SECTION IV FOOTBALL: TIOGA NOT IN PANIC MODE AFTER 40-0 LOSS TO FORKS; 0-2 START TO SEASON (24 PHOTOS) (September 12, 2026)

By TIM BIRNEY
Valley Sports Report
BINGHAMTON — Despite an 0-2 start — Tioga's first since 2016 — after its 40-0 loss to powerhouse Chenango Forks here Saturday afternoon, first-year coach Jake Howland is not panicking.

The Tigers losses have come to Delhi, which will likely be ranked atop the Class D state rankings when they come out next week, and the Blue Devils, who played in the Class C state finals last season.

"We had to play two incredibly talented teams to start the season, and I like that," said Howland. "The 0-2 record is what it is. 

"I know for longtime Tioga fans and former players have been paying attention, and O-2 seems like a nightmare ... it's not," noted Howland.

"The name of the game for our guys, our goal this week was just details.  We kept stressing the details and tightening the screws on the little things. We think that's what kind of beat us in week one against Delhi," he said. "We weren't doing the little things right, and they got better today.

"The scoreboard doesn't reflect our guys' effort. What I really wanted to see from them is just a lot of good and a lot of improvement, and they definitely improved.

"I'm actually excited to watch film and show them all the improvement they made," added Howland. "I don't care about the scoreboard and they know that. We are on to our division games, and that's what we care about."

The Tigers took an early gamble, but Forks stopped them on fourth-and-1 at the Tioga 44.

Three plays later, QB Sam Paske ran for 11 yards on third-and seven, then two plays after that Devon Curtis scored on a 30-yard run with 7:28 remaining in the first quarter to make it 7-0.

Tioga picked up its initial first down of the game on a 12-yard pass from senior Jackson Bombard to senior Gavin Kithcart, but they punted the ball away four plays later.

Forks had a fourth-down and a third-down conversion on its ensuing possession, scoring on a 15-yard pass from Elias Scofield to Connor Dunagan with 10:06 remaining in the first half to up the lead to 13-0.

The Tigers moved the ball into Blue Devil territory on their ensuing possession, but turned the ball over on downs at the Forks 35.

Forks moved the ball into the Tioga red zone, thanks in large part to another fourth-down conversion, but senior Max Stauder forced a fumble and Bombard pounced on it at the Forks 13 with 1:41 remaining in the half.

The Blue Devil defense pushed Tioga back to its seven, calling time outs after each play, and took over at their 24 with 1:12 remaining.

On Forks' first play, Paske connected with Brysen Fry in the flats, and the junior tailback scampered 24 yards for the score to give the Blue Devils a 20-0 lead at the half.

Forks added three TDs in the second half to pull away.

Tioga had just 171 yards in total offense, with 117 coming on the ground.

Sophomore Liamm Comstock led Tioga's ground game with 37 yards on four carries, while senior Max Stauder had 22 yards on 14 carries, senior Shane Platukis had 17 yards on five carries, and junior Cam Ross added 12 yards on two carries.

Bombard completed 6 of 13 passes for 54 yards, and was intercepted once. Kithcart had two catches for 14 yards, while Stauder had three grabs for zero yards, and junior Brendan Clark had one catch for 40 yards.

"We were we were kind of doing, the scoreboard aside, what we wanted to," said Howland. "We wanted to make them go on drives when we were on defense. We wanted to go on our own drives on offense.

"We just couldn't finish," he noted. "We had a great group of plays that seemed to work for us, and some that didn't, even though we thought they should ... it's the little things.

"It's all fixable, and that's why I'm still so confident in the squad," added Howland. "Everything is fixable, and I know they're going to do it."

Forks piled up 378 yards in total offense, including 283 rushing yards.

Fry led Forks with 75 yards on nine carries, and Curtis had 70 yards and one TD on seven carries.

The Forks QB duo completed 8 of 9 passes for 95 yards and three TD. Sam Paske was 3-for-3 for 40 yards and two TDs, and Scofield was 5 of 6 for 55 yards and one TD. Dunagan led Forks with three catches for 37 yards and two TDs.

Howland did note one concern after the loss.

"We're struggling to finish drives on offense and end the other team's drives on defense. 

"We keep telling the guys we're one play away," said Howland. "We've been saying the last couple weeks, this is like a game of ones for us right now, one missed block, one missed tackle. 

"whatever the one is, it seems to be hurting us," he added.

Howland is confident the Tigers will turn things around. 

"I have all the faith in the world that we're going to tighten the screws," he said. "It's early in the season.

"I think this kind of lights a spark under our rear ends and there's no discouragement in their eyes," noted Howland. "They're going to walk out of there with their chins up and we're going to get back to the drawing board Monday and get ready for the next week. 

Tioga returns to action Saturday at Sidney, a 43-8 loser to Norwich Friday night.

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IN PHOTO 1: Tioga's Max Stauder. IN TOP PHOTO: Tioga's Jackson Bombard. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.

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