VALLEY SPORTS REPORT: TIOGA'S WOOD HEADLINES 'SUPER 7' AS TOP BOYS' 'ATHLETE OF FALL' (2019-12-01)
Valley Sports ReportTHE VALLEY "” Tioga sophomore Emmett Wood was the driving force behind Tioga football's run to the state semifinals this fall, and is the
Valley Sports Report 2019 Boys "
Athlete of the Fall.
A dynamic player on both sides of the ball, Wood accounted for 42 touchdowns, and is VSR's Football "Player of the Year."
Wood, who is also VSR's "Offensive Player of the Year," rushed for 2,356 yards and 37 TDs on 225 carries for an average of 10.5 yards per carry. Wood also caught two passes for 70 yards, including a 60-yard TD reception, and tacked on nine two-point conversion runs.
In the postseason, Wood rushed for 1,025 yards and 14 TDs in four games.
At linebacker, Emmett Wood used his speed to keep teams from getting to the edge, and was a ball hawk against the passing game. He had two interceptions, returning one for a score, two fumble recoveries, and forced two fumbles. He averaged 5.5 tackles per game, and recorded 12 tackles-for-loss on the season, including one QB sack.
On special teams, Emmett Wood returned three kick-offs for scores, which resulted in most teams squib-kicking, giving Tioga's high-powered offense good field position.
The
"Super 7" Male Athletes of the Fall are:
Emmett Wood, sophomore, Tioga: See above.
Collin Wright, junior, Waverly: A three-time state qualifier, Wright is the VSR "Boys "Runner of the Year," becoming the second athlete to win the award three times.
Wright enjoyed a strong regular season - finishing in the top-10 in every regular-season event he participated in. He also led the Wolverines to a division title.
Wright won the Tom Koons Valley meet, finished second at McDaniel-Baxter Invite (Chenango Valley), third at Owego Invite, fourth in seeded division race at Marathon Invite, fifth at prestigious McQuaid Invitational (Rochester), seventh at Bob Greene Invite (Newark Valley), and ninth at Forbes Invitational (Oneonta).
He finished second at the IAC Divisional meet, and third at IAC Championships, before a third-place finish in the Class C at Section IV State Qualifier to earn his third consecutive trip to States. Wright posted his best finish yet at States, crossing the line in 39th place.
Brady Worthing, senior, Tioga: Like Wood, Worthing was a major contributor in all three phases of the game for the Tigers.
At
QB, Worthing rushed for 885 yards and 10 TDs on just 87 carries (10.2
yards per carry). He also completed 51.4 percent (36 of 70) of his
passes for 520 yards and nine TDs, with just three interceptions.
Defensively, he averaged 6.3 tackles, including 3.7 solo stops per game.
He also four interceptions, returning one for a score, and one fumble
recovery.
Worthing also stepped up to kick and punt for the
Tigers this season. He made 31 of 35 extra-point attempts to start
season before an injury to long-snapper caused issues, and finished
making 42 of 52. He was also 2-for-2 on field-goal attempts, including a
27-yarder.
Luke Arnold, senior, Athens: A tremendous field general and all-around skilled player, Arnold helped Athens to its fourth straight District 4, Class AAA title game appearance, and is the 2019 VSR Boys Soccer "Player of the Year."
Arnold is a tireless performer with great speed, tremendous foot skills, a sky-high soccer IQ, and an incredibly strong leg. He scored 18 goals and doled out 17 assists.
Aaron Lane, senior, Athens: A rare two-sport fall athlete, Lane shined on the soccer pitch and kicking for the football team.
On the pitch, Lane, who is a fast and tenacious performer and highly-skilled in the air, scored a Valley-high 29 goals and dished out 14 assists.
On the gridiron, Lane made 18 of 21 extra-point attempts, and handled kick-off duties for the Wildcats.
Dom Wood, senior, Tioga: Dom Wood, who is the VSR "Lineman of the Year," was a mainstay on the Tioga offensive line that paved the way for 338.6 yards per game on the ground and 55 rushing TDs.
Defensively, Dom Wood averaged 9.2 tackles per game, including 3.9 solo stops per game. He had five QB sacks, recovered two fumbles, and blocked one punt.
Isaiah Firestine, senior, Sayre: A beast on both sides of the football, Firestine was the driving force behind the Redskins' success in 2019.
At tailback, Firestine rushed for 1,099 yards and 14 TDs, and caught five passes for 67 yards. At linebacker, he led the Redskins with 5.2 tackles per game, including four QB sacks. He also had two fumble recoveries.
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IN PHOTO: Tioga's Emmett Wood.
