather happy scenes at Weledeh Gymnasium.
It was a long weekend as the final for the ladies was their ninth game of the tournament, but that didn’t bother Kaiah Carter too much.
“It was well worth the trip,” she said following the final. “The legs are sore.”
Having to battle it out in a fifth and deciding set is usually a nerve-wracking experience for any team and Carter said that was no different for her team.
The difference was it was both a good and bad nerve-wracking experience.
“You’re close to the win but at the same time, if you lose, you worked so hard to get all this way and not get the win,” she said.
Winning gold was also good for Carter for another reason.
“It matches the colour of my room,” she said.
Kairyssa Jacobs also played on the victorious 15U squad and said the chalk talk between the fourth and fifth set was just about making sure they were ready.
“Just making sure we were switching our positions and preparing,” she said. “Going into a fifth set is scary, but it’s also exciting because anything can happen.”
One of the more impressive statistics from the final was the serving of Danica Ungar, who managed to get 38 serves over with no misses: nothing into the net and nothing long or wide.
Naturally, there was to be a celebration following the championship win and Jacobs knew exactly where she was going.
“Booster Juice,” she said. “I (had) two free drinks for being most valuable player, so that’s what I’m getting.:
The most valuable players from each team in every game was awarded a voucher from Booster Juice.
Diamond Jenness’ 19U girls outfit defeated Chief Albert Wright School of Tulita for its banner, while Ecole Boreale’s 19U boys squad won the Tier 2 banner over the Deline Lakers. Paul W. Kaeser High School of Fort Smith was the lone South Slave school to cop a Tier 1 banner thanks to the 19U girls team defeating Sir John Franklin, 3-1 in sets, in the final.
