Victoria's Belmont Bulldogs swept to first place at last weekend's Red Serge Invitational in PoCo. (Photo by Paul Yates property of Vancouver Sports Pictures)
Feature High School Girls Volleyball

B.C. girls Top 10 volleyball rankings: Tweedy, PA Breakers, host Riverside make late-season charge at Red Serge invitational

PORT COQUITLAM — B.C.’s two-time defending AAAA champion Belmont Bulldogs pushed their record to 46-3 Saturday with win over Surrey’s Pacific Academy Breakers in the final of the Red Serge Invitational. 

As part of a 7-0 weekend in PoCo, it kept the ‘Dawgs firmly rooted at the top of its tier’s Top 10 rankings.

“The final we played at Red Serge was phenomenal,” said Belmont head coach Mike Toakley on Tuesday of a 2-1 win over Pacific Academy which was every bit as tough as the 25-22, 20-25, 15-9 set scores would indicate. “Pacific Academy was not very-highly ranked in Double A, but they were big and athletic and it was mind-boggling that they weren’t No. 1 or 2. Maybe they will be this week.”

Sure enough, the Breakers’ showing made them the biggest movers across all four tiers in the eyes of the B.C. Girls High School Volleyball commission, jumping from No 7 to No. 2 in the AA rankings.

The biggest climbers of all, however, were AAAA’s Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers, who went from unranked to No. 3 after getting all the way to the Red Serge Final Four where they fell to Belmont 2-0 (25-19, 25-18).

Host Riverside, which went from unranked to No. 4 in AAAA, lost 2-1 (25-17, 18-25, 15-4) to Pacific Academy in the semifinals.

Tweedsmuir later beat Riverside 2-0 (25-18, 25-18) in the third-fourth final.

Gracie May and Jocelyn Sherman of Belmont were part of the tournament all-star team, which also included Lauren Attia and Davida Hill of Pacific Academy, Ellie Sinclair of Lord Tweedsmuir and Sophie Wong of Riverside.

Taylee Pomponio of Belmont was selected MVP.

*College Heights beat Duchess Park in an all-Prince George final at the College Heights Cougars Invitational.

*In an all-Vernon final at the host Panthers Invitational, Vernon Secondary beat Kalamalka in the tourney championship match.

*Mt. Baker bear Fernie in the Kimberley final.

Here’s this week’s latest Top 10 rankings courtesy of the B.C. Girls Volleyball Commission:

SENIOR GIRLS

QUAD A

1 Belmont Bulldogs (Victoria) (LW-1) 

2 Lord Byng Grey Ghosts (Vancouver) (2)

3 Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers (Surrey) (NR)

4 Riverside Rapids (Port Coquitlam) (NR)

5 Kelowna Owls (3) 

6 Earl Marriott Mariners (Surrey) (5) 

7 Moscrop Panthers (Burnaby) (6) 

8 Oak Bay Breakers (Victoria) (7) 

9 Penticton Lakers (8) 

10 Handsworth Royals (North Vancouver) (4)

Dropped out —Okanagan Mission Huskies (Kelowna) (9), Seaquam Seahawks (10)

TRIPLE A

1 Crofton House Falcons (Vancouver) (LW-1) 

2 Little Flower Academy Angels (Vancouver) (2) 

3 Dawson Creek Penguins (3)

4 Elgin Park Orcas (Surrey) (4)

5 Nanaimo District Islanders (5)

6 College Heights Cougars (Prince George) (6)

7 Magee Lions (Vancouver) (NR)

8 Carihi Tyees (Campbell River) (8) 

9 W.L. Seaton Sonics (Vernon) (7)

10 South Kamloops Titans (10)

Dropped out — Timberline Wolves (Campbell River) (9)

DOUBLE A

1 York House Tigers (Vancouver) (LW-1)

2 Pacific Academy Breakers (Surrey) (7) 

3 St. Thomas More Knights (Burnaby) (2)

4 Langley Fundamental Titans (4) 

5 MEI Eagles (Abbotsford) (5) 

6 G.W. Graham Grizzlies (Chilliwack) (6) 

7 George Elliot Coyotes (Lake Country) (3)

8 Pacific Christian Pacers (Victoria) (8)

9 Brentwood College (Mill Bay) (9)

10 West Point Grey Wolves (Vancouver) (10)

Dropped out — None

SINGLE A

1 Unity Christian Flames (Chilliwack) (LW-1)

2 Kelowna Christian Knights (2) 

3 Sparwood Spartans (6) 

4 Elkford Celtics (3)

5 Nanaimo Christian Trail Blazers (4) 

6 Vernon Christian Royals (5)

7 Fernie Falcons (7)

8 Aberdeen Hall Gryphons (Kelowna) (8)

9 Stratford Hall Sabres (Vancouver) (9)

10 Southpointe Titans (Delta) (10)

Dropped out — None

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