Van Santen, Vikings sweep city final
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Logan Van Santen stepped back to serve in a deep hole, but almost single-handedly dug himself and the Vincent Massey Vikings out of it.
After the six-foot-three opposite’s massive six-point run, the Vikings seldom looked back en route to a 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-20) victory to sweep the Brandon High School Volleyball League varsity boys’ final series at Neelin on Wednesday.
“I’ve been working on it a lot in the summer and the spring since last year,” Van Santen said.
Griffin Zilkey, left, Charlie Gauthier and the Vincent Massey Vikings celebrate their varsity boys’ volleyball city title at Neelin on Wednesday. (Thomas Friesen/The Brandon Sun)
“I was just trying to do my best to make them play it, keep the ball in the court.
“It was really nice (to win). It was fun because we’ve lost to them a lot of times but it was really nice to get this one, the one that mattered most.”
The Spartans held the No. 1 seed after a 4-0 regular season, only dropping one set to the Vikings in league play.
However, both lineups looked a fair bit different from how they did in September, and for different reasons. Neelin was without starting outside hitter Case Ashcroft and middle blocker Sam Rempel, who picked up injuries at the Spartan Dig tournament last weekend.
Vikings coach Rylan Metcalf has tinkered with his lineup throughout the year, and might have just found the right one.
Van Santen started the year in the middle but moved to opposite and recorded a whopping 25 kills over the two city final matches, including 13 in the final.
That bumped Charlie Gauthier into the second middle spot alongside Nikos Tellidis, while left-handed attacker Griffin Zilkey moved to outside, something he has done before with Brandon Volleyball Club but is still adjusting to.
“It’s been hard, getting more used to it … when you have a setter like Sammy (Redekop), he helps out a lot,” Zilkey said.
“He puts the ball where I need it and I’m developing that line shot (head coach Rylan) Metcalf’s been teaching me and it’s getting better and better.”
While he had six kills and six errors on Wednesday, he was the best attacker of Monday’s opening match with nine kills and no mistakes at the net.
Zilkey has no problem doing whatever job he’s asked to do for his team.
“(Logan’s) been playing unreal. Getting him on right gets him more balls. If we don’t pass great, he can be such a factor. Even in the back row, he’s one of our best hitters,” Zilkey said.
“He’s a big guy, he’s got a good block, he’s got some great shots. Metcalf moves me; I go where he wants me to go.”
Massey trailed 19-13 in the first set before Van Santen blasted four aces on a six-point run to tie it up and eventually pull through to win.
The Vikings went up big early in the second before giving up a massive run to trail after 20, but made a few big blocks and snuck away with a 2-0 lead.
They settled in and made sure the third was the most decisive one of the night.
Massey is back in action at AAAA provincials in two weeks and will host the first round and quarterfinals.
Sam Redekop sets for the Vikings during the third set. (Thomas Friesen/The Brandon Sun)
The program has had a few close calls throughout the past decade, reaching the final four but not further.
They’re certainly hoping home-court advantage can change that. Zilkey is confident in his group for a few reasons.
“The way we’ve built, the way we practise, we put it all out, sweat every day,” he said. “Knowing we’ve all got that fight and that hate-to-lose energy, it’s really good to have and as a team it really helps out mindset-wise.”
Aiden Moore posted 23 assists for Neelin, while Lucas Gamache had a team-high 10 kills and Clark Goran added six.
• • •
The Vikings JV team swept the Crocus Plainsmen 3-0 (25-17, 25-15, 25-16) at Massey, since Crocus Plains was closed due to a sewage issue.
Cohen Folkerts posted eight kills and four aces for Massey, while Vaughn McLeod recorded 16 assists.
Karter Callahan led Crocus with eight kills while Carson Reid made eight digs.
Today is Match 2 of the JV and varsity girls’ final series, with both taking place at Massey.
The Vikings won the first JV match 3-1 (25-19, 25-21, 17-25, 25-22) on Tuesday. Elli Creaser led all scorers with 15 kills, two aces and two blocks for Massey.
In the varsity match, Massey won 3-0 (25-13, 25-11, 24-22) as Hannah McGregor posted 14 kills and Layla Desjardins led Neelin with six kills, two aces and three blocks.
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