The Barrhead Composite High School Senior Boys Gryphons volleyball team captured the provincial high school championship on Saturday, Nov. 28 in Grande Prairie, losing only one set in the process.
The Gryphons won the right to go to the Provincial 3A Championships after winning one of the provincial zone qualifying tournaments in Westlock on Nov. 21.
Gryphons coach Rod Callihoo said the team was confident and in good spirits when they left for provincials.
He said when the team reached Grande Prairie on Wednesday evening (Nov. 25) they went directly to the host school Peace Wapiti Academy gymnasium in order to get some practice time in as well as get used to the venue before the competition began in earnest the next day.
“The feeling in the gym was full of anticipation and excitement,” Callihoo said about their first practice.
The team’s excitement quickly turned to worry when one of the Gryphon’s starting six went down with an injury during their initial practice.
“All sports have an element of injury, but with injury brings opportunity,” Callihoo said, adding the coaching staff were curious to see how the team reacted to adversity.
The answer was quite well.
On Thursday, the Gryphons played their first match against Eagle Butte, a team from the south zone, taking the game in two straight sets by scores of 25 to 15.
The next day the Gryphons continued their winning ways, defeating teams from Grande Prairie, St. Paul and Sylvan Lake, all in two sets.
On Friday the Gryphons ended the round robin portion of the tournament by defeating a team from the Edmonton zone, once again in two straight sets.
By going undefeated in the round robin portion the Gryphons secured a spot into the semi-finals and guaranteed the team would finish no lower than fourth.
In the semi-final match the Gryphons faced the Strathmore High School Spartans, a team that went through the round robin losing only one match.
The Gryphons won the match in two straight sets, 25 to 18 and 25 to 13 respectively.
“This set up a match against our rivals Strathcona Christian Academy, the Eagles. What a match, it is almost too much to put into words,” Callihoo said. “It was the battle of all battles.”
After losing the first set by a score of 22 to 25, the Gryphons rebounded winning the next two sets by scores of 25 to 23 and 15 to 11, to take home the provincial title.
“As a player respect is earned based on accomplishment,” he said. “I feel our players earned and deserve this accomplishment. They should be proud of the respect they have earned.”
