Improved Toilers Defeat Briercrest
Story and Photos by Robert Thomas
It was a much improved Peacock Toilers team as they took on this season’s surprise the Briercrest Christian Academy Cougars in senior girls volleyball play on Tuesday evening.
Tuesday night was a special night for the Toilers as they wore pink jerseys as part of four special volleyball games to help raise money for breast cancer research.
As much as the Toilers improved the Cougars seemingly had a bad night falling in three straight sets 25 - 8, 25 - 19 and 26 - 24.
“That’s probably the best that we have played all of September,” Lorne Polupski head coach of the Peacock Toilers told MJ Independent in the post game interview.
“I’m happy with how we played tonight.”
Asked if he thought Briercrest was playing flat given their recent strong games against Vanier and Cornerstone Polupski said he thought so.
“I think they had a bad night. I heard they are a lot better than what they showed tonight. They are a very athletic team and they have got good coaches and we took advantage of that by playing really very well,” he said.
The Toilers are finally starting to get into gear.
“We started out with a really slow month I guess just because some girls didn’t touch a ball all summer but it is coming around nicely now. We are starting to do some good things,” he said.
Asked about how and where he sees the Toilers having improved he said it was an overall improvement.
“You know what we have been working so much on just basic skills over the last month. I was really impressed with our ball handling. We didn’t gave one call tonight. Our defence is starting to come around now. Our hitting is starting to come around.”
Regarding the slow start for the Toilers - a perennial top contender in girl’s volleyball - Polupski said the team is starting to peak at the right time.
“It’s a perfect time. We still have a month left until playoffs and a month and a little bit more before regionals and provincials. Our goal is to make that city final our first goal and then the other two hopefully we place top three,” he said.
When asked if he was disappointed with how the season has gone so far Polupski said he wasn’t.
“No, no not at all. You know it’s not where you start it’s where you finish. You don’t win the city championship or the provincial gold in the first month and a half.”
About the loss to the Central Cyclones it comes with the territory.
“We haven’t lost to Central in five years and that’s a little disappointing. But you know what good for Central. You know what they’ve got a good team. They’ve got good coaches and they deserve to win.”
Polupski said despite the loss Peacock had a winning tradition going back decades.
“We have had a pretty good 22 year run here at Peacock if you really want to look back at our record and stuff like that. But you know we are not done yet,” he said.
Asked about bouncing back and beating the Cyclones in a rematch Polupski admitted Central is a tough opponent but the league overall is highly competitive.
“They’re a tough team. I’m not saying we are going to be beating them on any given night but Vanier is tough, Central is tough and I think these guys are much tougher than they showed tonight.”
Polupski said the key was to play 100 percent of the Toiler’s potential.
“We are going to play the very best that we can with every set and every point that we make.”
Asked about Briercrest’s seeming up and down play over their sets Polupski said it was partially due to the substituting the Cougars make.
“It probably the substituting they do a little bit. I don’t know if they play fair time but they make subs each set. I haven’t seen them play I’ve heard they are pretty athletic and I’ve heard good things about them and their coaching,” Polupski said.
Pointing out that the majority of Briercrest’s team are grade 10 students he said there was nothing wrong with that.
“That is where you start. That is where you start building teams.”
Teams are built throughout the years.
“You start building teams with grade 10s and they go into your grade 11s and it goes into your grade 12s. And some teams right now are full of grade 12s…if you get six grade 12s on a team you are looking at a pretty experienced and pretty good team usually,” he said,
Polupski said the grade 10s and 11s on Peacock’s team will get better by continuing to practice and play. The two non-school volleyball clubs in Moose Jaw has helped with that, he said.
No other game results were available at publication time.
We keep getting asked by players and their families to leave as many photos up as possible - so here goes and enjoy.
