Court teams going for gold today

The four Muskie court teams are going for gold at the NorWOSSA playoffs today in Kenora.
Both girls’ volleyball teams hit the floor this morning for semi-final matches against the host Broncos.
The winners will advance to face the perennial league volleyball power Dryden Eagles in their respective finals, with the senior champs advancing to the NWOSSAA playoffs.
The junior Muskies, led by veteran volleyball coaches Cynthia Donald and Adrian Chapman, along with former Muskie setter Summer Struve, ended the regular season in second place with a 4-3 record (one game was cancelled due to inclement weather).
In a very tight junior league, five of the Muskie girls’ seven matches went the full five sets to determine a winner.
Meanwhile, despite going winless in their seven games during the regular season, senior girls’ coach Duane Roen said his team has been steadily improving and is ready to play their best volleyball today in Kenora.
Senior squads traditionally have as many, or more, Grade 12 players as those in Grade 11, but this season Roen has but one Grade 12 spiker, with nine in Grade 11 and one 10th-grader on the squad.
Despite the lack of experience, Roen cited a continual improvement in the face of very stiff competition this season as a good omen not only for today, but for next season, as well.
In boys’ basketball action, both Muskie squads earned byes to the final after finishing in first place after the regular season.
Both will face the winners of the Dryden-Kenora semi-final matches, with the winners of the senior final advancing to NWOSSAA.
The juniors, led by Grade 10 veterans Chris Legg, Justin Anderson, and Josh Strain, dazzled during the regular season, running up a 6-1 record to claim first place.
“It’s been an absolute pleasure to coach these players and it’s now crunch time, so I’m expecting our best players to be at their best,” coach Greg Ste. Croix said.
The strong season bodes well for next year, too, as seven of the 16 players are in Grade 9.
It’s a different story for the Muskie senior team since the veteran group is comprised mainly of talented Grade 12 players.
Having had a banner regular season themselves, the seniors have their sights set firmly on a NorWOSSA crown—with dreams of NWOSSAA gold and a berth at the all-Ontarios as their longer-term goals.