The Weyburn Eagles Senior Boys' Volleyball team won their third straight district championship, the fourth in the last five years, to advance to the provincial championships in Yorkton.

The districts were won by defeating Estevan three sets to one, by scores of 25-18, 16-25, 25-22, and 25-14. Weyburn will be going into the provincial ranked fifth out of the 12 teams that will be attending.

Coach Terry Biss likes his boys' chances at the coming tournament, pointing they've already met all of the teams in their pool except for two, Regina Riffel and Saskatoon Mount Royal.

"This is a team that seems to play well when they're under pressure. They did a very good job at districts, and it's too bad they're not playing at home; they play very well in front of a home crowd," said Biss.

The win over Estevan might be considered an upset, he added, as Estevan had defeated Weyburn in the playoff rounds of the last three tournaments, including the Red Coat exhibition series three games to two. He said Weyburn played a sound defensive game, especially at the net, and made tough serves to keep their rivals off-balance for most of the match.

With strong play from their starting six players and a few new wrinkles in their offence, the Eagles' balanced attack was able to take control from the opening whistle.

The Weyburn boys finish the season with a record of 69 wins and 37 losses. This year the Eagles won the Regina Campbell tournament and finished second at their home tournament. They never failed to make the playoffs of any tournament they entered this season.

The provincial tournament will have two pools of six teams each competing in a round-robin format. The top three teams after the round-robin will make the playoffs.

In Weyburn's pool is Prince Albert St. Mary's, Balgonie, Riffel, Yorkton and Saskatoon Mount Royal; the Eagles are tentatively scheduled to face Riffel first on Friday at 11:15 a.m., followed by a match against Prince Albert at 4:15 p.m., and the final match of the day against Saskatoon at 8 p.m. The next day Weyburn finishes the round-robin with a game against Balgonie at 10:15 a.m., and Yorkton at 2 p.m.

Biss said Riffel beat Winston Knoll, and against Weyburn had a tough series of games earlier this season, so he expects that match to be a tough introduction to the provincials.

The Weyburn boys will be practising hard before leaving on Thursday for Yorkton to attend the championship.