Volleyball champs.
The St. Joseph’s Jaguars captured the 2013 Renfrew County junior girls volleyball title on their home court March 4. In front is Kathryn David; kneeling, Anna Holt, Brittany Cabral, Laura Troutman, Hannah Robertson and Lindsay Trainor, and standing, assistant coach Breigh Whalen, Kayla Hintz, Kailyn Friske, Abby Hall, Bailey Plunkett, Meghan Larabie, Molly Bruce and coach Meghan Cahill.
Peter Clark, Renfrew Mercury
The St. Joseph’s Jaguars have a new banner on order for the wall of the high school gymnasium – 2013 Renfrew County junior girls volleyball champions.
The junior girls got stronger as the final went on en route to a 3-1 win over the visiting Bishop Smith Crusaders March 4.
However, on the neighbouring court, it was Bishop Smith who had all the answers,
It was their day as the Crusaders won the senior title in straight sets over the Jaguars.
Junior triumph
“It was a good season. It was always neck and neck with Bishop. The girls came together,” Junior Jaguars coach Meghan Cahill said.
“The girls had strong serves, good teamwork and good fan support.”
The Jaguars and Crusaders both finished regular season play with 10-and-2 records in the four-team loop.
The Jaguars pulled out the first set of the final 25-20 before the Crusaders answered 23-25.
St. Joseph’s showed dominance over the last two sets, winning 25-12 and 25-18 to take the match 3-1.
In the senior encounter, Bishop Smith may have surprised even themselves as they pulled away in the third set.
“It just wasn’t our day. We beat them in our season matches, but not today. It was a shocker,” St. Joseph’s coach Brennan Trainor noted.
Two of the Jaguars six wins in the 2013 season came at the expense of the Crusaders.
“The first two games were good,” the coach added of the 27-25, 25-21, 25-10 final.
After the narrow losses in the first two games of the final, the Jaguars could get nothing generated in the third set.
Boys hoops
The Senior Jaguars rolled past Bishop Smith 70-28 in semifinal boys basketball action at the St. Joseph’s gym.
Josh Naismith sank 18 points to lead coach Chris Naismith’s squad.
The win sends St. Joseph’s to the county final Thursday in Arnprior.
The Junior Jaguars lost a heartstopper in Pembroke to Jeanne Lajoie in their semifinal.
The Chevaliers scored a hoop following a time out with three seconds left to win 34-33.
Austin Taylor had a 20-point effort for St. Joseph’s while Nathan Dyck added nine.
Phil Pilon chipped in with four points, including some clutch foul shooting with eight seconds remaining.
Two key starters fouling out cut into coach Steve Jones’ bench.
But the Jaguars hung tough. They trailed by as much as six points and also led by five in the see-saw battle.