With eight SDSSAA banners to their credit in the past nine years (the only exception being the 2020 Covid year that featured a very different schedule and set-up), the Lasalle Lancers senior boys volleyball team is not about to be an easy out any time soon.
That much is pretty well assured with coach Dale Beausoleil back again as the man in charge of the Orange and Black.
No one is going to suggest that an early season tournament final setback at the hands of the Lockerby Vikings (24-26, 25-21, 15-11) with one of the Lancers’ top attackers (Cale Bast) sidelined with an injury is a sure-fire sign that the dynasty is ready to be toppled – but it does add another layer of self-belief to a team that was already feeling pretty good about itself.
“We were really confident going into the season,” noted middle Zander Kasunich, celebrating the Lockerby tournament victory and his 17th birthday just a day apart. “Last year, we were mostly a grade 11 team, so we were all moving up this year.”
“We got our practices started early and we had a big jump in skills compared to where we were at last year, so we’re hoping to get a lot farther than we did last year.”
A left-side tandem of James Bertrim and Liam Binks combined with the right-side duo of Callum Baron and Aiden Purvis, with Adam Selalmatzidis (missing for the weekend tournament) provides a second middle option for setter Samuel George and some much-appreciated versatility for head coach Stephen Beausoleil.
“Our offense is in a really good place right now with mostly a grade 12 core,” said Kasunich. “Defense could use a little work. Defense is one of the most important parts of the game and everyone is still working on it, struggling at times.”
Still, this has the making of an outstanding back and forth rivalry this fall, with that extra ingredient of additional intrigue thrown into to the mix given the coaching match-up as the Lancers and Vikings close out regular season play with a head to head battle on (Thursday) November 2nd.
“We’re hoping to take that game; it’s always an important one on the year, with coach Steve versus his brother (Dale),” said Kasunich. “We’re all looking forward to that.”
Rounding out the 2023 Lockerby lineup are Dilain Abeyratne, Connor Dufour, Keenan Eristhee, Nathan Kane, Noah King, Matthias Siemann and assistant coach Dilyn Gilbert-Leduc.
The Lockerby Junior Vikings came up just short of making it a clean sweep, battling their way to the final but falling to the gold medal affair to the Thériault Flammes from Timmins, 25-13, 25-22.
The Jr Vikes had beaten Thériault 25-22, 25-23 in round robin play and now prepare, along with the seniors, to tackle the field at the E.S. Horizon Boys Volleyball Tournaments on October 5th (juniors) and October 6th (seniors).
