Gamache digs young Spartans chances

Lucas Gamache isn’t content with just winning the provincial championship his Neelin Spartans were expected to win last year. He wants to repeat in far more challenging circumstances.

Instead of slotting into a lineup that featured half of last year’s A-AAA all-Manitoba team, he’s the focal point of a team with just one Grade 12 starter.

They locked up a bye for the city semifinal that the Vincent Massey Vikings beat the Crocus Plainsmen in on Wednesday evening, but are back in action at the Spartan Dig on Friday and Saturday.

The 96-team tournament — 48 boys and 48 girls squads — is the biggest in the province and features teams from all four levels. The Spartans are playing at New Era School on Friday, taking on the Boissevain Broncos at 9 a.m., the St. Maurice Patriots at 11 o’clock and the Swan River Tigers at 1 p.m.

“We’re going to go in there with the right mindset … try to accomplish the little things we need to do,” Gamache said.

“In not-so-important games, we need to really lock in and not play down to other teams’ levels. With the harder teams, we have to play a Neelin volleyball game.”

Neelin volleyball certainly looks a little different compared to last year, when Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association athlete of the year Junior Martine had University of Winnipeg Wesmen rookie Kal-El Wilson, Assiniboine College Cougar Ethan Olson and more all-star attackers to set, with Brandon University libero Kingston Thomas holding down the back row.

Gamache played up as a sophomore that season and scored the championship-winning kill in the provincial final against Winkler’s Garden Valley Zodiacs.

Of course, his responsibilities are greater this year.

“It’s a big change going from a small fish in a big pond to a big fish in a small pond. At the end of the day, I need to bring my leadership forward and do what I can do for this group, and improve them just like the other guys did for me,” Gamache said.

Gamache has three club volleyball seasons under his belt, two with the Wheat City Volleyball Club in 14-and-under and 15U, before joining Brandon Volleyball Club and jumping up to 17U last year.

He’s arguably the best high school outside hitter in Brandon. Despite standing just six-foot, Gamache’s spike touch is close to 11-foot.

“I sat down one night and looked at myself. I thought, ‘Small outside, I gotta work on some things and stuff I can control.’ Passing’s a big thing but you’ve got to jump high if you want to be a small outside.

“I’m lifting once a day, even with practice. I really try to focus on my footwork now, … trying to eat better, I think it’s starting to work a bit better.”

Things are certainly working out for the Spartans, who are currently ranked No. 3 in AAA but would have a strong case to be close to that in AAAA.

The strong Grade 11 group that won a JV AAA provincial crown in Neepawa last year, including provincial MVP setter Aiden Moore, all-star attackers Case Ashcroft and Clark Goran, opposite Aiden Garbutt and libero Jackson Burgess, has found its footing.

Senior transfer Sam Rempel added a big boost as a six-foot-six middle blocker, and the Spartans are on a terrific path.

Neelin reached the final of the Viking Classic, beating No. 10 Massey in the semifinals before losing a nail-biter to the fifth-ranked River East Kodiaks 2-1 (25-22, 30-32, 22-20).

The Spartans lost to the Zodiacs in the Nighthawks Invitational final in Winkler two weeks ago, then topped No. 3 Gabrielle-Roy and No. 7 Selkirk in the Royals Spike Off playoffs last week, eventually falling 2-0 to the No. 2 Steinbach Sabres.

“We came out hot. We went into that tournament with a good mindset, didn’t really think of any names,” Gamache said.

“We went into it, played our own game, had good energy and came out second in a AAAA tournament, which is decent.”

After this weekend, it’s the city final on Monday, Wednesday and, if necessary, Nov. 10.

The Spartans then have a provincial qualifier two weeks before provincials, which will be in Winnipeg on Nov. 27-29.

For Gamache, whoever’s on the other side of the net isn’t a concern. It’s about his group.

“We’ve really started to bond together. I think we can still focus on the little things on the court but for us, our team chemistry and brotherhood have come together really well,” Gamache said.

“I go in there not looking at the guys on the other side. I go in focused on myself, do what I can do, have good energy and not worry about what the other guys have on the other side, whether it’s Garden Valley or whoever.”

With 12 pools of four teams, there are three 16-team playoff brackets. The top team in each pool, plus second place in four select pools, make up the championship bracket, which will play all its matches on two courts at Crocus Plains on Saturday.

The final is at 6 p.m. Schedules and results are available at https://www.mhsaa.ca/tournaments/view/9360/dig-boys/.

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