The Niverville Collegiate Junior Varsity Boys volleyball team capped off their stellar season by capturing the A/AA provincial championship on November 21. The boys advanced through the 3-day tournament without a loss to meet Gabrielle-Roy, their zone arch rivals, in the finals.
The stage was set for a rematch of the Zone 13 final played between these teams 3 weeks earlier. In that zone final, the Panthers took command in the first set, winning 25–15. Gabrielle-Roy stormed back in the second set to mount a 23–18 lead. In a nail-biting finish, the Panthers served up 7 straight points to steal the set and win the zone, earning the top ranking in the province.
Needless to say, Gabrielle-Roy had something to prove in the provincial final. They jumped out to a 12–2 lead in the first set. After that shellacking, Panther head coach Ron Limpright instilled confidence in his boys, telling them, “It’s only the first set, it’s not over. Let’s just win the second one.”
In the second set, the Panthers were able to put up some big blocks and hits to jump out to an early lead. Gabrielle-Roy battled hard to bring the game close at many intervals, but the Panthers hung on to win 25–19, forcing a tie-breaker.
In the final set, the teams traded points, but the Panthers remained out front and sealed the deal with a 15–11 win.
The team consisted of power hitters Lijah Doell, Austin Anderson, and Joel Dueck; setter Josh Limpright; middle attackers Parker Davis, Justin Friesen, Bailey Hiebert, and Keenan Deorksen; and right side Nate Martin and Guippe D’Amico. The team was coached by Ron Limpright and Terry Martin.
