PLATTSBURGH — Beekmantown’s Carly and Olivia Hagadorn often joke about being attached at the hip.
The twin sisters play soccer and basketball together. And until this year, they played tennis together,. That was until they split their doubles team to play singles.
“Honestly, I feel like it’s better to play my sister because we do know how each other plays,” Olivia said. “It’s, like, a little more of an advantage, but at the same time, it is a little more relaxing because you can just talk easily to each other.
“Like, we were making jokes because we kept throwing it back, and just, it’s more relaxing but yet so competitive because we want to play our best.”
It was only fitting that the Eagle pair would see each other in the singles’ championship with Oliva defeating Carly, 6-1, 6-1. It would be Carly’s first defeat of the season as the pair went undefeated on the season.
Carly agreed with her sister, saying simply the road to get to the final presents new challenges.
“You tend to be more nervous because, especially for me at sectionals, a lot of these people I haven’t played before just because of the regular season,” she said.
“I played (NCCS’) Brynn Hite, and she plays number one and I’m number two, so, like, there’s people you play that you’ve never played before.
“I play (Olivia) every day in practice, and so you’re just more relaxed. And you’re actually able to play to your full potential.”
While Olivia and Carly Hagadorn wrapped up the top two spots in singles, the consolation saw NCCS’ Allie Langlois defeat Hite, 6-2, 6-3.
If you ask the Hagadorns, they both just enjoy the game of tennis, saying while they enjoy the competition of singles’ play, doubles has its perks.
“I would definitely say doubles is a little more fun and relaxing because you can talk each other out of it if they’re having a slump,” Olivia said. “It’s just so much fun together because then we can talk more easily instead of just being in your own mind and own head the whole game.”
And with the runs of both the Hagadorns and the doubles’ pairing of sisters Julia and Lucy Conroy to win the doubles’ championship, Beekmantown captured the overall title with 18 points.
NCCS came in second with 10 while PHS, AuSable Valley and Peru rounded out the top five with eight, seven and six points, respectively.
Julia and Lucy Conroy finished second last year to the Hagadorn sisters, and this year, capturing the doubles’ crown was extra special for Julia, who celebrated her birthday with the win and is set to graduate this year.
“Yeah, I mean, it just, it really does mean a lot,” Julia said. “It’s the last time playing against or playing with each other, and we just really wanted to have fun and come out here and have fun. And I had fun playing today.”
The Conroy’s defeated the AVCS pair of Veronica and Becca Uss, 6-3, 6-3.
Beekmantown’s Sawyer Fleming and Jade Burdo finished in third, defeating Peru’s Maddison Mero and Alexis Burdo, 6-4, 6-1.
“I mean, we knew we had to stay, like, mentally in it and keep going after every single point,” Julia said. “Even if you think you might not make it, and we just really wanted to be in the right mindset, and you’re in the right mindset the whole time.”
Unlike boys’ tennis, the girls’ states will not be played until the fall, so there will be some new combinations and decisions to be made for team composition.
Beekmantown girls’ tennis coach Seth Spoor said it’s a decision that’s made in the fall. Asking Oliva and Carly Hagadorn and Lucy Conroy, their minds aren’t made up either.
Olivia said she and Carly might team up again because they have a better chance at winning an actual match since no one from Section VII has won a match yet.
“Especially because it will be our last time at states since we’ll be seniors,” Carly said.
“We won’t get the extra (opportunity) next year. It’ll be kind of our last hurrah.”
As for Lucy, she too is undecided. She could play singles or partner with Fleming. She was just savoring the last win with her sister.
“We’ll just see when the time comes,” she said. “If it’s singles or whoever it’s with, I know it’ll be fun.”