The Fulton Maroons never dropped a single set as they marched to gold in the UBC Okanagan Heat Junior Boys Volleyball Tournament last weekend in Kelowna.
Fulton dominated the 18-team tournament, earning straight-set wins over the Kelowna Owls (25-11, 25-12) and Pen-Hi Lakers (25-16, 25-12) in preliminary action. They then bounced the Mount Boucherie Bears, 25-16, 25-20, in their playoff opener.
In quarterfinals, the Maroons thumped the Summerland Rockets, 25-11, 25-12, before icing the Lakers 25-10, 25-16 in the semis. They grounded Boucherie 25-15, 25-22, in the gold-medal game.
“We’ve had a great start to the season,” said Fulton head coach Richard Bedard. “We are undefeated in league play, and we got contributions from everyone this weekend in our first tournament.
Fulton will battle in the KSS Best of the West tournament this weekend in Kelowna.
n Fulton ranked 11th out of 30 teams at the Thompson Rivers University senior girls tourney last weekend in Kamloops.
The Maroons finished second in their pool with wins over the Clearwater Raiders (25-18, 25-17) and St. Ann’s Academy Crusaders of Kamloops ( 25-17, 25-19), and an opening-day loss to the Princess Margaret Mustangs of Penticton (20-25, 23-25).
Fulton fell 16-25, 22-25, to the G.W. Graham Grizzlies of Chilliwack in the quarterfinals, rebounded with a 25-12, 25-13 decision over the Chase Trojans, before ending with a 16-25, 22-25 loss to the Westsyde Whundas.
“There was an improvement shown by our team’s win-loss record this weekend going 3-3, but we need to tighten up our team’s defence to be able to close tight games and come out as the winner,” said Fulton head coach Sharon Shaigec.
The Maroons hosted the Kalamalka Lakers in Tuesday-night league play, and will take on the Vernon Panthers today (1 p.m.) to open the Cats’ senior girls tournament.
The Seaton Sonics open the VSS tourney against the Revelstoke Rams in the other 1 p.m. draw.
In the 2:30 p.m. slot, Vernon faces Mount Boucherie and Fulton meets the NorKam Saints, while the Sonics battle the College Heights Cougars of Prince George at 3:20 p.m.
At 4:30, it’s Vernon versus NorKam and Fulton versus Boucherie, followed by Seaton versus the Selkirk Highlanders of Kimberley at 5:40.
The championship game goes Saturday at 1:50 p.m.
Meanwhile, the Vernon Christian Royals jumpstart their senior boys tourney today at 3 p.m. against the South Okanagan Hornets.
The Royals go right back at it at 4 p.m. against Clearwater before wrapping up preliminary play against the Cedars Christian Eagles of Prince George at 7 p.m.
The championship game is set for 1:15 p.m.
