Rempel, Desjardin Neelin’s athletes of year
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Sam Rempel didn’t know what to expect when he transferred to Neelin from a tiny Edmonton school, one that made the smallest high school in Brandon look massive.
It turned out to be the exact push he needed to thrive in his senior year.
Rempel was named Neelin’s varsity boys athlete of the year on Tuesday, while Layla Desjardin earned the varsity girls’ honour.
Sam Rempel is leaving Neelin High School as the Spartans male athlete of the year. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)
“It’s incredible,” Rempel said. “Showing up at the volleyball team, I really didn’t know anything. To the point I’m at now, playing on a team like the (Brandon Volleyball Club) team, high in even the Canada rankings, being able to contribute, is awesome.”
Rempel had perfect timing to make the move as he joined a strong varsity boys volleyball team in need of a middle blocker.
The six-foot-six attacker had to adjust to the speed of the game coming from a single-A school, but figured it out in time to turn what was supposed to be a building year into a win-now one.
As the only senior in the starting rotation, he helped Neelin go 48-11 overall and capture a third-straight AAA provincial crown. Rempel was not only named a provincial all-star but also cracked Volleyball Manitoba’s A-AAA all-Manitoba team.
“The group of guys is amazing. They all have a huge heart for volleyball,” he said.
“Being able to be a part of that and fit that hole they were missing in the lineup was awesome.”
Rempel’s main sport is basketball, and he wasted no time proving it.
At the Brandon Sun Spartan Invitational, just two weeks after volleyball provincials, he netted 61 points in a single game.
The team struggled, going winless in league play and bowing out in the first round of their AAA provincial qualifier.
“Being able to show up for basketball and show what I’m worth in the basketball world, and show how high level I can compete in basketball was awesome,” Rempel said.
Rempel still has one more weekend in Spartan green, as he’ll compete in the 100-metre dash and all three relays at track and field provincials beginning on Friday in Winnipeg.
DESJARDIN EXCELLED
ON COURT, DIAMOND
Desjardin always tried to help as many Spartans teams as she could, and did it at a high level for years before being named the top female athlete on Tuesday.
“I’ve always played a lot of sports and it’s good to be rewarded for that. I’ve always loved playing everything and to be able to be noticed for that is a really good feeling,” she said.
Desjardin has played a role for Neelin at the varsity level for four years, now, starting with her spectacular freshman softball season.
Layla Desjardin was named Neelin’s female athlete of the year on Tuesday. (Thomas Friesen/The Brandon Sun)
She pitched a gem in the city final to upset the Vincent Massey Vikings that year and continued to grow from there.
The six-foot setter/opposite helped the Spartans volleyball team to a provincial bronze medal, as they beat the Stonewall Rams in a hard-fought third-place match.
She was named a Volleyball Manitoba graduating all-star.
“We all came together as a team and it was a really good group of girls. We were all really close as a team, so that helped us out a lot,” Desjardin said.
“By provincials, we left it all on the court.”
Desjardin kept busy in the winter with the Westman Volleyball Club, showing Assiniboine Cougars head coach Kevin Neufeld enough to earn an offer to join the defending Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference champions for the upcoming season.
When the long, cold winter finally gave way to warmer weather, Desjardin was one of the most dominant pitchers in the city, helping the Spartans go 3-1 in league play with a big 12-5 victory over the Vikings.
Neelin fell 15-5 to Massey in the city final and wasn’t selected for a wildcard despite likely being a top-10 team in Manitoba.
“I’m really glad we at least took a win off (Massey), even if the last game didn’t go our way.
“It would have been great to be able to have a chance at provincials again, but that’s OK.”
Desjardin qualified for track and field provincials in javelin and the medley relay, but isn’t headed to Winnipeg this weekend.
Josée Martine and Sébastien Shakotko earned the junior varsity athlete of the year awards.
» tfriesen@brandonsun.com