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FROM THE PRESS BOX: TIOGA FOOTBALL, WRESTLING, AND ATHENS' GAVIN BRADLEY HIGHLIGHT BAKER'S DOZEN TOP STORIES OF 2022 (2023-01-01)

The continued dominance at a state level for the Tioga football and wrestling teams topped the sports news in 2022, while Athens senior Gavin Bradley capping off a stellar four-year career with his first PIAA wrestling title, and the sports of girls wrestling continued to grow.

The Waverly football team reached the top of the Section IV, Class C mountain by slaying the dragon known as Chenango Forks, while Sayre did not field a varsity football team for the first time since 1912.

The Waverly boys swim team had a record-breaking season, and made its presence felt at the State meet, while the Wolverine track team sent a large contingent to States, and Waverly freshman Mira Kittle had a historic season in the pool.

There was also a historic postseason by the Athens boys basketball team, and a return to the top of the Section IV hierarchy for the Tioga volleyball team, as well as a little disappointment on the baseball diamond.

All in all, 2022 was chock full of great storylines, including another dozen or so that didn’t even make the list.

As I've said in the past, lists are like ... well, everyone has one.

Here is one person's list - from 13 to 1 - of the "Baker's Dozen - Top Stories of 2022.”

13. Sayre baseball upended in District 4 semifinals: Expectations surrounding the Sayre baseball team were sky-high entering the 2022 season, considering it returned six starters from a team that won the District 4 title in 2021.

The Redskins dropped their season-opener at South Williamsport, but ripped off 16 straight wins on their way to a 18-2 regular-season mark.

Sayre left 13 runners on base, including eight in scoring position in a 5-2 loss to Muncy in the Class AA semifinals.

Sayre graduates seven seniors, including six starters, and lost Lucas Horton to Athens, but Zach Garrity, and Jackson Hubbard and a crew of youngsters return looking to write another chapter in this storyline.

12. Waverly freshman Mira Kittle enjoys record-breaking season in the pool: Only a freshman, Mira Kittle is already establishing herself as one of the best female swimmers in Waverly’s storied history.

Kittle broke the school record in the 100-yard backstroke in the first meet of the season on Sept. 1. Nine days later — at the Wolverine Invite, she lowered that record, and also broke the school-record in the 50 free. She would lower both school records again later in the year.

Kittle also swam on a pair of school record-setting relays at Class B Championships.

Kittle became the first Waverly freshman — boy or girl — to qualify for States, qualifying in the backstroke and the 50 free.

She is only a freshman, so there are almost certainly new chapters to be written in this storyline.

11. Tioga volleyball returns to the top of Class D in Section IV: Tioga won its first Section IV title in five years, winning the ninth title in coach Des Ford’s career.

The Lady Tigers won five Section IV titles from 2012-17, and reached the Section IV title every year from 2009-18.

This title came a bit out of the blue, so a sequel could be in the works in 2023.

10. Waverly baseball reaches Section IV finals for first time since 2013: Waverly started the season strong with nine wins in its first 11 games, but closed the regular season with a brutal stretch of games — losing seven of eight games against playoff teams to finish the regular-season at 10-9.

The tough regular-season schedule seemed to serve its purpose as the Wolverines edged Dryden, 3-2, and rolled over Chenango Valley, 11-1, to advance to the Class B title game.

An old nemesis, however, kept Waverly from its first Section IV title since 2013 — and second ever. Oneonta topped Waverly, 12-10, in a wild game. It was the fifth postseason win over Waverly since 2011.

Waverly returns the majority of its team, so this storyline could re-write itself in 2023.

9. Athens boys basketball enjoys historic postseason:
The Athens boys finished the hoop season strong, winning the NTL Showdown, then winning two postseason games to reach its first District 4 title game since 2000.

Despite losing the D4 title game, the Wildcats advanced to the PIAA playoffs, then upended Mid-Valley, 42-40, for the school first state playoff win since 1956, before running into Archbishop Carroll in the “Sweet 16.”

It’s possible the Wildcats could write a sequel next year, but with five seniors set to graduate, there would be an almost entirely new cast in the storyline.

8. Girls wrestling begins to grow:
While Pennsylvania and New York are both working toward sanctioning girls wrestling, Athens, Waverly and Tioga have all established girls teams.

At the end of the 2021-22 seasons, Section IV held its first-ever Girls Wrestling Championships, and Tioga junior Emily Sindoni, and Waverly freshman Mackenzie LaForest won Section IV titles. Sindoni went on to win an unofficial state title, winning gold at the New York State Girls Folkstyle Championships.

At Pa. States, Athens senior Raven McCarthy-Gardner won a bronze medal, while Lacey Hinman of Troy won a silver medal, and Sayre’s Layla Bennett won a fifth-place medal wrestling for the Lady Wildcats.

Early in the 2022-23 season, Waverly hosted Athens in the first-ever girls wrestling dual in Section IV. Just two days later, Athens hosted a girls tournament as part of its annual Jarvis Tournament.

2023 will be an even bigger year for girls wrestling on both sides of the border as this is a storyline with many more chapters to be written.

7. A record-breaking season for Waverly boys swim foursome: In 2020, Kaden Wheeler, Oscar Williams, Jerrell Sackett, and Ryan Clark were young swimmers with promise for the Wolverines. The truncated Covid season in 2021 kept the foursome off the radar.

The foursome put up some good times early this season, but burst on to the scene in late January when they broke all three relay school records, including two that were set in 1999 by the likes of Pat and Ben Fell, Josh Hogan, and Bret Gillan, at the Wolverine Invite.

The foursome continued to lower their record times — ultimately setting new records at the state championships. They wrapped up the season by winning a state silver medal — the best finish ever at States for Waverly — in the 200-yard freestyle, and a ninth-place medal in the 400-yard free relay.

