SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — The Queen Charlotte Coyotes captured the 43rd annual Callaghan Boys Volleyball Classic.
The Coyotes, who swept the East Wiltshire Team One Warriors 2-0 (26-24, 25-16) in the gold-medal match, captured the Charlottetown-based school’s fifth Classic championship. Queen Charlotte previously won in 2004, 2005, 2010 and 2011 while East Wiltshire was attempting to win their fourth title in the longest-running junior high volleyball tournament in the country.
This year’s eight-team event was held at M.E. Callaghan Intermediate School recently.
Overall, Queen Charlotte completed tournament play a perfect 5-0 (won-lost).
Final
In the first set of the final, Queen Charlotte held a narrow 6-5 lead before Jonah Murphy reeled off a nine-point rotation to give the Coyotes a seemingly insurmountable 15-5 lead. But the Warriors were not quite done yet. They went on an 18-3 run, highlighted by a nine-point rotation by Dominik Pineau, to take a 23-18 lead.
But a three-point rotation by Zach Harris of Queen Charlotte made it 23-21 for the Warriors. After a side-out by East Wiltshire made it 24-21, David Wang went to work. He had a five-point rotation to give the Coyotes the 26-24 win.
After East Wiltshire opened up a 10-7 lead in the second set, the Coyotes scored 15 points in the next two rotations – six by Nathan Whitnell and nine by Jonas Bowie – to take a 22-10 lead. Queen Charlotte would coast to a 25-16 win.
Semifinals
The Coyotes advanced to the finals with a 2-0 (25-9, 25-19) sweep of the East Wiltshire Team Two in the semifinals. East Wiltshire Team One blanked the Summerside Intermediate School Owls 2-0 (25-23, 25-15) in the other semifinal.
The Owls needed three sets to win the bronze medal over East Wiltshire Team Two. Scores were 25-14, 25-27, 16-14.
In the fifth-place match, Stonepark edged M.E. Callaghan 2-1 (26-24, 10-25, 15-8) while Birchwood finished seventh with a 2-0 (15-17, 25-17) win over Hernewood.
MVP
Queen Charlotte’s Nate Whitnell was named the Tignish Co-op tournament most valuable player.
The Elmsdale Corner Gas/Kent’s Building Supplies All-Star team was made up of Whitnell and teammate Brayden Bruce; Dominic Pineau and Finn McCourt of East Wiltshire Team One; Brett MacAusland of Summerside, and Kody Vos of East Wiltshire Team Two.
Bruce had a tournament-leading serving percentage of 74.45 and he also was presented the award for top scorer with 30 points on 28 aces and two kills. Finn McCourt of East Wiltshire Team One received the award for top offensive player with 17 kills. The Birchwood Cobras from Charlottetown won their second most enthusiastic team award. They previously won the award 29 years ago in 1990.
Tournament record
A new record was established in the passing event of the 19th Annual Ravenwood Stairways skills competition. David Wang of Queen Charlotte recorded nine points to surpass the previous standard of eight that was established by Tyler MacDonald of Summerside Intermediate School in 2014.
Standings
Round-robin standings for Callaghan Boys Volleyball Classic:
Pool A
W L
East Wiltshire One 3 0
East Wiltshire Two 2 1
M.E. Callaghan 1 2
Stonepark 0 4
Pool B
W L
Queen Charlotte 3 0
Summerside Int. 2 1
Birchwood 1 2
Hernewood 0 3
Skills Competition
- Callaghan Boys Volleyball Classic skills competition results:
- Serving – Cade Butler, East Wiltshire (20 points).
- Passing – David Wang, Queen Charlotte (9 points).
- Setting – Brayden Bruce, Queen Charlotte (6 points).
- Hitting – Nathan Whitnell, Queen Charlotte (68 kilometres an hour).
