CVAC basketball ends season with celebration

Mar. 21—PLATTSBURGH — It's not everyday you see coaches walking to the other sideline, referees smiling and joking and players more relaxing and joking with each other between plays.

Tuesday night was special.

"Yeah, it's nice," Saranac's Molly Denis said. "Just a really great night for everybody because no matter how sectionals go, whether win or loss it's nice to end the season with some fun and competitive basketball."

The CVAC spent Tuesday night celebrating the 2023-24 season with a culminating event to honor seniors in one final game, and the league's all-stars.

"It's an amazing experience, you know, a once in a lifetime thing," Beekmantown's Markel Mosley said. "It's our senior game, it's good getting to be with all the other seniors in different schools.

"It's really just been a bonding moment. It's a friendly game."

Senior basketball players from across the CVAC converged on Seton Catholic for one final night of fun, a final night to put on the jersey they've worn for multiple years.

"(Cassidy Mattison and I) have been on varsity together since we were in eighth grade," Ti's Sophia Dorsett said. "And it's gonna be really hard to not come back next season and play for Ticonderoga.

"Hopefully, we'll be on to bigger and better things."

During halftime of each game, contests were held: a three point contest and a dunk contest for the boys.

NCCS' Desiree Dubois and Jordan Brown performed a Cougar sweep in the three point contest for the girls and boys, respectively.

Mosley won a fierce competition in the dunk contest that was judged by the crowd's reaction.

"I know I can jump so it's just like it's all about making the dunk," he said. That's the main thing on my mind: making the dunk

"It's good to get the crowd going so you know they're enjoying it as much as we are."

Between the games, the CVAC announced the All-Stars, Players of the Year, Coach of the Year and who the Ray Holmes Sportsmanship Award was awarded to.

While there were games played, it could be said the players were there just to have fun and joke with each other on the court.

There were few times that defense was a deciding fact, the biggest being when two from the same school went against each other.

Teams were broken down between home and away with players from each school being split among them. Most of the time it was an even split — three on home, three on away — to fully mix the teams up.

"I thought today it was a great experience, you know, playing basketball with some of the best players in the league," Williams said. "You know, some of the players that I'm playing against, it gets kind of emotional because we're going for such a long time with these guys."

The only time the score seemed to matter would be in the final minute of each game, as teams turned up the defense to win the game.

The biggest difference was the look on the players' face while they attempted to stop the other team.

"I mean it's a really nice night," Saranac's Mchenna Brown said. "We all come together and we've been competitors all season.

"To see the smiles on everyone's face. It just makes the night really special."

Mattison agreed.

"It's nice we can just come out and not be angry at each other," she said. "We can actually be nice to another and have a nice day and fun game."

As the final buzzer sounded, ending the high school careers of the athletes, no ill moods were met, just laughter from coaches, referees and players.

If anyone was keeping score, it didn't matter. The only thing worth noting is that every player that played, both in the girls and boys games, scored.

Reflecting for a moment, Mosley said he couldn't put into words what it meant to wear the Beekmantown jersey one last time. Saying simply that it was special.

"It's great to put on the jerseys last time and just kind of to end the season on a fun note," Denis said. "Everyone's laughing, everyone's here.

"They're happy to be here. and it's just a really good night."

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CVAC All-Stars

GIRLS

Player of the Year: Bailee Lafountain, NCCS

Coach of the Year: Robb Garrand, NCCS

Ray Holmes Sportsmanship: NCCS

First Team:

Desiree Dubois, NCCS. Brenna Ducatte, SCS. Sophia Dorsett, TCS. Abby Peryea, NAC. Payton Parliament, BCS.

Second Team:

Hannah Gaddor, MCS. Molly Denis, SCS. Reese Shambo, AVCS. Reese Duprey, PCS. Grace McCasland, BCS.

Third Team:

Callie Racine, NCCS. Bailey Hewson, PHS. Maddy Eichen, MCS. Elizabeth Douglass, AVCS. Laci Roberts, NCCS.

Honorable Mention:

Lindsay Barnes, BCS. Bella Berry, PCS. Mckenna Brown, SCS. Madison Egglefield, AVCS. Emma Harrington, MCS. Alexis McDonald, NAC. Samara Cirikovic, SLCS. Cassidy Mattison, TCS.

BOYS

Player of the Year: Cooper Allen, MCS

Coach of the Year: Brian Cross, MCS

Ray Holmes Sportsmanship: AuSable Valley

First Team:

Caleb Akey, SLCS. Josh Sand, BCS. Jordan Brown, NCCS. Nate Parliament, BCS. Calvin Magoon, NAC.

Second Team:

Logan Rodriguez, PHS. Joe Pelkey, MCS. Dan Hartmann, PHS. Max Filosca, PHS. Cayden Williams, PHS

Third Team:

Austin Lambert, NAC. Lucas Pierce, SCS. Logan Gilbo, MCS. Tommy Montalbano, TCS. Carson Duffield, SCS.

Honorable Mention:

Caswell McCoy, SCS. Hunter Eagle, PCS. Markel Mosley, BCS. Bryan Kemokai, PHS. Sam Prairie, NCCS. Dieter Olcott, MCS. Mik Denkenberger, SLCS. Marcus Brown, AVCS. Alex Swajger, TCS. Patrick Benware, NAC