Lesson learned, just in time.
The Foothills Falcons won three straight sets after losing the opener to the George McDougall Mustangs en route to winning the 4A South Central zone banner Saturday at the Comp.
“Our guys executed our game plan to a T,” said Falcons coach Corey Cowper. “After the first set, I reinforced what our game plan was in the break between the sets.”
The Falcons’ 3-1 win gave the Comp a 2-1 victory in the best of three matches zone final. Foothills beat the Mustangs 3-2 on Nov. 20. However, the Mustangs stampeded the Falcons 3-0 in Airdrie on Thursday to set up the Saturday showdown to earn a trip to provincials.
While game plans are great, not even Donald Trump could win at Monopoly if he just had Baltic Avenue. The Falcons, led by powers Liam Hall, Cody Guttridge, middle Mason Sheen and others, brought Boardwalk like talent to the table.
They also had momentum after the first set according to George Mac’s head coach.
“We had a good start today but whenever two teams are evenly matched, momentum is usually what determines a win or a loss,” Mustangs coach Tim Masse said. “Volleyball is a fickle sport and we had a few things go against us.”
They were also up against a Falcon squad that flicked a switch and were diving and spiking with a mission in the final three sets.
“Foothills had a much better balanced offence than they did against us on Thursday,” Masse said. “Liam Hall played excellent and #15 (power Cody Guttridge) hurt us. Their setter (Josh Clutterbuck) had his best game (of the series).
“But we never gave up. I’m proud of our team.”
While Hall’s spikes are an automatic, his defence was outstanding as he dug out Mustangs’ hit after hit. Falcon libero Ryan Nguyen was also Johnny-on-the spot in thwarting the Mustangs’ attack with his defence.
Guttridge slammed a spike of the Mustangs’ blockers that dropped straight into the net to give Foothills a 25-18 win in Game 3 and the 2-1 lead gave Foothills more momentum than Justin Trudeau in the last week of a federal election.
“We shook off that loss in the first set and we brought ourselves together in the second set and we didn’t stop,” Guttridge said.
“I came in here thinking this might be my last game of the season. So I wanted to give it my all and do the best I could.”
Guttridge, who was a setter at the start of the season for the rugby-injured Clutterbuck, switched to the right-side and become an integral part of the Falcons hard-hitting wrecking ball of Sheen, Hall, Ben Rahn and Co.
The Falcons go into provincials at Jasper Place High School in Edmonton as the ninth-seed and will open against the Western Canada Redhawks on Thursday.
Foothills will have a caravan heading to the Capital.
The Falcons girls earned a spot to Jasper Place for provincials as the lone 4A school in the South Central zone.
As well the Foothills Falcons gridiron squad will play in the provincial football final 2:30 p.m. in Edmonton.
