SECTION IV FOOTBALL: TIOGA AIMS TO RECLAIM TOP SPOT IN CLASS D IN 2025 (2025-08-28)

By TIM BIRNEY
Valley Sports Report
TIOGA CENTER — Tioga battled through a slew of injuries in 2024 to reach the Section IV, Class D championship game, but saw its six-year title run come to an end with a one-point overtime loss to Delhi. In 2025, longtime coach Nick Aiello says his team is hungry to reclaim that title.

"I think (2024) was like the perfect storm of everything.

"Everyone thought it was a down year, but I thought it showed the strength of our program to power through all those injuries, but powering through took a lot out of us," said Aiello.

"I told the guys Day 1 I'm sick of hearing 'oh, you had a lot of injuries' ... because our model is 'no excuses.'

"We lost four games — Chenango Forks (Class C champ), Waverly (Class C runner-up) and Delhi twice (Class D champ) ... All our losses were to Sectional champs or finalists, so I don't think it was a bad year, I think it was a tough year," noted Aiello.

The Tigers return a host of experience from a 7-4 squad.

"At the same time, all those guys are back this year," said Aiello. "We had so many sophomores and juniors playing by the end of the year. Some of them were playing JV most of the year, and found themselves playing in the playoffs.

"I'm comfortable with the experience we have coming back, and that's going to be a strength," he added.

Aiello sees a motivated group of seniors, and a talented group of juniors coming together.

"I told the kids ... one practice, one week, one game at a time. With this group, I think it's important we don't look too far ahead.

"I think we have a lot of kids who didn't have the junior year they wanted, and they've got one year left in high school to accomplish certain things, and not just in football.

"Specifically Logan Bellis, he didn't get anything out of last year ... he's coming back, and he looks excellent," noted Aiello. "Jayden (Duncanson) was banged up, and Kadin Cole missed wrestling season. A lot of these seniors have something to prove, so it makes them hungry.

"And the sophomores, now juniors, are starting to get what it takes to play at the varsity level," added Aiello. "They are starting to grow, and I'm excited to see what they can do the next two years."

Junior Derek Mills will anchor the Tioga offensive line at center, with junior Markel Watkins at left guard, and senior Austin Mumbulo and junior Bailey Rugh both seeing time at left tackle.

Junior James Howey will start at right guard, with Brayden Lounsbury working in at center and right guard, and sophomore Mark McCane senior Nate Hulbert both seeing time at right tackle.

Junior Gavin Kithcart and seniors Dominic Palmer and Brayden MacWhinnie will see time at tight end.

Palmer, and seniors Kadin Cole and Albrecht will see time at the slot back spot, while Albrecht and Alan Winans will see time at split end.

Seniors Jayden Duncanson, Connor Streeter, and Logan Bellis, and junior Shane Platukis will split time at tailback, with juniors Max Stauder, Kithcart and Elijah Bellis, and senior Gage Hopkins will see time at fullback.

After a year away from the program, junior Jackson Bombard returns and will start at quarterback, with last year's starter, Duncanson, set to play the position in a "bunch of Wildcat sets."

"It's not a two-quarterback system," said Aiello. "I've already told Jayden he's a running back who happens to throw the ball well.

"Jack's going to be our quarterback, and we're going to utilize Jayden's skill set with Wildcat formations, and I'm excited about it.

"Jack's understanding of sports as an athlete can really just change the dynamic of your team," noted Aiello. "He's just someone who can put it all together very quickly.

"I talk about puzzle pieces ... we like to use motion, we like to use shifts, and we like to run plays different ways," added Aiello. "I think the mix between Jack and Jayden (Duncanson) is going to be very dynamic."

Looking at his offense, Aiello sees a number of running backs and receivers who can make an impact if given the opportunity.

"I think our versatility is our biggest strength.

"My job is to figure out how we can utilize everyone," said Aiello. "I don't think we're going to be looking to fund one particular person between the tackles all game long, which is definitely an advantage for us.

"I think you'll see us going with the hot hand ... whoever is running the ball real well, and it might be from game-to-game. And, it might be from game plan to game plan," noted Aiello.

"We have some skill sets that we think we can utilize, and it might be different sets offensively.

"It might be just mixing in guys differently, but trying to utilize everyone as the season progresses is going to be the goal to our success on offense," Aiello added.

Aiello said his team needs to pay attention to details.

"The biggest concern is that we understand the little things on every play, and respecting the varsity level of competition and that you can't take a play off.

"Everything down to your first step matters, everything down to how you execute a block matters," said Aiello. "Carrying the ball in the correct hand matters, and carrying out a fake matters. As coaches, we didn't stress that enough last year.

"Ultimately, when you get to the big game, the first thing you always notice is how good you are at the little things, and that ultimately determines whether you win or lose," added Aiello.

Defensively, Aiello said he'll be able to rotate in a lot of players on the defensive line.

Palmer, Kithcart, Howey, and McCane will all see time at defensive end, while Mills, Mumbulo, Lounsbury, McCane, Hulbert, and Rugh will see time at defensive tackle.

Platukis, Stauder, Bellis, Hopkins, and Kithcart will all likely see time at the inside linebacker spots, while Cole, junior Caden Bradley, Streeter, Bellis, and Duncanson will see time at outside linebacker.

Albrecht, Duncanson, Bellis, Winans, Bombard, Streeter, and Cole are all options in the secondary, said Aiello.

"I think our biggest strength on defense is experience," said Aiello. "Nine of these guys were on the field last year in the Sectional final, so there's some comfortability there.

"I think that experience is going to help early on with game plans.

"What we need to work on is playing better defense," noted Aiello. "The big emphasis this offseason is we need to play more aggressive. We need to be more downhill, we can't be lateral. 

"We were so lateral last year, and that just opens up running lanes; that's never good.

"We have good tacklers, we just need to be in better position," said Aiello. "And, we have tough kids who are willing to stick their nose in there, and that's a pretty good combination.


SECTION IV, CLASS D
Class D has grown to 12 teams this season, with Sidney dropping down from Class C, and Groton, Trumansburg, and Greene-Oxford all returning to 11-man football from the 8-man ranks.

Tioga will be in Division VII with SVEC, Newark Valley, Groton, Greene-Oxford, and Trumansburg. Division VI is comprised of Delhi, B-G, Deposit-Hancock, Walton, Sidney, and Harpursville-Afton.

"There's a new coaching staff at SVEC, Oxford-Greene and T-Burg, and Groton are coming back to 11-man football, and Newark Valley has a great coaching staff.

As a whole, Class D in Section IV is going to be very competitive," said Aiello.



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