Valley Sports ReportTHE VALLEY — Tioga sophomore Drew Macumber was a key contributor in three sports, playing a pivotal role in three state titles for the Tigers this year, and is the 2021-22 Valley Sports Report Boys “Newcomer of the Year.”
Macumber was a starter on the Tioga wrestling and baseball teams, and saw a lot of time on both sides of the ball for the state championship football team.
This winter, Macumber was practicing with the basketball team, but decided to wrestle at the last minute. Three months later, Macumber qualified for States with a second-place finish at the Section IV Championships. On his way to a 20-9 record, Macumber won an IAC Championship, and the Section IV, Qualifier A title. Six of his nine loss came to state qualifiers.
Macumber was a key component in Tioga’s state duals title, and team championship at the New York State Division3 Wrestling Championships.
On the gridiron, Macumber had 52 tackles (sixth on the team), including 20 solo stops, to go along with two QB sacks, and one tackle-for-loss, Offensively, he rushed for 273 yards (8.0 yards per carry) and two TDs.
Tioga also won the Class D state football championship.
On the diamond, Macumber hit .345 (19 hits in 55 ABs) with 17 runs scored, six doubles, 13 RBI, and 15 stolen bases. On the mound, he was 2-1 with a 2.18 ERA, and 21 strikeouts in 16 innings pitched. The Tigers won the overall IAC Small School title.
The focus for the year-end awards is on three-sport athletes, but there are some athletes recognized who thrive in two sports. Occasionally, someone will make the grade for just one sport.
The 2021-22 Super 7 Newcomers of the Year
Drew Macumber, sophomore, Tioga: See above.
Kam Hills, freshman, Waverly: A three-sport athlete, Hills excelled on the gridiron and on the wrestling mats in his freshman season.
Hills didn’t wrestle a match until after Christmas, but he made up for lost time, and ended up qualifying for States by winning a Section IV title. He missed the early season because he was busy dropping 60 pounds to make the 285-pound weight class.
After a 3-3 start, Hills finished the season with a 22-8 record. In total, five of his losses came to state place-finishers, and two of losses came to Marathon’s Logan Jamison, who lost in the blood round at States. He also beat Jamison in the finals of the IAC Championships, and in the semifinals of the Section IV Championships.
He was the Wrestling “Newcomer of the Year,” and the “Newcomer of the Winter.”
As a freshman, Hills earned a starting job on the offensive and defensive lines. Defensively, Hills had 30 tackles, including three solo stops.
He was a thrower on the track & field team in the spring, and placed in several meets.
Gavin Fisher, sophomore, Tioga: Fisher was a first team all-state placekicker on Tioga’s state championship football team, and was a big contributor on the resurgent Tiger basketball team.
Fisher was 55 of 66 in extra-point attempts — including going 7-for-7 in the state semifinals, and also hit a 33-yard field goal. He also featured a strong leg on kickoffs, often driving the ball inside the 10-yard line.
The 6-3 Fisher, who can score in the paint and from behind the 3-point arc, got better and better as the hoop season progressed. He averaged 8.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.
Kolsen Keathley, freshman, Athens: Keathley made a contribution for the Wildcats in three sports, and may be have the most athletic potential of anyone on this list.
Keathley rushed for 106 yards and one TD, caught four passes for 25 yards. On defense, he had 21 tackles, including 10 solo stops.
On the hardwoods, he was the first player off the bench for the Wildcats, and was a top-notch defender.
In the spring, Keathley was one of the Wildcats’ top sprinters and qualified for the District 4 Championships in 200- and 100-meter sprints, and finished 12th and 19th, respectively.
Ousmane Duncanson, sophomore, Tioga: A state champion on the wrestling mat, where he’s been a standout for several years, Duncanson showed he is not a one-trick pony by being a major contributor on Tioga’s state championship football team, and part of their record-breaking 400-meter relay team in his first season in those sports.
Defensively, Duncanson made a big impact for the Tigers at linebacker. He was second on the team with 95 tackles, including 26 solo stops, six tackles-for-losses, four QB sacks, one interception, and one fumble recovery. Offensively, Duncanson carried the ball for 18 times for 196 yards (10.8 yards per carry) and three TDs. He also caught four passes for 134 yards and two TDs.
In the spring, Duncanson was part of Tioga’s school record-breaking 4-by-1 relay team, and also consistently placed in the 100-meter dash.
Carter Lewis, freshman, Athens: Lewis is another three-sport contributor — cross country, swimming, and track & field — for the Wildcats.
Lewis settled in as the No. 4 runner for the Wildcats for the majority of the cross country season. He finished fifth at the Tom Koons Valley Invite and 53rd at the McQuaid Invitational. He finished 11th at the NTL Coaches Invite, and 32nd in his first run at the District 4 Championships.
He was the VSR Male "Cross Country Newcomer of the Year."
In the pool, Lewis was a consistent points-winner for the Wildcats, and qualified for the District 4 Championships in the 100-yard freestyle, where he finished 21st, and the 1-meter diving competition, where he was 11th.
He was also a sprinter on the track team in the spring, earning points for the Wildcats in several meets.
Ethan Hicks, freshman, Athens: Ethan Hicks made an impact for the Wildcats in three different sports — swimming, track & field, and cross country — in his first varsity seasons.
Hicks was a consistent points-winner for the Wildcats for the entire swim season. He finished fourth in the 100-yard backstroke at the District 4 Championships, and also swam on three top-five relays — the second-place 400 free relay, third-place 200 free relay, and fifth-place 200-yard medley relay.
He was the VSR “Boys Swimming Newcomer of the Year.”
In the spring, Hicks finished fifth in the 3,200-meter run, and sixth in the 1,600-meter run. At the District 4 Championships, he was ninth in the 3,200 and 19th in the 1,600.
During the cross country season, Hicks was consistently the fourth or fifth runner for the Wildcats.
