THE SPORTS REPORTS: OWEGO'S DODGE NAMED FLAG FOOTBALL 'PLAYER OF THE YEAR;' WAVERLY'S WESTBROOK, ELMIRA'S JONES, OWEGO'S GRIPPEN, VIRKLER ALSO EARN TOP HONORS (2025-07-19)

The Sports Reports
Owego senior Olivia Dodge had an incredible season on both sides of the ball, helping the River Hawks to an appearance in the New York State Class C championship game. She is The Sports Reports' 2025 "Flag Football Player of the Year."

Despite missing half the regular season due to a knee injury, Owego junior Kylie Grippen was the "Offensive Player of the Year," while Waverly senior Addison Westbrook and Elmira senior Madi Jones were disruptive and dominant on the defensive side of the ball and share "Defensive Player of the Year," honors and Owego's Rusty Virkler is the "Coach of the Year."

Dodge shined on both sides of the football for the River Hawks. 

Dodge recorded 87 receptions for a school-record 929 yards and a school-record 22 TDs. She also rushed for 329 yards and seven TDs on 38 carries.

Defensively, Dodge had a school-record 119 tackles, a school-record 13 interceptions, 266 returns yards, and three pick-6s.

She also had 16 punt returns for 249 yards, and three TDs.

In all, Dodge scored a school-record 34 touchdowns on the season.

Grippen, who missed half the regular season with a torn ACL, complete 70 percent (245 of 348) of her passes for 2,576 yards, and 49 TDs, with just two interceptions. She also completed passes for 36 extra points.

Grippen missed time after tearing her ACL, damaging meniscus, spraining her MCL and fracturing her knee cap in practice.

She returned to play in the postseason, and lead the River Hawks to the state championship game. In seven playoff games, Gripped completed 66 percent (109 of 166) of her passes for 1,232 yards, 19 TDs, 15 extra points, and just one interception.

Westbrook, who had a record-breaking season on both sides of the ball for the Wolverines, recorded a school-record 12 interceptions, including a school-record six pick-6s.

Westbrook was also the last line of defense in the secondary, registering several TD-saving tackles during the season. (Full stats not provided.)

Jones registered 46 tackles during the season, and had 11 interceptions, including three pick-6s. In the Section IV, Class A finals, she had three interceptions.

A year after leading Owego into the State Final Four, coach Rusty Virkler led the River Hawks into the Class C state finals, where it suffered an overtime loss.

Owego finished the Section IV season at 13-0, with a win over state-ranked Susquehanna Valley in the Class C finals.

The River Hawks improved to 16-0 entering the state finals.

ALL-REGION FLAG FOOTBALL TEAM
Olivia Dodge, senior, Owego: See above.

Kylie Grippen, junior, Owego: See above.

Addison Westbrook, senior, Waverly: A defensive standout (see above), Westbrook also had 65 receptions for 980 yards, and 15 TDs — all school records. She rushed for more than 100 yards, and two TDs. In Waverly's two playoff games, she has 11 catches for 157 yards and two TDs, and ran the ball three times for 75 yards, and one score.

Madi Jones, senior, Elmira: A defensive whiz (see above), Jones had 90 catches for 1,190 yards and 11 TDs — averaging 92 yards per game and 13 yards per reception. She had two touchdowns and three interceptions in the section title game.

Sydney Blunt, Horseheads: Blunt rushed for 1,500 yards and 20 TDs, averaging 10 yards per carry for the Blue Raiders.

Bella Silvestri, senior, Owego: A two-way standout, Silvestri rushed for a school-record 1,056 yards and 16 TDs on 137 carries, and also had 21 receptions for 175 yards and three TDs.

On the defensive side of the ball, where Silvestri was a vocal leader, she had 115 tackles, seven QB sacks, and three interceptions.

Ashlyn Dalton, sophomore, Owego: Dalton was a jack-of-all-trades for the River Hawks, stepping in to do an admirable job at QB when Grippen was injured.

Dalton completed 67 percent (64 of 96) of her passes for 514 yards, six TDs, 12 extra points, and just two TDs. She also rushed for 689 yards and nine TDs on 60 carries, and had 66 catches for 870 yards, 14 TDs, and nine extra points.

Defensively, Dalton had 45 tackles, 19 QB sacks, 41 QB pressures, and one interception.

Ella Devlin, Elmira: Devlin was an all-around standout for the Express. She rushed for 763 yard and five TDs, while throwing for two TDs, and catching three TD passes.

Defensively, she had 37 tackles and three interceptions.

Jessica Als, Horseheads: Als directed the Blue Raider offense, throwing for 1,600 yards and 12 TDs.

Maddie Ribble, Horseheads: A standout on defense, Ribble had 98 tackles, including five tackles-for-loss, and four QB sacks.

Brilynn Bellis, junior, Waverly: Bellis stepped in the QB roll for the Wolverines, and by the end of the season was one of the better signal-callers in Section IV.

She completed 57 percent (217 of 381) of her passes for 2,328 yards and 35 TDs, but had 17 interceptions. In the first six games, Bellis had 15 TDs and 12 interceptions, but in the last seven tossed 20 TDs to just five picks.

Bellis also topped 400 rushing yards on the season, and had three TDs.

Lauryn Welles, freshman, Waverly: A standout on both sides of the ball, Welles was a factor in the passing game for the Wolverines, and was one of the top tacklers on the team. (No stats provided.)

Mira Kittle, junior, Waverly: A force on the defense with QB sacks and pressures, Kittle was also the Wolverines top running back, topping 200 yards in a game early in the season. (No stats provided.)

Kylie Stickler, Elmira: Stickler was an all-around performer for the Express. She 423 rushing yards and two TDs on 67 carries, and 21 receptions for 204 yards and five TDs.

Defensively, she had 48 tackles and two interceptions.

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