The Highland Raiders senior boys posted the best finish of the three Comox Valley teams attending provincial volleyball championships last week.
The Raiders finished sixth at the AA boys championships in Kelowna. Also in Kelowna, the Vanier Towhees tied for 11th at the AAA boys tourney while in Penticton the Towhees senior girls were 12th at AAAA championships.
At the 16-team AA boys tourney Nov. 27-30, the Raiders had Tristan MacLean and Chris Dodd earn Honourable Mentions in the All-Star team voting.
After going undefeated (3-0) in pool play, they kept rolling Thursday with a 3-1 (19-25, 25-15, 25-20, 25-16) win over Pacific Christian before suffering their first loss to Langley Christian.
But the Raiders gave the eventual silver medallists all they could handle before falling 3-2 (23-25,25-13,19-25,26-24,15-9.
On Friday, Highland defeated Clarence Fulton 2-1 (25-18, 25-27, 15-8) to give themselves a shot at a fifth-place finish, but on Saturday Nanaimo District avenged a pool-round loss to the Raiders by blanking them 2-0 (25-19, 25-23).
Langley Fundamental won the gold and MEI took him the bronze.
Also Nov. 27-30 in Kelowna, the Towhees placed 11th at the 16-team AAA boys championship with Braydon Brouwer winning the spike competition.
After taking second in pool play, the Towhees opened the playoff round Thursday with a 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-20) win over Caledonia. They then lost 3-0 (25-17, 25-18, 25-20) to eventual silver medallists Kelowna.
The Courtenay crew bounced back Friday to beat Penticton 2-1 (16-25, 25-21, 15-13) but then lost 2-1 (28-26, 20-25, 15-10) to Seaquam to end their B.C. run.
Earl Marriott won gold and Mount Boucherie took home the bronze.
Playing at the 16-team girls AAAA championships Nov. 28-30 in Penticton, the Towhees senior girls finished third in their pool then ran up against stiff competition the rest of the way.
On Friday they fell 2-1 (25-17, 25-22, 25-11) to Lord Tweedsmuir but rallied to beat Mt. Baker 2-0 (25-18, 25-16). Things did not go well Saturday, as the Towhees bowed 2-1 (25-17, 15-25, 15-13) to Pinetree then bowed out of the tourney with a 2-0 (25-22, 25-18) loss to Argyle in the game for 11th/12th.
South Delta defeated Earl Marriott to win gold while South Kamloops took the bronze.
