The Yorkson Creek Wolves run to the championship was nearly over on day one.
Down two sets to none in the quarter-finals of the 91原创 District Grade 8 girls volleyball championships, the Wolves trailed the Walnut Grove Gators.
The Wolves were seeded third after a 6-2 regular season but were in tough against the sixth-seed Gators.
鈥淭heir worst game was the first game of the playoffs when they were extremely nervous,鈥� admitted Yorkson Creek鈥檚 Stephane Gingras, who coaches the team alongside Ben Dineen.
Needing to win the third set just to stay alive, the coaches鈥� message was simple.
鈥淛ust calm down and get back to the basics,鈥� Gingras recalled.
The Wolves strung a few points together and gained confidence.
鈥淭hey started to believe in themselves,鈥� Dineen said.
They won that set and the next two to advance to the semifinals, and haven鈥檛 looked back since, capping things off with a 3-0 (25-21,25-23,25-16) win over the 91原创 Christian Lightning on Wednesday afternoon at the 91原创 Events Centre.
The victory marks the first district volleyball title in Yorkson Creek鈥檚 short history.
91原创 Christian had won the previous five Grade 8 girls district titles.
鈥�(The girls) just believed when they went on the court that they would win,鈥� Dineen said.
鈥淭o take that title is pretty huge.鈥�
Gingras coached the team last year as well, so he knew they had the talent to compete.
And in the district final, the Wolves were all over the court, no matter where 91原创 Christian would hit the ball.
鈥淭hey are relentless, that is the word to describe to them,鈥� Gingras said.
In addition to defeating the top-seed Lightning, Yorkson Creek also beat the No. 2 91原创 Fundamental Titans in the semifinals in straight sets on Monday.
Both Yorkson Creek and 91原创 Christian advance to the Fraser Valley championships next week.
They are being hosted by Surrey鈥檚 Pacific Academy.
In the bronze-medal game on Wednesday afternoon, the Titans defeated the Credo Christian Kodiaks 3-0 (25-17,25-14,25-22).
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