M’CHIGEENG—This Thanksgiving was special for a number of alumni Mustang volleyball players as well as for the current crop of senior boys’ Mustangs.
On Saturday morning, the MSS gym echoed with sounds of volleyballs being served, passed and smashed as the Mustangs of yesteryear were challenged by the upstarts of the 2016 season. Coach Peter Kategiannis orchestrated this event for a number of reasons. Primarily, he wanted to give his current crew more reps and practice in their quest to challenge for the provincial championships coming up in November.
“We have a great chance to make it to OFSAA this year,” said Coach Kategiannis. “The boys have been playing together since they were juniors and they have developed very well in the last few years. They have succeeded on the offensive side of the ball but this year, we are actually playing defence at a higher level. My former players quipped on how impressed they were with the willingness of the 2016 team to hit the floor and go for every ball.”
One of the other reasons for this game was to get “the old gang” back together for purely nostalgic reasons, the coach added. The alumni Mustangs that came back to play had some success post MSS in the volleyball world. Daniel Flanagan and Andrew Argal both played varsity volleyball with the Guelph Gryphons in the OUAA (Ontario Universities Athletic Association). Harrison Noble played in the OCAA (Ontario College Association) with Cambrian. Although the rest of the alumni did not go on to play post high school, they scraped off the rust to provide a formidable opponent for today’s team. These players included Rick and Joe Toner, Chris King, Carter Dunlop, Cole Dumont and Trevor Gelaznikas. Derek Debassige, a former Mustang and CIAU all star with MacMaster, was also present to help coach and run some drills.
“I was truly overwhelmed with the amazing turnout and the atmosphere of my alumni,” said Peter Kategiannis. “We have enjoyed some success over the years here at MSS. The majority of these players came so close to medaling when we hosted here in 2011.”
Some of the players reenacted a play that still haunts many of the players and the coach today.
Up 14-11, the 2011 Mustangs could not get one more point to earn an OFSAA medal. This set of the day with a bittersweet chuckle amongst the alumni. “I still can’t sleep when I think about that play,” said Daniel Flanagan. “Leave it to Kat to bring that back.”
After that little time out to break the ice, it was all business on the court. Both teams took the exhibition very seriously and the 20 or so fans that showed up were treated to some entertaining volleyball.
“I was 10-years-old and one of the managers of the team in 2011,” stated Zack Kategiannis. “I witnessed some amazing volleyball back then and now five years later I’m playing against these guys that I looked up to. It was very nerve racking at the beginning, but also incredibly fun!”
Indeed, many of today’s Mustangs heard about this team for a long time from their coach.
“I thought we were going to get annihilated,” said Captain Gregory Doane, “but we held our own and even won two sets. It was so much fun and created more confidence with our players.”
The final outcome saw the alumni coming out on top winning 4 sets to 2.
