MBCI varsity girls soaring this season

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This article was published 05/11/2021 (1755 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

With the end of the high school volleyball season in sight, the Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute’s varsity girls team is setting its sights high.

“We’d love to have a shot at the KPAC championship, and a shot at going as far as we can in provincials,” head coach Brian Plett said. “If we can make semifinals, that would be an accomplishment for us. But on any given day, anything can happen.”

At press time, the Hawks were ranked fourth in the province. In league play, the Hawks were at the top of the Kilcona-Peguis Athletic Conference’s Tier 1, going undefeated through the first 10 games. 

A final league game vs. Transcona Collegiate is scheduled on Nov. 8.

“We have some strong front court players,” said Plett, who is in his 40th year coaching volleyball at MBCI, his fourth coaching girls varsity. 

Setter Madelyn Rogalsky and middles Sophie Hildebrandt and Madeline Wiebe have been a big part of that front court success, Plett noted.

“We’re not where I’d like us to be on the backcourt, on defence, but that’s a work in the progress,” Plett added. “Offence at start was slow, but now we’re speeding it up a little and exploring the excitement with comes of running a faster offense.”

After missing last season owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s MBCI squad is young, with only two of the six starters being in Grade 12. Plett added that instead of running a junior varsity team this year, MBCI has instead brought more Grade 10 players onto the varsity roster.

“Across the board, provincially, we all recognize that kids have missed out on many levels,” Plett said. “But we’re just so glad to be able to work with them again.”

The Hawks have also been strong in tournament play, winning the season opening Bandits tourney in early September and placing third in the Lord Selkirk Royal Rumble on Oct. 2. The Hawks will be looking to place at the St. Vital Invitational before heading into the provincial AAAA competition.

“I like the progress we’ve made in terms of our development,” Plett said. “Speeding up our offence … it’s started to pay dividends. The girls are keen, they’re coachable, they love being back at it.”

Regardless of what happens in the provincial tournament, Plett believes a strong foundation has been laid for the Hawks’ future success.

“I want to set high but reasonable goals, and if we don’t achieve them, at least we aspired to be the best we can be,” Plett said. “I’ve never believed in setting hurdles low.”

Sheldon Birnie
Managing editor

Sheldon Birnie is the managing editor of the Free Press Community Review. Email him at sheldon.birnie@freepress.mb.ca or call him at 204-697-7112

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