Jager shows potential for Plainsmen

There may not be a Manitoba volleyball player closer to the ceiling — yet further from their ceiling — than Edwin Jager.

The high-flying Crocus Plainsmen outside hitter has an outstanding 11-foot-nine spike touch, a 43-inch vertical jump, and a lot to learn about how to best use his physical abilities.

Jager played for the Brandon Volleyball Club 18-and-under team last spring, and it was certainly eye-opening.

“That was something else for me,” Jager said during the Brandon University varsity boys’ tournament on Friday. “It was my second year of volleyball, so it was awesome to be in that environment where they were pushing me to be a better person on and off the court.

“I may be tall, I might be athletic, but at the end of the day, I’m not the best one out there, and it’s all that hard work and dedication to the sport that will really get me up there.”

Jager played middle blocker for BVC, but is playing outside hitter for the first time in his third season of high school volleyball.

He is still learning how to adjust to all kinds of sets, whether the ball is coming from deep in the court or at a trajectory he isn’t expecting.

But when setter Connor Tannas puts it on the money, Jager is nearly impossible to stop. He’ll blast the ball straight down over an opposing block or find an angle around the defenders. His Plainsmen had mixed results on Friday, beating Virden and Oxbow, Sask., 2-0 and splitting Boissevain and Cartwright 11-1.

In the afternoon, Crocus battled Mennonite Brethren to two close sets, falling 26-24, 25-23. For Jager, keeping it close with the Hawks was a positive after they reached the AAAA quarterfinals last year.

“It’s so much fun, especially when we play a team that’s at our level, if not above,” Jager said.

“It’s so much fun to see how our team can handle a better team like MBCI. It’s really good to learn, because you can learn a lot from that.”

Plainsmen coach Travis Tannas is excited about this group, led by a strong Grade 12 corps. With his son Connor setting, Andrew Whetter playing opposite, and Bradley Pashe-Anderson as the other outside hitter, they’re more competitive than they’ve been in a few years.

“Edwin is such a diverse athlete. He’s so talented, and the fact that he’s got such a short volleyball career at this point, it’s been really cool to see him develop,” Travis Tannas said.

“The biggest thing we’re dealing with right now is making sure we’re consistent in passing and serving, because we have guys that can hit.

“In the MBCI game, we basically didn’t utilize our middle at all because our passing needs to come, and that will come.”

• • •

The Vincent Massey Vikings went 8-2 in sets on Friday, with splits against Neepawa and Dauphin and sweeps of Elton, Gabrielle Roy and Major Pratt.

The playoffs begin today, with the top four in each pool in the championship bracket.

The final is set for 7 p.m.

• • •

In Vancouver, the Neelin Spartans went 3-0 in pool play at the UBC tournament.

Neelin lost 2-1 to DP Todd Secondary in the round of 16 on Friday, falling to the consolation side for today’s matches.

» tfriesen@brandonsun.com