The Cornerstone Falcons booked their ticket to provincials over the weekend with a second place finish on their home court during the SHSAA 3A Boys Volleyball West Regional tournament.

Cornerstone took out LCBI in the semifinal in two sets (25-22, 25-22) to secure their spot in the 3A Boys Provincial Championship this coming weekend in Preeceville.

“Our goal all year was to get to provincials,” said Lee Behrns, Cornerstone head coach. “We looked at the schedule today and said you've got to win the semifinal and you're in and LCBI has improved a lot from the start of the year to now and what a battle, just two teams pounding the ball.”

LCBI had the Falcons on their heels a bit during the opening set, but a couple of big blocks and some great net work by grade 12 Carter Lewis helped swing the momentum to Cornerstone's side and they rode that the rest of the way.

“You need that big play to get the momentum and Carter Lewis played the game of his life in the first set,” said Behrns. “He blocked a back row attack, he blocked some front row, he blocked a couple of tips and he got the guys charged up. He's a veteran guy, he was fired up, everybody was fired up.”

Cornerstone would come away with the semifinal win to lock up their spot in provincials, but they couldn't come away with the regional title, falling in two close sets to Gravelbourg (25-19, 26-24).

The Falcons had went unbeaten in the round robin, beating Strasbourg and Leader in two sets each to take top spot in their pool.

They will now turn their focus to bringing back a medal from provincials for the first time.

“We were there last year with no grade 12s, kind of got pushed around, only won one game, so the boys really wanted another shot back there,” said Behrns. “This regional was one of the stronger ones, looking around the province, so now we've got a shot at showing what we're like provincial-wide.”

Provincials run Friday and Saturday in Preeceville.