The NBCHS Vikings finished second at their regional qualifier and will compete at the 5A Provincial Championship this weekend. (Facebook/North Battleford Comprehensive)

By battlefordsNOW Staff

Provincials ahead

NBCHS Vikings Senior Girls advance to provincials

Nov 16, 2021 | 5:00 AM

North Battleford Comprehensive High School women’s volleyball team is provincials bound.

The Vikings finished second at Regionals in Prince Albert, going 3-1 in the round robin tournament by getting their three victories in straight sets. Their only loss was to host St. Mary. Head coach Jana Freidenstab said the girls are pleased and really excited heading into this upcoming competition.

“It’s always fun to go to provincials,” she said.

This is the third straight trip to the provincial tournament for the program, having made it in the two years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Four girls remain from the bronze medal winning squad in 2019, which was their first in 23 years, along with three Grade 11 players and five Grade 10s.

Freidenstab expects a tough path for her squad this coming weekend, with a stacked pool of title winning teams. However, she said she feels confident that their ball control can keep up with the opposition in front of them.

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“We have three of the [regional] winners in our pool and only one is in the other pool,” she said. “It seems a bit lopsided. But if we’re communicating, serving and passing well, anything can happen at provincials.”

“We have one of the best liberos in the province in Kalyna Bahler. She’s been just fantastic.”

The head coach also highlighted the unpredictable nature of the year-end tournament favouring teams that are consistent in the serve and pass game. Following round robin play in two five-team pools, the top four from each pool face off in a quarterfinal bracket, first versus fourth and second versus third.

“I’ve seen top teams knocked out before by four or five seeds in huge upsets,” Freidenstab said. “You just have to be prepared and show up and play.”

The tournament takes place in Swift Current Nov. 19 to 20. Their first match is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on Friday against Miller Comprehensive Catholic, the city champions from Regina.

The Senior Boys team also competed at regionals, but didn’t qualify for the provincial championship. Lloydminster Comprehensive’s Senior Boys qualified for 5A provincials, while the JPII Senior Girls qualified for the 4A tournament. Other regional teams going to senior girls provincials include Unity and Lashburn (3A), Wilkie, Macklin and St. Walburg (2A) and Medstead and Edam (1A).

Regional tournaments for 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A Boys are taking place this weekend, with provincials to take place the following weekend.

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cjnbnews@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW