By Dan Plouffe
It began with devastation and ended in triumph. Overall, the Lisgar senior boys’ volleyball team owns an indelible memory, and their place in school history.
For a trio of key graduating Lords – Josh Isaac, Ben Harper and William Wu – the ride began four years ago. After an undefeated regular season in Grade 10, they lost a five-set heartbreaker to Samuel-Genest in the junior boys’ east conference final.
They were eager to make amends and a name for themselves in the senior ranks last season, and would have been a top contender not only locally, but provincially. However, the public school board teachers’ labour dispute with the Ontario government wiped out most fall sports, and left the Lisgar boys on the sidelines.
“It was pretty much the worst feeling,” Isaac recalls, noting it was that much harder to see club volleyball teammates from French and Catholic schools competing as usual. “When we had to take the year off, it was like, ‘Wow. Next year is our last chance. We have to win.’”
That led the experienced group of players to help out coaching the junior boys’ team in their wintertime season, so that they could still play, and build towards the next year in senior.
“They decided that they wanted to stay involved and make sure the program didn’t suffer,” highlights Lisgar coach Stephanie Morrison, who felt similarly downhearted when she was unable to coach last season. “They’ve shown a lot of dedication.”
With the labour action cleaned up, the Lords came back with renewed fire for this year and posted a 9-1 regular season record. Lisgar profited from a healthy share of star power – including Ottawa Fusion club players Isaac, Stephen Kary and Harper, a past national all-star – but the leaders quickly give credit to the team’s supporting cast, which provided depth that few high school squads could match.
“That’s what sets us apart,” Harper explains. “All the spots that we need, we have filled.”
A close team bond, established through the highs and lows, was another key ingredient to success.
“We’re like brothers pretty much,” Isaac signals. “It shows on the court, that chemistry.”
The pinnacle for the tight group came in the national capital league playoffs. The Lords secured one of two available trips to the OFSAA provincial championships with a semi-final win over Béatrice-Desloges, and then ended their school’s lengthy city championship drought with a four-set victory over emerging volleyball force Longfields-Davidson Heights in the final.
“It’s been awhile (for Lisgar),” Isaac smiles. “We have the banner up on our school walls, but it was getting kind of old.”
When the Lords got their championship trophy, they verified that the last time Lisgar’s name was on there was for their 1977 title.
“36 years or something like that? Oh my,” smiles Harper, whose parents, Stephen and Laureen, attended the championship match at Lester B. Pearson Catholic High School and provided the best security an Ottawa high school sports final has ever seen.
“It’s something that will last forever,” Harper continues. “When I go back and visit, the banner will be up on the wall. I made my mark. It’ll be there forever.”
Lisgar added a little icing to the cake with a strong run at the Nov. 21-23 OFSAA ‘AAA’ championships in London. The Lords lost just once in seven matches – to the back-to-back champions from Chatham-Kent in the semi-finals – to bring home a provincial bronze medal.
“Four years of building – I couldn’t have asked for more,” Morrison surmises, saluting her team for the tremendous leadership, dedication and positive attitudes. “I am so proud to have been a part of this amazing journey.”