Sackett also broke the school record in the 50 free, and won a bronze medal — matching the best individual finish ever for a Waverly swimmer.

In his first swim of the 2022-23 season, Sackett hit the state standard in the 50 free to ensure himself of another trip to States.

With Sackett, Williams, and Clark — all juniors — back for another year, there may be another chapter left in this storyline.

6. Waverly sends 10 athletes, including three relays, to state meet: It was quite a season for the Waverly track & field teams, with 10 athletes earning a trip to the New York State Championships.

Sophomore Micah Chandler and junior Kayleb Bechy, a newcomer to the sport, earned their way to State in individual sports, but were also part of a pair of boys relays to advance.

Bechy and Chandler were joined in the 400-meter relay by senior Sam VanDyke, and junior Jerrell Sackett, another newcomer to the sport. Chandler teamed with VanDyke, senior Kaden Wheeler, and junior Treyton Moore.

Due to an injury to Chandler, the line-ups at States changed, with Moore replacing him in the 400, and Sackett taking his place in the 1,600.

For the girls, senior Olivia Nittinger, and juniors Abbey Knolles, Natalie Garrity, and Kennedy Westbrook teamed to win the 400-meter gold at the State Qualifier, to advance to the state meet.

Only Chandler earned a medal, placing fifth in the 110-meter hurdles, but Bechy ran a season-best in the 100-meter preliminaries.

Seven of the 10 state-qualifiers return in 2023, so this storyline may have another chapter left to be written.

5. No Sayre football for first time since 1912: The Sayre football program fell apart just prior to the start of the preseason, and did not field a team for the first time in 110 years. This story probably ranks higher on the list for Sayre grads, and former players.

The Redskins did field a junior varsity team in 2022, and went unbeaten so there is hope for the future. However, with both school boards recently approving a merger study, the future of Sayre football is uncertain.

There is definitely another chapter to be written on Sayre football. Let’s hope it’s not the final chapter.

4. Waverly football vanquishes Chenango Forks to win fourth Section IV title under coach Jason Miller: Waverly coach Jason Miller had won three Section IV titles heading into 2022, but one of his teams have never beaten powerhouse Chenango Forks in a championship game.

As a matter of fact, Forks had won its last 18 times in championship appearances, until the Wolverines rallied for a 28-14 win in this year’s Class C title tilt.

The win was extra sweet for Waverly as it avenged not only a loss in last year’s Class C title game, but its only regular-season loss in 2022.

With quite a bit returning for 2023, including record-breaking QB Joey Tomasso, and his record-breaking favorite target, Jay Pipher, another chapter of this storyline is most likely in store.

3. Athens senior Gavin Bradley finishes four-year quest for PIAA gold: Bradley became just the second grappler in the history of the storied Athens wrestling program to win his fourth PIAA medal this season.

Bradley burst on to the scene with a 34-12 record and a sixth-place finish at Hershey as a freshman, then followed that up with a 39-4 mark as a sophomore, and a seventh-place finish at States.

Last year, Bradley was unbeaten until a loss to Wyoming Area’s Jaden Pepe, who he had beaten in the Regional finals a week prior, in the title match at the Super Regionals. Pepe beat Bradley again, 3-2, a week later in the state finals. Bradley finished his season at 40-2.

This year, Bradley was unbeaten until losing to Montoursville’s Branden Wentzel, a former state champion, in the finals of the District 4 Championships. Bradley avenged that loss the following week in the Regional finals, and again a week later in the state finals.

Bradley put the finishing touches on this storyline with a 39-1 record this season to close out his career with 152 wins — third most ever at Athens.

2.  Tioga’s wrestling dominance reaches new heights: Three times before, Tioga had traveled to Syracuse for the New York State Duals only to come home after a semi-final loss. This year, the top-ranked Tigers put a wrap on a dominant duals season with four convincing victories, including a 50-7 demolition of second-ranked Canisteo-Greenwood in the finals, to win their first-ever state Duals title.

A month later, Tioga won its fifth consecutive Section IV, Division 2 title, advancing nine wrestlers to the state tournament, including seven Section champions. Of the nine, seven reached the podium, including two champs, two runners-up, and one third-place finisher. In the process, the Tigers claimed their third straight team title, tallying a record-breaking 146 points.

In the five years there’s been a state tournament since Harrington took the reigns at Tioga, the Tigers have had 27 state qualifiers, including 18 Section IV champions. They have had 20 state medalists, including five state champions, four runners-up, and two third-place finishers.

Despite a late start to the 2022-23 season due to another state title for the football team, TIoga — with just nine wrestlers — ran away with the team title at the prestigious Windsor Christmas Tournament, sending a message to the rest of the state that it is still the team to beat.

Of the nine state qualifiers this season, seven are underclassmen. Of those seven, six won medals, including all five of the top-three finishers. This storyline has at least two more chapters to be written.

1. Tioga Football continues dominance: The Tigers wrapped up a perfect 14-0 season with its second consecutive state title.

Tioga, winners of 27 straight, rolled through the regular season at 8-0, then won its two Section IV playoff games 49-18 (SVEC) and 42-14 (Delhi). It was the 10th Section IV title in 11 postseasons for coach Nick Aiello.

After a 42-6 rout of Dolgeville in the Class D quarterfinals, Tioga was pushed to the limit in a 41-34 win over Randolph. The Class D title game was a bit anti-climactic as the Tigers rolled over Cambridge-Salem, 63-20.

All three of Tioga’s opponents in the state playoffs were unbeaten entering their games with the Tigers.

With all but one starter returning, a sequel to this year’s story is almost certain.

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