The Steinbach Regional Secondary School captured the South Central Athletic Conference High School Volleyball AAAA Junior Varsity Boys championship banner Thursday night in Winnipeg.
The Sabres swept the Olympiens 25-21, 25-17, 25-18 at College Jeanne-Sauve and won the conference title for the first time since 2019.
Coincidentally that was the same year Steinbach Regional captured the Provincial championship banner.
"I think it's a huge confidence boost for a lot of the guys on the team," noted SRSS co-coach Stefan Lavallee shortly after the presentation of the championship banner Thursday night. "These guys are used to winning. They've had a great coach. I have to give a shoutout to Mike Pittman. He's had these guys for three years in school ball and has had them for club. He's done a phenomenal job with the kids, and I've just been lucky to get these guys and we've been able to co-coach together. It's been a great experience."
Lavallee said it took a great team effort to sweep the Olympiens in their home gym.
"We executed the game plan perfectly. We let our big guys swing, we had a lot of confidence in our passing and our serving was phenomenal. The big thing is the blocks. I think we had 25 blocks in a three-set match so that's big."
Steinbach Regional went 10-0 in SCAC league play and won two playoff games this season.
SRSS left side Mason Bergen explained why he felt the team went undefeated.
"Just the bonding over the years of playing together with this team. Being on buses, driving here and talking - even on the court we are so communicative. We all enjoy each other; we laugh all the time. It's a really good group."
In early November the Sabres moved past College Jeanne-Sauve and into the top spot in the MHSAA's final Top 10 Power Rankings.
The Provincial AAAA Junior Varsity Boys Volleyball Championship begins next Thursday at Sturgeon Heights Collegiate in Winnipeg.
"We want to come out and try our best," Bergen replied when asked what he's expecting at the Provincials. "Push hard, have fun as a team and do as best we can."
