To absolutely no one鈥檚 surprise, the defending provincial quadruple-A champion Belmont Bulldogs senior girls鈥� volleyball team is off to a smashing success on the 2017 season.
So far, the Bulldogs 鈥� who have returned their entire team from 2016 鈥� have swept the triple crown of pre- or early-season tournaments, claiming the University of British Columbia, Vancouver Island University and Camosun College events in recent weeks.
鈥淚t is definitely a good start. Winning those three tournaments for the second year in a row is really cool,鈥� said Hannah May, right-side hitter and standout who will be attending MacEwan University in Edmonton next year to continue her volleyball career in U Sports sa国际传媒 West play.
鈥淲e have two halves to the season, the first was the first three tournaments. Our goal was to win all three and we did that. In the second half there鈥檚 the Red Serge tournament [on the mainland], which is the unofficial provincials, and then the provincials themselves.鈥�
May and Co. won both their matches in Lower Island league play on home court on Tuesday, defeating Reynolds 25-15 and 25-10 after downing Claremont 25-12 and 25-14. They swept those games despite missing an ailing Savannah Purdy from the lineup.
Purdy will be attending Trinity Western University next season and was named an all-star at all three of the tournaments. Taylee Pomponio, May and her younger sister, Gracie May, have also been recognized as all-stars along the way.
鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to see them play without her because there is going to be a time when we don鈥檛 have her,鈥� coach Mike Toakley said of Purdy鈥檚 absence on Tuesday. 鈥淪he鈥檚 been such an amazing player. Her consistency, her leadership and her experience 鈥� she鈥檚 everything you want in a captain, but tonight it was nice to not have to rely on her and see other kids take on leadership roles.鈥�
Toakley has actually divided the season into three parts 鈥� the three early tournaments, two exhibition games against Vancouver Island University and Camosun College on Oct. 19 and 23, and then the Lower Island playoffs, Islands (which will be held at Belmont) and provincials, which are set for the Langley Events Centre.
鈥淭hat鈥檒l be super exciting. We had the opportunity to play VIU last year and it was definitely tough competition, but that鈥檚 what we need. It was so good for us,鈥� said Hannah May, 17, who wants to end her high school career with what she called 鈥渁 bang.鈥�
鈥淎nother [provincial] banner would definitely be nice 鈥� going out with a bang, especially since we are all graduating. We鈥檝e been together for six or seven years through middle school, high school and club. That鈥檚 our goal, one more banner.鈥�
Gracie May and Pomponio are still in Grade 11 so they will be back and obvious choices to also move along to university or college volleyball.
鈥淲e鈥檙e all dreading [graduating]. Driving to Nanaimo [for the VIU tournament] we said, 鈥極h no, it鈥檚 our last tournament in Nanaimo.鈥� Then it was, 鈥極h no, it鈥檚 our last tournament here or there.鈥� That part sucks, but one more banner and we鈥檒l be good,鈥� said Hannah May.
鈥淲e couldn鈥檛 have asked for a much better start,鈥� added Toakley, whose crew has already defeated Handsworth Secondary twice this season. Earl Marriott is also strong.
The Bulldogs are seeded No. 1 in sa国际传媒 quadruple-A play with no other Island team in the top 10. In triple-A, Timberline of Campbell River is No. 2, Mark Isfeld of Comox is No. 4 and Carihi is No. 5. No teams are ranked in double-A and Nanaimo Christian is No. 8 at the single-A level.
In boys鈥� play, Oak Bay is No. 3 in triple-A, with Royal Bay and Reynolds at Nos. 9 and 10, respectively. In double-A, Pacific Christian comes in at No. 9 with Gulf Islands as an honourable mention, and in single-A, Duncan Christian is No. 5.
Boys鈥� triple-A Islands is slated for Nov. 17-18 at Oak Bay and double-A runs the same dates at either SMUS or Pacific Christian. Single-A Islands is set for Duncan Christian.
The girls鈥� Island tournaments all begin Nov. 17 with quadruple-A at Belmont; triple-A at Timberline; double-A at Kwalikum; and single-A at a site yet to be determined in the North.
Twitter.com/tc_vicsports
