It was another winning weekend for Earl Marriott's senior girls AAAA Mariners, who won the annual Peace Arch Classic volleyball tournament — for the second year in a row.
Defending their championship title heading into the competition, the Mariners did not drop a single set, winning all three of their round-robin sets 2-0 on Friday (Oct. 25).
On playoff Saturday (Oct. 26), the EMS squad continued their undefeated play, winning the quarterfinal against North Vancouver's Argyle 25-22 and 26-6; winning the semifinal vs. Burnaby Central 25-22, 25-19; and finishing the gold final against North Delta's Seaquam 25-20 and 25-20 for the tournament title.
"The hours that (Semiahmoo teacher) Gord Houchen puts into organizing this tournament each fall, and the financial sponsorship of the Peace Arch News, is invaluable with respect to the support that girls high school volleyball in the area so richly deserves," EMS senior girls head coach Rob Stevens said.
In the bronze-medal match, Burnaby Central defeated McMath of Richmond 2-0 (25-20, 25-17), Houchen noted in an email.
In the fifth-place match, Walnut Grove of Langley defeated Argyle 2-0.
Co-host Semiahmoo Thunderbirds took seventh place with 2-0 set victory over Langley's Brookswood, while Cloverdale's Salish Secondary defeated WJ Mouat to finish ninth. White Rock Christian's AAAA team finished 11, and Grandview Heights finished in the 13 spot in the 20-team tournament, Houchen said.
Earl Marriott's quad-A girls are enjoying a remarkable season since largely, the same group of players won the Grade 9 and Junior Provincial Championships in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
The PAN Classic is the third major tournament the EMS Mariners have won this season, having won the Douglas College Tournament in Coquitlam on Sept. 28 and the KSS Best of the West tournament in Kelowna on Oct. 19, defeating the team's provincial rivals, Okanagan Mission, in both finals.
Mariners earned the No. 1 ranking in the B.C. School Sports weekly appraisal of the Province's AAAA volleyball teams after their Sept. 28 win and have kept the honour for four consecutive weeks.
“I am so proud of how this team has overcome adversity throughout the season, how our older players provide a culture of leadership, and how hard our younger athletes have worked to contribute to our team’s success," Stevens said.
"I think this may be a team of destiny, as everyone puts the team before themselves."
Mariners will host the 2024 Provincial Championships at Earl Marriott Nov. 28-30, along with Seaquam Secondary in North Delta.
