NATURAL BORN KILLERS (FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING)

It's like Wayne Gretzky going head-to-head against Gordie Howe.

Or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar battling Karl Malone.

On the eve of Super Sunday, the OCAA presents a match-up of historic proportions between the two individuals that currently top the all-time points chart in men's volleyball.

Humber's Terrel Bramwell (Mississauga, Ont.) holds a pair of significant records. Bramwell enters Saturday's game at St. Clair as the all-time OCAA leader with 1,201 points and 1,002 kills. He recently became the first OCAA student-athlete (male or female) to hit quadruple digits in kills.

Bramwell will face the closest competitor to his records. St. Clair's Jason Hernandez (Harrow, Ont.) has 1,098 points and 908 kills to his credit. Already second all-time in points, the fifth-year right side is just three kills shy of moving into second place all-time, surpassing Keith Marier's 910 kills.

This Saturday in Windsor, Ont., 2,299 points and 1,910 kills will be separated by one volleyball net. This doesn't include the career totals of the other 10 other players on the court.

While the individual match-up is intriguing, the main event is still Humber versus St. Clair. Both teams are currently second and third, respectively in the west region, tied with three losses each. St. Clair is two wins behind Humber's 11, with two matches in hand.

Although the Saints have already secured a bye to the OCAA championship as tournament host, this is certainly a statement match for both programs, especially if they are destined to meet again in February.

REDEEMING ROYALS

At 4-9, Redeemer's record is an anomaly. Given that the program has won at least 10 matches in each of the past three regular seasons, and three OCAA medals at the past five championships, the Royals are going through an unexpected down period.

The Royals showed glimpses of their former selves last week in a 3-1 (25-22, 25-17, 19-25, 25-21) upset over Humber. Redeemer fourth-year right side Eric Heidbuurt (Waterdown, Ont.) earned a team-high 16 kills, three aces and two blocks totaling 21 points.

Two days later, Redeemer won two straight for the first time all season with a 3-2 (23-25, 25-21, 21-25, 25-22, 15-9) come-from-behind home win against Conestoga.

Heidbuurt tallied 31 points on 25 kills and six blocks. He is now second in the OCAA averaging 5.0 points per set.

While finishing outside the playoffs is all but a certainty, Redeemer could play spoiler down the stretch.

LORDS OF THE EAST

A perfect season has the Durham Lords (14-0) in position to win the east regional title before the month of February.

Durham simply needs to defeat either Georgian on Wednesday or George Brown on Saturday to clinch first place in the standings. A Fleming loss at Loyalist will also do the trick.

The Lords will finish no worse than second, meaning that regardless of what happens the remainder of the season, Durham has already secured a bye into the OCAA championship.

Durham has bigger goals than this however. The Lords have not won a OCAA medal since the 2006 championship.

PLAYOFF PICTURE

Durham is the only team in the east to have earned a playoff position outright, although this number will grow in the coming days.

The two top teams in the west region, Mohawk (12-1) and Humber (11-3), are also guaranteed a post-season berth (along with championship host St. Clair). Not surprisingly, these teams met in the OCAA gold medal match last season.

No teams have been eliminated in the east, while Boréal and Conestoga are building for next season.

RECENT RESULTS

UPCOMING GAMES

Source: OCAA Communications