麻豆社区

The final high school volleyball tournament of the year took place in Riverdale Nov. 16-18. St. Francis dominated the tournament and ended up winning it over their rival F.H. Collins in the final. In fact, St. Francis had two of the top three teams as their second team (Team 2) handled their business and finished in third place above Mercier in the consolation game.

The Star spoke to St. Francis coach Dwayne Stoker about the tournament victories.

鈥淲e ended up with both our senior teams with gold and our second boys鈥� team with a bronze, so it worked out well. It was a busy weekend and our final conclusion to a great season.鈥�

When asked about how he felt about the victory, he replied, 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 too sure of the outcomes because we had some people that were sick and people that were away. Some other teams were affected as well with the hockey tournament that was there. So we weren鈥檛 sure how we were going to do without some of those bodies there.

鈥淎nd then for our girls, they had won in Dawson and then they lost in the Super Volley. They鈥檝e basically been going head to head with F.H. Collins the whole year. So they played great in taking two of the three big tournaments.

鈥淎nd for the boys, we took we took three big tournaments. They call it the Triple Crown, so we ended up with that.鈥�

The third leg of the Triple Crown is the Dawson Invitational Volleyball tourney.

Stoker said his players felt really good the win.

鈥淓specially my Team Two. They weren鈥檛 expected to do too much and they did quite well.

鈥淲e ended up playing against each other. So my team played my other team in the semi-finals, so only one team can move on to the final. The other team went to consolation and they won there.鈥�

Stoker was asked what he credits to the victory.

鈥淓verybody kind of playing together,鈥� he responded.

St. Francis played F.H. in the earlier rounds. Stoker said with some people playing new positions because of other players being away, St. Francis didn鈥檛 play great and F.H. Collins did 鈥� not a great combination for his team.

鈥淭hey beat us in the original round robin. And that鈥檚 actually why we had to play against our own team in the semi-final. So because we lost to F.H, it was set up that way. But the boys, they were confident and wanted to rebound and knew that they didn鈥檛 play very well and had to play better. And they did. They saw the girls win and that was pretty inspiring and they wanted to do the same,鈥� recalled Stoker.

After all the games were wrapped up, all-stars awards were handed out and tournament MVPs were also named. Both MVPs came from St. Francis. On the girls side, it was Kya Larkin. Ethan Stoker was the boy鈥檚 MVP.

When asked about highlights of the tournament, Stoker said, 鈥淭here鈥檚 a few who had some great blocks at the end of the game. Same thing with the girls.鈥�

On another note, Stoker said it was good to have Inuvik and Watson Lake in the tournament.

鈥淭hey had a lot of fun. It was very inspiring for them, and our kids were cheering both sides, so that was kind of cool, too.鈥�

Stoker explained how it was a tough process to get to where they were, but it all paid off as the season ended with a triple crown victory for St. Francis.

鈥淭hey started with a mission.鈥�

A total of 32 kids tried out for the team. Team One and Team Two ended up with 11 players each.

鈥淲e practiced together and we talked together.鈥�

Their goal was to win the Triple Crown.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really tough,鈥� said Stoker. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e on the top of the chain, everybody wants you, so it鈥檚 really hard to stay up there, stay focused and stuff like that. They definitely had their shaky moments, but it all worked out.鈥�

When asked about the girls journey to the championship, Stoker said they 鈥淛ust never give up believing in themselves.鈥�

鈥淭hey were able to push through in Dawson and then they鈥檙e pretty focused for having their sights on the Super Volley and it just wasn鈥檛 in the cards. (They) didn鈥檛 play very well and some players were away or whatever. It鈥檚 just how it goes. And so they suddenly regrouped and really, really wanted to take that championship, and they did.

鈥淢y wife was coaching the girls. And I kind of help out with all the teams when I can. I try to help out everybody from our school. So yeah, I was on the side there, cheering them on too and giving little hints here and there, helping out where we can. Everybody鈥檚 in the same boat.鈥�

Stoker added, 鈥淚 think it was a successful season for for pretty much all the schools. It looked like the numbers were up. It鈥檚 getting harder because we don鈥檛 have as many coaches across the board for all the schools.

鈥淚 had 140 kids playing and that鈥檚 just about half the school. So everybody seems to have fun and we鈥檙e learning and you know, you have your injuries and disappointments but you also have your small victories and then ultimately the bigger victories so, I think everybody had a lot of fun, very proud of them, proud of everybody. (It was a) fun year, and bring on basketball.鈥