FROM THE PRESS BOX: ATHENS SOFTBALL TOPS SUPER 7 'STORYLINES OF THE SPRING' (2025-06-29)

Valley Sports Report
THE VALLEY — I've talked about storylines in the past and how they normally come in one of four realms: the start of a storyline, the continuation of one, the likely culmination of one, or a storyline totally out-of-the-blue.

This year, the "Super 7 Storylines of the Spring" offer up a variety of those storylines.

Without any further ado, I give you, from No. 7 to No. 1, the "Super 7 storylines" of the spring:

7. Sayre baseball struggles continue: Graduation losses, paired with losses to the "transfer portal" have taken quite a toll on Sayre athletics, none more so than the baseball program.

The win total dropped from five in 2024 to one in 2025, and that came in the final game of the season.

I'm hoping the program can be rebuilt, but I'm afraid we could see another chapter in this storyline next year.

6. Waverly flag football takes step back or forward?: Coming off an 8-1-3 season, which ended in the opening round of the Section IV playoffs, Waverly posted a 7-4 regular-season mark, but won a postseason game for the first time, and finished at 8-5.

Waverly loses a couple key seniors, namely Addison Westbrook, but returns QB Brilynn Belles and a host of athletes. I believe this is a continuing storyline.

5. Athens sends three to PIAA Class AAA Championships: The nay-sayers had little doubt the bump from Class 2A to Class 3A would result in Athens getting shut out from the PIAA Track & Field Championships.

However, junior Abby Burgess, who won a fourth-place medal in the 100-meter dash, and seniors Sara Bronson and Jase Babcock proved the doubters wrong.

There appears to be just one more year left in this storyline, and Athens seems likely to end up back in Class AA in 2026-27.

4. Athens baseball turns it around: After posting an 8-12 season in 2024, Athens put up a 15-5 season in 2025.

The Wildcats return nearly everyone in 2026, so there's a good chance, we could see another chapter, and a longer one at that in this storyline.

3. Tioga softball return to Section IV title game: Tioga brought back seven starters from its 2024 team that lost to Union Springs in the Class C Championship game.

Tioga posted a 15-4 record, with two of its losses to Union Springs, which it beat in the Class C semis, and one each to Athens, and Deposit-Hancock, which beat Tioga for the Section crown, and advanced to the state finals.

Tioga graduates a pair of key seniors in Erin Luther and McKenzie Williams, but has a slew of talent in the pipeline. This is definitely a storyline with several chapters yet to be written.

2. Tioga boys track & field enjoys one of best seasons in program history: Tioga won a division title, and an IAC Small School title, then finished fourth at the Section IV, Class D Championships in one of the best seasons ever in program history.

Individually, junior Gavin Albrecht won the first state title in program history, clearing 15-feet in the pole vault to win a Division III title, while senior Andrew Earley won a fourth-place medal in the 110 hurdles, and junior Dominic Palmer finished 12th in the pentathlon — in just his third try in the event.

With Albrecht and Palmer returning, and Vida Rossi a likely candidate to qualify for States next year, this storyline has a chapter or more remaining to be written.

1. Athens softball wins first-ever District 4 softball title: Athens went from 5-15 two years ago to 21-2 and its first-ever District 4 title this spring.

Along the way, Athens posted a one-loss season in the NTL to win its second-ever league title.

With sophomore Gretchan Hiley, who had one of the best season in Valley history in the pitcher's circle, returning for two more seasons, along with five other starters, there's a pretty good chance we'll see at least two more chapters in this storyline.

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