VALLEY SPORTS REPORT: SAYRE'S SUTTON HEADLINES SUPER 7 AS GIRLS 'NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR' (2023-06-23)

Valley Sports Report
THE VALLEY — Kaitlyn Sutton made a big impact in three sports during her freshman season at Sayre. She is the 2022-23 Valley Sports Report Girls "Newcomer of the Year."

Sutton was a VSR Super 7 Newcomer in all three seasons this year, including the "Newcomer of the Winter" for her efforts on the basketball hardwoods.

Sutton made an immediate impact, and was a key contributor in the Lady Redskins’ basketball improvement this winter.

A good ball-handler, Sutton showed a knack for scoring in all facets of the game, and was a sneaky good rebounder. She averaged 7.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 2.4 steals per game. She also knocked down 19 3-pointers.

In the fall, a speedy finisher, Sutton had a strong freshman year for Athens with nine goals and two assists.

In the spring, Sutton was a double-winner in her first varsity track & field meet, and continued to lead the Lady Redskins throughout the season placing in the 400-meter dash, long jump, and triple jump on a consistent basis.

At the NTL Championships, Sutton place fifth in the triple jump, and sixth in the long jump. She finished seventh in the 400-meter dash. Sutton qualified for the District 4 Championships in all three events, but could not participate.

The 2022-23 Super 7 Girls Newcomers of the Year:
Kaitlyn Sutton, freshman, Sayre: See above.

Makenzie Olmsted, 8th-grader, Waverly: Olmsted was a first-year standout on the soccer pitch, and on the track for the Lady Wolverines.

Possessing a high soccer IQ, and a non-stop motor, Olmsted had five assists this season, including one assist in each of her first three varsity games. She also scored on a penalty kick to lift Waverly to a win over Lansing in the IAC Championship game.

Olmsted also made an instant impact in her first varsity track season, and was runner-up top newcomer this spring.

At the IAC Championships, she won the 1,500-meter run, and was third in the 800-meter run.

At the Class Championships, Olmsted finished third in the 1,500-meter run, and eighth in the 800. At the State qualifier, she was seventh at the 1,500, and was 11th in the 800 in a personal-best time of 2:33.89.

Olivia Thompson, freshman, Sayre: Thompson was a standout on the softball diamond for Sayre this spring, and in the pool for Athens during the winter season.

Thompson stepped up and made an immediate impact on both sides of the ball for the Lady Redskins, who showed a dramatic improvement on the diamond this season.

Thompson hit .364 (20 hits in 55 ABs) with four doubles, two triples, eight RBI, 16 runs scored, and seven stolen bases. She was also a Gold Glove recipient on the All-Valley softball team.

During the winter season, Thompson was a mainstay on the Athens swim team, and swam on Athens’ District 4 place-winning 200-meter freestyle (third) and 200-meter medley (sixth) relays. She also placed seventh in the 50-meter freestyle, and ninth in the 100-yard backstroke.

Megan Vance, junior, Tioga: Vance was the VSR "Volleyball Newcomer of the Year," and also had a standout season on the softball diamond.

A typical Tioga volleyball player, Vance was an asset all over the floor. She is a force at the service line, and improved at the net as the season progressed. She had 130 service points, 75 kills, and 20 digs.

On the diamond, Vance hit .339 (20 hits in 59 ABs) with two doubles, one triple, 16 RBI, and 27 runs scored. She also walked nine times for a .435 on-base percentage, and an .842 OPS.

Chloe Gillette, junior, Tioga: The VSR "Fall Newcomer of the Year" for her accomplishments on the field hockey field, and also had an outstanding season on the softball diamond this spring.

Gillette had never played field hockey before this fall, then ended up in between the pipes as goalkeeper for the Lady Tigers, where she stopped the vast majority of the shots she faced.

Gillette’s shining moment of the season was a 33-save effort in Tioga’s 1-0 overtime win over Newark Valley. The win snapped a 33-game losing streak for the Lady Tigers, dating back to Oct. 1, 2019.

Gillett recorded 287 saves in 14 games, for an average of 20.5 saves per game. She had two games with more than 30 saves, and six with 24 or more.

After getting healthy midway through the softball season, Gillette hit .355 (11 hits in 31 ABs) with eight RBI, and 13 runs scored. She walked five times, for an on-base percentage of .459.

Mackenzie Chamberlain, freshman, Waverly: Chamberlain was a solid contributor for the Wolverines in cross country, winter track & field, and spring track & field.

In the fall, Chamberlain, who finished 41st at the Section IV, Class C Cross Country Championships, finished seventh in unseeded race at the Marathon Invitational, was 16th at the Chenango Valley Invite, 22nd at the Owego Invite, and 28th at the Bob Greene Invite.

During the winter track season, Chamberlain finished eighth in the 1,000-meter run at the Section IV, Division 2 Championships. She also ran on the eighth-place 800-meter relay.

In the spring, Chamberlain finished ninth in the 400-meter hurdles, and 13th in the 100-meter hurdles at the Section IV, Class C Championships.

Abby Burgess, freshman, Athens: Burgess was the "Newcomer of the Spring" for her exploits on the track, and saw very limited action on the basketball hardwoods.

At the NTL Track & Field Championships, Burgess won the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes, placed third in the 400-meter dash, and ran a leg on the third-place 1,600-meter relay team.

At Districts, Burgess finished third in the 100-meter dash — missing out on States by 0.02 seconds. She also placed third in the 200-meter dash.

On the hardwoods, Burgess had four points in a win over Canton

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