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Isfeld Ice senior girls win Island AAA volleyball title

Team now advances to Provincial championships Dec. 3-5 in Vernon
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The Island champion Isfeld Ice celebrating on the ferry home were (left to right): Front row - Sara Traves

The Isfeld Ice senior girls volleyball team won the AAA Vancouver Island championship in time to catch the ferry home.

Now they are preparing to catch another ferry and head off to the B.C. championships, Dec. 3-5 in Vernon.

On Nov. 20-21, eight teams competed for the Island championship at Brooks Secondary in Powell River. Brooks was ranked first going into this tournament, and Isfeld upset Timberline the

weekend before to take the second seed. Only two teams qualified from the south zone, Stelly’s and Lambrick Park, both from Victoria.

After intense games throughout, the same four teams ended up in the Islands finals as did a week earlier in the North Zone Tournament: Ballenas, Isfeld, Timberline and Brooks. Only three would move on the Provincials.

Isfeld fought fiercely against Timberline to win in three sets and Brooks dispatched Ballenas in three straight sets as well. Timberline defeated Ballenas in three sets to win the bronze medal match.

Time for the gold medal match between Isfeld and Brooks, and clocks were being watched as the ferry sailed at 8:45 p.m.

Isfeld powered out wins in the first two sets and it looked like the impending ferry departure would not be a factor.

However, the hometown crowd did not

give up on their team, and Brooks stormed out to an early lead in the third set. Isfeld battled back within two points, yet a fourth set was necessary. Again Brooks took an early lead and again Isfeld came back to within three points, but Brooks scored another tight victory to force a fifth and deciding set.

Now, the ferry departure time was definitely weighing heavy. As is the ritual, team captains were called by the head referee for the coin toss to decide which team would serve first. Out of routine was the additional instruction that the referees would be leaving in 22 minutes to catch the ferry, whether the match was over or not.

Isfeld won the toss and forged an early 8-2 lead in the 15-point set. Brooks used both their timeouts, which was the source of concern as time was as much a factor as the score.

The teams traded points, and the crowd witnessed skilled, intense, and time-consuming rallies won by either side. Isfeld took the final set 15-7 to win the Island title but there was no time for pomp and fanfare.

Comically, the Isfeld team grabbed their gear, the Islands trophy, and dashed for the ferry lineup, arriving with only a few minutes to spare.

Isfeld setter Maggie Harris earned tournament MVP and middle Molly

Mifsud earned all-star honours.

Timberline, Brooks and Isfeld have been trading wins and provincial ranking

spots for the last three months, much as these teams have done for the last five years. All three teams will represent the Island  at the Provincials in Vernon.