High School Fridays: Where Eagles Dare to Fly (Bethlehem vs. Columbia, 3/1/24)

 "The game is designed to break your heart...."---A. Bartlett Giamatti.

The former baseball commissioner was talking about the game he governed for a few years, but it also applies to other sports. As Section II winds down its basketball tournaments tonight through Monday, they're unofficially signaling the start of March Madness, which, of course, is more closely associated with the college game.

Tonight's doubleheader at Hudson Valley Community College sets up Monday's Class AA women's championship. As Bethlehem & Columbia took the court, taking their respective supporters on a 90 minute or so thrill ride, emotions were fluctuating, and, likely, so were heart rates.

It would be fair to say McDonough Field House was at least 2/3 full, especially considering there was college and pro basketball (Siena & the Patroons) across the river, and these ladies had an hour's head start. 

At times, it felt like the game officials were trying to throw the game in favor of Columbia, perhaps under the assumption that top seeded Averill Park, undefeated to this point, would cruise into the finals, but, as we found out last night, there's no guarantees in the semi-finals, as there were two upsets in the Class AAA semi-finals.

Momentum shifted so often, with Bethlehem coming back from deficits of 7 and 9 points in the 2nd & 4th quarters, but, again, you could chalk that up to the officiating. While it's one thing to "let them play" this time of year, the guys in the stripes seemed to be calling every ticky-tack foul imaginable. More than once, Bethlehem was called for fouls where Columbia, on offense, initiated the contact, but got the benefit of the calls, and the Eagles defenders were barely moving, if at all. And you wonder why Section II and the NYSPHSAA are actively seeking newer (preferably younger) officials.....!

For this reason, Bethlehem junior star Kaitlyn Robbins was in foul trouble for most of the game, finishing with 4 fouls, but when the Eagles needed her most, in the 4th quarter, Robbins delivered, and finished with 10 points, one of 5 Eagles in double figures, led by Paige Davenport & Caroline Davis with 14 points each, with Kelsey von Wedel adding 13, and Kate Bannigan had 11.

It could be argued that the game could have gone differently if the officials weren't so quick to call jump balls on three different occasions in the 2nd half, with the first two going Columbia's way, despite the overly aggressive play of the Blue Devils' Alivia Landy, who finished with a game high 22 points and 3 fouls, but, if the referees were paying attention, she should've fouled out, as on every jump ball situation created, Landy was knocking Eagles down as if she was in a wrestling match. Not surprisingly, the Bethlehem fans weren't thrilled with the graduates of the Boris Badenov School of Officiating. Kendyl Ouimette added 13 for Columbia, while Sarah Rainville finished with 12.

With time running down, Ouimette's last second 3 pointer clanged off the rim. Landy tried to put it back, but to no avail. Bethlehem secured the rebound, and that was all she wrote, with the Eagles advancing to the title game, 66-63. They await the winner of Niskayuna vs. Averill Park, which is going on as of press time.

Meanwhile, in Glens Falls, two men's titles have been decided.

In Class B, Stillwater defeated Wasaren League rival Mechanicville, 70-41. For Stillwater stars Lukas Lilac and Jaxson Mueller, in particular, Stillwater adds the Class B title in basketball to the football title they garnered in November.

Over in Class C, Maple Hill downed Duanesburg, 44-43