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2010 New York State Public High School Boys Basketball Championships

Class A: Cornwall to challenge defending champ Victor

By Alex Matthews amatthews@poststar.com | Posted: Saturday, November 21, 2009 11:30 pm | (0) Comments

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GLENS FALLS -- For Victor as the Class A defending champions of the State Girls Volleyball Tournament, another trip to the final matches the team's expectations. For Cornwall, a group that made it to the Glens Falls Civic Center for the first time last year and finished last in pool play, making the championship match on Sunday at 2 p.m. was closer to a dream come true.

Cornwall played competitively in Saturday's pool play, finishing 3-3 for game records. The Dragons of Section IX, which went 17-2 overall into states, handed Burnt Hills (2-4) its first two losses of the semifinals (25-21 and 25-15). They went on to win one and drop one to East Hampton (1-5), which finished fourth of four teams.

In its last matchup against the team it knew it would face in the final, Cornwall fell to the Victor Blue Devils, 25-20, 25-21.

The Devils (Section IX, 16-4) finished 6-0 for the day in pool play, which head coach Shelly Collins said is impressive, but means little.

In 2003, Collin's team took the Class A championship in three games after losing to their finalist opponent in pool play.

She said her team did everything she asked of them, with the exception of when they lagged 17-11 to Burnt Hills. Victor came back to win that second game, 25-21.

"We had kind of lost our ball control," Collins said, "and we kind of recognized that and picked it back up."

Besides control, the Blue Devils exhibited power. Senior middle hitter Taylor Ryan tallied 18 kills throughout the day and Brigid Moore, a senior setter, had 64 assists.

"It's not just one person," Collins said. "I think everybody took it up a notch."

Despite securing their spots in the finals, Victor and Cornwall both used their first game against each other to test their starters. Collins said her team videotaped the match and will watch it after breakfast on Sunday.

"We'll enjoy this," she said. "...It's so different every year because it's different kids, but every year you're in it, it's the best." This marks the Blue Devils' third state final, which they are 2-for-2 for winning.

Cornwall will be looking to prove themselves a more serious contender than last year, which its players have already accomplished.

"We're happy to be here," said head coach Jeff Moulton, who is in his 11th year and first state final with the Dragons. "Last year it was different. We're more mature and serious about this now."

The team has adapted with two new passers, seniors Gina Greco and Michaela Coons, and found success with a non-traditional 6-2 formation with more hitting options. In Cornwall's match against Burnt Hills, sophomore Olivia Jebb managed 10 kills and an ace, and Alex Gagliano had five kills, five aces and two blocks.Setter Rachel Zsido finished with 11 assists and two aces over the two games.

"Usually our stats are very spread out," Moulton said. "Our biggest thing is that we're not really that big or that tall, but we can come at you."

That's what the Dragons will be looking to do Sunday afternoon as they shoot for consistency.

"So we'll se how they come out," Moulton said. "It's always a rollercoaster."

Posted in Sports, Tournament, High-school-and-prep on Saturday, November 21, 2009 11:30 pm Updated: 11:37 pm.

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