AA Day 1 – MEI starts off strong.
LANGLEY- Dean Weiss
After Day 1 of the AA Boys Provincial Championships, there has been a bit of a readjustment with the top teams. MEI and George Elliott have finished 1, 2. MEI played consist volleyball throughout the day and battled tough for each point. MEI finished 3-0 defeating George Elliott, Abbotsford Christian, and Langley Christian. MEI’s head coach Rocky Olfert seemed pretty relaxed after finishing first and undefeated in pool play and said,
“It was a good start to the tournament and we have some things to build upon for tomorrow.”
MEI’s top power Tyson Ardell seemed to echo those comments after finishing on top. Ardell said,
“We showed a lot of character today. We showed up and didn’t let our nerves get to us.”
Tyson Ardell swinging hard against Langley Christian at the AA 2019 Provincial Championships.
Finishing a solid second in the top AA pool today, was last year’s finalists, George Elliott. GESS, Head coach Chris Frehlick spoke very highly of his team’s play despite the slow start in the morning against MEI. Frelick said,
“We came out flat this morning against MEI but any time you come in as the fourth seed and finish second- you have to feel pretty satisfied with the day. Our role players really came together and played well in the final two matches today.”
Grade 12, Roan McCarthy of GESS about his team’s over-all play today,
“We played well and came together and played well with energy. The guys who were here last year knew what to do and knew what to expect. Our not really getting too high or too low really helped us today.”
Grade 12, Roan McCarthy of GESS. Photo by John Hayduk- Vancouver Sports Pictures
For all the results of the day- check out the official results page here:
https://www.bcssvolleyballchampionships.ca/stats#/836/scores?division_id=8592
MEI’s Tyson Ardell
Rowan Mc Carthy, GESS
GESS Coyotes looking like the real deal
By Bob Carter
George Elliot Head Coach Chris Frehlick.
Chris Frehlick’s reputation as a straight shooter loses no credibility when the George Elliot boys volleyball coach talks about his top-ranked AA Coyotes. No false, downplaying tactics here.
“I’ve never had, or it’s been a long time since I’ve had, a team with this many good players,” Frehlick said. “They’re playing like veterans.”
The Coyotes jumped from fourth to first in the rankings in mid-October after winning the Gold division at the perennially strong Best of the West tournament in Kelowna. They went 6-1 that weekend, beating then No. 3 College Heights 2-1 in the final.
George Elliot followed the title two weeks later with a second-place finish at the Thompson Rivers tournament. The Lake Country school lost 2-1 in that final to powerful Earl Marriott, top-ranked in AAA.
The Coyotes placed seventh, seventh and sixth the past three years in the Kahunaverse Sports BC Championships, but their success this season didn’t catch Frehlick by surprise.
“I knew we were in the mix,” he said.
Frehlick said the the team has eight players who are “big-time contributors,” all Grade 12s except for power Roan McCarthy, a 6-4 Grade 11 and brother of former GESS standout Fynn McCarthy, now playing professionally in France. Roan got considerable playing time last year.
“He’s completely different than his brother,” Frehlick said. “Fynn was a ‘freak,’ definitely more of a physical player. Roan is more skillful, more polished at this juncture. He’s one who has CIS potential.”
Chris Frehlick coaching his George Elliott Coyote’s team. Stock photo by Paul Yates
The Coyotes may get a post-season lift from Ben Magel, a 5-11 left side who has fought a troublesome back issue. Magel, an excellent passer, played with pain last year, Frehlick said, and was told he couldn’t spike all of this season.
But Magel eventually visited the UBC Sports Medicine staff and got the go-ahead to play, starting in the back row but working his way back to the front where he recently resumed spiking.
Setter Matt Darley, who played about half-time last year, is setting full-time this season and putting in extra work in the gym.
“He’s very athletic, fast,” Frehlick said. “He can get to all the balls. He’s a good leader, running a good show.”
Two of the team’s taller players are middles Tom Parish and Garrett Anderson, both 6-4. “Both are getting the job done as hitters and blockers,” Frehlick said.
All in all, the Coyotes, who host their annual tournament Nov. 2-3, have been playing solid defence and transitioning well to their attack.
“If a team doesn’t really hammer the ball against us,” Frehlick said, “they’re not going to score.”
*** UPDATE
Elliot beats College Heights for gold: George Elliot won its own tournament over this weekend Nov 2-3rd, defeating College Heights in the final 3-1. The Coyotes rallied from a 2-1 deficit in the semifinals to beat Abby Christian 3-2.
The tournament, whose matches were all best 3-out-of-5, had a 16-team bracket with no pool play.
The top five finishers: 1, George Elliot; 2, College Heights; 3, Abby Christian; 4, Langley Christian; and 5, Kelowna.
Coyotes getting the experience they need
By Bob Carter
The Big Kahuna BC Volleyball Championships can be an intimidating ride for some teams. The George Elliot Coyotes, though, have their eyes wide open already.
If they qualify, as expected, they should be comfortable when the four-day competition begins Nov. 30 at the Langley Events Centre.
Sixth-ranked George Elliot, which fields an all-grade 12 starting lineup, is directed by setter Morgan Nichols, a Team BC player who has signed with UBCO.
Not only did they place seventh in AA last year with a largely grade 11 group, they’ve played a demanding schedule this season that has helped them to learn and gauge the strength of many of BC’s top teams.
George Elliot finished second to AAA top-ranked Kelowna in the Penticton tournament, tied for third at the MEI tournament and made it to the quarterfinals of last weekend’s Best of the West event in Kelowna. In the Kelowna tournament, the Okanagan team went 2-1 in Pool B, which consisted of four ranked squads.
“We’ve been up and down,” coach Chris Frehlick said. “We played very well against Mount Boucherie and College Heights (both pool victories).” The team also lost to highly rated AA Pacific Academy, which went on to win the tournament.
The Coyotes defeated Louis St. Laurent in their first playoff match before falling to two-time defending AA champ MEI in the quarters. Frehlick said the Eagles “aren’t as strong as some years,” but have a dynamic force in sub-6-foot attacker Colton Loewen, the AA MVP last season. “He’s amazing.”
Chris Frehlick coaching his George Elliott Coyote’s team
Sixth-ranked George Elliot, which fields an all-grade 12 starting lineup, is directed by setter Morgan Nichols, a Team BC player who has signed with UBCO. “He’s been very strong,” Frehlick said. “He’s athletic, can get to the ball quickly and sometimes makes our serve-receive look better than it is. He’s a good all-around player.”
Right-side Flynn McCarthy is also having a robust season, and Frehlick said the 6-6 hitter could be performing at the university level next year as well.
While Frehlick is pleased with the duo’s play, he thinks his team needs “some more balance.”
That might develop as the season continues. Although the Best of the West came near the season’s mid-point, Frehlick doubts it’s a true barometer of relative strength.
“It’s a little early. Teams are still experimenting,” he said. “They’re changing players from position to position, trying to find the best lineup.”
With zone playoffs only about a month away, the Coyotes and other teams will learn the important truths soon enough.
(Bob Carter can be reached at robertfcarter@shaw.ca)
