Chautauqua Lake Gets Over FWR Hump And Into States

By wazup on November 11, 2023 Comments Closed / 79 views

Chautauqua Lake rushes the court after defeating Section V’s Alexander in the Far West Regional on Friday night at Letchworth High School. P-J photo by Christian Storms

GAINESVILLE — The past two seasons the Chautauqua Lake volleyball team has faced heartbreak at the Class D Far West Regional.

After getting down 19-13 in the third set to Section V’s Alexander with the sets tied at 1-1, it looked like Chautauqua Lake was heading toward misery again on Friday night at Letchworth High School. But this young group of Thunderbirds never feared that was going to happen.

Chautauqua Lake rallied to take that third set 26-24, going up 2-1 and then it rode that momentum to a 25-16 fourth-set victory to finally get over the Far West Regional hump and into the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Championship next weekend in Glens Falls.

Two years ago Chautauqua Lake was swept by Pavilion, last year the Thunderbirds fell to Harley Allendale Columbia in a five-set thriller, but this year they were able to get past the trojans 3-1 with scores of 25-15, 18-25, 26-24, 25-16.

Even with a young roster, Chautauqua Lake brought a lot of experience into the Far West Regionals and it showed in the opening set where the Thunderbirds looked dominant.

Chautauqua Lake celebrates winning the fourth set of the FWR and clinching a spot in the state championships.
P-J photo by Christian Storms

Chautauqua Lake jumped on Alexander early, going up 7-2, then leading by as much as 15-4. The Trojans picked it up to end the set, but the blueprint to a Chautauqua Lake victory was evident in that first set victory.

However, the Section V champion Alexander did not plan to go quietly and in the second set the Trojans were able to stifle Chautauqua Lake. The Trojans controlled the whole pace of the second set, not allowing Chautauqua Lake to get into a rhythm, giving up just one run of five to the Thunderbirds.

With thing even in the third set, Alexander continued with the momentum and for a brief moment it looked like the Thunderbirds were going to crumble. Meadows saw maybe an inkling of doubt creeping into her team and called an early timeout down 7-3, and while the score didn’t change much immediately, Chautauqua Lake was determined to win that crucial third set.

With the Trojans just six points away from victory, Chautauqua Lake began to storm back with four straight, then a huge run of seven put the Thunderbirds in the driver seat at 24-20. Alexander managed to pull level, but Chautauqua Lake was playing with all the confidence in the world and closed it out 26-24.

The fourth set wasn’t Chautauqua Lake’s largest margin of victory, but it was its most dominant. At no point did it look like Alexander would even creep back into the game after getting down 9-3.

Chautauqua Lake poses with the Class D Far West Regional plaque after defeating Section V’s Alexander 3-1 at Letchworth High School on Friday. P-J photo by Christian Storms

Just like it has all year, Chautauqua Lake received help from all ages, senior Ava Olson led with nine kills, three aces, 12 digs, nine assists and three blocks; senior Brynn Engdahl scored seven kills and eight digs; sophomore Jeanine Group delivered 10 kills; freshman Karagan Fairbank stood out with three kills, two aces, 15 digs and 17 assists; eighth-grader Noli Paddock hammered nine kills, two aces and a block; and seventh-grader Alice Scarpine added 10 digs.

Meadows will take Chautauqua Lake for the first time to the state finals, but brings her experience of two state titles with Mayville in 1993 and 1994.

Chautauqua Lake’s state run will begin next Saturday night at 7:15 p.m. at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls.