CORNWALL, P.E.I. — It was a golden weekend for the Queen Charlotte Coyotes.
The Charlottetown-based school swept both titles at the P.E.I. School Athletic Association (PEISAA) intermediate AA volleyball championships at East Wiltshire School in Cornwall.
The Queen Charlotte girls edged the Kensington Torchettes 3-2 to claim their third-ever provincial crown. They previously won in 1993 and 2009.
In one of the most exciting provincial championship matches in a long time, the Queen Charlotte boys dropped the first two sets before rallying for a thrilling five-set victory to win their second consecutive provincial title and fourth championship in school history. Queen Charlotte’s previous wins came in 1994, 1998, 2018 and 2019.
Girls
In the girls’ final, the Torchettes won two of the first three sets – 25-22 in the first and 25-16 in the third – and Queen Charlotte took the second and fourth sets – 25-20 and 25-14 – to send the match to the limit. The Coyotes won the fifth and deciding set 15-11.
Kensington, which has claimed the silver medal in four of the last five years, took a quick 5-1 lead in the first set, thanks to a five-point rotation by Julia Folland. Queen Charlotte led 16-13 before a three-point rotation by Jessica Thibeau gave the Torchettes a 17-16 lead.
The Coyotes would take a 20-17 lead, thanks to a four-point rotation by Eve Lawless, but a six-point rotation by Jaiden Companion put Kensington in front 24-22. A Queen Charlotte side-out would give the Torchettes the opening set 25-22.
Using a seven-point service rotation by Allie Cullingworth, the Coyotes jumped out to a 7-1 lead in Set 2. A five-point rotation by Alice Dorsey gave Queen Charlotte a 12-2 cushion.
Although Kensington would climb back to within 22-20, the deficit was insurmountable. Mainu Lawt would serve the last three points for a 25-20 Queen Charlotte win.
Kensington trailed 7-4 in the third set, but a four-point rotation by Thibeau gave the Torchettes an 8-7 lead. With the score 12-10 for Queen Charlotte, Folland had a 10-point rotation to give Kensington a 20-12 lead en route to a 25-16 victory.
An 11-point rotation by Chloe Jeffrey and a six-pointer by Sara Hanlon gave the Coyotes a 17-3 lead in the fourth set on the way to a 25-14 win. Victoria Zakem had the game-winning serve.
Queen Charlotte jumped ahead 6-2 in the fifth set, thanks to a five-point rotation by Hanlon. A four-point rotation by Maggie Campbell gave Queen Charlotte a 10-3 lead.
Kensington would close to within 13-11. After a side-out made it 14-11, Cullingworth served the championship-winning serve.
Boys
Queen Charlotte jumped out to a 10-6 lead in the opening set of the boys’ gold-medal match. The Coyotes led 16-13 when Eden Woodworth went back to serve. When he was done, East Wiltshire had an 18-16 lead.
The Warriors would maintain the lead throughout, winning 25-21. Kody Vos had the game-winning serve.
After Queen Charlotte took a 4-0 lead in the second set, Dominic Pineau of the Warriors had a seven-point rotation to give East Wiltshire a 7-4 advantage. The Warriors led 22-21 when Raynor Gleen finished the set with a four-point rotation. East Wiltshire won 25-21 to move to within one set of a provincial championship.
But the Coyotes were not done.
Queen Charlotte took a 13-10 lead and coasted to a 25-18 win in the third set. Zach Harris of the Coyotes had a three-point service rotation to end the set.
With the score tied 3-3 in the fourth set, the Coyotes capitalized on an eight-point rotation by David Wang to take an 11-3 lead. Despite getting a seven-point rotation by Pineau, the Warriors would fall 25-17 and Nathan Whitnell registered the game-winning serve.
The teams played a back-and-forth fifth and deciding set before a packed boisterous gym. The Coyotes led 9-5 and 13-9, but a four-point service rotation by Woodworth tied the set 13-13, setting the stage for a nail-biting finish.
A side-out put Queen Charlotte within one point of the gold medal and Wang then served the championship-winning point as Queen Charlotte won 15-13.
Medal Matches
- PEISAA intermediate AA volleyball medal matches:
- Girls
- Gold
- The Queen Charlotte Coyotes defeated Kensington Torchettes 3-2 (22-25, 25-20, 16-25, 25-14, 15-11).
- Bronze
- The Stonepark Tigers defeated the Summerside Intermediate School Owls 3-1 (25-5, 29-27, 18-25, 25-13).
- Boys
- Gold
- The Queen Charlotte Coyotes over East Wiltshire Warriors 3-2 (21-25, 21-25, 25-18, 25-17, 15-13).
- Bronze
- Summerside Owls over Birchwood Cobras 3-1 (25-17, 19-25, 25-10, 25-14).
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