Joey Payeur
The girls will be watching while the boys will be working.
Yesterday’s action in Dryden solved all the mysteries when it comes to the NorWOSSA playoffs next Friday (Feb. 17) at Fort High.
Both the Muskie senior and junior girls’ volleyball teams earned automatic byes to the finals after clinching first place in their respective divisions with wins over the Eagles.
On the junior side, Fort High (6-1) swept Dryden (5-3) by scores of 25-6, 25-21, and 25-22.
“The first two games, the junior Muskies were in control from the start,” noted coach Bob Kowal.
“All aspects of their game were clicking, especially their serving.
“They really controlled the play by putting the Eagles on the defensive with smart, tough serving,” he added.
“The second game, their only hiccup was allowing the Eagles four late points in a game the girls really controlled.”
Dryden came out smoking in the third set to grab a 9-3 lead.
But the Muskies settled down after a time-out and outscored Dryden 22-13 the rest of the way.
“Earlier in the year, the junior Muskies would have probably let this game get away from them,” admitted Kowal.
“But they showed a lot of maturity in coming back and winning the last set of the match,” he lauded.
“It was an important match for us,” Kowal stressed.
“In the last set, all of the girls stepped up but Simone Payne made some critical late-game serves to help secure the win.”
The senior Muskies (6-1) also sealed top spot by beating the Eagles (4-3) in four sets (set scores unavailable at press time).
As for boys’ basketball, the senior Muskies (4-3) saw their chance at a bye slip away in an 80-69 loss to Dryden (6-2), who put themselves in the final with the win.
Fort High had just seven players available for yesterday’s game but still led 58-53 after three quarters.
But fatigue, coupled with a ramped-up Eagles’ defence, led to Dryden going on a 10-0 run to start the fourth while holding the Muskies to just four field goals in the quarter.
Meanwhile, the Muskies (1-6) fell 57-42 to the Eagles (6-2).
The top scorers in both games were unavailable at press time.
Both Muskie basketball squads will take on the Kenora Broncos in semi-final action here next Friday for the right to face Dryden in the finals.
All four squads will close out the NorWOSSA regular season Monday in Kenora against the Broncos.
