Volleyball has its up and downs.
Going into Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association 3A high school girl’s varsity provincial championship play as South Central Zone champs, Cochrane High School Cobras were trending up. As hosts, Cobras were playing for a provincial volleyball title on their home floor, and won their first three matches before running into trouble.
Two losses to the Eagle Butte Eagles and one to Lacombe put the ow in down for Cochrane. The Dunmore-based Eagles defeated Cochrane in the round-robin Nov. 21, forcing a one-set tiebreaker Nov. 22 won 28-26 by the South Zone 3A-champion Eagles.
Just like that, Cochrane’s tournament was done, after winning its first three matches in Pool A.
“It’s a tremendous honour to be hosting,” Cobras head coach Landon Thompson said. “Playing in front of your home school definitely gives you boost.”
But it wasn’t enough.
“You’ve got to be the best team over a three-day period,” Thompson continued. “You have to maintain a high level of play and peak at the right time.”
The tournament benefitted from excellent organization and top-level officiating, as university-grade officials were available all weekend thanks to an empty volleyball schedule at Calgary’s post-secondary institutions.
“We couldn’t have done the event without all the officials, scorekeepers, linesmen and volunteer support,” Thompson said. “With Mount Royal and U of C both having a bye week, we got the best officials in the province.”
Grande Prairie’s Peace Wapiti Academy Titans won the title with Lacombe taking silver.
