ON TAP TODAY: ATHENS HOSTS ONLY HOME GAME ON 'FOOTBALL FRIDAY' (2019-09-20)
Valley Sport ReportTHE VALLEY "” Week 5's "Football Friday" features just one home game, but will see three of the four Valley teams in action against divisional rivals.
In other action, the Waverly girls will host Valley rival Tioga on the soccer pitch at Memorial Stadium.
FOOTBALL
Canton (4-0 overall, 2-0 NTL Large) at Athens, 7 p.m. @ Alumni Stadium: The Wildcats are coming off a 36-29 home loss to Wyalusing in Week 4, while the Warriors rolled over Bucktail, 52-14.
Wyalusing is the only common opponent through four weeks. Canton thumped the Rams, 44-15.
Canton has outscored it opponents by an average of 45.5 to 10.5 points per game, while Athens has been outscored by an average of 31.3 to 29.5 points per game.
Longtime Athens coach Jack Young said this Canton team reminds him of an old-school Canton team.
"This team reminds me of the Canton teams when I played," he said. "They're not big, and they have a couple tremendous athletes.
"They have a mentality, and have built off of last year's success," noted. "They are tough, they are fundamental, and they play really well."
The Warrior defense runs through QB Uriah Bailie, who has thrown for 704 yards and six TDs, and run for 542 yards and seven TDs.
"Canton will spread the field," said Young. "They have athletes they want to get the ball to in space.
"Ben Knapp (18 receptions for 430 yards and five TDs) is a big receiver," noted Young. "He's big and elusive, and tough to bring down. They also have a couple of other athletes they like to get the ball to.
"Their quarterback (Uriah Bailie) does a nice job taking off with the ball. You have to be real careful with him. You can't give him lanes to run.
As good as they are throwing the ball all over the field, (Bailie) dies a great job taking off with it, too," added Young.
Carson Stiner has rushed for 403 yards and seven TDs for the Warriors, and Nick May has eight catches for 144 yards.
Young says the Canton defense will attempt to take away the Athens running game, which is averaging more than 170 yards per game.
"They are in your face," said Young. "They aren't playing the old, straight-up Canton defense, but they have the same philosophy.
"No matter whether they're in a four-man front, a five-man-front or the old Canton six-man front, they're going to play straight man-to-man, and they're going to put as many guys in he box as we allow them to," he added.
Young said the Wildcats will need to stay on-schedule offensively this week.
"The key offensively for us is production. We need positive plays, whether it's quick passing or running right at them, like we've had success doing this year.
"I think we can be successful offensively, as long as we don't turn the ball over," said Young.
"We can play with Canton," added Young. "If we can come in Friday night, and be better than we were last week, then we have a chance."
Sayre (3-1) at Wyalusing (2-2), 7 p.m. @ Peterson Field: The Redskins are coming off a 35-17 win over Montgomery in Week 4, while the Rams rallied to top Athens, 36-29.
Sayre will not play another home game until its season-final against Athens; that's five road games in a row.
"Wyalusing is a pretty good football team," said Sayre coach Kevin Gorman. "They have some good pieces, it will be an interesting match-up.
"It's their Homecoming, so aside from the bus trip, our guys will have to be ready to deal with an extra-long halftime.
"Our Homecoming is over. I think our guys are ready to make this five-game run," added Gorman. "We'll see what we're made of."
Wyalusing QB Mitchell Burke threw for 402 yards and four TDs last week in a win over Athens, with Shane Fuhrey hauling in six catches for 192 yards and one TD, and Kashawn Cameron adding three grabs for 158 yards and two TDs.
"Fuhrey is a good football player," said Gorman. "They use him all over the place.
"Burke throws the ball downfield to their athletes, and Cameron is fast and has good hands, a lot like Fuhrey," added Gorman.
Sayre's sophomore QB Brayden Horton has thrown for 661 yards and 10 TDs, with senior Corbin Brown his top target with 12 catches for 194 yards and two TDs. Senior Ethan Miller has 11 grabs for 152 yards and four TDs, and senior Zach Watkins has seven catches for 133 yards and one TD.
On the ground, Firestine has 361 yards and three TDs, and Horton has run for 194 yards and six TDs.
"(Wyalusing) has some good size up front and in their linebacking corps, and they are definitely physical," said Gorman.
