The Record Blogs: Off the Record: Eagles spike Bengals in Class CC volleyball final

Hattie Burgher tips the ball over the net for the Loudonville Christian School during Tuesday's Section II Class CC championship match against Tamarac at Hudson Falls High School. (All photos by J.S. Carras - The Record).

HUDSON FALLS — Hattie Burgher saved her biggest kill for last Tuesday evening in the Section II Class CC girls volleyball championship match against Tamarac.

Burgher, a junior outside hitter at the Loudonville Christian School, put an exclamation point on the Eagles’ 3-1 victory over the Bengals with her 19th kill of the match. Her teammates stormed the court to hop up and down and hoist the Section II trophy together following a topsy-turvy battle against Tamarac at Hudson Falls High School.

Loudonville (16-2), the No. 1 seed and the Central Hudson Valley League’s regular season champion, won the first game 26-24 and posted a 25-15 triumph over the Bengals in game two. Tamarac, however, rallied to win game three, 26-24 and was two points away from sealing a victory in game four. Loudonville won six of the final seven points in the fourth game, clinching the fourth Section II title for the program in the past five years with a 26-24 victory.

Tamarac's Roni Weeks (11) and Loudonville Christian's Sam Parry battle for the ball over the net during Tuesday's Section II Class CC championship match at Hudson Falls.

“We have a great coach and we have great talent,” said Burgher, at right, who added 17 digs. “As small as our school is, we all work hard. Everyone is willing to work hard and push themselves because they want to keep up the winning tradition.”

Chelsea Brown, at left, a senior captain, who like Burgher, is in her fourth year as an outside hitter on the varsity squad, recorded 19 service points and 10 kills, claimed Tuesday’s match was one of the toughest the team had played in all season.

“We’ve had a few matches that were pretty tough, but the girls pulled through every time,” she said.

Julia Brown added 46 assists, 22 digs and 11 service points for the Eagles, while Arlina Anderson chipped in with 14 kills. Sam Parry bolstered Loudonville’s offensive attack with 11 kills.

Tamarac's Alyssa Bonesteel and Loudonville Christian's Arlina Anderson collide at the net during Tuesday's Section II Class CC championship match at Hudson Falls.

Loudonville had defeated Tamarac 3-0 in a non-conference matchup during the regular season.

“Every time we pass the ball and put it to the setter’s hands, we have a kill. So that’s my secret,” said Loudonville head coach Rosemary Burgher. “It’s not a big secret. Everybody wants to be the glory hitter, the killer, the attacker. You can’t get there unless you have good, effective passing.”

Tamarac (14-5), the No. 2 seed, was making its first appearance in a Section II championship match. The Bengals, who won a Wasaren League championship for the first time in school history in 2009, repeated that feat in 2010.

Head coach Judy Burton will miss a number of her seniors next season, including three-time reigning Wasaren League MVP Nancy Vickerson, but she hopes the path blazed by the team in the last two seasons inspires future generations of Tamarac players.

“This is as far as anybody’s ever gotten,” Burton said. “We have nothing to be ashamed of and nothing to cry about. This is as good as we’ve ever done.”

Loudonville advances to the Section II Class CC/C playoff Thursday at 3 p.m. at Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School against Class C’s No. 1 seed Voorheesville (19-0), which defeated Galway 3-0.

Loudonville Christian's Arlina Anderson leaps to block a Tamarac shot during Tuesday's Section II Class CC championship match at Hudson Falls.

A season ago, when there was just one Class C bracket, Loudonville defeated Voorheesville in the championship match, 3-0.

The Eagles know it won’t be easy defending their title, but they’re hoping that the strong team chemistry that has served them well so far carries over into the playoff match.

“We haven’t had a leader in terms of one person to get them all into gear,” said coach Burgher. “They play very emphatically. It’s like a wave. If one is down, they all come down. If one is up, honestly, they’re really unstoppable. They really, really are.”

--
In Clifton Park, the Catholic Central girls team was defeated by No. 2 seed Queensbury (17-0), three games to one in a Section II Class A semifinal at Shenendehowa High School. CCHS, the No. 3 seed and Big 10 Conference regular season champion, finished the season with a 16-3 record. Our Ed Weaver was there, so look for his account of the game in Wednesday's edition of The Record.