To my knowledge, the concept of “antique bronze” medals exists only within the world of OFSAA (Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations) Championships – and to be honest, there certainly has been discussion, over time, regarding the merit of a structure that now sees fourth place finishers also returning home with hardware.

(said discussion usually centers around where the line should be drawn when it comes to medals, given the far more standard podium placings for top three – offset against the argument that many a sport work their way down to a “final four” format and it does seem a shame to exclude one team / individual only when it comes to medal presentations within that group)

And, to be frank, when you come as close as the Confederation Chargers girls volleyball did to securing a third place finish this week in North Bay at the OFSAA Girls “A” Volleyball Championships, it truly would have been a crying shame to send them home empty-handed.

The SDSSAA champions and NOSSA representatives posted a 3-1 record in pool play and guaranteed themselves a shot at a medal following a quarter-final win over the Ecole secondaire Academie Mère-Théresa Jaguars Tuesday evening (26-24, 22-25, 25-22, 25-21).

Preliminary action featured Confederation victories over the E.S.C. Plantagenet Panthères (25-16, 25-18), E.S.C. E.J. Lajeunesse Royals (25-13, 25-22) and the Ursula Franklin Academy Flames (25-18, 25-14), with only the top-ranked De La Salle College Oaklands from Toronto getting the better of the Chargers (13-25, 19-25).

Through to the final four, coach Craig Thomson and company were felled by the University of Toronto Schools Blues (26-24, 22-25, 19-25, 17-25), relegated to a battle for third with Ecole secondaire catholique Père-René-de-Galinée Chevaliers from Cambridge.

Not only would the battle for bronze extend the full five sets, but in outlasting the Confederation crew 17-25, 25-22, 25-23, 29-31, 16-14, the Chevaliers effectively went to overtime in each of the final two sets. While antique bronze was certainly not what coach Thomson and his girls were hoping for to start the day, it was far more fitting than a simple participation ribbon for a team that fought tooth and nail, to the very last point.

The 2025-2026 edition of the Confederation Chargers senior girls volleyball team included Mara Kahl, Sophie Marshall, Morgan Gauvreau, Avery Gauvreau, Malin Brunette, Kaylee Baillargeon, Alexia Savoie, Harlym Triff, Kyra Lefebvre, Ava McLinton, Lex O’Dell, Elizabeth Lynds and coaches Craig Thomson, Kennedy Ward, Ashley Ruddick and Rylee Thompson.

Still with girls volleyball, the city finalist Lockerby Vikings fell one step short of matching their Val Caron rivals with a final four OFSAA performance of their own, beaten 20-25, 21-25, 22-25 by the Branksome Hall Highlanders from Toronto at the "AA" Championships in Cambridge.

Branksome Hall went on to eventually claim gold, besting the Aurora High School Eagles in the final.

The Vikes emerged in second place in Pool B following a three-way tie for first place, with Kings Christian Collegiate Cavaliers from Oakville (LCS lost 15-25, 14-25) and the Parkside Collegiate Institute Stampeders from St Thomas (LCS won 25-19, 25-22) joining Lockerby at 3-1.

All three teams overcame both the Galt Collegiate Institute Ghosts from Cambridge (LCS - 25-23, 25-14) and the St Patrick High School Fighting Saints from Thunder Bay (LCS - 25-9, 25-22).