The ride in the PIAA playoffs came to an end for Bethlehem Catholic last weekend.

The Golden Hawks saw their season come to an end to one the state’s perennial powers, as the Hawks were swept by District One champion Pope John Paul II 23-25, 20-25, 19-25 during Saturday’s PIAA 3A quarterfinals.

The Panthers have won three straight PIAA championships, but having the opportunity to play one of the state’s best can hopefully push the Beca program forward.

“The state tournament was a great experience, and a real reflection of how far our program has come,” said head coach Jess Attieh. “Competing at that level showed us we belong among the best, but it also highlighted the areas we can continue to improve — things like consistency, composure under pressure, and executing the little details at a higher level. It was a valuable learning opportunity that will only make us stronger moving forward.”

The Hawks finish their season at 24-2 overall, coming away as EPC runner-up and District 11 3A champions.

Beca graduates three seniors from this year’s team, including Sophia Bedics, Madilynn Quinn and Theresa Ruhl.

Despite those losses, the Hawks should still bring back plenty of firepower to help defend their district title.

“We’ll be graduating three amazing seniors who have had a huge impact on our team — their leadership, work ethic, and presence will definitely be missed,” said Attieh. “We’re also returning a strong core group, including the majority of our starters. The future is really bright for this program. The returning players have experience, motivation, and now, the hunger to take that next step.”