Northport Volleyball Captures Fifth Straight League Championship

The Northport High School volleyball team continued its dominance of the Northeast 1B North League last week, clinching its fifth consecutive league title with a fourset victory over Republic on Oct. 20, before closing out the regular season with wins over Curlew and Selkirk. “Winning five straight league titles is something I’m incredibly proud of, especially considering the size of our school,” Northport Head Coach Shyanne Guglielmi- no said. “It’s a testament to the culture we’ve built within this program and the commitment our players make year after year. At a small school, you don’t always have the depth or numbers that larger programs have, so you have to be intentional about developing the athletes you have and getting everyone to buy into the same goals.” Northport finished the regular season with a 16-2 over- all record, including a perfect 12-0 mark in league play.

“The biggest key has been consistency in our ex- pectations, work ethic, and team culture,” Guglielmi- no said. “My assistant coaches, Ashtyn Baribault and Jess Corcoran have been a big part of that and I couldn’t have done it without them! Every year brings a different group of personalities and strengths, but the standard stays the same.” The championship-clinching victory came on the road against Republic, where Northport battled through a competitive opening two sets before pulling away for a 25-23, 25-27, 25-16, and 25-15 victory. “The girls handled the pressure really well,” Guglielmino said. “They understood what was at stake, but they stayed focused on playing our game and taking care of the things we could control. There was a lot of excitement and emotion, but I think that speaks to how much this means to them. They’ve worked hard all season, and to have that work pay off in a match like that was really spe- cial. I’m proud of how they competed and came together when it mattered most.” Kate Beardslee led the offensive attack with 20 kills and added three blocks, while Brooklyn Wilson distrib- uted 21 assists. Liesel Stark was a force from the service line, recording nine aces, while Abi Bonner contributed a team-high 13 digs

After Northport narrowly took the opening set, Republic answered with a 27-25 win in the second to even the match. Northport responded by taking control of the final two sets to secure the victory and another league championship. With the league title already secured, Northport traveled to Curlew on Thursday, Oct. 22, and continued its winning ways with another four-set victory. Northport opened with a convincing 25-10 win before Curlew battled back to take the second set 25-23. Northport regained control with victories of 25-20 and 25-16 to claim the match. Beardslee once again led the way, recording 12 kills, 12 digs, and five blocks in an impressive all-around performance. Wilson added nine assists, while Ariel Currigan contributed five service aces. “One of the biggest things I’ve seen is their growth in learning how to play together and trust one another,” Guglielmino said. “Every team has its own personality, and it takes time to figure out how to bring different strengths and personalities together into one cohesive unit. We’ve continued to grow in our communication, confidence, and ability to work through adversity. This group has a fun, energetic personality, and they’ve done a good job balancing that with the focus and discipline it takes to compete.” Guglielmino explained that after clinching the title against Republic, she threw two new offenses at the players in their final two games to push them outside their comfort zone.

“They actually played the best I’ve seen in a while,” she added. Northport returned home Saturday, Oct. 24, for its final regular-season match against Selkirk and capped off its undefeated league season, sweeping the Rangers in straight sets, 25-18, 25-10, and 25-17. Beardslee continued her strong play with 14 kills, while Wilson recorded nine assists. Stark delivered another standout performance, finishing with six service aces, 12 digs, and a block. Over the final three matches, Beardslee combined for 46 kills. Northport will now host district playoff games on Thursday, Oct. 29, with their first game being at 3:30 p.m. “Our expectation is to compete with everyone we step on the court against,” Guglielmino said. “Winning a league championship is a great accomplishment, but now we have to turn our attention to postseason against really tough opponents from the south. We play ACH on Thursday and am expecting a challenge.” The coach said that the biggest keys will be serving aggressively and consistently, communicating well, limiting unforced errors, and staying composed when matches get tight. “At this point in the season, the mental side of the game is just as important as the physical side,” Guglielmino said. “I believe this team has the potential to make a deep run, but we have to be willing to put in the work and earn it one match at a time. We want to keep playing, and I believe this group is capable of doing some special things if we continue to play to our potential.