McRoberts Strikers will be looking to cap off an outstanding season in style when they host the Vancouver and District Grade 8 Boys Volleyball Championships on Wednesday.
The Strikers will take on Alpha at 4 p.m., while Steveston-London Sharks will battle Burnaby Mountain in the other semi-final battle. The championship and third place matches take place at 5:30 p.m.
McRoberts captured the city championship with a four-set win over the Sharks. Earlier, they pulled out a five-set thriller over Richmond Christian (27-25, 25-27, 25-23, 20-25,16-14) that had fans on the edge of their seats with some terrific rallies.
“The Richmond semi-final and final were both exciting matches,” said McRoberts teacher Sherri Frier, who shares the coaching duties with Noah Enns. “I am excited to see the high level of volleyball at the Grade 8 level. Fans will get to see some exciting matches across the district over the next four years.”
The Strikers’ season has also included a first place finish in league play and tournament victories at McMath and their own Strikers Classic.
Frier added the keys to her team’s success include tremendous depth and a strong work ethic that has resulted in excellent skill development.
“This is a very resilient team. When the going gets tough on the floor, the boys believe that by maintaining a positive attitude and trusting in each other, success will follow,” she said.
“They are also passionate about volleyball. They are seen before school, at break and at lunch playing volleyball in the gym.”
The team includes: Braedon Doneza, Lucas Alibudbud, Rand Wang, Bryan Jang, Austin Kofler, Josh Bhandal, Connor Brodie, Ethan Yodogawa, Willy Billedo, Makenzie Hui, William Zhang, Ryle Barcita and Kevin Chen.
