It’s almost a constant that the Wallkill Panthers will be in the Section 9 Class A volleyball championship.

It’s just as constant that the Cornwall Dragons will stand in their way.

This year was no different than the last three times these two teams have met in the championship match with the Dragons continuing their Section 9 dominance with a 3-1 win over the Panthers on Sunday at Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh.

“They’ve had a great program,” Wallkill coach Julie Michella said. “This is their – I don’t know – 18 or so sectional titles in a row. (Cornwall coach) Jeff (Moulton) does a great job with his program. It’s tough to have to play the best team in the area – and arguably we’re the other best team in the area this year – and to have to get through them, it’s a good test for us.”

It’s a test the Panthers – or anyone else – have not been able to master.

It didn’t get off to a good start as the Panthers started the match by losing the first two sets by identical 25-14 scores.

“The first and second set, we did not come out strong,” Michella said. “I felt like we were playing a little tentative. We didn’t pass very well, which was leading us to not run an effective offense. I think we came out really strong in the third set.”

Their losses in the first two sets put them up against elimination and the Panthers were determined not to go quietly and got off to a strong start as two aces by Genevieve Pollack gave the Panthers an early 3-0 lead.

Even though the Dragons came back to tie the set, a kill by Wallkill’s Madisen Noelizaire’s kill put the Panthers ahead for good in a set they would eventually win 25-20.

“They really started to believe what we’ve been talking about all week,” Michella said. “I don’t doubt the confidence of this team. There were multiple factors that affected the loss.”

Both teams, but the Panthers more so, seemed to be slipping all over the Kaplan Center gym floor. The Panthers lost at least eight points in the fourth set alone as players lost their footing, compromising their ability to make a play on the ball.

“It’s very unfortunate that this is the floor we had to play on,” Michella said. “People were slipping and sliding all over the place. It didn’t seem to be a fair way to end the sectional final. As far as play goes, Cornwall had a better day than we did.”

The Dragons moved on to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association subregional on Wednesday against Section 4 champion, Vestal.
The Panthers ended their season with a 16-2 record.

“I just wanted them to know how proud I was to be their coach and just how much we’ll miss the seniors,” Michella said. “Although this didn’t turn out the way we all wanted it to, that doesn’t take away what they’ve accomplished this year. As a group, they were really just a pleasure to coach.”