Eagle Butte girls win south east zone

By Ryan McCracken on November 11, 2017.

rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com @MHNMcCracken

The Eagle Butte Talons are South East Zone Volleyball League varsity girls champions, but they’re not done yet.

The Talons clinched the crown with a 25-15, 25-14 victory over the Senator Gershaw Gators in Friday’s championship match, giving league all-star Amer Karamanos a banner in her final year.

“As a Grade 12 it’s really good to go out with a bang — win a banner and have your name up in the gym. It’s just really cool to be able to do that,” said Karamanos, whose team will play for a spot at provincials in next weekend’s zone championships. “I think our team is really strong this year and I think we’ll do great.”

The Talons made their way into the championship game after battling back from an early deficit to force a three-set victory from the hands of the Hat High Kwahommies. Eagle Butte outside hitter and league co-MVP LeeAnne Arnott says it wasn’t the start they wanted, but it’s the finish that matters.

“We kind of started off a little weak, but it was an exciting game against Hat High for sure, especially taking them to three. That was a big comeback for us,” said Arnott. The Talons came up against a comeback attempt from Senator Gershaw in the second set of the final, but managed to calm things down and retain the lead after a 6-2 run in Gershaw’s favour.

“We just kind of relaxed and played our game,” said Arnott. “We really had nothing to worry about.”

Arnott was named to the league’s ladies’ first all-star team and shared the MVP title with McCoy’s Carley Doneff, while Karamanos was named to the second all-star team.

Doneff, Kia Kannekens and Kelsi Kannekens of Crescent Heights, Hat High’s Cait MacMillan and Gershaw’s Kaitlyn Byam were also named to the first all-star team.

Joining Karamanos on the second all-star team are fellow Talon Megan Kowalski, Crescent Heights’ Litany Bloomfield, Hat High’s Brooklyn Kaczynski and Rhiannon Ware and McCoy’s Hannah Stark.

Correction

In a Friday story about the varsity men’s South Eastern Zone Volleyball League, the Medicine Hat News incorrectly stated that the McCoy Colts lost 25-9 in two sets to Senator Gershaw.

McCoy lost 25-17 both games, not 25-9.

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