HUMBER REPEATS AS OCAA MEN'S VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONS

Humber Hawks defeat Redeemer Royals 3-0 (25-18, 25-19, 26-24)
Humber wins OCAA championship

The Humber Hawks are the class of men's volleyball in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association in 2011.

The Hawks decisively won the Gold Medal Game of The 2011 Adidas/VSP Sports OCAA Men's Volleyball Championship at Seneca College's Newnham Gymnasium on Saturday night. With a 3-0 victory over the underdog Redeemer Royals, Humber has now won medals at three of the last four OCAA Men's Volleyball Championships including back-to-back Championships in 2010 and 2011.

A vocal but divided crowd made-up of loyal Royals fans, Hawks supporters and Senecans added to the intensity of the hard-fought gold medal match. Redeemer, a team that finished 8-10 on the OCAA regular season, and qualified for the Championship tournament via a playoff elimination victory over the Loyalist Lancers, defeated the No. 1 ranked Sheridan Bruins and the Mohawk Mountaineers to advance to the Championship Final. The Humber Hawks defeated the Nipissing Lakers and the host Seneca Sting to advance to the Gold Medal Game.

Redeemer's miracle run ended against a talented, all-star-laden group from Humber. Pickering, Ontario's Matthew Isaacs, an OCAA All-Star and one of the Championship Final Adidas/VSP Sports Players of the Game notched 12 Points and 7 Kills in the victory. Meanwhile, the Royals, who battled to the final set, were led by Aaron Vanderlugt, of Burlington, Ont., who scored 10 Points, contributed five blocks along with four kills. Vanderlugt was also named Player of the Game for Redeemer.

Humber's Derek Quinn, an OCAA All-Star and Mississauga, Ont. native was named Most Valuable Player of The 2011 Adidas/VSP Sports OCAA Men's Volleyball Championship. Quinn was named Player of the Game in Friday's semifinal victory by Humber over Seneca and scored no fewer than six points-per-game in the tournament.

Following the game, the Sheridan Bruins were presented with the OCAA Fair Play Award for their sportsmanship, integrity and respect for the game during the tournament.

Below is a complete list of In-Tournament Award Winners:

Tournament All-Stars - 2011 Adidas/VSP Sports OCAA Men's Volleyball Championship
Jason Hernandez, Seneca Sting
Justin Scapinello, Mohawk Mountaineers
Christian Vandergeest, Redeemer Royals
David Klomps, Redeemer Royals
Andre Brown, Humber Hawks
Brendan Wong, Humber Hawks

OCAA Fair Play Award: Sheridan Bruins

Tournament MVP - 2011 Adidas/VSP Sports OCAA Men's Volleyball Championship: Derek Quinn, Humber Hawks

Mohawk Mountaineers defeat Seneca Sting 3-0 (25-12, 25-14, 25-19)
Mohawk wins OCAA Bronze Medal

The Seneca Sting could not capitalize on the momentum of a mammoth 3-0 victory over the No. 1 ranked Sheridan Bruins in their Bronze semi-final and dropped a 3-0 decision to the Mohawk Mountaineers in the Bronze Medal Match at The 2011 Adidas/VSP Sports OCAA Men's Volleyball Championship. Despite a vocal and supportive home crowd, Seneca struggled from the outset dropping the opening set 25-12, then the next 25-14 and the final 25-19.

The Mountaineers were full credit for the victory dominating from start to finish as Hamilton's Cameron Henschel led all scorers with 15 Points and 10 Kills and was a force on the defensive-end finishing with five blocks for Mohawk. OCAA Rookie of the Year Justin Scapinello, of London, Ont., who has been considerable presence for the Mountaineers throughout the tournament, was not the primary offensive focus in this game as he finished with eight points and seven kills.

Seneca's Predrag Gajic, of Scarborough, Ont., led The Sting with 12 Points and 10 Kills while OCAA All-Star Jason Hernandez, of Harrow, Ont., chipped in with 9 Points and 7 Kills. However, no Senecan contributed more than five points in the loss.

