Round Up
It was a relatively quiet week in league play for all four of St. Gabriel’s high school volleyball teams. The only game saw the senior varsity girls beat St. Tim’s 3-1 to remain in second place in the league; four points back of Bishop McNally. The JV girls currently find themselves in fifth place in their league, but are only four points out of first. They both resume action this week against Queen E.
Meanwhile both boys’ teams also had the week off of league play. The SV boys have struggled this year and will likely find themselves out of playoff contention. The JV boys are second in their league, though, just two points back of first place St. Martin.

Heading into this season, a lot was expected of the senior varsity girls volleyball team. The girls on the team represented one of St. Gabriel’s strongest groups of athletes and, though this was their first year playing at the senior level, it was hoped that they would be able to seamlessly replicate their previous successes. Through most of the season the girls have lived up to the hype; however, there’s still been a sense that things aren’t quite clicking on all cylinders. Last weekend may have been the turning point in the season.

The girls were enrolled in the Kodiak Classic tournament in Airdrie. After a miserable day of results on Friday, things reached a boiling point. The girls found themselves in last place in the tournament. Some heated words were exchanged between players and coaches, and many of the frustrations that had been lingering all season came to the forefront. So, heading into Saturday’s play there were a lot of questions being asked.
The girls chose to answer those questions by turning a negative into a positive. First, they knocked off Sundre, the first place team, to advance to the finals against the WIC Wolves, whom they had lost to in straight sets just the day before. In the finals, they dropped the first set to the Wolves, but they then won the next two to cap off the comeback and take home the trophy; an incredible end to a tumultuous weekend.
With the league playoffs just two weeks away, the question now is whether the girls can use what they learned this weekend and apply it going forward. Their next few games should help to reveal the answer.

Basketball Season Around the Corner

Soccer season has ended. Cross-country has finished. The volleyball season is winding down, and there’s snow on the ground. All of these events have one thing in common: they’re all signs that the high school basketball season is almost here. This year’s season
officially begins on November the 19th when tryouts get under way. That’s the date when athletes at St. Gabriel can look toward building on the success that the programs have had the last couple of seasons. Two years ago it was the girls leading St. Gabriel to a thrilling playoff run, culminating in the school’s first ever semi-final appearance. Last year it was the boys’ turn, as they went all the way to the city finals.
ATTENTION: there will be a meet and greet for parents of the players trying out for the Boys Basketball team on Wednesday, Nov. 7 at 6pm. For further details, contact robert.hing@cssd.ab.ca