(UPDATED) NEW YORK STATE VOLLEYBALL: CANDOR STARTS CLASS D TITLE DEFENSE (2021-11-13)
Tioga County Sports Report
BINGHAMTON — Candor opens defense of its NYSPHSAA Class D volleyball championship at Chenango Valley High School here Saturday against a LaFayette team which can be a little deceiving.
The Lancers out of Section III play a schedule that includes several larger classification schools due to the low number of schools LaFayette's size.
The biggest challenge facing the Indians in this battle is "perhaps the unknown and how we will adjust to a team we don't know," Candor coach Pam Quinlan said.
She also said another area to focus on is "making sure our players play our game the way we've been."
Hopefully for the Indians, these won't be issues. Candor (20-1) hasn't lost since dropping a 5-set marathon to Tioga in the third match of the season, stretching its win streak to 18 in another 5-set marathon with the Tigers in the sectional championship (the rivals actually faced one another in four 5-set matches this season).
Back from the 2019 state championship team, which won all nine sets at the state finals, are seniors Addie Aman, Anna Greeno, Kiera Heidl, Isabel Makie, Shelby Swartz and Brooke Wilcox. Swartz has 245 kills this season (764 career). Wilcox has handed out 428 assists, Aman has contributed 142 digs, Greeno has 135 service points, Makie has added 102 kills and Heidl is out due to injury.
This season's roster also included juniors Kandace Carman, Madison Compton and Janelle Marsh, and sophomore Grace Handy.
Coming up from the JV squad for the postseason are sophomores Luci Ray, Rosie Hurd and Beylay Parillo, and freshmen Phoebe Swartz and Kate Stouffer.
LaFayette (14-3) has won 13 of its last 14 matches, the loss coming against Westhill, which is ranked No. 1 in the state in Class B.
The Lancers sport a youthful roster which includes seven sophomores and five freshmen. Right side Makiyah Lazore, Jenna Reeses and setter Jennifer Post are LaFayette's only seniors.
Junior Layla Isaacs leads the team with 195 kills and 94 aces. Freshman setter Chylure Bucktooth has handed out 335 digs, sophomore Kensington Keane has 11 blocks and Lazore has 120 digs.
The two teams met in the 2019 regionals with the Indians winning, 3-0.
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IN PHOTO: Candor's Shelby Swartz. ... TCSR STOCK PHOTO.
