(UPDATED) ON TAP TODAY: ATHENS WRESTLERS, TIOGA, ATHENS BOYS ONLY HOME CONTESTS (2019-01-18)

Valley Sports Report
THE VALLEY - The Athens wrestlers continue their march to an NTL regular-season title Friday when it hosts NEB, while the Tioga boys host the only other home contest of the night.

WRESTLING
NEB (3-6) at Athens (8-3), 7 p.m. (Old gym): The Wildcats are coming off a 55-12 win over North Penn-Liberty Thursday night, while the Panthers dropped a 61-15 decision to Towanda Wednesday.

Athens can lock up its first NTL regular-season title in years with wins at home over NEB tonight, and Wyalusing on Wednesday.

NEB's top records belong to Dawson Brown (18-2) at 285 pounds, Noah Forbes (15-5) at 195 pounds, Henric Ricci (11-7) at 195 pounds), Dale Brown (10-8) at 160 pounds, and Dusty Cook (10-7) at 152 pounds.

Athens is led by senior David Galasso (20-3) at 170 pounds, junior Keegan Braund (18-6) at 285, freshman Gavin Bradley (18-5) at 113 pounds, freshman Karter Rude (15-6) at 126, freshman Kaden Setzer (14-8) at 106, junior Alex West (14-11) at 160, and sophomore Ben Pernaselli (10-7) at 220 pounds.

BOYS BASKETBALL
Groton (2-9 overall, 2-6 IAC Small) at Tioga (7-7, 4-5), 6 p.m. JV start: The Tigers are coming off a 62-61 win over Candor Tuesday, while the Indians knocked off Marathon, 67-52.

The Tigers are in fourth place and out the race in the South's Small School title chase, but have improved their Section IV playoff stock with three wins in their last four games.

Waverly (5-7, 3-5 IAC Large) at Whitney Point (7-5, 5-2), 6 p.m. JV start: The Wolverines are coming off a 69-55 loss at Newark Valley, while the Golden Eagles topped Trumansburg 48-40.

Whitney Point is tied atop the North's Large School standings with Lansing, while Waverly has faded from divisional title contention in the wake of 6-8 Scott Woodring's season-ending knee injury, and are now in danger of not qualifying for the postseason. The Wolverines need three wins to qualify for the Class B playoffs.

Sayre (4-8, 4-4) at Canton (4-7, 1-6), 6 p.m. JV start: The Redskins are coming off their third straight win - a 63-59 overtime victory over Cowanesque Valley Wednesday night, while the Warriors dropped a 52-35 decision at North Penn-Liberty.

Sayre has worked its way into division title contention, and is just 1-game behind NEB and North Penn-Liberty in the loss column.

Wylausing (5-8, 3-5) at Athens (8-3, 7-1), 6 p.m. JV start: The Wildcats dropped a 61-48 decision at Wellsboro, while the Rams dropped a 71-36 decision to North Penn-Mansfield.

Athens sits in third place in the Large School standings - 1-game behind Wellsboro and North Penn-Mansfield, while Wyalusing is 5 games back in fifth place.

GIRLS BASKETBALL
Tioga (3-10 overall, 2-6 IAC Small) at Groton (4-7, 3-5), 5:30 p.m. JV start: The Lady Tigers are coming off a 39-33 loss to Candor Tuesday, while the Lady Indians are coming off a 58-32 non-league home loss to Cortland.

BOYS & GIRLS DIVING
Athens at Tunkhannock Dive Invite ... PPD.

INDOOR TRACK & FIELD
Waverly at Hurley Invite, 5 p.m. @ Ithaca College