Friday, I had the pleasure of joking with the Beekmantown girls ice hockey team before they headed down to Utica for the Final Four.
Laughs and smiles were shared when I wished them well and said, “Win today, I’ll be there tomorrow!” One player laughed and said, “You bet!”
Confidence was high and the girls set their sights on what was in front of them.
They wanted revenge on last year. One player, Adyson Campbell, told me after beating Potsdam in a sub-regional, “It’s personal.”
They were going to face Adirondack United, the team that eliminated them last year, with a chance to go to the championship game.
And the Eagles gave it their all.
As a spectator, watching on NFHS, I tried to give regular updates so people knew what was going on. Admittedly, I got sucked into the game and was a fan.
I wanted Beekmantown – a team of the North Country – to win. I had the chance to talk and get to know many of these girls over the past couple of weeks (some much longer due to other sports) and know how bad they wanted it.
From the start of the game against Adirondack United, the Eagles pushed it to the limit.
Speaking with their head coach Al Ruest, he labeled it as the first period was weathering the storm and it reminded me of speaking with Aubrey Parker after they defeated SLP to win Section VII.
At the time she, and Amaya Abellard, talked about how they needed time to get their legs under them. They questioned the trip to Saranac Lake, and once they got through the first period, they could play like themselves.
In the first period, AU held a shot advantage of 16-6 in that first period. And considering it was 0-0 after the period, that was a win for Beekmantown.
Over the next two periods, the Eagles showed they weren’t a team to mess with. Both teams had opportunities on goal, but both goaltenders played out of their minds.
Kori-Lynne Lamoy was phenomenal for Beekmantown, she stood on her head at times and did all she could to keep her team in the game.
Just one moment happened and it changed everything.
With the game looking to be headed to overtime, an Adirondack United player looked to center the puck towards the net.
In what would be an example of being in the right place at the wrong time, a Beekmantown player attempted to block the pass but the puck took a funny bounce off her skate towards the stick of AU’s Lilian Willis.
It was such a surreal moment that sure, she scored what would be the game winner but it wasn’t a hard shot. The puck moved slow enough that it didn’t reach the back of the net.
It was a bang-bang play that left the crowd, including myself watching, in disbelief.
As the AU players celebrated the goal, Beekmantown players skated towards Lamoy who was hunched over.
To be honest, she had nothing to feel bad about. She had played a phenomenal game, in fact the entire team played phenomenally.
I’ve personally enjoyed watching them play and sharing jokes with them both at practices and games. Their love of the game feeds into others and makes you want to root for them.
They leave it all on the ice and are nothing but smiles and laughter off of it, they do that on the ice too.
Beekmantown made sure to give it their all, and may have been playing their best hockey in the last couple of weeks. They should keep their heads up and remember that they represented not just the Eagles, but the entire North Country. And they did it well.
I mean, they are students from seven schools in the area: Beekmantown, Chazy, NCCS, Peru, Plattsburgh, Saranac and Seton Catholic.
They should be proud and remember the good times, and freezing times of Scott’s Memorial Rink aka “The Barn,” to players. Because that’s what will stick with you the longest.
In fitting fashion – if you want to call it that – Adirondack United went on and repeated as NYSPHSAA State Champions. They defeated Skaneateles, 3-1.
From my perspective, Friday’s game was better.
In the game Friday, the Eagles showed how bad they wanted it and an inch here or there could have changed the outcome.
The first period they got out unscathed. The rest of the game? Adirondack United hung on for dear life.
It was a back-and-forth contest that one has to think will linger in the minds of players for a long time.
For the seniors – Campbell, Ava Perry, Kylee Surprenant, Mariah Trahan, Taylor Abramczyk and Kate Johnston – I feel for you six as the season ended there.
It’s one thing I learned in high school as well, only one team will leave with a smile on their face.
It’s unfortunate that the Eagles didn’t leave the ice with one.