Wolverines sweep NSSSAA Championships

by Karina Hunter

February 17^th and 18^th North Superior Secondary School Athletic Association (NSSSAA) Senior and Junior Girls Volleyball and Boys Basketball Championships were held in Manitouwadge; teams from Nipigon, Chapleau, Hornepayne, Terrace Bay/Schreiber, Wawa, Marathon and Manitouwadge faced off during two days of incredibly intense game play.  Wednesday the Wolverines Senior Girls won consecutive sets against the Nipigon Falcons 25-19 and 25-10 and then later continued with 25-19 and 25-18 victories against Chapleau to win the NSSSAA Banner for the first time in 8 years and secure the opportunity for MHS to host Northwestern Ontario Secondary School Athletic Association Championships (NWOSSAA) on February 26^th.   Earlier the same day, Junior Girls NSSSAA Volleyball Championships saw the Wolverines face off against teams from Hornepayne (25-16, 25-14) and Lake Superior (25-16, 25, 07) secondary schools as bleachers filled with hometown fans cheering them on to victory. View photos from the girls’ games at www.karinahunter.com/?p=8789.

Left Brandon Sullivan soars above the competition to score - Centre Lloyd White and Right Kyle Campbell both with big blocks the challengers can't get around.

Thursday it was the Wolverines’ Junior Boys turn to bring it and they did not  disappoint; in the first game against the Lake Superior High School Stingers the Wolverines aggressive offense and tight defense kept their competitors playing catch up throughout the game; in the end, the Manitouwadge team won 47-28; the deciding game against Wawa’s École Secondaire St. Joseph was tight; for each basket the Wolverines scored, Wawa would answer in kind.  Near the end of the game a Manitouwadge player was injured on court and taken to hospital, undeterred the team closed ranks continuing playing harder then ever. The Wolverines momentum would not be diminished – they pulled a head in the last period, claiming the title of NSSSAA Junior Boys Champions with a final score of 46-26.   

Congratulations to the all the Wolverines’ teams and their coaches! Their  opponents were strong and the championships were earned through sacrifice and hard work throughout the 2009-10 season. 

More photos from the Championship at www.karinahunter.com/?p=9149.