GLENS FALLS — The Candor girls volleyball team found itself on the wrong side of a five-set match at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association championships last year and Chautauqua Lake went on to win the Class D state title.

This year the Section IV champions ran into another team from Section VI, the Ellicottville Eagles, but this time the Coyotes had the five-set thriller go in their favor to capture the state championship on Saturday night at Cool Insuring Arena 21-25, 25-20, 17-25, 25-14, 15-11.

Ellicottville clinched its spot in the final after posting two wins in pool play on Friday, defeating Section II’s Mekeel Christian 25-21, 25-20 and then Section IX’s Tuxedo 25-20, 25-16 to clinch a spot in Saturday’s final against Candor.

As a preview of Saturday’s final, the Eagles played the Coyotes in another close match on Friday, falling in three sets 19-25, 25-20, 15-12.

Candor’s win on Saturday delivered the program its fourth title and first since 2019 when it defeated Panama.

CLASS C

The least surprising result at the girls volleyball state championships was Portville ascending to the top of the podium in Class C, making it the fourth time in a row for the Panthers on Sunday afternoon.

Portville cruised through pool play on Saturday, sweeping competition against Section II’s Stillwater 25-20, 25-15, Section IV’s Tioga 25-15, 25-13 and Section IX’s Mount Academy 25-23, 25-19.

After playing the Panthers the closest on Saturday, Mount Academy returned for Sunday’s final with a plan and snagged the first set, but ultimately lost 23-25, 25-15, 25-18, 25-15.

CLASS B

A new section claimed the Class B title after Section IV’s Windsor — which dispatched Fredonia in the regionals — posted one win in pool play and failed to reach the final.

However, the same team fell in the championship game this year as Section III’s Westhill dropped Sunday’s final to Section I’s Blind Brook 19-25, 25-19, 26-24, 25-23.

Blind Brook’s victory came a day after falling to Westhill in pool play 22-25, 25-17, 17-15.