MCI wins zone title

Posted By Jeremy Siemens, MCI

Posted 2 months ago

The MCI varsity boys volleyball team was excited to bring home the first Zone IV banner of the year to their school.

With a convincing victory over Morris, the MCI varsity boys volleyball team captured the school's first Zone IV title of the year on Nov. 12. After a slow start that saw them fall behind early in the opening set, MCI rallied to win the match 25-23, 25-14, 25-16. The game marked the third time the two teams had met this year, with the teams splitting the first two match-ups. Coach Bernie Rempel identifies this as clearly their best showing against Morris, something he attributes to improved confidence and communication. "They were confident and comfortable, not tentative. It brought their communication up and let them tell each other what to prepare for. It was the chattiest they've been all year and that helped a lot," he said.

The Blues then met Immanuel Christian on Monday in an inter-zone qualifier for the MHSAA Provincial Championships. MCI matched their effort from the previous week, knocking off their opponents in straight sets - 25-21, 25-14, 25-19.

Coach Rempel identifies the strong play of Grade 12 student Shawn Franz as a key to the team's success in their two playoff games. "He was clearly in control of the game physically and mentally. The team around him played really well, but Shawn dominated the play," he said. With the win over Immanuel Christian, the Blues secured a berth in the provincial tournament that runs Nov. 26-28 in Lac Du Bonnet.