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The Yorkton Regional High School (YRHS) Raider senior boys volleyball team has their eyes set on a strong finish at the southern regional playdowns later this month.

Head coach Dion Pfeifer feels his team is in good shape heading into the tournament which is slated to be played in their home gymnasium at the Yorkton Regional High School, on the weekend of Nov. 11-12, he said.

In order to get ready for that weekend, Pfeifer's Raiders were invited to play in the Sacred Heart senior boys tournament over the weekend.

The second match of the tournament for both of the Yorkton schools saw them face each other.

"We started off slow," Pfeifer said of the early going and also suggested his team may have been a little 'too into it' at the start.

"Emotionally, we were a little too high at the start.

The match went two sets with YRHS winning both. In the semi final matches, YRHS beat Lanigan in two sets by scores of 25-18 and 25-19. In the other semi, Kincaid knocked off Melville, 25-16 and held on to win a closer battle in the second set, 26-24.

Yorkton Regional went up against Kincaid and won two sets, 26-24 and 25-20. In the bronze match, Lanigan took care of Melville 25-17 and 25-14.

The Raider squad was carrying 12 guys, says Pfeifer, adding that they had 14 available to them.

Pfeifer said afterwards he likes where the team is at and if they keep playing well, they should be a force come regionals weekend.

YRHS took out Sacred Heart, who had several players dress last second after coming off a huge soccer win in boys' provincial tournament, which SHHS also hosted.

Pfeifer said he has high expectations for his team for the rest of the season, adding that it's "nearing the end".

He said he likes how they are up front.

"They're very athletic," he explained. "Their strength is at the net, blocking, hitting." He insists all they need to do is work on ball control.

Among the moves he's made is moving usual centre Tyler Boychuk to power. "That's a big move," Pfeifer notes.

Daniel Mandziuk, Ben Redl and Jason Blommaert are also top players at this point, says coach Pfeifer.

"We're using this weekend to get ready for playdowns (in November)."

IMPORTANT DATES

The YRHS senior boys' team should have a very busy month of November, says Pfeifer.

They will host their annual tournament on Nov. 4-5. Tournament play will begin at 2:30 p.m., on the Friday. Saturday morning round robin play continues at 9 a.m. "Playoffs are all afternoon Saturday," says Pfeifer in a press release.

"The top (senior boys) teams from all over the province and Manitoba (will play)."

Following the home tournament will be the Â鶹´«Ã½AVern Regional Playdowns, scheduled for Nov. 11-12 also held in their home gym at the YRHS.

"The top three advance to provincials," says Pfeifer.