When Mikey Bonagura joined the Chapel Field baseball team as a seventh grader, the program was at a low point.

He and fellow seniors Jonah McDuffie and Aaron Falkena are leaving the program at an all-time high. While they’ve been on the team, the Lions have won four straight Section 9 Class D championships, been to the state Final Four three times won the New York State Public High School Athletic Association championship last year.

This year, they saw just how hard it is to repeat as state champion when they were eliminated in the NYSPHSAA Class D semifinals by a 6-1 loss to the Section 5 champion Arkport-Canaseraga Wolves on Friday at Mirabito Stadium in Binghamton.

“It’s been a really fun time,” Bonagura said fighting through tears. “To come here three years in a row is a big deal. We’re building a dynasty here, and it’s just been a fun four years.”

And it hasn’t been just in baseball. This group has helped the Lions set a new standard in boys’ soccer, and boys’ basketball, as well. As a group, they’ve won nine Section 9 championships among three sports.

“That’s just a marvel to really contemplate,” Chapel Field coach Mike Bonagura said. “It was just amazing. They worked so hard in each sport, and they never dedicated to one because the school needs athletes. So, we said, ‘we’re going to dedicate to all three and try to do it well, and they did.”

However, the Wolves did everything they could to make sure the Lions didn’t have any fun in their last trip to the final four.

Mikey Bonagura, the Lions’ top pitcher this year, was hit for six runs in the first four innings. He walked Bryer Drake to open the game, and Drake came around to score on Eli Merry’s ground out.

John Marcus singled home Bryson Jones in the second inning before the Wolves broke the game open in the third inning. A double by Drake and a walk to Micah Marvin set up Jacob Bacon’s two-run double to right field to give the Wolves a 4-0 lead. Caden Carey pushed the fifth run home with a squeeze bunt.

The Wolves took a six-run lead in the fourth on Drake’s sacrifice fly.

“It’s hard (to repeat as state champions) because everybody’s looking at you, and gearing up for you,” coach Bonagura said. “They were pumped. You could tell they wanted it, and they brought a little extra today. That’s just the way it goes.”

The Arkport-Canaseraga staring pitcher threw three no-hit innings with five strikeouts. He was pulled to save him for the finals after the Wolves took a 5-0 lead after three innings.

“We totally prepared for that outside fastball, so we geared up all week, and the kid was able to overcome our preparation and beat us fair and square,” coach Bonagura said. “They saved him for the final and we didn’t make them pay for that.”

The Lions had some success against Carey as Drew Hollo led off with a single, but he was thrown out at home, trying to score on Will Wilson’s single. They did get a run off Carey in the sixth inning when Mikey Bonagura singled, stole two bases and scored on Hollo’s ground out.

Aaron Falkena singled and took second base on an error but was stranded there and the Lions’ season ended with an 8-4 record.

The three seniors are leaving, but they are leaving the remaining juniors, sophomores and freshmen with a program that is in far better shape than when they found it.

“I think we’ve left a good legacy,” Mikey Bonagura said, “And I think it’s something that everybody could look up to.”