GLENS FALLS – Portville and Championship Sunday at the state volleyball tournament have become well-acquainted in Kelly Unverdorben’s time as coach.
They will see each other again this year as the Panthers earned their spot in another Class C final with a 3-0 sweep of Section IV’s Trumansburg in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association semifinals Saturday night at Cool Insuring Arena. Game scores were 26-24, 25-21, 25-19.
Unverdorben has led the Panthers to Class D titles in 2014, and 2015, and Class C crowns in 2017, 2018, 2021 and 2022, along with a runner-up finish in 2019. Portville won the state title in 2008 under Aaron Decker.
With no state tournament contested in 2020, Portville will be making its sixth consecutive finals appearance Sunday when it faces Millbrook of Section IX at 2 p.m.
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Each experience stands on its own, though. Asked the difference between this season and the last two, Unverdorben said, “Bringing new kids and seniors who now get to lead their underclassmen, it is a lifetime experience for them.”
Portville (36-5-2) is ranked No. 1 in the state in Class C. Trumansburg (34-4-4) is ranked sixth.
These teams had squared off in the Horseheads Tournament championship in October, with Portville winning 25-12, 25-13.
“They were absolutely fantastic. Trumansburg came to play,” Unverdorben said of the Blue Raiders’ play Saturday. “Anytime you play someone again after meeting them earlier in the season, they really want to come back and redeem themselves.”
Senior Lillian Bentley had nothing but praise for the Blue Raiders, especially the play of Kaylee Dickerson-Holly and Lauren Millspaugh.
“We knew we had to block them,” Bentley said. “They were the keys to beating them today.”
The first set came down to the wire, even when it looked as if Portville had the set locked down. Trumansburg would not go away easily, evening the score at 24-24, but scored consecutive points in a 26-24 victory.
Portville began to find its groove in the second set and did not look back. After a Trumansburg timeout, Portville continued to play its fast-paced and energetic style to wrap up the set.
The third set was more of the same, as Panthers quickly jumped out to a 9-2 lead and coasted to the win.
Bentley said to bring home another state plaque, Portville needs to “bring the energy and play big.”
Portville and Millbrook are no strangers, either. The Panthers’ state titles in 2017, ’18 and ’21 came at Millbrook’s expense. The Blazers also lost in the state finals to Eden in 2013 and ’15.
Millbrook advanced with a 3-0 victory against Section II’s Galway in the semifinals with games scores of 25-20, 28-26, 25-11.
“We have worked really hard all season long and all we can do tomorrow is go play and have a great day,” Unverdorben said.
Class B
As the first girls team in any sport in school history to make the state tournament, Southwestern had every intention of making a lasting impression in the Class C semifinals.
Trailing 2-0 in the third set to Section IV’s Lansing, the Trojans got down 13-8 midway through the third set. They powered back to tie the game at 20-20. Lansing took a 22-20 lead, forcing a Southwestern timeout. The teams went back and forth until Lansing pulled out a 31-29 victory, the longest set of the day at the state tournament.
Lansing had won the first two games by scores of 25-12 and 25-19.
Southwestern had entered the state semifinals having not lost a set in five postseason matches.
Lansing will play Section III’s Westhill of Syracuse in the final at 11:30 a.m. Sunday.
Class D
Chautauqua Lake overcame a 2-0 deficit to win three straight sets and earn a spot in the Class D final after beating Section IV’s Candor.
Game scores were 23-25, 12-25, 25-17, 25-14, and 15-12 in the decisive fifth set.
The Tbirds seemed off to a good start with a 14-7 lead in the first set before Candor went on a run to take a 19-15 lead and eventually win the opening set.
CL seemed to have a dip in energy in the second set, but turned things around with the season on the line, jumping out to a 7-2 lead in the third set. That momentum continued through the rest of the third set and the fourth and helped push the Tbirds in a back-and-forth fifth set.
CL will face Section II’s Lake George for the state title at 2 p.m. Sunday. The Tbirds are in the final for the first time. Lake George, which is about 20 minutes from Glens Falls, won the state title in 2001.