The Hapnot junior varsity Kweens volleyball team hosted the best Manitoba had to offer last weekend and came painfully close to home-court glory, finishing seventh after hard-fought, close games.
The gyms at Hapnot and Ecole McIsaac School were buzzing all weekend for JV provincials, bringing in the top 12 Manitoba A and AA teams.
The Kweens opened up the tournament with a matchup against the Warren Wildcats. Hapnot took the second set, but ultimately could not pull out ahead, losing 19-25, 25-20, 9-15 in their first game. Following an official opening ceremony and with a packed home gym, the Kweens entered their second game shortly afterward against Roblin’s Goose Lake High Angels. The Kweens won the first set and while Goose Lake battled back and took the second, Hapnot took a third set tiebreaker for a 25-21, 17-25, 15-9.
Hapnot’s last pool play game came against Rosenort Friday afternoon and the Kweens took a 25-20, 25-13 victory, moving into second in their pool and a spot in the championship draw.
In their quarterfinal game, the Kweens went to McIsaac Friday night for a matchup against the St. Paul’s Barons from Elie. These two teams went to war on the court, with close sets and see-saw action throughout. Hapnot took the first set 25-21, but faltered at times in the second set, allowing the Barons to take the second set 18-25.
That led to a decisive third set, for the third time of the tournament for the JV Kweens. Hapnot took an early lead, but the Barons battled back, tying things up. Third sets are played to 15, but a team must win by two points to take the victory - both teams would end up tied at 15, forcing extra points.
The Barons forced Hapnot into making crucial mistakes when it mattered most, pulling ahead 16-15 and finally taking a 17-15 win, knocking the Kweens out in front of their home crowd.
The semifinals would end up being entirely made up of teams Hapnot had already played, including the two that the Kweens beaten and another two the Kweens had won sets against. Warren faced Goose Lake and beat them in three sets, while Rosenort did the same to the Barons - Warren eventually took the provincial title by beating Rosenort in the final on Saturday.
The loss ends the JV Kweens’ season - the team ended the regular season ranked ninth in the province and all players are eligible to return for the Kweens next season, either for the school’s JV or varsity teams.
Hapnot’s senior varsity volleyball squads will both head to provincials next weekend. The Kweens will play their tourney in Lac du Bonnet from Nov. 30-Dec. 2, while the Kings will do the same in Ile-des-Chenes. The Kweens enter provincials ranked fifth in the province, behind Russell’s Major Pratt Trojans, the Roys from College Regional Gabrielle-Roy in Ile-des-Chenes, the Warren Wildcats and the Elton Sabres. The Kings enter their provincial tournament ranked outside Manitoba’s top 10 ranked teams.
