Sports
November 20, 2008 11:01 PM
John Cudmore
The Sacred Heart Crusaders served up another York Region volleyball title Friday night.
The Thornlea Thunder may be left wondering about the shelf life of momentum.
In the end, the Thunder might well point to a flurry of service errors, including 11 in the opening set and match point for the cruel ending, to open the door for the defending champion Crusaders to pull off a 27-25, 23-25, 25-16, 25-21 victory in the senior boys Tier 1 volleyball championship game at Thornlea Secondary School.
Backed by a boisterous home-court crowd, the Thunder came into the match on a high after qualifying at Tuesday’s eight-team playoff tournament at Sacred Heart. The Thunder run included an upset of the previously unbeaten Unionville Wolves.
But sustaining that high was shortlived, even after the schools split the opening sets in the title match. Sacred Heart pulled away early in the third set and eventually ran its record against York Region opponents to a tidy 21-0 this season.
“(Thornlea) had a great day on Tuesday, I think they won eight sets in a row,” said the Crusdaers’ captain Drew Whitaker. “But we had a great semifinal against Unionville. We’ve played a string of great volleyball, especially in the playoffs.
“It could have been any one of three teams win the division. It feels so good to go out on top.”
Whitaker produced a critical kill and two back-breaking blocks in a four-point span as the Crusaders took a 21-20 lead to match point in the fourth set to secure its second YRAA title in as many seasons. The win also sends the Crusaders to the OFSAA quad-A championships starting Thursday.
“We rallied back in that third set when they had the momentum,” said Whitaker, 18. “It really killed the mood in the gym.”
Despite an error-filled opening set, the game Thunder answered in the second set to make it a match.
“We did everything well except a couple of serves and blocks,” said fifth-year captain Andrew Bapst. “Volleyball is all momentum and it sways from point to point.”
In Tier 2 action, Markham’s Father Michael McGivney Magic swept to a 25-10, 25-14 victory over Keswick Cougars.
Meanwhile, Unionville Wolves rallied from an opening set loss to top Milliken Mills 24-26, 28-26, 15-6 in the junior Tier 1 final.
In Tier 2, Aurora’s Renaissance Phenix defeated Richmond Hill’s Alexander Mackenzie Mustangs 25-10, 25-22.