The Vernon Christian Royals senior boys volleyball team have been crowned Okanagan Valley A high school champions.
The B.C. A No. 2-ranked Royals defeated the Kelowna Christian Knights 27-25, 25-19, 24-26 and 25-16 in the final of the six-team Okanagan championships.
Outside hitter Ben Molitwenik led the team with 16 kills, while Levi VanderDeen had 13 and middles Liam Remple chipped in with 12 and Devin Hofsink had 10.
Jacob Defeo ran a balanced offence, dispersing the ball to various attack options and finished the match with 50 assists. He also chipped in five service aces.
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In pool play Friday, the Royals tamed Lumby’s Charles Bloom Timberwolves 25-15, 25-9 but lost to the Knights 13-25,25-27.
In the quarterfinals on Saturday, VCS defeated the Immaculata Mustangs of Kelowna 25-17,25-21 and played a well-rounded game in the semifinals pressing hard, to eliminate the St. Ann’s Crusaders from Kamloops 25-17,25-11,25-14.
Both Hofsink and Molitwenik led the team with 10 kills and Remple and VanderDeen had nine each.
“Our serve-receive passing was spot on, which allowed us to run a quick tempo offence,” said Royals head coach Dwayne Remple, who is assisted on the bench by Chris Bannick and Zac Dubland.
“Our setters, Jacob Defeo and Kaden Koshman, were able to disperse the ball around the court which kept teams on their heels trying to defend. Molitwenik, VanderDeen, Noah Podolski, Josh Hall, and our libero, Shaun Huizinga, passed the ball well all weekend and deserve credit.”
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The Royals now head to Prince George B.C. A Championships starting Thursday at the College of New Caledonia.
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