They'll play some man, and they'll drop off into zone," he added. "It will be an interesting match-up."
Waverly (2-0 overall, 1-0 Div. II) at Maine-Endwell (1-1, 1-0), 7 p.m.: The Wolverines are coming off a 41-6 win over Johnson City, while the Spartans thumped Chenango Valley, 42-24.
Maine-Endwell won four consecutive state titles from 2011-14, and six straight Section IV titles from 2010-16.
"There's a mystique there when you walk into their place," said Waverly coach Jason Miller. "It's going to be their first home game, and there's going to be a huge crowd. It's going to be a great football setting."
Miller believes M-E could be building toward a return to the state title picture after three years of watching the state playoffs.
"I don't think this is a typical M-E team from the last few years, I think they're better," he said. "The last few years, across-the-board, I don't think they were quite as athletic as they are right now."
Miller says Maine-Endwell runs an option offense, comparing what they do to Georgia Tech and Navy's scheme.
"M-E runs the triple and mid-line option from Pee Wee on up, so by the time they get to varsity, they're very adept at what they're doing."
The Spartans' biggest losses from last year were in the trenches.
"When you lose two Division I linemen it has a major impact on your football team, but the linemen they do have play very hard, and come off the ball. They're not as big as U-E or JC, but they play hard."
The real strength of the Spartans, says Miller, is in the backfield.
"Their running backs run are big, fast, and run very hard, and their quarterback makes great decisions in the option game.
"Defensively, we'll have to play assignment football," said Miller. "M-E is definitely faster than either team we've played to this point. It's going to be a tough test."
Offensively, Miller says the Wolverines will just have to keep doing what they've been doing.
Eighth-grader Joey Tomasso has completed 22 of 45 pass attempts for 325 yards and three TDs, without throwing an interception this season.
Senior wideout Jalen McCarty is Waverly's top receiver with seven catches for 172 yards and three TDs, while junior David Hallett leads the ground game with 119 yards and one TD on 38 carries.
"M-E will primarily run a 4-4, and they'll blitz off the outside edge quite a bit," he said. "They'll play some man, and some cover-3 in the secondary.
"I don't see us changing much of what we're doing," noted Miller. "We just need to continue to improve at the little things that will make us better."
The longtime Waverly coach said the game will be a learning experience for his young team.
"Regardless of the outcome, playing these good teams is going to make us better. There is a whole different level of preparation.
"M-E is so well-coached," said Miller. "They are going to recognize our weakness better than we do, and that's what you learn from."
Tioga (2-0) at Bainbridge-Guilford (0-2), 7 p.m.: The Tigers are coming off a 24-20 home win over Newark Valley, while the Bears were throttled by O-M / Watkins Glen, 44-12.
The Tigers enter the game averaging 231.5 yards per game on the ground, while passing for just 5.5 yards per game. Sophomore Emmett Wood leads the ground game with 272 yards and four TDs, and senior QB Brady Worthing has 160 yards and one TD.
"Defensively, it looks like they're running a 4-4 base," said Tioga coach Nick Aiello. "The biggest thing we noticed is they like to blitz a lot. It's going to be a big week in terms of picking up the blitz, and making sure we have the guys ready to handle that type of pressure.
"They have some big boys, especially in the middle of their defensive line," added Aiello. "Being able to counter that and game-scheme against that will be important."
The Tioga defense allowed 20 points and 341 yards per game in its first two wins.
"B-G runs a pistol double-wing T type offense," said Aiello.
They have two good back (Jakob Heath and Garrett Ives), and their quarterback throws a good ball," he noted. "They have some very big boys up front, and play a physical brand of football.
"It's a system offense, and they stick to their system," added Aiello. "There's a lot of misdirection, and they'll spread us out a little bit."
GIRLS SOCCER
Tioga (2-4) at Waverly (5-1), 4:30 p.m.: The Lady Tigers are coming off a 5-2 win at Newfield Wednesday afternoon, while the Lady Wolverines edged Notre Dame, 1-0, Tuesday night at Memorial Stadium.
FIELD HOCKEY
Tioga (1-6) at Moravia (2-1-1), 4:30 p.m.: The Lady Tigers are coming off a 6-1 loss to Newark Valley Wednesday, while the Lady Blue Devils battled to a 0-0 draw with Cortland Friday.
