Westwinds Girls volleyball - Dragons host Raiders, complete with retro party

Boys Dragons and Coach Tamara Parkin in retro garb
Lori-Jo Ettenhofer photo

Chris Davis

Pincher Creek's Westwinds JV and SV Dragons hosted their Nanton Raiders counterparts for volleyball on the evening of October 22 at the Dale Wentz Memorial Gymnasium.  So if this this a story about girls volleyball, why are there boys in the top picture, you might ask.  On this evening, the boys of St. Michael's made an event out of supporting their female classmates by dressing up in retro Dragons gear dating back to the 1980s and 1990s, and helped raise flagging spirits (pun intended) during breaks in the action with various antics, including games of invisible badminton.  A pizza party also featured in the festivities.  In short, the boys stole the show.  I think the only suitable vengeance for the girls would be to do the same in return at a future boys game.

The best game of badminton you never saw

In between the boys' antics, 3 sets each of JV and SV volleyball took place.  It started promisingly enough with the JV Dragons winning their first set by a convincing 25-16 margin.   However, that would prove to be the only win for the home teams on this evening.  The Raiders won the second JV set by a huge margin, the JV Dragons got back into the groove midway through the third and last JV set but were already too far behind, the Raiders winning that one by a more evenly balanced 25-22.  Much of the JV scoring was based on misfired serves and a lack of communication that resulted in some easy returns for the Sabres plunking to earth instead.

JV Dragons vs Raiders

The Senior Varsity sets were more evenly matched.  The first set went to the Raiders, 26-24, after being tied several times, including at 24-24.  The Raiders had the upper hand in the second half of the second jV set, winning it 25-18.  The third set was much like the first, with multiple ties (including 24-24 and 25-25) before the Raiders pulled out another win at 27-25 to win the best of 5 game.

SV Dragons vs Raiders

JV Dragons vs Raiders

SV Dragons vs Raiders

Tyler Gerber and Mitchell Zoratti in retro gear

We're working on a "look back at the past" article for sometime in the future, so if you'd like to contribute contact us via pinchercreekvoice@gmail.com, visit our office in the Ranchland Mall, or collar us at a game.

The jacket Tamara Parkin is wearing in the top photo was Lori-Jo Ettenhofer's when she was a St. Michael's athlete and student in the mid to late 1980s.  Ettenhofer's Dragons were the A Girls Provincial Basketball champions in 1985, 1986, and 1987.  Dale Wentz, for whom the St. Michael's School gymnasium is named, was her coach in grade 10, and in grade 11 and 12 her coaches were Jamie Dewald and Lynn Wocknitz.  In those days the gymnasium was where the library is currently and was similar in dimensions to the Livingstone School gym.