FROM THE PRESS BOX: WAVERLY BASEBALL, AIELLO'S RETIREMENT TOP SUPER 7 STORYLINES OF THE SPRING (June 22, 2026)
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.
The 2026 spring season is no different, although this one has an inordinate number of stories being wrapped up.
Without any further ado, I give you, from No. 7 to No. 1, the "Super 7 storylines" of the fall:
7. Feeko caps brilliant softball career at Tioga: A two-time VSR "Player of the Year," and "Newcomer of the Year" as an 8th-grader, Feeko capped her varsity career by hitting .600 with a career-high nine home runs, 37 RBI, and 19 stolen bases, to go along with 39 runs scored.
A three-time divisional MVP, Feeko hit .550 (181 hits in 329 at-bats) with 23 home runs, 157 RBI, 188 runs scored, and 60 RBI.
This storyline has come to a conclusion, but her teammate, freshman Kate Kithcart, could be writing a similar story.
6. Waverly flag football reaches first Section IV title game: After notching their first-ever postseason win last year, the Wolverines took the next step and advanced to the Section IV, Class C Championship game — a 20-13 loss to Susquehanna Valley in the pouring rain.
Waverly also notched its first-ever win over Owego in the regular-season finale, and finished the season with a school-record 12 wins against four losses.
Well-coached and its roster littered with young talent, this storyline is likely to have several more chapters to be written.
5. Waverly's Beeman makes it to States in third sport: A member of the state championship football team in 2023, and an individual state champion in wrestling that same year, Beeman qualified for the state track meet this spring.
Beeman punched his ticket by win a gold medal in the discus in Class B at the Section IV State Qualifier.
This storyline has run its course, and Beeman will be missed.
4. Athens' Burgess makes this straight trip to States: Athens senior Abby Burgess won a District 4 title in the 100-yard dash to punch her ticket to States for the third straight year.
It marked the second year in a row Burgess qualified for the Class AA state championships.
This portion of Burgess' storyline is complete. The next chapter could be written at Division I Lehigh University.
3. Tioga's Albrecht wins second straight state title; Rossi wins two medals: A year after winning a state title in the pole vault with a school-record vault of 15-feet, Tioga senior Gavin Albrecht duplicated the feat this spring.
Albrecht added to his school record this spring, topping 15-feet, 1-inch at the Class C Championships.
Sophomore Vida Rossi qualified for States by winning a Section title in the long jump, and finishing second, but topping the state standard time in the 100-meter dash.
Rossi won a bronze medal in the 100, and a sixth-place medal in the long jump at States.
Albrecht's high school storyline is complete, but the next chapter could be written at Ithaca College, while Rossi's storyline has a couple chapters remaining.
2. Longtime Tioga football coach Nick Aiello announces retirement: After 16 seasons, 12 Section IV titles, and five state titles, Nick Aiello stepped down as Tioga football coach in late April.
Aiello amassed an astounding 156-28 record, which is an 84.8 percent winning percentage, over 16 seasons, including a 33-3 mark in the Section IV playoffs, and a 22-7 record in the state playoffs.
The Tigers won state titles in 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2025.
Unless we see a comeback from Aiello, his historic storyline has come to a conclusion.
1. Waverly wins Section IV, Class A baseball title, records first-ever state playoff win: The Wolverines bumped up to Class A in 2026, and won the program's second title since 2013.
Behind VSR "Player of the Year" Ronin Ault, Waverly won a school-record 22 games against five losses, and beat M-E in the Class A championship series.
Waverly edged Scotia-Glenville, 2-1, in the opening round of the state playoffs, before dropping a 5-4 decision to Grand Island in the state quarterfinals.
Waverly has a great deal of talent returning, so we could see another chapter or two written. Of course, we thought the same thing in 2013.
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