Serving up a state title
BH- BL’S Molly Mccormick named Player of the Year after leading Spartans to state championship
BURNT HILLS — The 2012 season could not have ended any better for Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake volleyball standout Molly McCormick.
The senior outside hitter didn’t just add plenty of hardware, including The Saratogian’s Player of the Year award, and didn’t just lead BH-BL to a second consecutive state championship. Her kill sealed the title match, and provided an appropriate conclusion to her stellar career.
“I think Natalie Moore passed it, and Jessica Dillon set it to me,” McCormick said. “I swung and hit it off of the blocker, and that was it. Everyone came together, and we all tackled each other.”
“I thought it was a fitting end for her to get that last ball to finish and win the state championship,” said BH- BL head coach Gary Bynon, who was also named the Saratogian’s Coach of the Year. “I’m very proud of her accomplishments and what she did for this team.”
‘We knew that with her experience on the left side, she was going to be there for us. I thought she became a total player this year.’ Gary Bynon BH-BL head coach
McCormick had previously been honored as the Suburban Council’s Most Valuable Player and an All- State First Team selection. Bynon said her contributions transcended her year-end statistics.
“She was that stable person,” he said. “We knew that with her experience on the left side, she was going to be there for us. I thought she became a total player this year.”
In addition to averaging 2.6 kills per set on offense, McCormick also chipped in on defense. She averaged 2.1 digs per set, an uncommon total for the offense-heavy outside hitter position.
Still, stats and awards aside, it’s the state championship her team won and the bonds they built doing it that McCormick will remember the most.
“I was so proud to be a part of it,” she said. “I’m so proud of all of my teammates, everyone was just fantastic.
(This year’s team) was all of my best friends, and I’m just so happy.”
McCormick graduates in June, and has not yet decided on where she will go to college. However, she mentioned Rivier University and Saint Michael’s College as possible destinations and also said she wants to major in elementary education.
McCormick is one of three Spartans to be honored on this year’s Saratogian All-Star team. She’s joined by senior libero Siena Wilder (5.6 digs per set) and sophomore outside hitter Jessica Dillon ( 1.9 kills, 4.5 assists per set).
Also honored on the first team were senior middle hitters Natalie Pikus ( Saratoga Catholic) and Rachel Lumley (South Glens Falls), as well as sophomore setter Hayley
Mackin ( Shenendehowa). Second- team nominees were seniors Erin Thornton (outside hitter, Saratoga Catholic), Kayla Brenz ( middle hitter, Schuylerville), Hayley Martin (outside hitter, Galway), and Meghan McDonough ( setter, Saratoga Catholic), as well as sophomores Taylor Murphy (middle hitter, Shenendehowa) and Brittany Orminski (libero, Galway). Honorable mentions were junior Heather Sabo (libero, Schuylerville) and sophomores Emily Zawisa ( middle hitter, Galway) and Emily Orminski ( setter, Galway).