Some well-armed Spartans and Knights are aiming to knock some Falcons off their perch.
The Strathcona-Tweedsmuir Spartans defeated the Holy Trinity Academy Knights 3-1 in the Foothills Athletic Council senior girls semifinal Monday at STS.
Meanwhile, the Knights reversed that outcome by downing STS 3-1 in the boys semifinal immediately after the girls match.
Both victors will face the Foothills Falcons in their respective finals Nov. 8 at the Crescent Point Regional Field House.
The Knights won the boys semifinal when setter Lucas Hinger served up a screwball that hit the top of the net and the Spartans were unable to return. The serve gave HTA a 28-26 victory in the fourth set.
“When I saw it hit the tape and it just barely went over the net, I was so happy,” Hinger said. “They beat us in league earlier.”
The Knights were the no. 3 seed after the regular season, while STS was no. 2.
Much of the Knights power came from left-side Isaiah Michel. He realizes the Falcons — who went undefeated in the regular season — await them.
“They execute very well – they are scrappy and can hit,” Michel said. “We just have to play with the same intensity and come out swinging, and we can win.”
He added they have to be ready for Foothills big hitters, Matt Greenshields and Kyle Tarasoff.
The Falcons advanced by downing Eden Valley’s Chief Jacob Bearspaw Grizzlies 3-0 at the Comp on Monday.
The STS Spartans girls also earned the right to play Foothills in the finals.
“We just supported each other tonight — and we had some really good digs,” said STS power Paulina Hart about the win over HTA. “We played our positions really well tonight.”
The taller Spartans, Hart, Megan Norris and Maddie German, were able to nullify the Knights’ spikers.
It will be a tall order to do the same against the Falcons.
“We have to bring that (blocking) to Foothills for sure,” Hart said. “Foothills has really good servers and hitters. We have to shake off our mistakes, pass the ball and keep blocking.”
Spartans coach Andrea Weber said they’re excited to play big-school Foothills.
“To get past Comp we have to serve well and we have to pass well,” she said.
The Falcons beat STS 3-1 earlier this season.
It is the first time the Spartans have been in an FAC final in three years.
The Falcons advanced to the final by shutting out Vulcan’s County Central Hawks 3-0 at the Comp.
The senior boys and girls final starts at 7 p.m. Nov. 8 at the Field House. Prior to that, the JV championships start at 5:30 p.m.
