It was a close match as the Terrace U15 boys stepped up their game to face the U16 Prince George boys in a final match March 5.
They won two games against the Prince George U15 and lost three against the U16 teams during the weekend play day in Prince George.
But the coaches and team went home proud after a final match where the boys really stepped up.
Coach Kam Siemens said it was almost a David and Goliath moment, and the Terrace boys put up an great fight against the tall, strong team.
The Prince George boys, had just won first at a super series tournament in the Lower Mainland, and had four players as tall as 6’4’’.
The Terrace boys were quite intimidated, said Siemens, adding that coaches assured the boys that they have nothing to close — the could either win, or lose but learn a lot.
“Give it your all and we’ll be proud,” Siemens said of what they told the team.
And coaches were blown away by how the boys performed, she said.
Under the leadership of Ben Mantel, everyone stayed competitive and the game was scattered with great individual successes.
“With Logan Clunas’ consistent passing, blocking and killer attacks the team just thrived and fed off his energy,” she said, adding that it gave the team a boost to believe their opponents weren’t entirely unstoppable.
She said Jonas Struyk’s keen eye for blocks and serving were outstanding, and the team started building momentum and coming together to play.
“The whole team played so well that it gave both (fellow coach) Bruce [Neid] and I chills. The growth in these athletes is undeniable,” said Siemens.
The Terrace boys kept the matches close, losing by a narrow 23-35 in the first two sets and the, 13-25 in the final set.
Siemens said that despite the loss, the team left satisfied that they gave it their best.
“You can only control your gameplay not the scoreboard,” Siemens said of the coach philosophy, which encourages the team to give “110 per cent and let the outcome be the outcome.”
“This has provided the boys with the confidence they need to keep on fighting and never give up,” she said.