Stonewall represented on both sides of court in 17U Girls Provincial final

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The Volleyball Manitoba 17U Girls Provincial Championships featured a strong local presence, with Stonewall athletes competing on both sides of the net during the final on April 27 at Sport Manitoba.

The Junior Bisons Gold, featuring Stonewall’s Ava Favreau, faced off against Stonewall’s Jordan Hudon and Dynamo Fusion in a nail-biting match that came down to the wire in the third and final set between the two Winnipeg-based clubs.

With a 14-13 lead in the third set, the Bisons held serve and looked to close out the match. After Dynamo returned the ball, the Bisons defence regained control and set up their left side for Favreau, who smashed the ball over the net and in bounds — sealing the Bisons’ provincial title.

“We had the serve, so all the adrenaline was just going — all the excitement. It was very loud, and I just thought, ‘If I’m going to hit this, let’s make it a big moment,’” said Favreau.

“I just really wanted to win this game, and my coach always says to me, ‘If you’re going to swing, just swing as hard as you can. If it’s out, at least you tried, as opposed to letting them get an easy point.’

“I thought, might as well just swing — and I did. Everyone was cheering. Yeah, it was a really special moment, and my parents especially were very proud. Sometimes I don’t have that much confidence, especially in a really close game like that, so I felt really good about my playing and that I chose to make that decision. We ended up winning.”

Tribune Photos Submitted
Ava Favreau of Stonewall delivered the championship-winning point for the Junior Bisons Gold with a decisive spike in the final set of the 17U Girls Provincial Championships

Favreau’s high level of play is part of why she’s on the team as an underage player. At just 15, she has made a smooth transition to the faster pace of the 17U level with the Bisons.

She is once again a provincial champion, having previously won multiple titles in earlier years while playing for Dynamo.

“Playing up the level is different. The game is a little bit faster, people are more developed, and playing up helps me by competing with stronger girls,” she said. “It’s made my defence better. Seeing stronger girls hit harder makes me want to do that too, and playing on this team, I feel like I fit in. Everyone’s so equal on my team.”

The final score of the championship was 2–1 (23–25, 25–15, 15–13) in favour of the Bisons, who, like all provincial participants, competed over two full days at Sport Manitoba and the nearby Duckworth Centre in downtown Winnipeg.

The Bisons secured their victory despite missing one of their starting middles, Gimli’s Jencie Henry, who was sidelined by injury for the final.

While the Bisons were crowned champions, Dynamo Fusion made one of the tournament’s most impressive runs, often placing sixth or seventh during the regular season. At provincials, Dynamo broke through during Sunday’s playoffs, eliminating multiple teams en route to the final.

“We just showed up to provincials, and our goal all year was just trying to place top three,” said Hudon, 16. “We played some of the top teams in quarters and semis, and then we were in the finals. It was a great experience — it was really fun.”

Despite falling just short in the final, Hudon said her team was thrilled with the result.

The season isn’t over yet for either squad, as both the Bisons and Dynamo are set to compete in the Volleyball Canada 2025 Youth Nationals from May 19 to 21 at the Edmonton EXPO Centre in Edmonton, Alta.

Both teams will continue to train ahead of the national tournament.

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