Staff
Both Muskie court sports teams that could extend their seasons did just that on Friday.
The senior girls’ volleyball and senior boys’ basketball squads advanced to the NWOSSAA championships this weekend by winning gold in their respective divisions at the NorWOSSA playoffs hosted by Fort High.
The Muskies shook off a first-set loss to beat Dryden 3-1 (22-25, 25-20, 25-16, and 25-15) and snap the Eagles’ 15-year run as champs.
The black-and-gold now will host the Thunder Bay league champion Westgate Tigers for a berth at the OFSAA ‘AA’ girls’ provincial championship March 6-8 in Belleville.
Game 1 of the best-of-three NWOSSAA final goes Friday at 2 p.m. at Fort High, with Game 2 set for Saturday at 10 a.m.
Game 3, if necessary, will follow at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
The Muskie senior boys, meanwhile, rode a 23-point fourth quarter to a 54-51 comeback win over Dryden to make it back-to-back NorWOSSA titles.
Liam Metke gave Fort High its first lead since the second quarter with a steal and a lay-up midway through the fourth to make it 47-46.
He was fouled on the lay-up and missed the subsequent free throw, but got his own rebound and was fouled again–this time making both shots from the line to make it a three-point game.
The Muskies held on from there.
Aaron Bujold led the way with 17 points while Metke ended up with 14.
Cole Kowalski added 10, with Joey Angus chipping in eight.
The Muskies now face the mountainous challenge of knocking off the Thunder Bay champion St. Ignatius Falcons, who swept the Muskies in the NWOSSAA final here last year.
They rarely were tested this season as they tore through the regular season and playoffs undefeated.
St. Ignatius will host best-of-three series this weekend.
The defending champion Muskie junior girls’ volleyball team was favoured to make it three golds on the day after finishing atop the NorWOSSA standings during the regular season
Instead, the black-and-gold fell 3-1 (20-25, 25-14, 25-18, and 25-23) to Dryden in the final.
Meanwhile, the junior boys’ basketball team was ousted with a 37-32 semi-final loss to the Kenora Broncos, who went on to upset favoured Dryden 58-43 in the final.
Mike Vanderaa, Sean Huziak, and Garrett Hyatt all had eight points apiece to lead the Muskie juniors against the Broncos, who outscored Fort High 19-9 in the pivotal fourth quarter.
Kenora also hit six three-pointers in the game.
