The top seed lived up to its billing with a banner on the line.
The Holy Trinity Academy Knights capped a dominant season in the Foothills Athletic Council senior girls volleyball ranks by knocking off the Foothills Falcons in straight sets (25-12, 25-15, 25-15) in the all-Okotoks league final on Nov. 6 at the HTA gym.
“The key today was just going in focused because we’ve played them so many times,” said Knights outside hitter Ife Talabi, one of three captains on the team. “It can get mentally exhausting seeing the same people, at the same tournaments over and over.
“We love playing them, we love the crosstown rivalry, but it’s maintaining that focus and executing.”
In the league playoffs, the Knights got past Highwood with the Falcons getting the better of the Strathcona-Tweedsmuir Spartans in the other semifinal.
“We had a great league (season) and Comp is always a rival and it’s always a fun game. The league is always challenging with our rivals and other teams,” said Knights head coach Melanie Marasco.
“It was more focusing on our game. We know we can play, we know we can’t get in our own heads and it has to be our game.
“And that’s what they did, they played our game.”
In the first set, HTA took the first five points and went on a 10-0 run to take it 25-12.
Foothills rebounded in the second set, with both squads feeding off the considerable fan support in the gymnasium, and had a 9-5 advantage before the Knights took over.
“It’s amazing,” Talabi said. “I’d rather it be loud in here than be quiet, it’s so fun.”
Talabi said this title is extra special for the senior class — herself, Clare McKenzie and Sarah Holowatuk — who finished with two league titles over three years on the squad.
“I’ve had a few of these girls since Grade 10, they’ve come up and played senior and they’ve grown so much over the three years,” said Marasco. “And it’s just wonderful to see them peak at the time they should be peaking.
“We have a strong team overall.”
Up next for HTA is the 4A South Central Zone championships, Nov. 17-18 at W.H. Croxford in Airdrie.
The Knights will be looking to repeat as zone winners and get back to provincials for a second straight season.
“We haven’t played Croxford yet so we need to go in focused,” Talabi said. “We don’t know what they look like, their team is pretty new this year so not knowing what to really expect.”