Mohawk last won an OCAA Men's Volleyball Championship medal in 2009 when they also claimed bronze.

The Redeemer Royals and the Humber Hawks face-off in the Gold Medal Game which is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Newnham Gymnasium. The Adidas/VSP Sports Players of the Game were Gajic for Seneca, the straight game in which he's received the honour, and Henschel for Mohawk.

Mohawk Mountaineers defeat Nipissing Lakers 3-2 (25-20, 19-25, 25-23, 23-25, 15-13)
Mohawk advances to OCAA Bronze Medal Game

The Mohawk Mountaineers were taken to the brink in their five-set marathon effort versus the Nipissing Lakers, to qualify for The 2011 Adidas/VSP Sports OCAA Men's Volleyball Championship Bronze Medal Game, on Saturday morning. Mohawk topped Nipissing 3-2 in the game and 15-13 in the final set to maintain their hopes of medal contention at the tournament hosted by Seneca College. A dominant effort by OCAA Rookie of the Year Justin Scapinello of London, Ont. led the way for the Mountaineers who received 21 Points and 20 Kills from their All-Star. Scapinello and St. Catherines, Ontario's Allan McGrath (14 Points and 10 Kills) helped the Mountaineers rebound from a tough 3-1 loss in the Gold Medal qualifying match on Friday to the Redeemer Royals.

The Lakers matched Mohawk point-for-point in most every game heading into the final and deciding set. Nipissing's Andre LeBlanc, of Sudbury, Ont., led the charge for his team with 19 Points and 16 Kills. The Lakers repeatedly came back from in the match, tying the game at one set apiece, then two, but finally, unable to mount a comeback in the fifth set. OCAA All-Star Frankie Edgecombe of Elmvale, Ont. led both teams with a stellar defensive effort contributing five blocks in the game.

Mohawk will either face the Seneca Sting or Sheridan Bruins in the Bronze Medal Game which will take place at 3 p.m. The Gold Medal Game is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Newnham Gymnasium. The Adidas/VSP Sports Players of the Game were LeBlanc for the Lakers and Mohawk's Zac Schulz, of St. Catharines, Ont., who notched a game-high 18 digs.

Seneca Sting defeat Sheridan Bruins 3-0 (26-24, 25-23, 25-21)
Seneca advances to OCAA Bronze Medal Game

The Seneca Sting advanced to the Bronze Medal Game of The 2011 Adidas/VSP Sports OCAA Men's Volleyball Championship after a dominant 3-0 victory over the No. 1 ranked Sheridan Bruins on Saturday afternoon at Seneca's Newnham Gymnasium. The Sting, coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Humber Hawks, Friday in the semi-finals, came-out with intensity in front of yet another raucous homecrowd.

The Sting got stand-out performances by OCAA All-Star Jason Hernandez (17 Points and 15 Kills) of Harrow, Ont. and by Scarborough, Ontario's Predrag Gajic who notched 12 Points and 10 Kills. From start to finish, Seneca seemed determined to continue their streak of OCAA Championship medals and make-up for last night's defeat. Seneca won back-to-back silvers in 2009 and '10 and was looking to qualify for the bronze medal game in 2011. They accomplished that goal with the victory.

Sheridan's incredible season came to a crashing halt at this weekend's tournament. OCAA Player of the Year Andrew Henry, of Brampton, Ont., and his 11 Points and 9 Kills in this game were insufficient to make a sustained run for the Bruins. No Bruins player scored more than 11 Points in the game. Despite the struggles on the offensive end for Sheridan, each of the sets were decided by no more than four points. OCAA All-Star Cody Williams, of Milton, Ont., scored 11 Points and 10 Kills, in the loss for Sheridan.

Seneca will face the Mohawk Mountaineers in the Bronze Medal Game which will take place at 3 p.m. The Gold Medal Game is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Newnham Gymnasium. The Adidas/VSP Sports Players of the Game were Gajic for Seneca and Henry for Sheridan.

Championship Website and Webcast: http://www.senecac.on.ca/ocaa/

Source: Seneca College