Falcons end undefeated season with SSSAA volleyball crown

It took five sets but the Falcons managed to land with an undefeated season Monday night.

The St. Ignatius senior boys volleyball team went 20-0 this season after taking the Westgate Tigers Monday 28-26, 27-25, 18-25, 19-25, 15-12 in a back-and-forth championship match that saw the Falcons go to five sets for the first time this season. Along with undefeated bragging rights, the Falcons’ win in their home gymnasium gave the team the SSSAA championship title.

Tigers coach Curtis Michaluk said despite the loss, he’s happy his team forced the fifth set.

"We had the game in our hands early on," he said. "We had game point in the first two sets twice."

After going up 2-0 with extra points in both sets, the Falcons dropped the next two sets to the Tigers.

Falcons coach Riley McWhirter said because of the natural talent of his team, he hasn’t had to do much coaching over the year to get them into shape. But after the fourth set Monday, his coaching skills were needed to keep the team in the game.

"At that point I’m thinking I’d better motivate my team. I have to rally them to stay focussed, stay calm so they keep their head in the game and stay cool," McWhirter said.

McWhirter, in his first year as senior coach, said he’s proud of his team and the player’s accomplishments.

"They just carried it throughout the season and it’s in some ways surprising and in some ways not surprising," he said.

Falcons captain Zachary Kotarac said while the team has been to the finals before in his four years at St. Ignatius, going undefeated is a big honour.

"It feels amazing we went undefeated all season and it’s my fourth year here and we finally got it," Kotarac said.