VALLEY SPORTS REPORT: ATHENS' BURGESS 'GIRLS TRACK & FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR;' TIOGA'S ROSSI, WAVERLY'S TWEDT, JUDSON, SOPRANO, ATHENS' BRONSONS ALSO EARN TOP HONORS (2025-06-25)

Valley Sports Report
THE VALLEY — Despite a move up to Class 3A, Athens junior Abby Burgess earned a medal at the PIAA Track & Field Championships. She is the Valley Sports Report's "Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year."

Athens senior Sara Bronson is the "Track Athlete of the Year," while Tioga freshman Vida Rossi is the "Field Athlete of the Year," Waverly sophomore Ryleigh Judson and freshman Gianna Soprano are the "Newcomers of the Year," and Athens' Mike Bronson is the "Coach of the Year."

Consistently a triple- or quad-winner throughout the regular season, Burgess led Athens to its 10th straight NTL title with two first- and two second-place finishes at the league championships.

At the District 4 Championships, Burgess hit the state standards in the 100- and 200-meter sprints to earn a trip to States. She finished second in the 100 in 12.26 seconds (state standard 12.5), and third in the 200 at 25.18 (25.6 state standard). She also finished fourth in the 400-meter dash.

At States, Burgess qualified for the finals — by .01 seconds — with the eighth-fastest time of 12.43 seconds. In the finals, Burgess ran a personal-best time of 12.12 seconds to bring home a fourth-place medal. ... She finished 23rd in the 200 in 26.14 seconds.

Bronson, another top point-getter for the Wildcats during the regular season, also posted two first- and two second-place finishes to help Athens to its 10th straight NTL title.

At the District 4, Class 3A Championships, Bronson finished third in the 800-meter run in 2:21.31, but earned a trip to States when the top two finishers scratched out of the event. She finished second in the 1,600-meter run, but missed the state standard by one second, clocking in at 5:08.17.

At States, Bronson finished 27th in 2:20.01.

Rossi had a strong regular season, breaking the school record in the long jump, then re-setting it a couple times before peaking at 17-feet, 3-inches. She is also closing in on the 100-meter dash school record.

She was injured in the final regular-season meet, and missed out on a trip to States by 3 1/2 inches, leaping 16-feet, 6 3/4-inches at the State Qualifier to finish second.

Judson and Soprano both had impacts for the Wolverines in their first varsity season.

Judson, who finished the season as one of Waverly's top middle-distance runners, ran on the 1,600 and 3,200-meter relays that won the STAC and Section IV, Class C Championships. 

Judson also ran on the 400-meter relay that finished third at the STAC and Class C Championships. 

The 1,600 relay finished second, and the 3,200-meter relay was fourth at the State Qualifier.

Soprano, who was also Waverly's top pole vaulter during the regular season, placed fifth in the 400-meter hurdles at the State Qualifier.

Soprano won the 400 hurdles at the STAC and Class C Championships.

Bronson directed the Wildcats to their 10th consecutive NTL title, and coached two athletes to the PIAA Championships.

GIRLS TRACK & FIELD
Athlete of Year: Abby Burgess, junior, Athens
Track Athlete of Year: Sara Bronson, senior, Athens
Field Athlete of Year: Vida Rossi, freshman, Tioga
Newcomer of Year:  Ryleigh Judson, sophomore, Waverly, and Gianna Soprano, Waverly
Coach of Year: Mike Bronson, Athens

ALL-VALLEY GIRLS TRACK & FIELD SUPER 7
Abby Burgess, junior, Athens: See above.

Sara Bronson, senior, Athens: See above.

Vida Rossi, freshman, Tioga: See above.

Rose Shikanga, senior, Sayre: Despite battling injuries for most of the season, Shikanga was one of Sayre's few consistent point-getters. Shikanga won NTL gold in the 100-meter hurdles, then at the District 4 meet, she finished third in the 100 hurdles, missing out on States by one-tenth of a second with a time of 16.1 seconds. (She ran 15.84 in qualifying.

Kaylin Twedt, freshman, Waverly: A consistent triple- and quad-winner during the regular season, Twedt ran on the 1,600-meter relay that won STAC and Class C Championships, and finished second at the State Qualifier. She was also on the 400-meter relay that finished third at the STAC and Class C Championships.

Individually, Twedt finished third in 400 at SQ in personal-best time.

Kaitlyn Sutton, junior, Waverly: Sutton ran on the 1,600-meter relay that won STAC and Class C Championships, and finished second at the State Qualifier. She was also on the 400-meter relay that finished third at the STAC and Class C Championships.

Individually, Sutton was Waverly's leading jumper on the season.

Haley Larrabee, junior, Waverly: Larrabee ran on the 1,600-meter relay that won STAC and Class C Championships, and finished second at the State Qualifier. She was also on the 400-meter relay that finished third at the STAC and Class C Championships.



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