Even if Sherri Hiemstra had tried, she couldn’t have scripted a better finish to her time with the Neerlandia Public Christian School Eagles junior high school girls’ volleyball team.
For the last three seasons, the community volleyball coach watched this group of young ladies progress and grow together as a team.
On Nov. 14, the Eagles gave their coach a fitting farewell present by winning the North Central Junior High League 3J Championships in Barrhead.
“These are a great group of girls and I have been honoured and privileged to have been able to not only coach them, but get to know them as individuals,” Hiemstra said.
Neerlandia opened the tournament playing Mayerthorpe beating them in two straight sets, 25-7 and 25-14.
Their second game saw the Eagles defeat Holy Redeemer Catholic School from Ardrossan easily in two sets 25-8 and 25-7.
In their third game ,Neerlandia took on the host team, the Barrhead Jaguars, beating them 25-8 and 25-14.
The Eagles won their final game of the round robin against Onoway 25-13 and 25-10, securing first place in their pool, giving them an automatic birth into the semi-finals.
In the semi-finals, Neerlandia faced a strong Morinville Wolves team.
“We knew they were going to be a tough test for us,” Hiemstra said, adding Morinville has been traditionally strong.
Indeed, Morinville had finished the round robin tied for first place with Westlock’s R.F. Staples team with three wins. However, they were awarded second place because of their lone loss was against Westlock.
Neerlandia narrowly defeated the Wolves in two sets. The second set was especially close with the Eagles coming out on top 25-23.
In the championship match, Neerlandia faced Westlock, who reached the finals by defeating Whitecourt’s Hilltop High School in a lopsided affair.
In the first set, the Eagles easily defeated their opponents 25-7 and it looked like they were well on their way to repeat the process.
After the Eagles achieved an early eight-point lead, Neerlandia fended off a late rally by Westlock to win the second set by a respectable 25-20.
Eagles boys win gold
Meanwhile, the Neerlandia junior boys also won the gold medal at the 3J Championships in Mayerthorpe.
The Eagles finished first in their pool after defeating teams from Barrhead, Mayerthorpe and Whitecourt’s Hilltop High School. That earned them an automatic bye to the semi-finals where the met Morinville.
“We had a solid match against Mornville. Our serving was strong which allowed our offence to take advantage of numerous freeballs,” said coach ??? Gelderman, adding they won the game in straight sets of 25-9 and 25-15.
In the final, like the girls, Neerlandia played Westlock.
“They came out really strong and we battled back and forth the entire first set,” Gelderman said, noting Neerlandia came out on the short end of the straw, losing 25-22.
In the second set, Neerlandia rebounded taking the set 25-13.
“The final set was more like the first, back and forth rallies with a combination of great offence and defence by both teams, with us nudging out R.F. Staples 15-10,” he said.
“It was an outstanding match with both teams playing what was likely their best volleyball of the season.
The Barrhead junior boys and girls both lost out in the quarter-finals of their respective zone championship.
