M’CHIGEENG—Manitoulin Secondary School’s two girls’ volleyball teams have won North Shore Secondary School Association (NSSSA) championships!
The MSS Mustangs senior girls team won the NSSAA championship, hosting the event last Thursday. “The Mustangs beat Elliot Lake in the final, in two straight sets to win,” said Jordan Smith, sports coordinator at MSS. “They dominated, going undefeated at NSSSA,” he said, noting that other schools that participated included Central Algoma Secondary School (CASS) and W.C. Eaket from Blind River.
“The senior girls didn’t lose a single set all day,” said Mr. Smith. This is the senior girls team’s third consecutive NSSSA championship. They finished first overall in the league standings this year, to host the NSSSA championship.
“We had a really good year,” said Neil Debassige, coach of the Mustangs senior team. “Both our senior and junior teams won NSSSA. The senior team, “has won NSSSA the last three years, two in the junior level, missing one (due to COVID) and then this year. The team won in two straight sets in the finals against Elliot Lake. This is the only team we lost to in league play in the last tournament of the year. The girls were a little rattled by this, but they pulled up their socks to win (NSSSA).”
The Mustangs junior girls’ team was not to be outdone. MSS hosted the NSSAA championships at MSS on Friday of last week.
“The junior girls’ team had an outstanding showing,” said Mr. Smith. “They went undefeated at NSSSA, winning all their games.”
The competition included Espanola High School, Jeunesse-Nord (Blind River) and Elliot Lake.
“The juniors have a real strong team this year,” said Mr. Debassige.
The Mustangs junior team included coach Tina Balfe, assistant coach Erin Ferguson and players Maren Kasunich, Sadie Bridgeman, Mackenzie Green, Annie Balfe, Saraya Eshkawkogan, Morgan Green, Aspen Debassige, Taylor Bell, Harmony Panamick and trainer Andrew Rose.
“It is good for the volleyball program at MSS to have these two very strong teams,” said Mr. Debassige.
