M’CHIGEENG—While Manitoulin Secondary School (MSS) teams weren’t as successful as they hoped to be in competitions last week, the future definitely looks bright for Mustangs teams in the future.
“Today (March 10), our school hosted the senor girls’ A division NOSSA (Northern Ontario Secondary School Association) volleyball championships,” said Jordan Smith, MSS sports coordinator. “Our girls unfortunately lost both their games, to L’Horizon and Confederation. Those two are top-ranked teams from Sudbury. Our girls played them very well but were not quite able to pull out a victory.” Mustang coaches include Neil Debassige and Steve Doane.
Mr. Smith pointed out L’Horizon won the championship, beating Confederation in the finals three games to one.
The Mustangs junior girls’ volleyball team took part in the NOSSA championship in Espanola last Wednesday. The MSS team is coached by Tina Balfe. “The girls played really, really well,” said Mr. Smith. “Our girls lost the first set of the first game, which was the first set they have lost all year. They had been undefeated in the season until then.”
If the Mustangs had won the second game, they would have made it to the finals, but they lost a great game 35-33. “There is tons of promise for that group in the future,” said Mr. Smith. “They are a very athletic, very academic team; five of the players were also runners who made up the junior girls’ cross-country running team that did so well this year. There is lots of promise ahead for that junior team.”
Mr. Smith pointed out the Mustangs boys’ senior and junior basketball teams both played regular season games against Central Algoma Secondary School last week, with both local teams unfortunately losing their games. “The boys showed a lot of dedication and commitment to continue, and kudos to coaches Lance Baptiste, and Mel Cheng, our staff representative who is seven months pregnant and still made every road trip with the team this year.”
Both MSS boys’ senior and junior basketball teams had taken part at the NOSSA championships at College Notre Dame earlier in the week, with both teams losing their two games to Espanola and College Notre Dame.
The Mustangs girls’ varsity hockey team has qualified for the league playoffs, said Mr. Smith. “The girls’ team finished second in their division this season and will play a one-game playoff game against MacDonald Cartier on March 22, at 3 pm at the Little Current arena.”
