Source: Bernd Franke, Sun Media

Jordan Pereira is one Eden Flyer who is always ready for takeoff when it comes to playing volleyball.

Though the Niagara Rapids, his under-18 team at the elite club level, already has him on the court as much as six times a week at this time of the year, Pereira gladly accepted an invitation to play in the inaugural Niagara Region Volleyball Showcase.

And his all-star team at Thursday night's five-set game at the Niagara College Athletic is glad he did. Pereira scored a team-high 11 points and led all defenders with 17 digs and was named the game's most valuable player as a team coached by the co-captains of the college's men's volleyball team edged one led by Niagara's assistant coaches three sets to two.

Sir Winston Churchill's Adam Nartiss had 15 points and nine digs for the coaches team and was selected as his side's player of the game.

Pereira gave the college high marks for hosting a game that raises the profile of a sport that often gets lost in the shuffle between football and basketball seasons.

"This is a great idea, because volleyball isn't always promoted. I think it's the mentality that people think its a girls sport," the Grade 11 student said.

Pereira, who began playing volleyball as a fourth grader, also plays high school hoops but he prefers volleyball.

"I like the pace of the game. It's much faster."

For Pereira, being one of four players selected to represent Eden at what the college hopes will become an annual event is but the latest accolode in a year of accomplishments. In July he passed up an opportunty to play on Ontario's under-18 team to compete at a beach volleyball championship in Acapulco and last month settled for a silver medal at the Ontario double A boys high school volleyball championships in Dryden.

Last night's showcase in Welland gave an opportunity to play against Jonathan Wismer, normally his teammate at Eden.

Pereira, who was playing alongside another teammate, Mitchell Taylor, enjoyed the battle for bragging rights and one-upmanship.

"It was fun. We know each other's tendencies, we know what to look for."

So who was the highest Flyer?

"Well, we won the match, so I guess we were," he said with a laugh.

Each of the 19 players nominated by their high school coaches and selected by Knights head coach Nathan Groenveld saw action in the evenly-matched, back-and-forth battle.

The contingent coached by assistant coaches Brad Wall and Mike Molnar – Team Wallnar – took the first set 25-11, but Team Fillmore, coached by co-captains Bailey Cochrane and Ben Fillmore, came back 25-13, lost 25-22 and took the next two sets 25-19, 15-8 to clinch the win.

"We had to stack the deck a little for them … No, just kidding," Molnar said.

Fillmore said he is glad the college team is taking a break between semesters.

"I think there's going to be some grudges held at practice," he suggested with a laugh.

While players from different high school programs took some time getting to used to playing together, they settled into a groove midway into the match.

"I thought it was a great game. By the third set they were rolling, they were getting on the same page," Groenveld said.

He also liked giving his co-captains the chance to coach and follow the game from the coaching staff's perspective.

"The pace of the game is a lot slower for us than it is for them," Groenveld, a Notre Dame graduate and a one-time all-Canadian at McMaster University, said.

The college plans to host a girls volleyball showcase early in the new year.

Bernd.franke@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: @TribSportsDesk

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