Valley Sports ReportTHE VALLEY — Junior Dominic Palmer stepped out of the huge shadow cast by Tioga's tremendous 2024 class, and was a standout in three sports for the Tigers in 2024-25. He is the Valley Sports Report "Boys Newcomer of the Year."
In the fall, Palmer was an impact player on both sides of the ball for the Tigers on the gridiron.
A good blocker, Palmer had eight catches for 105 yards, and three TDs. He also ran for 129 yards and one TD on 10 carries.
Defensively, he had 42 tackles, including 12 solo stops, five QB sacks, five tackles-for-loss, and one fumble recovery.
During the winter, Palmer developed into a force in the paint in his first varsity season with the athleticism and timing to block shots, and the physicality to rebound.
He averaged 10.3 points, 10 rebounds, 2.3 blocks, and 1.8 steals per game.
This spring, 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.
2024-25 ALL-VALLEY SUPER 7 "BOYS NEWCOMERS OF THE YEAR"
Dominic Palmer, junior, Tioga: See above.
Griff Walter, freshman, Waverly: In the fall, Walter, a first-year player, averaged 45.12 over nine holes (90.25 over 18 holes). He shot a 90 for a top-25 finish at the STAC Championships.
During the winter, Walter, who spent the majority of the season on the JV team, bowled six games on varsity at the end of the season with a 213 average.
Walter rolled five games at the State Qualifier with a 665 series in the morning, including a high game of 245. He rolled five games at States, with a 633 series, including a 226 high game, in the morning sessions.
This spring, Walter hit .302 (13 hits in 43 ABs) with 11 RBI, three runs scored, and two stolen bases. He walked 13 times and was hit by one pitch for a .443 on-base percentage.
On the mound, Walter was 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA and a 1.286 WHIP. He struck out seven in 11 2/3 innings.
Porter Daddona, junior, Waverly: This winter, Daddona, a force in the low-post with good post moves and a nice touch, got better as the season progressed. She averaged 11.3 points and 6 rebounds per game. He shot 66 percent from the free-throw line.
This spring, Daddona, who threw 9 1/3 innings as a sophomore, posted a 1-3 record and a 3.87 ERA, with 31 strikeouts in 25 1/3 innings.
James Miller, junior, Tioga: In the fall, Miller switch from the soccer pitch to the gridiron, and was a solid contributor for the Tigers.
Miller made 35 of 43 extra points, and one field goal. On defense, he had six tackles, including two solo stops, and a forced fumble.
This winter, Miller, a dangerous shooter from the perimeter, averaged 11.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1 assist per game.
Riley McGaughey, freshman, Sayre: In the fall, McGaughey, a two-way starter in the trenches, had 33 tackles and one forced fumble on defense.
This spring, McGaughey, a very good defensive catcher, hit .200 (8 hits in 40 ABs) with two doubles, three RBI, three runs scored, and four stolen bases. He walked 11 times for a .373 on-base percentage.
Kam Wheeler, sophomore, Athens: In the fall, Wheeler's role on the pitch grew as the soccer season progressed. He scored three goals and dished out one assist.
This winter, Wheeler, a stout defender, averaged 1.7 points, and nearly 1 rebound per game and made six 3-pointers.
Drayton DeKay, freshman, Waverly: In the fall, DeKay saw limited action in six games on the gridiron, running for 91 yards on 13 carries (7 yards per carry). Defensively, he had 14 tackles, including seven solo stops.
This spring, DeKay was a consistent point-winner for the Wolverines in the pole vault and triple jump.
DeKay was sixth in the pole vault, and 14th in the triple jump at Class C Championships. He also ran on the sixth-place 1,600-meter relay team. He was eighth in the triple jump at the STAC Championships, and ran on a pair of relays — the 400 and 1,600 — that finished ninth.
