CLINTONVILLE — It’s hard to beat a team three times. Beekmantown proved that was the case.
It’s also hard to repeat as sectional champions. The Eagles showed that with ease.
Beekmantown would avenge two regular season losses to Plattsburgh High while also capturing its second straight sectional title, with a 3-1 victory, Friday at AuSable Valley.
“I think when players hear that they are able to play with more confidence and less pressure,” Beekmantown Head Coach Allyssa Rock said.
“Our team notoriously plays their best in high pressure situations and Friday was no different.”
“Before we left our gym on Friday we sat in the middle of our gym and talked. We wanted them to know how much we believed in them and all the work they put in.”
The Eagles won their first two sets 25-12, 31-29, but overcame a tough third-set loss, 22-25, bouncing back and winning 25-14, securing their first sectional title for a second year in a row.
The match was a display of heart, resilience, and exceptional leadership, with Beekmantown’s senior captains, Peyton Hooker and Payton Reynolds, leading the way. Both played pivotal roles in the victory, contributing with stellar all-around performances that carried their team through a tense, back-and-forth contest.
“Being a leader means taking on many roles which makes me feel calm and collected when having to switch from offense to defense,” said Hooker, who finished with 5 points, 15 digs, 15 kills, 1 ace, and 1 block.
“Knowing I can rely on my team also helps me feel more confident in my abilities.”
In the opening set, it was Beekmantown’s defensive strength that set the tone. Despite a strong effort from Plattsburgh, the Eagles quickly asserted control. The set was tight early on, with both teams trading points, but Beekmantown’s strong serving and quick transitions at the net eventually overwhelmed the Hornets.
A series of back-to-back aces by Reynolds gave Beekmantown a 10-4 lead, and they never looked back. Reynolds, who posted 14 points, 16 digs, 21 assists, and 1 ace on the night, was everywhere on the floor, helping to run the offense while also digging in defensively.
Plattsburgh fought hard, with seniors Sadie Walker and Natalie Battinelli trying to keep their team in the game.
However, Beekmantown’s blocking and defensive presence at the net stifled their offensive flow.
But the real drama came in set two, which turned into an epic battle. Plattsburgh came out with renewed energy, taking advantage of some early Beekmantown mistakes. The set saw countless ties, with both teams trading points in thrilling exchanges. Plattsburgh surged ahead late in the set, at one point taking a 22-17 lead, but Beekmantown wasn’t about to let it slip away.
The second set showed a type of resilience that I have never seen from a team before,” Rock said. “We always tell them to play confident instead of timid, and take risks even in tight situations.”
It was a clutch series of plays from Hooker that turned the tide. She hammered down several key kills and dug up crucial Plattsburgh attacks, and when the score was tied at 24-24 Beekmantown was right back in it. With the set reaching 29-all, the Eagles found their moment. A tip by Hooker gave Beekmantown a 30-29 lead, and a final block by Julia Conroy sealed the 31-29 win for the Eagles, putting them one set away from the title.
Even after losing the chance at a sectional sweep against Plattsburgh for the championship, for seniors like Hooker and Reynolds, they never had any doubt in their mind that they wouldn’t win.
“I truly believed in each of these girls’ ability to prove to themselves and to Plattsburgh that they were the better, stronger team,” Reynolds said.
“By telling ourselves we could do it, we believed it and that dream became a reality, all glory to God. We just stayed focused, one point at a time, and knew we could get back into it.”
To Hooker, it was the ritualistic repetition of practice day in and out that made her confident in the teams’ abilities.
“In practice, we worked on when we were down how to keep our head and come back up,” Hooker said. “I think that really helped us stay calm and composed even when the score wasn’t in our score.”
Set three saw Plattsburgh fight back valiantly. The Hornets, led by Battinelli and Julia Luck, took advantage of some Beekmantown miscues to stay alive. They eked out a 25-22 win in set three, as Beekmantown’s defense wavered briefly.
But the final set was all Beekmantown. With the championship on the line, the Eagles came out firing, using a mix of power and precision to dominate the set.
Hooker continued to shine, pounding home kills while Reynolds ran the offense seamlessly. The Hornet defense couldn’t match the intensity of the Eagle attack, and Beekmantown rolled to a 25-14 win, claiming the Section VII crown for a second time.
The match also saw key contributions from Beekmantown’s other players. Conroy added 16 points, 31 digs, 14 kills, and 1 ace, while senior Emily Perry had 24 digs and 1 ace. The Eagles’ teamwork was evident as they celebrated their hard-earned championship.
“‘Make them beat you’ is a line we use often,” Rock said.
“If Plattsburgh was going to take that set from us, we were going to make them earn it, we weren’t going to give it to them.”
With two losses already in the season to Plattsburgh, the Eagles made sure there wouldn’t be a third.
We worked really hard for this win by watching hours of film, putting in extra time in the gym and lots of strategizing,” Reynolds said.
“We knew that we had a strong team and that if we just put in that extra time and work that we could beat them. “We didn’t want to feel that same disappointment again. I think that fueled us.”
With the championship, the Eagles (16-2) move on to the regional semifinals today where they host Section X’s Ogdensburg (11-7) at 7 p.m. at AuSable Valley.
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Beekmantown 3, Plattsburgh 1
25-12, 31-29, 22-25, 25-14
BCS- Conroy, 16 points, 31 digs, 14 kills, 1 ace, 1 block. Hooker, 5 points, 15 digs, 15 kills, 1 ace, 1 block. Reynolds, 14 points, 16 digs, 21 assists, 1 ace. Fleming, 13 points, 8 digs, 3 kills, 10 assists, 2 aces, 3 blocks. Kenyon, 8 points, 7 digs, 5 kills, 4 aces, 4 blocks. Bishop, 7 kills, 2 blocks. Perry, 1 point, 24 digs, 1 ace.
PHS- Walker, 6 points, 2 aces, 5 kills, 23 assists, 16 digs. Battinelli, 3 points, 10 kills, 1 assist, 11 digs. Gorham 6 kills, 2 digs, 4 blocks. Canada 2 assists, 10 digs. Luck 10 points, 8 kills, 10 digs. Lathrop 6 points, 1 kill, 3 digs. Parent 4 points, 1 kill, 1 assist, 13 digs. Ryerson 6 points, 1 ace, 1 assist, 2 digs. Lewis 1 kill, 1 assist.