Volleyball Update

The boys CYO volleyball season is almost over with one more playing day before the 3-day playoff dates. For my 7th/8th grade team, it's been a roller coaster ride. We've had our highs and lows. Really extreme. We've played 8 games so far, with 2 more on Friday, the 26th.

We started the season on fire, with 2 wins on our first playing date. We beat both Holy Spirit and All Saints convincingly in straight sets. We took a two-week break for Holy Week and Easter vacation. And in those two weeks, we only had one practice. The practice schedule, or lack of it, has become an issue. More about that in a bit.

Our 3rd & 4th games were at All Saints on the first Sunday in April. We lost to league-league St. Clements in straight -- a match I thought we should have won. Unfortunately, it was one of those down days where the boys just wasn't into it. We had better luck in the next game against St. Bede, winning a close one, 2-1 sets. This gave us a 3-1 standing.

Games 5 & 6 were played on Friday of the same week, this time at Holy Spirit. We played the host team and won, but not after a little scare. We took a short break before we played St. Bede again for the second time. This time, they got our number, and we lost. Again, another one of those low, low days. It was a heartbreaker, knowing that we bit the same team just a few days earlier.

Two days later, we had our 7th and 8th game at All Saints. We played bottom-dweller St. Leander. And by some odd and strange luck, we lost. Totally devastating. I had never seen the boys play so badly. They just weren't in the game. I couldn't figure out what happened, and the boys couldn't explain it either. After 8 games played, St. Leander only had one win, and that was against us. What's even more surprising was what happened next. We played St. Felicitas and beat them badly in straight sets. And to think that St. Felicitas was  in second place, prior to our game, with a 5-1 record. Talk about strange. This one's for the books!!!

It would have been 11 days by the next time we play -- our last 2 games of the regular season. And that's this Friday. We play St. Leander and St. Felicitas for the second time. It will be our chance to even things up against St. Leander. Currently, we have a 5-3 record, tied for second with St. Felicitas. In first is St. Clements with 7-1. Our goal is end the regular season in, at least, second place, with 7-3. What's even better is a tie for first if St. Clements loses both their games, making them 7-3 as well.

After the regular season, the playoffs begin on April 28th, with all teams playing. With 7 teams in the league, the standings will be used for the playoff pairings, with the first place team having a bye. The two other playoff dates are on May 3rd and 5th, all at All Saints.

As my son would say, "Good days."