It was a bitter-sweet end for for the four competing Okanagan boys’ squads at the 2019 B.C. volleyball championships.
The best-of-the-best AAA high schools from across the province met in the ultimate showdown of volleyball supremacy last weekend in Langley with two Okanagan schools finished in the top four.
The Kelowna Owls cruised their way to the finals where they faced the two-time reigning champion, Earl Marriot Mariners. After winning an early set, the fatigue of the tournament hit the Owls and Kelowna was beaten and had to settle for the silver medal.
Okanagan Mission came into the tournament as the 7th seed and were also bested by the top-seed Mariners, this time in the semi-finals. The Huskies would go on to finish 4th and miss out on the bronze medal after a loss to the Claremont Secondary Spartans.
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The Penticton Lakers finished strongly, coming in 10th out of the 20 competing teams. The Lakers entered the provincials as one of the lowest seeds.
Mt. Boucherie Secondary School finished 13th at the tournament after a win on the final day of the championships.
Three Okanagan players would earn First Team All-Star awards: OKM’s Quinn Pitcher, Kelowna’s Tyson Embree and Braden White.
OKM’s Kael Murphy was named a Second Team All-Star.
Sean McIntrye from the Huskies was named the tournaments Most Outstanding Libero, an award for great defensive play.
The George Elliot Coyotes were held off the podium at this year’s 2019 AA championships.
Lake County’s boys squad were solid on their route to the championships, but fell in a five-set thriller to Abbotsford Christian to finish 4th. It was a rematch of last year’s finals where Abbotsford once again beat George Elliot.
The Coyotes’ star Austin Duff was named to the AA tournament’s Second Team All-Stars.
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