The end result was the same for the Northeastern Cougars boys intermediate volleyball team, but the road they travelled to get there was vastly different than the 2018-2019 crew.
Where last year's team went pretty much wire to wire before eventually claiming the Rainbow Board Elementary banner, the 2019-2020 edition of the Cougars were staring a record of 1-2 in tournament finals opposite the Lo-Ellen Park Knights heading into their Wednesday gold medal showdown in Chelmsford.
Northeastern coach Dale Beausoleil even conceded, just prior to the match, that his team was likely the underdog against a more athletically-imposing squad in the Knights.
Yet it was the Cougars who minimized their unforced errors and created a sufficient amount of offense, largely from returning attacker Brady Tyson, walking away with the title for the third time in four years with a 25-17, 25-21, 21-25, 25-14 triumph.
"We had a lot of trouble with our passing in the last finals," said Tyson. "We had a little trouble with that at the start of this game, but we got better as it went on. We have to get a good first pass, first of all, so that we can get the ball to the setter."
"We got a lot better in that - and we worked a lot on our serving in between the time that we played them last."
With his team running a 6-2 offense this year, Tyson would do double duty as both a middle and a setter, a challenge that he knew would benefit him and the team in the end. "You learn that it's easier to take balls in certain places," said Tyson.
"So if you're passing to the one, you want to put it ahead of them so that they can come into the ball, which is a lot easier." Joining Tyson on the championship squad were David Bates, Mikey Repuszka, Will Mackey, Griffin Selman, Cash Duschene, Landon Milette and Kayden Hasner.
Also making it back to back city crowns were the Lo-Ellen Park Knights girls team, who went to four sets as well before getting the better of the MacLeod Mustangs, 25-21, 25-17, 24-26, 25-18.
With just three returnees to the team - Sophie Alexander, Syla Swords and Mathilde Fleury - this year's Lo-Ellen reps not only welcomed aboard a whole slew of newcomers, but also a new man in charge, in the form of first year head coach Steve MacKenzie.
"His motto is always smart is easy," explained 13 year old grade 8 student, Sophie Alexander. "It means that if you can't do something, then do the easier play. We push to the corners if we can't hit, and we hit if we can."
Ironically, the twin towers of Alexander and Swords both would list basketball as their #1 sport, though both are huge contributors on the volleyball court at Lo-Ellen as well. "In volleyball, there's a lot of hands, you have to be really fast with your hands," said Alexander.
"It's a different pace, you have to get used to that. And hitting the ball is really different too, because in basketball, you shoot."
In what would be the final volleyball game of her elementary career, Alexander would be right in the middle of the final two points, putting a wrap on this contest. "This is my ball, I have to do something with it," she recalled of the kill that would register 25 on the scoreboard.
"It was a good set, so I knew that I could do it."
Rounding out the Lo-Ellen roster are Mia Yurich, Maija Potvin, Kami Dreger, Sarah Teddy, Maya Emond, Lora Makela, Madison Kett, Paige Lortie and Sophia Cecutti.
