HAWKS LOOK TO HAVE FAST START AS SEASON BEGINS AT HOME
Posted: Oct 25, 2017

HAWKS LOOK TO HAVE FAST START AS SEASON BEGINS AT HOME

ETOBICOKE, ON: The Humber Hawks will entertain a familiar face in the Redeemer Royals as they open up the 2017 regular season on home court Thursday night at the Humber Athletic Centre. The first serve will take place thirty minutes following the completion of the women's 6:00 pm game, an approximate start time of 7:45 pm.

THE MATCH UP

Humber "Hawks" vs Redeemer "Royals"
Thursday, October 26/17
- 30 minutes after conclusion of women's game
Humber Athletic Centre

LAST TIME OUT VS REDEEMER

Redeemer completed the three-game season sweep of the Hawks by knocking off the host team 3-2 in the consolation final at the OCAA championships. Morgan Rutledge led the way for the Royals with 18 offensive points (17K, 1SA), while Zacc Burke and Brady DeBoer kicked in 12 each. As was the norm last year, Clayton Blanchette led the Hawks, with 15 points (14K, 1SA, 1B). Fifth year Michael Majcen, playing his last collegiate game, contributed 11. The Hawks went up 2-0, but steadily ran out of gas and dropped the next three in relatively easy fashion.

SCOUTING REDEEMER

  • The Royals return 11 players from last year's team, including five players who averaged over 2.0 points per set. Gone is leading scorer Morgan Rutledge.
  • Redeemer completed the 2016/17 season with a mark of 12 wins and 6 losses, which placed them third in the West Division
  • In last year's play-offs, it looked like the Royals were going to move on to the semi-finals, but after going up two sets to none, they dropped the next three to the 16-2 Durham Lords

HAWK NOTES

  • Humber is 22-11 all-time in regular season play vs Redeemer, including 13-3 on home court
  • The league's leading scorer Clayton Blanchette returns for his third season as a Hawk. He came close to eclipsing many Humber single season offensive marks, and finished the season with 379 points (322 K, 39SA, 18B)
  • Much like last year, this year's squad is made up of nine freshman players, with outside hitter Dylan Devecseri looking to be the most dominant of the bunch
  • It has been three years since the Hawks have achieved an OCAA podium spot, and that is worst run since a four-year span from 1999/00 thru 2002/03

CHASING HISTORY

  • Clayton Blanchette is the only player of note that is moving up steadily through the all-time lists for the Hawks. He already appears in the top five of all-time "per set averages – points, kills, aces. And, he is certainly in line to move into the top five of career points and kills, and may move up from his fourth spot in service aces
  • Head coach Wayne Wilkins is within three wins of tying, and four of taking over Humber's all-time wins record for coaches

WATCH LIVE

 

Catch this game, and all Humber home games on HSN – Hawks Sports Network. Thursday's game will be found on HSN2. For the link, CLICK HERE

 

NOTABLE SOCIAL MEDIA SITES

Humber Athletics Website

http://humberhawks.ca/landing/index

Humber Men's Volleyball Website

http://humberhawks.ca/sports/mvball/index

OCAA Website

http://ocaa.com/landing/index