Vernon, Coldstream Junior Volleyball Team Heads to BC

The Vernon Panthers and Calamarca Lakers secured a spot in the Okanagan Valley with the final results of the BC Junior Girls Volleyball Championship.

After finishing second or worse in five tournaments, the Panthers finished second in the Valley in Kamloops and the Lakers in Coldstream finished third. VSS was the North Zone No. 1 seed in Okanagan, Cal No. 2.

Panthers head coach Mike Bertram said after the Nov. 18-19 finals, “We have to beat every team in the Valley, so we don’t want the two Vernon teams to make the junior women’s provincial in the same year.” “In juniors there is no tiering due to school size.”

VSS lost to Kelowna Owls in the Okanagan final 15-25, 25-20, 15-12.

“It was a great match by two very good teams and a great final,” said Bertram. “MVP Devyn Hildebrand delivered some big kills and great serve to lead the Panthers. Libero Amelia Spitzer led the defense all weekend with great passing.”

In the pool match, the VSS defeated the Penn High Lakers 25-15 25-10 as Kennedy West won match MVP for his excellent serve.

The Panthers defeated Kelowna 25-15, 25-6, with match MVP Cadence Kitzl bombing the entire game and Paige Leahy and Avery Stringer blocking everything. Vernon finished the qualifying round by beating the hosts Valley View over the Vikings, 25-15, 25-10. Sadie Quinton was the game MPV with her consistent serving and hitting from the right flank.

In the crossover game on the second day, VSS handled Kamloops’ Sahari Sabers 25-16, 25-12 thanks to good passing and kills from power hitter Charlotte Schoomer.

The semi-final was a landslide as VSS beat Kelowna’s Okanagan Mission Huskies 25-23, 25-23.

“OKM stepped up the game and gave us everything we could handle,” says Bertram. “The girls played a strong game and didn’t panic even when she lost 10-3 early in the second game.”

Addy Beacom came off the bench and had a game-winning block to create a big spark for the Panthers and earn match MVP honors.

8th grade girls

The Salmon Arm’s Shuswap Middle School (SMS) Ravens have won the title of Northern Okanagan Champions in 8th grade women’s volleyball.

Hosted by SMS, the final was against the Vernon Secondary Panthers A team.

The Ravens defeated the Panthers 25-14 and 25-21 in their final game on Monday, November 21.

SMS’s Phoenix and Vernon B teams also made it to the finals.

---

@VernonNews
newsroom@vernonmorningstar.com
Like and follow us on Facebook twitter

And subscribe to our daily newsletter.

Local SportsSalmon ArmVernonVolleyball