Gemini junior, senior volleyball boys serve up strong TVRA start in their 2026 season

The Gemini golf team qualified for WOSSAA with a fifth-place TVRA Tri-County tournament finish Monday at the St. Thomas Golf & Country Club in Union. Team members, were, left to right: Emerson Hodges, Drew Hunter, Peyton Voth and Clarke Lessif. (Contributed Photo)

Jeff Tribe, Post Correspondent

Playing the entire game is the plan when Jack Bruder starts for the Provincial Junior Hockey League’s Norwich Merchants.

Less so perhaps as a member of the Tillsonburg Gemini senior boys’ volleyball team.

But when the squad opened its 2026 Thames Valley Regional Athletics season in Woodstock College Avenue Tuesday, Sept. 19, a seven-member lineup meant ample court time for all.

Although ‘exhausted’, he and his Gemini teammates were not daunted following a tight 3-1 (25-19, 21-25, 23-25, 20-25) loss to the homecourt Knights.

“It’s a fun game with good buddies.”

“It’s fun to play,” agreed teammate Hunter Whittington, also willing to contest every available minute. “That’s about it.”

The Gemini opened with a first-set win, dropping the second as College Avenue was able to leverage its height advantage at the net. The Knights’ Dawson Riley closed out a tight two-point third set with a centre block at the net. Tillsonburg’s early 4-1 lead in set four was interrupted by a CASS time out. The Knights rallied to tie at six, and then pulled ahead 15-10 en route to a five-point victory where arguably, fatigue could have been a factor.

“A good start,” said coach Krista Ferguson. “I was impressed.”

Bruder and Xander Breddy agreed the team needs to cut down on little mistakes.

“But I don’t think we played bad,” said Breddy.

“It was a good first game,” Whittington added. “Definitely brought the team together a bit.

“Hopefully we’re better next week.”

Development will come with practice said coach Ferguson, along with a tournament later in the week. But overall, she was pleased with the team’s inaugural showing.

“They’re not really volleyball players but they’re good athletes and came together and figured it out with not a lot of practice time.”

Junior

Gemini junior boys’ volleyball coach Melissa Jacko was thrilled to put a 3-0 sweep into the books against the junior Knights.

“A great start,” she emphasized following a 26-24, 25-17, 25-19 victory closed out in the third set with a Logan Deleye right side kill and jump service ace. “They looked strong out there, moving on the court really well.

“We can only go up from here.”

Unofficially, the match win equals Gemini victory totals from the entire 2025-26 regular season, that a year of growth for a majority Grade 9 lineup.

“The 9’s are now Grade 10’s,” said Jacko, speaking to increased size, strength and experience.

“And a little more confidence on the court,” she concluded. “We’re a little more experienced this year and ready to play to win.”

TVRA Southeast Golf

Led by Peyton Voth’s fourth-place 78 and Drew Hunter’s 85, which tied him for 16th, the Gemini boys golf team finished fifth overall at the TVRA Tri-County tournament Monday, Sept. 28 at the St. Thomas Golf & Country Club in Union.

Voth, Hunter, Emerson Hodges and Clarke Lessif finished with a 38-over-par cumulative round. With that top-six finish, the Gemini qualified for Western Ontario Secondary Schools Athletic Association (WOSSAA) competition back in Union Monday, October 5.