The McMath Wildcats completed a perfect run to become Richmond Junior Girls Volleyball champions but the city’s most competitive league ensured it was no easy task.
The Wildcats rallied for a thrilling five-set win over the McRoberts Strikers in Friday’s championship match played at Cambie Secondary. They took the opening set 25-20 before the Strikers came back to win the next two — 25-21 and 26-24.
McMath answered the adversity with a 25-15 game four win and that momentum carried over to the fifth set in a 15-4 triumph.
The Wildcats also had their hands full in Tuesday’s semi-final, going the distance to turn back the host Crusaders 3-2. McRoberts advanced to the final with a win over the Steveston-London Sharks.
The Wildcats, Strikers and Sharks now turn their attention to the Vancouver and District Championships.
Steveston-London travels to Burnaby Tuesday for a play-in game against Moscrop. The eight-team tournament goes Thursday at Handsworth Secondary in North Vancouver.
Elsewhere Friday, the Wildcats were also crowned Richmond Bantam Girls champions, after completing their perfect run in city play with a win over the MacNeill Ravens in the title match.
Both teams head to Burnaby North for the V&D tourney. City third place finisher Burnett could join them with a wild card game win on their home floor Tuesday against West Vancouver’s Seycove.
McMath’s bid for a hat trick of city girls’ titles was thwarted by McRoberts in the Richmond Juvenile Championship game.
That victory also earned the Strikers the opportunity to host the V&D Championships on Thursday.
The single knockout format begins with quarter-final matches at 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. The semis go at 5:30 p.m. and the final at 6:30 p.m.
