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South Surrey represents with two teams at AAA senior girls volleyball finals

Grandview, EMS teams place 7th and 9th at provincial championships held in Okanagan
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Surrey rivals the Earl Marriott Mariners (green) and Grandview Grizzlies battled it out at the AAA senior provincials in the Okanagan, thanks to the school district bussing them up together. (Jennifer Smith photo)

Two South Surrey senior girls volleyball teams are home, safe and sound, after AAA provincial volleyball championships were played in Lake Country Dec. 2 and 3.

The Surrey Grandview Grizzlies and Earl Marriot Secondary’s senior girls Mariners travelled to the tournament together by bus, with snow and winter conditions in the forecast prior to the tournament.

Showcasing the province’s top 16 senior high school girls volleyball teams (minus the Pitt Meadows team, who were unable to make it to the tournament), round robin play paired the two South Surrey teams against each other in a tight best-of-3, with the Grandview Secondary Grizzlies taking the win.

“They all want to beat each other in the moment, but in the end, they’re all friends,” Grandview coach Jason Wilkinson said.

The EMS squad won over Prince George’s Duchess Park Secondary to come in ninth in the tournament.

“We had a wonderful season – it had its ups and downs, but we made it to the B.C.’s - we’ll take what we can get,” said Mariners coach Mark Cassell.

“They played really well. I’m so proud of them.”

The Grandview Grizzlies beat Vancouver Island’s Stelly’s Secondary to place seventh.

READ MORE: Tear-jerking play in Lake Country for B.C. Volleyball Championships

“I’ve never coached a team that has such heart,” Wilkinson said, noting the Grandview team doesn’t have the height and size of other teams that played in the championship.

It’s also a fairly new school in the Surrey school district, only opening its doors in September of 2021.

“What they lack in height and size they make up for with heart. With their strong leadership and work ethic, these girls’ goal was always provincials and they did that. We had an excellent season – we finished undefeated in our league. I’d say it’s the highlight of my coaching career.”

The R.A. McMath senior girls Wildcats won the provincials, beating West Vancouver Secondary for the No. 1 spot.


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Tricia Weel

About the Author: Tricia Weel

I’m a lifelong writer, and worked as a journalist in community newspapers for more than a decade, from White Rock to Parksville and Qualicum Beach, to Abbotsford and Surrey, from 2001-2012
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