Valley Sports ReportTHE VALLEY — Tioga junior Gavin Albrecht achieved new heights — literally — to win a New York State title in the pole vault. He is the Valley Sports Report "Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year."
Tioga senior Andrew Earley is the "Track Athlete of the Year," while Athens senior Jase Babcock is the "Field Athlete of the Year," Tioga junior Dominic Palmer is the "Newcomer of the Year," and Tioga's Eric Gutierrez is "Coach of the Year."
Albrecht went to States last year on the strength of a vault of 13-feet, 9-inches. This season, Albrecht set Tioga's school record at 14-feet, 7-inches, eventually winning state gold at 15-feet.
Albrecht was also a force in the 100-meter dash, and is closing in on the school record, and the long jump. He also ran on a successful 400-meter relay during the regular season.
Earley won the 110- and 400-meter hurdles, and was second in the triple jump at the IAC Championships. He won the 400 hurdles, was second in the 110 hurdles, and was fifth in the triple jump at the Class D Championships.
At the State Qualifier, Earley won the 400-meter hurdles, was third in the 110 hurdles, and eighth in the triple jump.
Earley finished off his career with a fourth-place finish in the 400 hurdles at States.
Babcock was a mainstay of Athens' point-getters this season in the long jump, triple jump. and high jump. He finished second in the long jump and high jump at the NTL Championships.
Babcock made his bones, however, in the high jump. After clearing 5-feet, 10-inches at the NTL meet, Babcock cleared a personal-best mark of 6-feet, 5-inches to win District 4 gold. He was seventh in the triple jump, and eighth in the long jump.
At States, Babcock was 17th in the high jump, clearing 6-feet, 2-inches.
Palmer spent the regular season running sprints, relays, and competing in the long jump and high jump, but when the postseason rolled around, he focused his attention on the pentathlon.
In his first effort, Palmer won the event at the IAC Championships with 2,160 points. He followed that up with a second-place finish at the State Qualifier with a school-record 2,944 points, which easily topped the state standard of 2,901 points.
Palmer finished 12th at the State meet with 2,521 points.
Gutierrez pulled all the right strings for the Tioga Tigers in 2024. He led Tioga to an IAC South Small School Division title, and an IAC Small School title. The Tigers finished fourth at the Section IV, Class D Championships.
Tioga also advanced three athletes to States.
BOYS TRACK & FIELD
Athlete of Year: Gavin Albrecht, junior, Tioga
Track Athlete of Year: Andrew Earley, Tioga
Field Athlete of Year: Jase Babcock, senior, Athens
Newcomer of Year: Dominic Palmer, Tioga
Coach of Year: Eric Gutierrez, Tioga.
ALL-VALLEY BOYS TRACK & FIELD SUPER 7
Gavin Albrecht, junior, Tioga: See above.
Andrew Earley, senior, Tioga: See above.
Marco Quiros, senior, Sayre: Quiros battled injury and sickness all season, and never quite reached the dominance he displayed in 2024.
Quiros won the 400-meter dash, and was second in the 100-meter dash at the NTL Championships. At the District 4 Championships, Quiros finished fifth in the 200-meter dash, but hit the state standard (22.75 seconds), running a time of 22.63. He was ninth in the 400-meter dash.
Quiros, who qualified for States in the 200 and 400 last year, finished 24th in a time of 23.66 seconds.
Jase Babcock, senior, Athens: See above.
Dominic Palmer, junior, Tioga: See above.
Graham Wanck, sophomore, Athens: Wanck was a consistent points-winner for the Wildcats all season. He finished second in the 3,200-meter run, third in the 1,600-meter run, and sixth in the 800-meter run at the NTL Championships, and was also ran on the winning 3,200-meter relay.
Wanck finished second in the 1600 and 3200 at the District 4, Class AAA Championships.
Ronel Ankam, senior, Athens: Ankam was one of the top hurdlers in the area this season. He won the 300-meter hurdles, and was third in the 110-meter hurdles at the NTL Championships.
He finished sixth in the 300 hurdles and eighth in the 110 hurdles at the District 4 meet.
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PAST WINNERS
"Boys Track & Field Athlete of Year"
2025 — Gavin Albrecht, Tioga
2024 — Ralph Johnson, Waverly
2023 — Kayleb Bechy and Ralph Johnson, Waverly
2022 — Micah Chandler, Waverly
2021 — Asher Ellis, Athens
2020 — NONE
2019 — Isaac Chandler, Waverly
2018 — Isaac Chandler, Waverly
2017 — Kalen Keathley, Athens
2016 — Gage Lubertowicz, Tioga
2015 — Josh Mastrantuono, Waverly
2014 — Nick Sweet, Sayre
2013 — Ryan Kreykenbohm, Athens
2012 — Jeff Mastrantuono, Waverly
2011 — Jarred Gambrell, Athens
2010 — Jarred Gambrell, Athens
