The Bishop Tonnos Titans have clinched a quarter-final playoff berth at the 2024 OFSAA girls’ AAA volleyball tournament in Markham.
During Day 1 action at the 20-team provincial high school competition Monday, top-seeded Tonnos took all three of its matches by 2-0 scores – over the Bayside Red Devils of Belleville, the St. Peter Saints of Peterborough and Whitby’s Sinclair Saints.
That guaranteed Tonnos a top-two finish in its pool and a quarter-final appearance Tuesday night.
Tonnos’ lone remaining pool game is against Ottawa’s Ecole Franco-Cite Faucons.
“Overall, we’re pleased with the outcome,” Tonnos coach Alvisia Maga said. “We were hoping to go 3-0. Even nicer to go 6-0 (in terms of sets) for the entire day.
“It sets us up quite well. Finishing in the top eight was one of our goals coming in.”
The defending OFSAA champion from the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic league started play with a 25-19, 25-9 triumph over the 20th-seeded Belleville squad.
“We might have been a little nervous in the first game,” Maga said. “The second set was more like BT volleyball.
“Our second game was pretty smooth (25-21, 25-13 over 16th-seeded St. Peter) but our third game against Sinclair was our toughest of the day.”
It was a struggle before sixth-seeded Sinclair went down, 31-29, 25-21.
“Our games today were actually quite close,” the Tonnos coach said. “If anyone was expecting otherwise, I would say in a tournament like OFSAA you need to really make sure you’re moderating expectations.”
Maga said her Grade 11 daughter Avaya, -- a member of Tonnos’ 2023 gold-medal winning squad -- was key to the victory as a setter.
“Avaya kept our team quite grounded,” the Tonnos coach said. “She’s really good a keeping everyone in the space and on the current point.”
According to Maga, other senior players were stand outs.
“Maryn Petrie and Kennedy Llewellyn did a great job of stepping up when we needed them – both emotionally and in skill.”
Mara Craciun and Estelle Buist shared libero duties, swapping in and out a lot. Said coach Maga: “Estelle dug some of the girls' hardest deepest shots. Against Sinclair, Estelle did a great job. That was a close, long game.”
The Titans’ coach also pointed out that Alyssa Cerovac did a great job from the service line and back-up Grade 10 setter Veronica Navarette came in to serve the OFSAA game-point.
“That was pretty cool for her,” she said.
The other GHAC representative – second-seeded Oakville Trafalgar – also won its three Day 1 matches.
“I firmly believe any one of the top eight can win this tournament,” coach Maga said.
Tonnos faced Ecole Franco-Cite in the semifinal round last year, winning 3-1.
By Larry Moko
