Celtics in hunt for senior boys’ volleyball playoff berth

GUELPH – The Bishop Macdonell Celtics have worked their way into the reckoning for a playoff berth in the District 10 high school senior boys’ volleyball’s pandemic-shortened season.

The Celtics recorded their second consecutive match victory Thursday, rebounding from a first-set loss to top the Guelph CVI Green Gaels 3-1 in a battle for third place in the standings.

“Our team executed all the things we’ve been working on,” Bishop Mac coach Jeff Tomkins said. “We’ve been working on transition from offence to defence, from defence to offence. The hits were going in and our coverage was pretty good. All the things that we’ve been really working hard on came through today. It was a very good team here today that we played, a very good team. We had to play our best to beat them and that’s sports.”

Like most of the teams in the league, it was a bit of a rush to put a squad together. In previous years, the league’s double round-robin regular season would’ve been over before this year’s single round-robin regular season started.

“We put this team together four weeks ago,” Tomkins said. “We’re just practising a couple of times a week and we’re playing. Everybody’s growth has been phenomenal. From four weeks ago to today, the growth in the players is phenomenal and I’m happy to be a part of it.”

That growth was seen in Thursday’s match as all four sets were close ones.

“I’m really proud of these guys,” Tomkins said. “They really came together. Volleyball’s not, for most of them, it’s not their primary sport and they’ve embraced the passion that I try and give them and they executed today. I’m really proud of them.”

While Bishop Mac sits all alone in third place at 4-2, they can still be caught by GCVI (3-3), the Lourdes Crusaders (3-3) and the Centre Wellington Falcons (2-3).

The Centennial Spartans and Ross Royals have already clinched playoff berths.

The Celtics are to complete their regular season at home Monday with a match against Lourdes while GCVI is to play the Lions at St. James.

Centre Wellington has two home games to go – Monday against the Orangeville Bears and Tuesday against Centennial.

Playoffs are to begin with the semifinals Wednesday.

Championship match is set for Dec. 13.

Scores

Bishop Macdonell 3 Guelph CVI 1 (23-25, 26-24, 25-23, 25-21)

Ross 3 Lourdes 0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-21)

St. James 3 Orangeville 2 (25-21, 20-25, 20-25, 25-18, 15-11)

Standings

Junior

Three teams have reserved their berths in the playoffs as Ross, Centennial and Centre Wellington are assured of postseason play.

The other spot will go to either Orangeville, Bishop Macdonell or Lourdes. All three are to wrap up their regular seasons Monday. Bishop Mac is to host Lourdes while Orangeville is to play in Fergus against Centre Wellington.

Scores

Ross 3 Lourdes 0 (25-16, 25-9, 25-21)

Orangeville 3 St. James 2 (17-25, 25-22, 22-25, 25-20, 15-9)

Guelph CVI 3 Bishop Macdonell 1 (25-17, 17-25, 25-19, 25-18)

Standings

• Guelph Sports Journal