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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, March 11, 2016 | 26 Kevin Nagel Sports Editor sports@oakvillebeaver.com Webb's long trip worth the effort Volleyball Chargers, seeded 17th, win OFSAA AA championship after 1,870-km trek to Kenora By Herb Garbutt Oakville Beaver staff Sports "Connected to your Community" The Garth Webb Chargers were the last quali ers into the provincial tournament. Six days later, they were the last team standing. Garth Webb Secondary School swept the Riverside Rebels in three sets Wednesday to win the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations girls' AA volleyball tournament. "It's crazy. Honestly, it's an indescribable feeling," said Chargers' left side hitter Loren Onate. "We wanted gold so bad, especially after how far we'd come." One thousand, eight hundred and seventy kilometres to be precise. But a ight to Winnipeg followed by a twoplus hour drive to the tournament in Kenora wasn't the only reason the road to OFSAA was a complicated one for the Chargers. Webb's Golden Horseshoe Athletic Conference nal was twice postponed by last week's snowstorm. By the time Garth Webb nally beat Hamilton's St. Mary, the OFSAA programs had been already printed, meaning the eventual champions were nowhere to be found in the tournament guide. Garth Webb was just as far off the radar when it came to forecasting an OFSAA champ. The Chargers were seeded 17th in the 20-team eld. Coach Carol Onate didn't agree with the assessment of her team's chances, especially after it nished in the middle of the pack at last year's OFSAA tournament with essentially the same team. "We're so well rounded," said the Chargers' coach. "We've got some big outside hitters (Loren Onate, Catherine Ostapovych and Teaghan Hignett), our middles (Leah own errors," said Onate. "The third, I knew the girls were not going to give up. They were battling and we built a little momentum." She said the Chargers have shown an ability to adapt within a match and used that to their advantage, evening things up with a 25-21 victory. The Chargers then ended Eden's reign by taking the deciding set 15-11. "Personally, I felt con dent in our team whatever situation we were in," said Onate, the Chargers' captain. "We never get down on each other and we stick together. I think we wanted it more." In the nal, Webb faced another team making an unlikely run, the No. 9 seed Riverside Rebels of Windsor. After taking a close opening set 28-26, Webb refused to let it slip away, taking the next two 25-20, 25-20. After winning a title the team had been working toward for two years, the Chargers coach could nally enjoy the The Garth Webb Chargers won the OFSAA girls' AA volleyball championship. Team members are: (front, from left) Loren Onate, Taylor Coulman, T.M. moment as a parent as well. Nguyen, Teaghan Hignett, (back, from left) coach Carol Onate, Catherine Ostapovych, Leah Kremer, Kia Skeete, Lauren Caroll, Megan Tu, Sarah Ganter, "I've been coaching since before (LoCassie Champagne and assistant coach Megan Kerr. | photo submitted ren) was born, so she knows I know Kremer and Kia Skeete) and our libero (T.M. .Stratford's St. Michael's Catholic Secondary, what I'm doing. As a parent and a Nguyen) are very effective and our setter Webb won 25-22, 25-22. coach, we have a professional relationship (Taylor Coulman), I never have a doubt "I think teams were hoping we would be (on the court), but it was hard, when they about the choices she makes." a walk-over game," said the Chargers' coach, were announcing the names and they anWebb had also gone 9-3 in a highly-com- "that guaranteed win to keep them in the top nounced (Loren's) name, it's `there's my kid.' petitive Halton league, with its losses com- half of the pool." It was emotional." ing against the region's two representatives It turned out Webb was the team to beat. It For mother and daughter, it was their last at the OFSAA AAA tournament, St. Thomas went 4-0 in pool play without dropping a set chance to share a moment like that. Onate is Aquinas and T.A. Blakelock. The Chargers and then defeated Casselman in four sets to one of four graduating players (Ostapovych, were con dent enough in their ability that set up a semi nal matchup with the defend- Hignett and Nguyen are the others). But the players started fundraising for the trip to ing champion, St. Catharines' Eden High. with three returning starters, the Chargers' Kenora at the beginning of the season. Webb started well, taking the opening set coach is not ruling out a return to OFSAA. The Chargers wasted little time showing 25-17. However, Eden pushed Webb to the "We had some strong play off the bench," they were not to be underestimated. Open- brink by taking the next two, 25-15, 25-23. she said. "I know we've got some good playing against the top seed in its pool, No. 4 "The second (set), I felt it was a lot of our ers who are going to be ready to step up." LAWN Bros sErVICEs spend your time on things you LoVE! 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