The Mount Douglas Secondary School Rams served up a stunning run to snag silver at the AA boys tennis provincials – coming within one set of toppling the undefeated Collingwood Cavs.
The Rams pushed hard to capture silver at the provincial championships, falling just short in a nail-biting 3-2 final against Vancouver’s Collingwood.
The three-day tournament wrapped up May 24 at Oak Bay and Henderson Recreation centres, marking the first year tennis competitions were split into separate boys and girls categories.
“It was an amazing week,” said Chris Ball, Mount Doug’s athletic director. “We had a very talented group – mostly local kids, with a couple of internationals. I knew they’d be good, but they ended up being even better than expected.”
The Rams – who also clinched the Island Championships earlier in May by defeating Brentwood College 4-1 – entered provincials undefeated.
Facing the Cavs – a perennial powerhouse with an unblemished record – the final was a hard-fought battle that came down to the wire.
“We lost 3 sets to 2, it was very close,” Ball said. “Our kids were obviously disappointed but proud. Being one set away from a B.C. title is huge.”
Mount Doug’s roster of nine boys featured six players competing in the best-of-five match format – two played both singles and doubles, while four played doubles only.
Among the standouts was Grade 10 phenom Filbert Zhang, a provincially ranked player and one of the top talents in his age group.
Mount Doug will see several players move on following this season, including Grade 12 standout Ivor Emberton – also provincially ranked and a past team MVP.
“He’s been solid for four years,” Ball noted. “He’s a great kid and leader. We’ll miss him.”
The Rams practise twice a week during the regular season, holding tryouts each spring and training at Lambrick Park. Though tennis is traditionally dominated by independent schools, Mount Doug’s strong public school presence is a point of pride for Ball.
“We’ve run roughshod over most competition,” he said. “It’s nice to see a public school competing so well against independent schools.”
While the boys brought home silver, the Rams girls team narrowly missed qualifying for provincials – finishing sixth at Islands. Ball cited injuries and international player absences as challenges for the girls squad.
Looking ahead, Mount Doug will move up to the AAA tier next year – joining heavyweight schools like Oak Bay and Claremont for at least the next three years.
“We’re excited to take on those new opponents,” Ball said. “This was a great way to finish in the AA circuit. I’m quite proud of this group.”
Provincial podiums showcased strong Vancouver representation on the girls side – with Crofton House taking gold, Collingwood silver, and West Point Grey bronze. St. Michaels was the top Greater Victoria school, finishing fourth.
On the boys side, South Kamloops claimed bronze behind Collingwood and Mount Douglas. Other Greater Victoria schools filled the ranks as Brentwood College (4th), Gulf Islands (5th), St. Michaels (6th), and Glenlyon Norfolk (7th) made their mark on the provincial platform.
