Valley Sports ReportTHE VALLEY — Longtime Tioga football coach Nick Aiello may have done his best job of coaching yet in his 16-year career, leading the Tigers to another state title. He is the 2025 Valley Sports Report All-Valley "Coach of the Fall."
There were some other noteworthy coaching jobs this fall, but none matched Aiello guiding a somewhat inexperienced Tigers team to the program's fifth state title since 2015, and fourth in the last five years.
Prior to the season, the pundits were fairly split on whether Tioga could win a Section IV title, much less a state title.
After a season-opening 9-7 loss to Class C Windsor, the doubters increased, but Aiello and his staff did a patchwork job on the offensive line, which turned into one of the team's biggest strength, and the Tigers started to roll.
Ten straight wins later, Tioga hoisted its 12 Section IV trophy under Aiello's guidance.
Tioga then won three straight state playoff games, culminating with a 42-31 win over Tuckahoe in the Class D championship game.
Aiello now has a career record of 156-28 (.848 winning percentage), including a 33-3 record in the Section IV playoffs, and a 22-7 mark in the New York State playoffs. His teams are 12-0 against Section III teams in the Regional finals
The 2025 All-Valley Super 7 Coaches of the Fall:
Nick Aiello, Tioga football: See above.
Colby Sangrey, Sayre volleyball: Sangrey was a close second in the voting after taking a program that had not won a match the last four seasons to a state quarter-final match.
The Redskins lost its first two matches under Sangrey this season to run the streak to 68. From that point on, Sayre went 12-8 to finish the season at 12-10.
The Redskins then won the program's first-ever District 4 title, and recorded its first-ever state playoff win to reach the state quarterfinals.
Heather Darrow, Athens volleyball: At one point during the 2025 season, the Wildcats lost six straight matches to fall to 2-8, but Darrow was able to rally her troops.
The Wildcats won five of their last seven matches to earn the 4-seed in the District 4, Class 3A volleyball playoffs, then upended top-seeded Selinsgrove and second-seeded Danville to win its first District title in 20 years.
Amy Steck, Waverly girls swimming: Short on numbers, but long on talent, Steck's Waverly girls swim team went unbeaten again in duals, and finished second at the Section IV, Class B Championships.
The Wolverines took six swimmers to States, including a sophomore and three freshman, and brought home four medals.
Travis Reynard, Athens boys soccer: In his first season, Reynard directed the Wildcats to an 11-6-2 season and a berth in the District 4, Class 3A Championship game.
The Wildcats also won their first NTL title since 2021.
Shawn Bradley, Athens football: Athens coach Shawn Bradley directed the Wildcats a 9-2 season — the most wins in a season since 2015's 10-2 squad.
Athens averaged nearly 41 points per game and posted a 5-1 record in NTL play.
Jason Miller, Waverly football: Miller led the Wolverines back to its fifth consecutive Section IV championship game, despite bumping up from Class C to Class B for the 2025 season.
The Wolverines' only losses were to Class C state runner-up Chenango Forks, and Section IV, Class B champ Owego, which reached the state semifinals.
