Volleyball Cobras advance to zones

By Rob Vogt

The Willow Creek Composite High School senior varsity girls’ volleyball team closed out their season with a trip to the Alberta Schools Athletic Association 2A South Zone playoffs in Lethbridge.
The Cobras were ranked sixth of seven teams in the South Zone.
Since only six teams play in the South Zone tournament, the Cobras had to play a challenge or play-in game against the seventh-ranked County Central High School Hawks of Vulcan.
That challenge game took place at Willow Creek Composite High School on Tuesday, Nov. 12, and the Cobras triumphed in three straight sets by scores of 25-12, 25-17, and 25-20.
The result gave Claresholm sixth place and a berth in zones on Nov. 15 and 16 at Immanuel Christian School in Lethbridge.
The Cobras were in Pool B with the second-ranked F.P. Walshe Flyers of Fort Macleod and fourth-ranked Matthew Halton Hawks of Pincher Creek.
Claresholm opened play against F.P. Walshe, losing both sets by scores of 25-21 and 25-12.
They closed out round-robin play by defeating Matthew Halton by scores of 25-23 and 25-20.
However, based on point differential, the Cobras finished third in their pool.
That gave them a first-round playoff date with the J.T. Foster Knights of Nanton, who defeated Claresholm by scores of 25-23 and 25-20.
The Knights went on to lose to F.P. Walshe in the semi-finals.
The host Immanuel Christian Eagles won the South Zone championship, defeating F.P. Walshe in the final.
The Crowsnest Consolidated Pandas of the Crowsnest Pass took bronze, defeating J.T. Foster in the third-place game.