Celtics win tourney

By Greg Price
Taber Times
gprice@tabertimes.com

St. Mary’s Celtics are two tournaments into its season as the volleyball squad looks to build towards a successful run at 2A zones and beyond.

The team won its first tournament of the season in Fort Macleod as the team gained in strength as the tournament wore on.

“As the tournament went on, we got better. We cleaned up our passing and the other teams didn’t have the answer for our offence in Tyson Phillips and Kaleb Muller. They were two key parts in our success at the tournament,” said Derry Kolody, head coach of the St. Mary’s Celtics varsity boys volleyball team. “I have two of the stronger middles in southern Alberta. I’m kind of blessed that way.”

The Celtics lost a match during the Fort Macleod tournament run that Kolody felt the team should not have, but nevertheless the Celtics peaked.

“Come the final, it was 25-9, 25-12. That’s what I like having finals look like,” said Kolody. “You always want to get better as the tournament goes on.”

The Celtics also played at a tournament at Lethbridge College on the Sept. 17 weekend where the squad finished in third place.

“We kind of had a tough pool, where we got out of it scrapping by with a couple of splits which made for a tough crossover where we played eventual tournament winner Eagle Butte,” said Kolody. “They are a 3A school and we are hovering around that 1A/2A mark. But the only way you are going to see how good you are and where you need to be is by playing the big dogs, pick up the pieces and see where you need to build.”

The Celtics have a string of tournaments coming up, starting off with one in Lacombe the Oct. 8 weekend, before hosting its Double Blue.

“Usually with Lacombe, that’s a tournament where it’s really good, with the cream of the crop in 2A. When it gets to provincials, which I hope we get to, it’s good to see the teams ahead of time like we do in Lacombe,” said Kolody. “We then have our home tournament and then Picture Butte (Oct. 22 weekend) where a lot of good teams will be coming to that too. It’s a tough schedule for the next four weekends. It’s a good measuring stick of where we are and where we will need to go for zones and provincials.”