SECTION IV FOOTBALL: BAD START DOOMS WAVERLY IN 27-7 LOSS TO OWEGO IN CLASS B FINALS (15 PHOTOS) (November 14, 2025)
By TIM BIRNEYValley Sports ReportCONKLIN, N.Y. — Owego scored two quick TDs, and Waverly never quite recovered in a 27-7 loss here Friday night in the championship game of the Section IV, Class B football playoffs.
On the third play of the game, Owego sophomore Nolan Card stepped in front of a throw, which was tipped at the line, from Waverly QB Ben Shaw, and raced 45 yards to paydirt. Junior Dylan Brace added the PAT kick to give the River Hawks a 7-0 lead just 84 seconds into the game.
After a Waverly three-and-out, Owego put together a nine-play, 69-yard drive that featured runs of 23 and 7 yards by big fullback Dom Scherrer, and runs of 11 and 17 yards by Brace, who capped the drive with a 1-yard TD run, to make it 13-0 with 4:49 remaining in the first quarter.
"We got off to a bad start, but I liked the way our kids responded," said Waverly coach Jason Miller.
"We were down two touchdowns, came back to get it to win within one score, and were moving in for the tying score, but had a penalty and one bad play before turning it over on downs," added Miller.
On the ensuing possession, senior Cooper Robinson ripped off a 34-yard run, which turned out to be nearly 25 percent of the team's offense for the game.
The Wolverines kept pounding the ball on the ground, and Ben Shaw capped the eight-play, 64-yard drive with a 3-yard TD run. Senior Hogan Shaw's PAT kick closed the gap to 13-7 with 55 seconds remaining in the first half.
Waverly's defense forced an Owego three-and-out, and took over at its 38 following a River Hawk punt.
Two plays later, a quick hitch from Ben Shaw to senior Daltton Davis turned into a 25-yard gain to the Owego 30.
The Wolverines picked up another first down, and reached the Owego 18 before a holding call slowed the drive, and two big defensive plays by Dom Scherrer forced a turnover on downs.
After an exchange of punts, Owego took over near midfield, and quickly moved into the Waverly red zone on runs of 15 yards by Dom Scherrer, and 29 yards by QB Garrett Phelps, but the River Hawks ran out of time and went to the halftime intermission leading, 13-7.
Owego took the second-half kick, and marched 80 yards on six plays to extend its lead.
Brace did the majority of the damage with 78 yards on five carries, capping the scoring drive with a 48-yard scamper to paydirt around right end. Brace added the PAT kick to make it 20-7 with 9:12 remaining in the third quarter.
"The TD to start the second half was big," said Miller.
"Our first game with (Owego), they came out in the second half and had a sustained drive and got a score," he added. "They do a really good job of halftime adjustments."
Two plays after the ensuing kickoff, Owego's Sam Sherwood batted a pass intended for Davis into the air, and then came down with the interception at the Waverly 48.
After a holding call pushed Owego back into its own territory, Phelps completed his only pass attempt of the game for 14 yards to junior John Farrell.
The River Hawks went back to the ground and moved the ball to the Waverly 3 on eight straight carries.
Ben Shaw blitzed into the Owego backfield on first-and-goal for a 4-yard loss, and a holding call moved the ball back to the 16.
Another big defensive play appeared to move Owego back another six yards, but a roughing-the-quarterback call on the option pitch, and two unsportsmanlike conduct flags against the Wolverines moved the ball to the 2, where Dom Scherrer finished off the drive on the first play of the fourth quarter to extend the lead to 27-7.
Waverly had two possessions in the fourth quarter, and picked up two first downs, but both possessions ended on downs.
Waverly managed just 148 yards in total offense in the contest.
Robinson led the ground game, which accounted for 105 yards, with 87 yards on 18 carries.
Ben Shaw completed 5 of 14 passes for 43 yards and two interceptions, with Davis leading the receivers with three grabs for 31 yards.
"(Owego) was dropping a lot of guys into coverage and it made it very difficult to run and difficult to throw because you never knew where they're going to end up," said Miller. "What you get pre-snap and what you get post-snap is always different, and that's kind of always been the deal here — they do an excellent job of coaching.
"I'm glad they got this," added Miller. "I think they'll represent Section IV, Class B well next week in the state quarterfinals."
The Class B championship is the first Section IV title in program history for the River Hawks, who improve to 8-3.
Waverly wraps up the season with a 9-2 record.
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IN PHOTO 1: Waverly's Ben Shaw. IN TOP PHOTO: Waverly's COOPER ROBINSON. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.
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