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Dunkirk seeks first Sectional Title since 1991 on Sunday at Buff. State

On a quest for redemption

Dunkirk senior guard Kymi Nance releases a shot during a regular season game against Southwestern at Dunkirk High School earlier this year. OBSERVER Photo by Ron Szot.

The Dunkirk Lady Marauders have a chance to do something on Sunday that the program has not seen in nearly 30 years — claiming a Sectional Championship. On Sunday at 11 a.m., the Lady Marauders take on Iroquois at Buffalo State College for the Class B1 title.

While it has been done just twice before in school history, according to Section VI, in 1991 and 1983, these Lady Marauders know what it takes, after losing in the Sectional Final against Fredonia in 2018. Dunkirk’s five senior starters — who all started that game as sophomores — hope to find redemption Sunday morning.

“Last time we were at Buff. State, it was a bad game. We weren’t prepared and we got shut down,” said Dunkirk point guard Jessica Beehler, referencing the Sectional Final loss in 2018. “This year, we know that we have to keep pushing. We cannot stop. We have to keep going, there’s no giving up.”

That day, Ken Ricker was working at the scorer’s table. He had a front row seat to the Lady Marauders’ loss to Fredonia. Later that year, Ricker took over the Dunkirk program determined to have a different result for the maroon and white.

“When I took the job, I had people tell me how they were in the Sectional Final last year and they had a great run … but I was also at the Sectional Final,” said Ricker. “Fredonia trounced us. There was a long way to go.”

Dunkirk senior point guard Jessica Beehler takes the ball up-court during a regular season game earlier this year at Dunkirk High School. OBSERVER Photo by Ron Szot.

Ricker feels that Thursday’s win over City Honors, the top-ranked team in Western New York, was a sign of the improvement that Dunkirk (22-1, 5-seed) has made since the Sectional Final two years ago.

“All of the things we’ve been working on, we’ve tried to empower the kids,” said Ricker. “But you’re also a parent on this job. You empower them, but you have to keep them within the boundaries. … They’re just improving. Our best hasn’t come yet.”

Standing in Dunkirk’s way on Sunday is Iroquois (20-2, 2-seed), who earned a spot in the title game by defeating 3-seed East Aurora 48-46 in the Semifinals minutes before Dunkirk’s game tipped off. Despite beating the top seed already, Ricker knows the hard work isn’t finished yet.

“We’ve watched Iroquois a few times. They are another team who is real good inside, with a great shooter. … They’re really good,” said Ricker. “We’ll try to play fast. I hope it’s 85-85, somebody has the ball and something happens. Those are a lot more fun. … We’ll try to do what we do and at least have fun.”

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