Valley Sports ReportTHE VALLEY — Athens opens the District 4 football playoffs at Jersey Shore Friday night, while Tioga and Waverly close out the regular season at home.
FOOTBALL
District 4 Playoffs
Class 3A semifinals
Athens (9-1) at Jersey Shore (7-3), 7 p.m.: The Wildcats are coming off a 57-0 win over Sayre in the "Rusty Rail" rivalry game, while the Bulldogs rolled over winless Central Mountain, 63-26.
Jersey Shore has scored 40 or more points seven times this season, but has allowed 40 five times. On of its five losses was a 43-42 double-OT thriller against top-seeded and unbeaten Shamokin.
The Bulldogs have outscored their opponents by an average of 40.9 to 30.1 points per game, while the Wildcats, who have won six in a row, have outscored their opponents by an average of 48.4 to 19.7 points per game.
Athens beat one team — Wellsboro (6-4) with a winning record this season.
The last time these two teams played, Jersey Shore topped Athens, 31-7, in the Class 3A semifinals in 2016.
SVEC (6-2) at Tioga (7-1), 7 p.m. @ Haggerty Field: The Tigers are coming off a 48-8 rout of Oxford-Greene, while the Eagles rolled over Groton, 41-8.
Tioga can lock up one of top seeds in the upcoming Section IV, Class D playoffs with a win. A Tioga win would knock SVEC out of postseason contention.
If SVEC wins it would likely bump Trumansburg from the Class D playoffs.
Tioga enters the game outscoring its opponents by an average of 31 to 13.8 points per game, while SVEC had outscored its foes by an average of 36.7 to 20.3 points per game.
Last year, Tioga won the regular-season meeting, 28-0, then beat SVEC in the Class D playoffs 35-14.
Oneonta (5-3) at Waverly (7-1), 7 p.m. @ Memorial Stadium: The Wolverines are coming off a 31-13 loss to Chenango Forks, while the Yellowjackets dropped a 42-14 decision at Windsor.
Waverly has already secured the top seed in the upcoming Class B playoffs, and will host Norwich next Friday in the semifinals, while second-seeded Maine-Endwell hosts third-seeded Owego.
The last time these two teams played, during the 2023 season, Waverly rolled to a 62-12 win.
