Paris Panthers unbeaten in senior boys volleyball

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The Paris District Excessive Faculty Panthers have made it look simple in AABHN senior boys volleyball this season.

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Paris improved to 10-0 within the standings following a 25-9, 25-15, 25-21 Athletic Affiliation of Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk win at house towards the McKinnon Park Secondary Faculty Blue Devils.

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Though the Panthers are unbeaten and have solely misplaced 4 units in these 10 video games, coach Wealthy dela Rosa mentioned his workforce is ensuring it’s taking each opponent significantly.

“We don’t take anyone too flippantly,” dela Rosa mentioned. “The league is fairly properly rounded.

“There are clearly stronger groups and groups which can be our goal however it hasn’t been simple. It’s been a grind.”

A 12 months in the past the Panthers went 6-6 within the common season and confronted an uphill battle within the semifinals. Going through first-place St. John’s School, who was 11-1, Paris pulled off the upset to advance to the ultimate towards Brantford Collegiate Institute.

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BCI was additionally 11-1 and it ended Paris’ run by capturing the championship. The Panthers want to be on the opposite facet of the online this season when the ultimate is completed.

“Our aim for the reason that starting of the season has been to get again to the ultimate and hopefully prevail as champions,” mentioned dela Rosa, who famous there are a handful of gamers again from final 12 months’s workforce.

“If we are able to get to CWOSSA or something after that, it will be a bonus.”

Every year when the season begins, a lingering query with each workforce is the way it will bond. That has not be a problem for the Panthers.

“The workforce is fairly close-knit,” mentioned dela Rosa. “Everyone has purchased into this system.”

Paris has two video games remaining within the common season. After all they don’t seem to be a completed product and dela Rosa sees a few areas the place work will be achieved.

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“They should discuss extra and name the ball,” mentioned the coach.

“And they should stroll into the gymnasium with confidence. Having confidence goes a good distance.”

In its ultimate sport of the common season, PDHS will face second-place North Park Collegiate. The Panthers are trying ahead to seeing the place they stack up towards the Trojans but in addition whether or not they can full an undefeated common season.

“I feel it’s for the boys, particularly those who got here again for (a fifth 12 months),” dela Rosa answered when requested if going 12-0 was a aim.

“North Park shall be a superb take a look at.”

Going into the sport towards McKinnon, Paris had suffered a blow after it misplaced its center, Nate Brewster, to damage at observe on Monday.

That pressured the Panthers to play a 6-2 they usually didn’t appear to overlook a beat.

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With Canaan Sherbino, Kalen Johnson and Gavin Bernard main the way in which, PDHS wasn’t actually challenged within the opening set of the best-of-five match because it took a 1-0 lead.

Within the second set, MPSS got here to play and with issues tied at 9-9, Paris was pressured to name a timeout.

Down 11-10 and 13-12, Paris received robust hits from Sherbino and Bernard to tie issues up. Following successful from Dexter Quesnel and nice serving by Jackson Dicks, the Panthers went forward 20-13 on their solution to taking a 2-0 benefit within the match.

Paris constructed a 9-3 lead within the third set and though McKinnon Park battled again to tie issues up at 18-18, PDHS ultimately took flight and received the match on successful by Quesnel.

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