Warriors win eighth straight title
They survive foul trouble to defeat Spartans for crown
Gary Bynon understands what it takes to win championships. As the Burnt Hills girls’ volleyball coach, Bynon led the Spartans to a Class A state title in the fall. He hoped to do so this winter as he took over as the girls’ basketball coach. Saturday, Bynon watched Averill Park starters Taylor Holohan and Tatiana Tune sitting most of the first half in foul trouble.
“We kept trying to do what we wanted to do and they wouldn’t let us,” Bynon said. “You see those seconds tick away with those guys on the bench. You have to take advantage of that. Credit to the kids off the bench. Their defense didn’t change.”
Arianna Verardi and Kayleigh Ahern came off the bench in the first half and combined to play 25 minutes, score 11 points, add three assists and maintain the team’s defensive acumen. In the second half, Holohan and Amelia Wood led Averill Park to its eighth straight Section II Class A championship as the Warriors scored a 61-46 victory over the Spartans at Hudson Valley Community College.
Holohan, named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, scored 17 of her 19 points after intermission. She sat the final 11 minutes of the first half after picking up her second foul.
“It was frustrating, but I knew I could count on my team — that they were there for me,” Holohan said.
“Ari Verardi and Kayleigh Ahern gave us tremendous minutes. That game could have gone awry quickly,” Averill Park coach Sean Organ said.
Averill Park (21-2) defeated Burnt Hills for the third time this season and denied the Spartans a chance at winning their first title since 2005. The next year, the Warriors began their incredible string of success in Class A. Saturday’s title was the program’s 13th since 2006 and there was no tournament in 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“It is a special moment. I am really happy that we won this year,” Holohan said. “Not only did we win it for ourselves, we won it for the seniors from last year that didn’t get the chance. It is very special.”
Carlie Rzeszotarski, an all-tournament selection for Burnt Hills (14-9) along with Callie Chevalier, pumped in 15 of her team-high 19 points in the first half as the Spartans trailed 28-20. Bynon felt his squad missed an opportunity with Holohan and Tune sitting, but also praised the efforts from Verardi and Ahern.
“Because of their defense, we weren’t able to run what we wanted to run and that is a credit to them,” Bynon said. “We were prepared for what we needed to do and put in some wrinkles. We had some things we thought would work great for us, but credit to their defense. They are champions for a reason.”
Wood finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds and Holohan went 6-for-6 shooting from the field in earning MVP honors.
“Taylor’s growth this season has been amazing,” Organ said. “She has really carried us at times in the postseason. She does a great job of controlling the paint and the interior. She did that today. We got into a little bit of foul trouble, but we’re a team.”