Several area high school girls volleyball teams entered last weekend’s Section III championship matches at Fayetteville-Manlius, all of them intent on seizing the big local prize.
Westhill considered the sectional Class B title a small step toward a second consecutive state championship, and while it had some trouble withstanding the challenge of Homer in last Saturday’s final, the Warriors still prevailed in four sets over the Trojans.
With a 25-19 win in the first set, Westhill then found itself in a long second-set battle. Several times, each side had set points, but it was Homer gaining those crucial late points to win 29-27 and pull even.
The third set was tight, too, but down late, the Warriors earned the crucial late points, taking it 25-23, and then in the fourth set it got a slightly larger cushion, leading 19-12 and then, by a 25-20 margin, claimed another sectional banner.
Homer had outlasted Marcellus in three tough sets in last Tuesday’s sectional semifinal. The Mustangs had great chances to win each of the first two sets, but the Trojans claimed them both 26-24 before closing it out 25-19 in the third.
Evelyn Webster had 23 digs, with Elaine Grattan getting 11 digs and Jessica Majo adding 10 digs. Bronte Stahl had nine assists and three aces, while Jenna Mattison got six assists as Mara Gutchess had four kills, with Anna Fern adding three kills and four blocks.
Westhill, meanwhile, had swept Solvay in its semifinal match, pushed a bit early before taking the first set 25-21 and then outlasting the Bearcats 25-18 and 25-14 in the next two sets.
Kate Heinrich put away 11 kills, with Sara Galante getting nine kills. Jessica Welch chimed in with six blocks and eight digs as Sarah Schwartz had 23 assists. Morgan Richardson had five kills and Gracelyn O’Connell added four kills.
Solvay, who had beaten Phoenix in the opening round and finished 10-9, had Sophia Guadagnolo earn 19 assists, often passing it to Myah Platler, who got 11 kills and 11 digs. Jordan Bamba contributed 13 kills.
On Saturday night, Bishop Ludden challenged LaFayette for the sectional Class D title and nearly seized it, only to get denied in a five-set defeat to the Lancers.
It was the Gaelic Knights taking the opening set 25-20, and then LaFayette winning the second 25-19. A crucial third set saw Ludden lead 17-15, but unable to hold on to it as with several hits at the net the Lancers won 25-22.
Now needing a comeback, the Gaelic Knights led the entire fourth set and claimed another 25-20 decision, which led to the final set. There, neither team built a big margin, yet LaFayette inched out in front and held off Ludden 25-21 to win the championship.
This followed last Tuesday’s 26-24, 21-25, 25-11, 25-16 semifinal win over Bishop Grimes where Ludden took over in the third set, led by Kate Ruddy, who had 29 assists, and Megan Virkler, who got 14 assists.
Jasmine Cuffee not only earned eight kills, she produced a team-best 15 digs. Ally Royal added 14 digs and four aces, with Jayden Burney getting five kills and Alexis Pietrowski adding four kills.
Before all this, West Genesee was overwhelmed by defending champion Baldwinsville in the sectional Class AA semifinals, the Wildcats falling to the Bees 25-10, 25-13, 25-14.
Finishing its season at 11-7, the Wildcats had Anna Snyder produce 14 assists, with Isabella Allen getting three aces and three kills. Julia Quirk and Brynn Zajac had four kills apiece and Phoebe Anderson added three kills.