Unfortunately for Panama, the past two years the Panthers have been just that.

Bainbridge-Guilford is a powerhouse.

The Bobcats’ dominance was on full display Sunday as they rolled to a 25-18, 25-18, 25-19 victory for their second straight New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class D championship at Cool Insuring Arena.

“It feels amazing. It’s such an honor,” Bainbridge-Guilford senior Abigail Selfridge said. ” … I’m so proud of my team. We worked so hard to get here.”

Panama’s Alexys Marsh makes a play on the ball during Sunday’s title match. Photo by Deb Bailey

Selfridge — the tournament Most Valuable Player — had 22 assists, nine kills, five digs, four aces and three blocks. Abigail’s sophomore kid sister, Erica, had 12 kills, 12 assists, three digs and a block.

“They have played off of each other all year long. We are definitely going to miss that synergy that they bring to the team. I can always count on them to play together and have confidence together,” said Tami Selfridge, the Bobcats’ coach and sisters’ mother. “But I think what’s awesome about a state championship, is that it’s the people who don’t always stand out who step up and play better than they typically play.”

Bainbridge-Guilford was on its game from the outset, jumping out to an 8-3 lead that eventually grew to 15-8 on an Alexis Carr ace in the first set.

“They are a great team. They came out barrels going,” Panama coach Tammy Hosier said. “Unfortunately, we just did not.”

Panama eventually tied it at 15 on seven straight points that included three Kylie Schnars blocks, but the Bobcats regained control as Abigail Selfridge served four straight points that coaxed Hosier into a timeout after an Erica Selfridge block made it 20-15. Bainbridge-Guilford eventually put the 25-18 set away on a Zamira Caldwell kill.

Panama’s Maddie Johnson had 16 assists in Sunday’s New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class D championship at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls. P-J photo by Deb Bailey

“They served very tough today,” Hosier said.

The Panthers had their best opportunity to get back in the match during a back-and-forth second set that saw both teams use both of their timeouts in the first 24 points.

“In the second set, it was 14-10 and we were both out of timeouts,” Tami Selfridge said. “It’s a strategy game, and it was crazy. That never happens.”

Panama led as late as 17-15 on four straight service points by Natalie Angeletti, but the Bobcats again took control with Abigail Selfridge at the service line. Using a pair of aces during a eight-point run, she turned a 17-16 deficit into a 24-18 lead.

“That was crazy. It was awesome that I missed the last one,” Abigail Selfridge joked. “Volleyball is such a game of momentum. Panama had the momentum at that point. … We were feeling the pressure. The second game is a real deciding set.”

Erica Selfridge put the 25-18 set away with a kill and Bainbridge-Guilford was well on its way to beating the Panthers in the final for the second straight November.

“When we got our runs, we took them out of their game,” Hosier said. ” … Unfortunately they got it right back. They definitely took over the game.”

The Bobcats took a 2-1 lead early in the third set and led throughout. Abigail Selfridge again put together a five-point string to make it 6-1 and Panama did not get closer than four the rest of the way.

“We had our moments, but we just could not string it together,” Hosier said. “I was proud of them. They never quit.”

Marra Hovey put together a nice service string that included a pair of aces with Bainbridge-Guilford at 23 points to make it 23-19, but a poor Panthers’ pass coupled with an Abigail Selfridge kill put the match away.

“I’ve been super emotional this whole year. Abi is super special to me, but our whole team is an extended family. I feel so much for these ladies” Tami Selfridge said. ” … I’m super happy that she was the one that made that hit.”

While the Bobcats were the better attacking team, Panama was not without its own faults Sunday. The Panthers committed 12 hitting errors, 20 errors on digs, nine passing errors and five service errors to contribute to the Bainbridge-Guilford title.

“The way we get into the games is having that first pass. … We struggled with that first pass today,” Hosier said. “We definitely weren’t getting the ball right where we wanted it. At the same time, even when it was, we certainly weren’t putting it away.”

NOTES: Senior Madalyn Bowen led Panama with six kills and 17 digs; Angeletti had five kills, nine digs and three blocks; senior Alexys Marsh had five kills and three blocks; Schnars had four kills and six blocks; and sophomore Maddie Johnson had 16 assists. … Carr chipped in seven kills and 10 digs for the Bobcats, the Section IV champions. … The Selfridges were joined on the Class D All-Tournament Team by Marsh and Schnars, Mount Academy’s Cayla Boller, and Mayfield’s Samantha Kent.