A rivalry is always better with some urgency, and both the Burnaby South Rebels and Burnaby North Vikings senior boys volleyball teams had that entering Wednesday’s league match.
And as it has for time memorium, momentum goes to the victor.
The Rebels handed Burnaby North its first loss of the regular season in a 3-0 (25-20, 25-17, 25-17) decision.
With playoffs on the horizon and both teams battling for a top-two and potentially No. 1 placing, it all came down to some consistency and attention to details on the South court.
A solid effort in the opening game, where they never trailed, gave Burnaby South a boost in momentum that turned into a polished eight-point win in Game 2.
The Vikings showed some resilience and battled back in the third game, surging ahead by four points in the early stages before the Rebels got on a 13-3 run en route to a 25-17 closing win.
“We definitely had a good start,” remarked South captain Jacob Fetchko. “To start the third (game) we had a little stumble, but we got back together and got the momentum going.”
Sharp setting from Cameron Fung and big hits by Jiordano Khan and Sebastian Mejia delivered key points, as did Fetchko’s steady play. Shan Lumase delivered the final point on a softly played tip to complete the sweep.
Burnaby South, tied with North for second at 3-1, has its sights set on long playoff run, but the consensus is North and 3-0 Moscrop will be fierce competition.
Moscrop was listed as an honourable mention in last week’s AAA rankings.
“We lost a lot of key seniors after last year, including one of our big hitters,” noted Rebels coach Peggy Chow. “The other kids have really had to step up. Since last year a lot of the kids have gotten a lot better in terms of their skills, so it’s a matter of pushing through.”
North coach Barton Lim was disappointed with the loss but pointed out a couple of missing starters added pressure on the other starters. He expects the team to bounce back.
“(South) played really well. We just didn’t execute our game plan,” said Lim.
“We have to rework on our basics, our blocking was a little off. There are no excuses, but they have to adjust. When people aren’t here, it’s there chance to step up and you have to know what your job is. We have to perform better.”
In the whole North-South rivalry, getting the upperhand may just be a temporary advantage, but one worth holding, noted Chow.
“We suffered a loss earlier in the season (to Central) and that was a tough one for us. Traditionally, we’ve had a good rivalry with North, so for pride at least this was important for us,” she said.
South encountered Moscrop last week at a tournament, losing 2-0. The two teams will meet again on Tuesday, while Moscrop plays the Vikings a day later.
Undefeated, the Panthers improved to 4-0 by blanking Alpha 3-0, while Burnaby Central became the first league squad to force Moscrop to an extra game in an earlier 3-1 loss.
Head coach Tatsuki Taylor said his squad anticipates tougher challenges ahead, beginning with next week’s matches against rivals Burnaby South and Burnaby North.
“On the very first practice of the year, the team decided on a goal of qualifying for provincials,” noted Taylor in an email to the NOW. “Since Day 1 we have been improving greatly every day, and our appearance in the rankings is an indication of our hardwork so far this season.”
Achieving their goal will require them to be operating at peak efficiency.
“I know they have not yet reached their maximum potential. We are all looking forward to playoffs and hopefully our efforts will lead to a Lower Mainland berth. The team is especially looking forward to the increased competition in the games ahead.”
That anticipation is just as prevalent at Burnaby South.
Despite having graduated a good core of veterans from last season, Fetchko believes this Rebels group could spike a big run come playoff time.
“Moscrop is definitely one of our better contenders, and we’re really excited to play. We’re definitely going to come to that game with a lot of momentum. I definitely think we can win the banner. I think we can win it,” he said.
