SDSS senior boys volleyball win London tournament

The Stratford District Secondary School (SDSS) won gold at a tournament at John Paul II Catholic Secondary School in London Sept. 25. Pictured in the front row, from left to right, are Yug Patel, Jack de Graaf, Nate Meadows, Cohen Bernard, MJ White and Jordan Diep. In the back row, from left, are coach Bear Gough, Chahil Patel, Brody Sinclair, Davis Longston, Zack Davidson, Ashton Van Kooten, Evan Abercrombie, Evan Ehnes, Ryan Cassone and coach Mark Cassone.

By: Spencer Seymour

The Stratford District Secondary School (SDSS) earned the top prize at a tournament held Sept. 25 at John Paul II Catholic Secondary School in London. 

After splitting their first match of the day against London Christian 1-1, SDSS rattled off eight straight-set wins to take home the championship, with coach Bear Gough recalling a moment from one of the earlier games in the tournament as highlighting the spirit of the squad. 

“During pool play, rookie Nate Meadows ran and dove headfirst to try and save a ball in a set where we were up 23-6,” Gough explained. “It was emblematic of the hard-nosed mentality this team has been building. They play hard and battle for every point, no matter what. I think it shows how much respect they have for the game, and for each other. One thing I love about this team is that all 14 guys are fully invested in every game, and our bench and their energy have been a big reason we've been so successful thus far.”

Their hot run culminated with a semi-final victory over London Banting before defeating London Christian High in the finals by scores of 25-23 and 25-21.

Gough explained how the Golden Bears overcame a tough opponent from London Banting in the semis.

“London Banting had been playing well all day,” said Gough. “We had a few players go on really strong serving runs that really limited our opponent's ability to run their offence. Yug (Patel) had two big runs in the playoff rounds that either pulled us level or put us ahead for good. I thought our setter, Davis (Longston), had a really good day for us. He's one of the smartest players you'll ever see, and he just kept finding ways to put our hitters in positions to kill the ball. We're a very dangerous team offensively, and he sets the table really well.”

Captain and left side Ryan Cassone, along with setter Davis Longston, led the charge with strong leadership and inspired play on the court. Pinch-servers Yug Patel and Evan Ehnes went on several long serving runs in key moments to take momentum and seal wins for SDSS. 

According to Gough, the Golden Bears were lifted to the tournament gold by their veteran leaders in the finals.

“In the final, we played a London Christian high team that has already given us four very tight matches so far this season. We won in straight sets, but they were close, and we had to battle back from an early deficit in the second set,” Gough began.

“Our veteran outside hitters were really smart and creative with the ball, and the team played a really mature game. We weren't firing on all cylinders, but we're an experienced team, and these guys just keep proving they can win games in a lot of different ways. Our captain Ryan Cassone was a great leader for us. He's been around the program for three seasons now, and he's a guy who leads by example in big moments.”

From a players’ perspective, Cassone summarized SDSS’s gritty effort.

“The boys battled today, and that was the story of how our tournament went. The start of our tournament wasn’t the way we wanted it to go, but that didn’t stop us from doing what we needed to do. Everyone had their roles today, and we showed up in a great way. A huge part of our success today was the positivity on and off the court, with a calm and collected coach helping us take our first tournament win of the season.

“I believe the whole team just keeps getting better and better as every day goes by, as we all have that same goal of making it to OFSSA,” Cassone continued. “As a team, we understand that we need to work and keep improving to prepare for the strong competition we will be playing. Lastly, the effort, the energy and enthusiasm were there, and that’s what we build on at SDSS athletics.”

Both SDSS and St. Michael Catholic Secondary School open their Huron-Perth league campaigns this week, and Gough said he was thrilled with the work ethic and resilience of his team as the season is about to get underway.

“What was most impressive to me was the fact that we really didn't have our A-plus game all day, but the players put on their hard hats and worked hard to make adjustments and play winning volleyball. The boys were battling a bit, but they were consistent in their effort and commitment to each other and to getting better. They refused to get frustrated and used each point as an opportunity to learn and improve. You can't ask for anything more than that as a coach.”