Joey Payeur
It was a toss-up which was the bigger story but both of them were happy tales to tell.
The Muskie senior boys’ volleyball team clinched first place—and a berth in the NorWOSSA final next Friday—by edging the host Dryden Eagles 3-2 (25-10, 23-25, 25-20, 18-25, and 15-11) on Tuesday.
First-year coach Kirsten Talsma helped Fort High (6-1) end a lengthy hold by the Eagles (4-3) on the regular-season crown.
They also forced Dryden into a semi-final showdown with the Kenora Broncos (0-6), who are hosting the NorWOSSA playoffs on Nov. 7.
“I have to give all the credit to the boys,” said Talsma, who turned around a team that finished 1-7 and lost in the semi-final last year with much of the same players who suited up this season.
“Tuesday’s [match] was awesome,” she added.
“The boys started the first set with a statement . . . the rest of the [match] was very back-and-forth.
“The entire [match] was high intensity and the boys did not allow for a breakdown in communication, defence, or offence,” Talsma noted.
“They played a very well-rounded game and I couldn’t be more proud of them for locking in first place.”
Talsma was buoyed even more that her squad took down the defending OFSAA ‘AA’ bronze-medalists in their own house.
“It was a great feeling to beat them in their gym,” she enthused.
“Our boys fed off of the Dryden energy and used it for themselves.”
Meanwhile, the Muskie junior girls’ basketball team (3-4) officially pronounced themselves as a title threat following a 29-26 upset of previously-undefeated Dryden (6-1) on Tuesday.
“We had a slow start but the girls came together and by halftime, we were only two points behind,” noted Muskie co-coach Alyssa Faragher, whose team topped the Eagles for the first time in four meetings this season.
“We then played a great second half, especially in the fourth quarter,” she added.
Abby Sanders led the black-and-gold with eight points while Sarah Vandermeer and Carmen Godin added six apiece.
The Muskie senior girls (7-0), with first place already wrapped up, took a while to get going full steam Tuesday before hitting their stride to pull away for a 31-19 victory over Dryden (2-5).
“When the girls finally decided to play, they did good,” said Muskie co-coach Dan Bird, whose squad led only 13-11 at one point in the first half but then outscored the Eagles 18-8 the rest of the way.
“We started out good but then were playing to Dryden’s tempo,” he recalled.
“I told them during a time-out I could see it happening and to not let them get back at us.”
Amber Williams and Cassandra Moffitt each had 10 points to pace the Muskie.
The only Muskie team not to come home with a win Tuesday was the junior boys’ volleyball squad (3-4).
They lost for the fourth time in four tries to Dryden (7-0), this time by a count of 3-0 (25-17, 26-24, and 25-15).
All four court teams wrapped up regular-season play today against visiting Kenora.
