Haldane makes it to the top
By KATE FAGAN,
kfagan@poststar.com
Published: Monday, November 19, 2007
GLENS FALLS -- In the seconds following Haldane's victory over Randolph, fans of the Blue Devils could be heard, their voices raspy, yelling, "You're the best!"
On Sunday, Haldane lived up to this billing, defeating Randolph, the defending champion, in the Class D finals of the State Girls Volleyball Tournament 3-1. Game scores were 22-25, 25-18, 25-21, 25-18.
If you asked the Haldane girls after the match, they'd tell you with a sigh of relief: It's about time.
In 2005 and 2006, Haldane lost to Randolph in the finals.
"We told everyone, 'you gotta come up here', " said Haldane senior Caitlin McConville of the trip to Glens Falls. " 'Pile into a car, we don't care, this year is different.' "
The Devils made sure it turned out differently, starting during Saturday night's round-robin semifinals. Haldane blustered through, finishing 6-0, including two dominating victories over Randolph.
"We couldn't take too much from that," McConville said. "It was the end of the day. We couldn't come into this match with expectations about them."
Randolph proved to be more formidable a day later, scrapping its way to an unlikely Game 1 win.
"We talked in between games that we had to get back into our rhythm," Haldane coach Joel Stanford said.
Haldane, with its blue-clad faithful screaming encouragement, made the trip north worthwhile with dominating hitting from McConville and all-out effort from the rest of the Blue Devils.
Even after the euphoria, 30 minutes from that final kill, the Blue Devils lingered on the Civic Center floor. They basked so long in the glory of the state title that volleyball officials, ripping the sport court from above the ice, kindly requested the Haldane party take its celebration elsewhere.
Haldane Central School District