Tournament champion F.P. Walshe Flyers, back row, from left: assistant coach Sarah Cowley, Cassie Rippin, Lilly Vanee, Presley DeKok, Lexi Beer, Ashlynn DeKok, Leslie Bruised Head, Kaylin Three Persons and head coach Michael McTighe. Front row, from left: Jaya Sharma, Savannah Cervo, Addy Van Herk, Addy Nelson and Rhyan Popl.
F.P. Walshe Flyers toppled Warner Warriors on Saturday night to win the championship of a junior high A girls volleyball tournament at Vulcan.
The Flyers are Savannah Cervo, Cassie Rippin, Addy Nelson, Addy Van Herk, Jaya Sharma, Presley DeKok, Rhyan Popl, Lexi Beer, Lilly Vanee, Leslie Bruised Head, Ashlynn DeKok and Kaylin Three Persons.
The Flyers were in Pool A to start the two-day tournament along with Highwood Mustangs from High River, Warner Warriors and the host County Central Hawks.
Pool B was made up of Noble Central Blades, Oilfields Drillers, Raymond Comets and Picture Butte Queens.
The Flyers took on Warner to open round-robin and managed a split with the Warriors.
The Warriors won the first set 25-21 with the Flyers rallying to post a tight 26-24 win in the second set.
In their next match Friday the Flyers took on the host Hawks.
The Flyers were at cruising altitude in this match as they grounded the Hawks 25-13 and 25-19.
Saturday morning dawned early for the Flyers, who were back on the court at 9 a.m. to take on Highwood Mustangs.
The early start didn’t faze the Flyers, who swept the Mustangs 25-15 and 27-25.
Their record of five wins and one loss put the Flyers first in Pool A, followed by Warner (4-4), Highwood (2-6) and County Central (1-5).
That first-place finish earned the Flyers a spot in the semifinals, where they took on Oilfields Drillers on Saturday afternoon.
The Flyers plugged the Drillers 25-12 and 25-16 to advance to the finals on Saturday night.
The victory over Oilfields advanced the Flyers to the championship match on Saturday night against the winner of the Warner-Raymond semifinal match.
The Warriors stopped the Comets to set up a rematch with the Flyers.
F.P. Walshe opened the championship match with a decisive 25-14 victory in the first set.
The Flyers then fought off the Warriors 25-20 to win the tournament championship.
