Valley Sports ReportTHE VALLEY — Athens softball coach Brian Wendela led his program to new heights in the spring, while Waverly Wrestling coach Devan Witman returned his team to its former glory during the winter. They are the 2024-25 Valley Sports Report All-Valley "Coaches of the Year."
Brian Wendela engineered quite a turnaround of the Athens softball program, piloting it to its first-ever District 4 title.
The year prior to Wendela's arrival, Athens lost its final game of the regular season to miss out on the postseason and finish 9-11.
The Wildcats took another step back in Wendela's initial season, posting a 5-15 record, but things began to turn around in 2024 with an influx of young talent and some talented veterans, which resulted in a 13-8 season.
This season, Wendela directed the Wildcats to a school-record 21 wins, against just two losses, and the second division title in program history.
The crowning moment, however, was wins over Jersey Shore and Central Columbia for the program's first-ever District 4 title.
Wendela became the first area coach to win a Section IV title (2019 at Waverly) and a District 4 title.
The rebuilding process of the Waverly wrestling program is officially complete in the wake of its team title at the New York State Division 2 Wrestling Championships, and the architect of the turnaround — Witman — has been there since Day 1.
Witman, a former state place-winner at Waverly, directed the Wolverines to a 12-4 record, and a runner-up finish in the Section IV, Division II Duals.
Wrestling without two starters, state place-finisher Matthias Welles and Dalton Davis, Waverly drop d a 37-30 decision to Unatego-Unadilla Valley in the Duals finals.
The Wolverines finished fourth in the team standings at the Section IV Championships, but advanced five wrestlers to the state tournament, where it claimed a state title with all five wrestlers taking home hardware.
2024-25 ALL-VALLEY "COACHES OF THE YEAR"
Devan Witman, Waverly wrestling: See above.
Brian Wendela Athens softball: See above.
Tara Hogan, Waverly girls soccer: Hogan directed the Wolverines to their first-ever Section IV title this fall, dispatching an old nemesis in the process.
Hogan has had a very successful career at Waverly, reaching the Section IV finals on three occasions prior to this year, but all three ended the same way — with losses to Chenango Forks, which went on to win a pair of state titles in that span.
This year, Hogan's Wolverines turned the tables with a 2-0 win for the program's first-ever Section IV crown. Waverly finished the season with a 13-5 record.
Des Ford, Tioga volleyball: Ford coached the Tigers to their second Section IV title in three years, as well as a Regional title, which advanced them to the Class C final four.
It was the 10th title of her career, and the fourth time she's coached a team to the state final four.
Tioga finished the season with a 15-4 record. Since 2009, Ford has a record of 248-51.
Lenny Pientka, Athens golf: Pientka guided the Wildcats to their fourth straight NTL golf title, and the first District 4 title in program history.
Athens currently has won 22 consecutive NTL matches.
Stephanie Hills, Tioga softball: Hills piloted a young Tioga team to a 15-4 season a berth in the IAC Small School championship game, and a trip to the Section IV, Class C Championship game.
The Tigers lost twice to Union Springs, ranked sixth in N.Y. State, before beating them in the Class C semifinals. Their other losses were to eventual state finalist Deposit-Hancock, and Athens, which won its first-ever District 4 title.
Eric Gutierrez, Tioga boys track & field: Gutierrez pulled all the right strings for the Tioga Tigers in 2025.
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, and advanced three athletes to States.
