Flyers eye return to OFSAA
The Eden Flyers senior boys volleyball team completed a dominant season of Niagara Region High School Athletic Association play Thursday with a 3-0 victory (25-17, 25-16 and 25-17) over the West Niagara Wolfpack in the Zone 4 AAA championship match.
The Flyers were a perfect 8-0 in NRHSAA play heading into the zone championship game.
“The season has been amazing. We haven’t lost any regular season sets and we won our first two tournaments in Waterloo and Chatham Kent. Then we won our own Eden Invitational and we lost in the quarter-finals of an Uxbridge tournament and a Stratford tournament,” head coach Jay Nickel said.
He likes where his squad is at heading to the Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Association playdowns Thursday, Nov. 14 at Eden.
“I think the boys have had a bit of rest, they are feeling ready to go and they look excited to be gearing up for OFSAA (Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations championships) and hopefully a high finish.”
Last year, Eden’s run of 18 straight medals at the OFSAA championship came to an end with a quarter-final loss at the provincial championships.
“I think there is still that feeling with the name of Eden and what they have done, there is that pressure underlying that we’re meant to win and we have to win,” he said. “I think that they do feel that pressure.”
Nickel replaced Bill Markham as head coach this year and he brings his own twist to things.
“As a newer coach, I am still finding my voice and what I am totally all about but these boys are so strong and so talented and I am open to their suggestions. But at the end of the day, the coach has to make the right choice and put the right people in place to be the most successful.”
Nickel’s coaching philosophy is to give his players an opportunity to fight through adversity and come through it without his intervention.
The Flyers are the defending SOSSA champion and will play Blessed Trinity in the semifinals. They haven’t played the Thunder this season but they did record a straight set victory over Waterdown, a team in the other semifinal.
The team will be working hard to get ready for SOSSA.
“We are going to work on defence — a lot of defence — because I am a firm believer that defence wins championships in the end,” Nickel said. “If we don’t let the ball hit the floor and let other teams make mistakes, then I think we are in good shape.”
Members of the winning team were Hudson Brent, Cooper Cmcich, Vito Forte, Youssef Gharib, Landon House, Jesse Klassen, Jet Lewis, Kai Nickel, George Osowiec, Pierce Reimer, Reece Rekker, Josh Sanecki, Zeke Smith, Nicholas Tywoniuk and Mattheo Van Huizen.
Eden will play Blessed Trinity at 9 a.m. Thursday followed by Centennial against Waterdown at 11 a.m. The final is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
