After winning their own tournament for the first time, the École Olds High School senior girls Spartan volleyball team is pretty pumped as they get ready for their next challenge — a tournament in Canmore Oct. 25-26.
The Spartans beat another Spartans team — Strathmore Spartans — during the home team's annual Spartan Smash tournament which was held Oct. 18-19.
Including the hometown Spartans, eight teams battled for the championship: Brooks Composite, Strathmore High, Canmore Collegiate, Bert Church High, St. Joseph High (Red Deer), Sundre High and Bow Valley (Cochrane).
In the quarter-finals, the Olds Spartans defeated the Bert Church Chargers while the Canmore Wolverines defeated Sundre Scorpions, the Brooks Buffalos defeated the Bow Valley Bobcats and the Strathmore Spartans defeated the St. Joseph Falcons.
In the semifinals, the Olds Spartans defeated the Brooks Buffalos 24-26, 25-21, 15-12 and the Strathmore Spartans defeated the Canmore Wolverines.
The victory for the hometown Spartans over the Strathmore Spartans was described as a "total team effort with every player contributing to the win."
The third place plaque went to the Canmore Wolverines who downed the Brooks Buffalos.
The consolation final had the St. Joseph Falcons narrowly defeating the Bert Church Chargers.
"The volleyball all weekend was exciting and very close," a news release says. "Anyone of six teams could have been the victor as there was very little to separate the teams."
Information for this story was provided by Wanda Vandervelden.
