Candor Volleyball brings home state title

By JoAnn R. Walter —

The 2024 volleyball season concluded last weekend in Glens Falls, N.Y.  One Tioga County team that earned their spot on the court to advance to the state level play, the Candor Coyotes, brought home the NYSPHSAA Class D title.

Since 2006, the State Girls Volleyball Tournament has been held in Glens Falls, and brings together the top high school girls volleyball teams in the state to compete at the final-four level in each class.

Candor Coach Pam Quinlan shared, “Each team member brought their individual personalities and abilities, and worked to create a cohesive unit,” adding, “Each team member brought their best to practices and games, and had a common goal, and that goal being to always play with passion and joy, and let the rest take care of itself.”

Candor first claimed victory at the Class D regional finals versus Lafayette on Nov. 16. The Coyotes took the first set 25-21, missed the second set, but then determinedly rallied back to win two straight, 25-15, and 25-23.

The Coyotes, previously known as the Indians until last year, then carried that determination to Glens Falls the weekend of Nov. 23.

Coach Quinlan remarked, “Prior to the start of the Glens Falls matches, there was a feeling of accomplishment and excitement. The team was feeling good about their regional win, which was a battle, and excited about having the opportunity to continue to play in the final four,” and added, “The team’s belief in each other, and belief in the team’s ability to pull together in tough matches was an element that helped them battle through and win the title.”

On Nov. 23, Candor celebrated the state title in Class D versus Ellicottville, and where a hard fought five-set nail biter ended with a triumphant 3-2 over the Eagles from western New York State.

Ellicottville had taken the first and third sets, and took a fourth-set lead, but Candor rallied back to take the fifth and deciding set. The set scores were 21-25, 25-20, 17-25, 25-14, and 15-11.

The Candor Fire Department escorted the volleyball team back to the school campus once they arrived home from Glens Falls. A late evening cruise through town included lights only.

This is the fourth state title for the Coyotes, and their first since 2019. Candor also won Class D state titles in 2002, 2003, and 2019. This year’s victory is especially sweet following a close-run defeat by Chautauqua Lake in the 2023 semifinals. 

Quinlan has been the Varsity Volleyball Coach at Candor since 1997, and was the coach during the past titles.

Coach Quinlan noted, “I have had some wonderful people on the bench with me through the years, such as Cyndy Hynes, Mike Swartz, and Brittney Noble, and all have been instrumental in the outcomes of the program. We have also received great support from the families of our players, from within our school district, and from the community.”

And now that the season has finished, Coach Quinlan reflected, “The team becomes a family, and the players play not only for themselves but for each other. The end of the season is always bittersweet, as our time as a ‘family’ is over, but we know that we have the shared memories of what we were able to accomplish as a team/family.”