In normal times, the Baldwinsville girls volleyball team would, at the start of September, set off on another championship quest, one that it hopes would end in November in Glens Falls with a state title in sight.
But it was far from normal leading up to the 2018 season.
Last May, the Baldwinsville Board of Education made public a series of complaints registered by former players and parents against the Bees’ coach of 28 years, Mary Jo Cerqua, leading to a vigorous debate over whether Cerqua should be retained.
Voices from both sides were heard, but in June the school board announced that Cerqua would again coach the Bees this fall, attempting to add to the 20 sectional and two state championships her teams have earned, to go with more than 500 victories.
All had calmed down, to some degree, when B’ville opened at home last Wednesday night against Nottingham, a routine victory for the Bees as it swept the Bulldogs 25-6, 25-4, 25-3.
More than a set’s worth of points came from aces – 28 in all, as Jenna Garvey and Sophia Kordes led with six aces apiece, Garvey also earning a team-best eight kills.
Brooke Clute earned five aces, while Summer McClintic got six kills. McClintic, Jenna Wallace and Sophia Cronk each had three aces as Wallace contributed five kills. Maggie Wiegand had three digs. Carly May and Megan Brecht both got two kills.
B’ville had debuted Sept. 1 at a tournament in Penfield, and would go to Burnt Hills/Ballston Lake for another tournament Saturday before confronting West Genesee on Wednesday night.
Meanwhile, the boys volleyball Bees would open Tuesday at Central Square with a match at Fayetteville-Manlius Thursday and a tournament Saturday at Victor to follow.
