FROM THE PRESS BOX: INTERESTING STORYLINES BUILDING IN FIRST MONTH OF WINTER SEASON (2023-01-02)
The first month of the winter season is in the books, and play will resume Tuesday night.

There are some interesting storyline building.
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FROM THE PRESS BOX: TIOGA FOOTBALL, WRESTLING, AND ATHENS' GAVIN BRADLEY HIGHLIGHT BAKER'S DOZEN TOP STORIES OF 2022 (2023-01-01)
The continued dominance at a state level for the Tioga football and wrestling teams topped the sports news in 2022, while Athens senior Gavin Bradley capping off a stellar four-year career with his first PIAA wrestling title, and the sports of girls wrestling continued to grow. ...more

THE FINAL WORD: THOUGHTS ON THE WAVERLY-ATHENS WRESTLING MATCHES ... AND MUCH MORE (2022-12-09)
The atmosphere for the Athens-Waverly wrestling matches Thursday was reminiscent of the “old days” when the gym doors at Waverly were closed when the gym was packed, and the overflow crowd was funneled into the auditorium to watch on close-circuit television. ...more

FROM THE PRESS BOX: FOOTBALL DOMINATES 'SUPER 7 STORYLINES OF THE FALL' (2022-12-08)
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. ...more

THE FINAL WORD: THOUGHTS ON TIOGA'S STATE TITLE GAME, AND THE OPENING OF THE WINTER SEASON (2022-12-08)
Those who said Tioga’s 41-34 win over Randolph in the Class D semifinals was actually the state final were proved right as evidenced by the Tigers’ dismantling of Cambridge-Salem in the finals.
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FROM THE PRESS BOX: A CRYSTAL BALL LOOK AHEAD TO THE 2023 FOOTBALL SEASON (2022-12-05)
The 2022 football season was one fans in the Valley will remember for a long time.

Athens won its first postseason game since 2015, Waverly won its first Section IV title since 2015, and Tioga won its second state title in a row, and third since 2015. (Whoa, 2015 was quite a season, too.)
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FROM THE PRESS BOX: PIGSKIN PICKERS FIRMLY BEHIND TIOGA TO REPEAT AS STATE CHAMPS (2022-12-02)
The New York State football season comes to an end this weekend with the state championship games at the venue formerly known as The Carrier Dome, now the JMA Wireless Dome. ...more

FROM THE PRESS BOX: SOME THOUGHTS ON THE 2022 FOOTBALL SEASON (2022-11-28)
It’s been quite a ride for the Valley football teams in 2022, and it’s not quite over yet.

At 13-0, Tioga has won 26 games in a row, and is ranked first in the state. The Tigers will defend their Class D state title Saturday against unbeaten Cambridge-Salem at the venue formerly known as the Carrier Dome. ...more

FROM THE PRESS BOX: A CRYSTAL BALL LOOK AHEAD TO THE 2023 VOLLEYBALL SEASON (2022-11-25)
Three of the four Valley volleyball teams reached the postseason, with Tioga winning a Section IV title, and reaching the Class D state quarterfinals.
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FROM THE PRESS BOX: WEEK 14 PICKS — CAN TIOGA REACH ANOTHER STATE FINAL? (2022-11-24)
Tioga is the lone team standing in the Valley after winning Friday, and advancing to its 10th New York State Class D semi-final game in 11 postseason. The Tigers will take on Section VI champ Randolph Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. at U-E High School. ...more

FROM THE PRESS BOX: A CRYSTAL BALL LOOK AHEAD TO THE 2023 SOCCER SEASONS (2022-11-23)
It was a pretty good soccer season in the Valley with four of the six teams qualifying for the postseason, and a fifth showing marked improvement from last year.
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FROM THE PRESS BOX: A CRYSTAL BALL LOOK AHEAD TO CROSS COUNTRY, NTL GOLF, GIRLS SWIMMING, AND FIELD HOCKEY IN 2023 (2022-11-22)
The fall season offers an interesting mix of sports in the Valley.

All four schools have cross country and volleyball programs, but only three have football, boys soccer, and girls soccer programs, while Tioga is the only school with a field hockey program. ...more

FROM THE PRESS BOX: WEEK 13 PICKS — CAN TIOGA, WAVERLY BOTH ADVANCE TO STATE SEMIS? (2022-11-18)
Waverly and Tioga both won Section IV title Friday, with the Wolverines taking down nine-time reigning and two-time defending state champion Chenango Forks in the Class C title tilt, and the Tigers rolling over Delhi in the Class D championship game. ...more

FROM THE PRESS BOX: WEEK 12 PICKS — COULD THIS BE THE FINAL WEEK OF ACTION FOR VALLEY TEAMS? (2022-11-11)
Waverly and Tioga play for Section IV titles Friday, while Athens needs a win Saturday to play for a District 4 title next weekend. ...more

FROM THE PRESS BOX: WEEK 11 PICKS — CAN ALL THREE VALLEY TEAMS ADVANCE? (2022-11-04)
Postseason football is upon us. Where did the season go? ...more

FROM THE PRESS BOX: WEEK 10 PICKS — VALLEY TEAMS GUARANTEED ONE LOSS THIS WEEK (2022-10-28)
It’s rivalry week in Pa., but as we all know the Rusty Rail is on hiatus for at least this year. In New York, making rivalries a priority at the end of the season was thrown out the window years ago by Section IV. ...more

FROM THE PRESS BOX: WEEK 9 PICKS — A RETURN TO PERFECTION FOR VALLEY TEAMS? (2022-10-21)
It’s hard to believe, but next week is the final week of the regular season. However, this week Tioga can clinch a division title at home, and Waverly can clinch a home playoff game in the Class B semifinals. ...more

FROM THE PRESS BOX: COULD THIS BE FIRST SUB-PAR WEEK OF SEASON FOR VALLEY TEAMS? (2022-10-14)
Two of the Valley teams face highly-ranked opponents this week as Waverly (fifth in Class C) hosts Chenango Forks (second in Class C), and Athens is on the road at Canton (third in Class A). ...more

FROM THE PRESS BOX: WEEK 7 PICKS — ANOTHER PERFECT WEEKEND FOR VALLEY FOOTBALL? (2022-10-07)
It’s time for another “Football Friday” as the 2022 season is flying by.
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FROM THE PRESS BOX: WEEK 6 PICKS — ANOTHER GOOD WEEKEND FOR VALLEY FOOTBALL? (2022-09-30)
The high school football season rolls on tonight with Athens returning home after a three-game road trip, and Tioga playing its home opener at Haggerty Field after four games away from home.
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