FROM THE PRESS BOX: IN HIS FINAL ACT, AIELLO WINS 2025-26 SUPER 7 'COACH OF YEAR' HONORS (July 1, 2026)

Valley Sports Report
THE VALLEY — In his final act, longtime Tioga football coach Nick Aiello may have done his best job of coaching  in a 16-year career, leading the Tigers to another state title. He is the 2025-26 Valley Sports Report "Coach of the Year."

There were some other noteworthy coaching jobs this year, but none matched Aiello guiding a somewhat inexperienced Tigers team to the program's fifth state title since 2015, and fourth in the last five years.

Prior to the season, the pundits were fairly split on whether Tioga could win a Section IV title, much less a state title.

After a season-opening 9-7 loss to Class C Windsor, the doubters increased, but Aiello and his staff did a patchwork job on the offensive line, which turned into one of the team's biggest strength, and the Tigers started to roll.

Ten straight wins later, Tioga hoisted its 12 Section IV trophy under Aiello's guidance.

Tioga then won three straight state playoff games, culminating with a 42-31 win over Tuckahoe in the Class D championship game.

About five months after his fifth state title — 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2025, Aiello stepped away from the  coaching life.

Aiello finished his career with a record of 156-28 (.848 winning percentage), including a 33-3 record in the Section IV playoffs, and a 22-7 mark in the New York State playoffs. His teams were 12-0 against Section III teams in the Regional finals

2025-26 Super 7 "Coaches of the Winter"
Nick Aiello, Tioga football: See above.

Colby Sangrey, Sayre volleyball: Sangrey was a close second in the voting after taking a program that had not won a match the last four seasons to a state quarter-final match.

The Redskins lost its first two matches under Sangrey in the fall to run the losing streak to 68. From that point on, Sayre went 12-8 to finish the season at 12-10. 

The Redskins then won the program's first-ever District 4 title, and recorded its first-ever state playoff win to reach the state quarterfinals.

Kris Harrington, Tioga wrestling: After an injury-filled 2024-25 saw Tioga wrestling fall to also-ran status in Section IV and New York State, coach Kris Harrington rallied the troops to win Section IV Duals, Section IV, Division 2 and the team title at the New York State Championships this season.

Harrington coached Tioga to its sixth team title in seven years at the New York State Division 2 Championships. Tioga also won its eighth Section IV team title in the last nine postseasons.

Tioga had seven state qualifiers this season, with three earning medals. During Harrington's tenure, Tioga has had 58 state qualifiers with 38 reaching the podium, including 14 state champions.

The Tigers, who are 103-16 in duals during Harrington's reign, won its sixth Section IV Duals title in the last seven postseasons. They finished 10-1 with their only loss coming to eventual state champ Miller Place in the state quarterfinals. Tioga won three straight State duals titles in 2021, '22, and '23.

Kyle McDuffee, Waverly baseball: Despite a bump up to Class A, Waverly won its second Section IV title in program history and both have been during the coaching tenure of Kyle McDuffee.

In his 24th season, McDuffee led Waverly to a school-record 22 wins against just five losses. 

The Wolverines won the STAC Central Division title, and won the program's second Section IV title — it's first since 2013, and first Class A championship.

Waverly also won its first-ever state playoff game before falling by one run in the state quarterfinals.

Heather Darrow, Athens volleyball: At one point during the 2025 season, the Wildcats lost six straight matches to fall to 2-8, but Darrow was able to rally her troops.

The Wildcats won five of their last seven matches to earn the 4-seed in the District 4, Class 3A volleyball playoffs, then upended top-seeded Selinsgrove and second-seeded Danville to win its first District title in 20 years.

Devan Witman, Waverly wrestling: Injuries again hampered Waverly's efforts to win the elusive Section IV Duals title, but the Wolverines reached the semis and posted a 10-4 record on the season.

In the postseason, Waverly finished second at the Section IV, Division 2 Championships, and third at the New York State Championships, with five state medalists.

Donnie Barrett, Athens girls wrestling: In his first year at the helm, Barrett led Athens to a 2-1 duals record, but, more importantly, to team titles at the Jarvis Tournament, the Panther Holiday Classic, and the Williamsport Classic during the regular season, as well as second-place finishes at the rugged Queen of the Hive, the Curwensville Tournament, and the Coal Cracker Invite.

During the postseason, Athens finished fourth at the District 4 Championships, and won a team title at the Central Region Championships. The Wildcats qualified four wrestlers for States, with seniors Leah Nason and Hanna Rathbun each bringing home seventh-place medals.

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