THE SPORTS REPORT: TIOGA'S McKEE NAMED ALL-REGION BOYS 'ATHLETE OF THE WINTER;' FOUR TIOGA COUNTY BOYS MAKE BAKER'S DOZEN OF TOP ATHLETES (2025-04-20)

The Sports Reports
Tioga's Declan McKee finished off his sophomore season with 28 straight wins, including his first state title. He is The Sports Reports' 2024-25 All-Region Boys "Athlete of the Winter."

McKee posted a 34-3 record, including 21 pins and eight technical falls, on his way to a New York State, Division 2 101-pound championship.

McKee's losses came at the hands of Southwestern's Adrian Torres, who he beat in the state finals, as well as Briarcliff's Vincenzo Mannello, who placed fourth at States in Division 1, and CBA's Brody DiCaprio, who was seventh in Division 1.

McKee won the Windsor Christmas Tournament, beating St. Francis' Tyler Catrabone, who was runner-up in Division 1 this year, the Saratoga Invitational, and the Southern Tier Memorial.

He also won an IAC title, the Section IV Qualifier A, and the Section IV title.

The 2024-25 Boys All-Region Baker's Dozen "Athletes of the Winter:"
Declan McKee, sophomore, Tioga: See above.

Mason Higley, senior, Towanda: Higley posted a 48-2 record, including 20 pins and 11 technical falls. He finished his career with a 151-32 record.

Higley won the North Section, District 4, and Northeast Regional titles. At States, he was 4-2 to finish fifth. Both of his losses (6-2 and 2-0) came to third-place finisher Caleb Rodriguez of Bishop McCort.

Troy Beeman, junior, Waverly: Beeman posted a 39-4 record, with 22 pins and one technical fall. He won the STAC and Section IV Championships.

The defending state champ, Beeman suffered a controversial, 4-1, loss in the state finals.

Sawyer Robinson, senior, Towanda: Robinson posted a 44-5 record this season with 22 pins and one technical fall. He won a North Section title, placed second at Districts and Regionals, and placed fourth at the PIAA Championships.

Robinson's postseason losses at Districts and Regionals were to eventual state champion Austin Johnson of Muncy. Both his losses at States came to third-place finisher Braedon Walsh of Fort Cherry. His lone regular-season loss came to state champ Jude Correa of Wyoming Seminary.

Drayton DeKay, freshman, Waverly: DeKay posted a 37-5 record, including 22 pins and 12 technical falls. He was second at the STAC Championships, losing to eventual 124-pound state champ Maverick Beckwith of Norwich.

After dropping to 116 pounds, DeKay won the state qualifier and the Section IV Championships. DeKay won his first three matches at States, including a pin of the second seed, before losing, 7-4, in overtime to former state champion Tommy Aiello of John Glenn.

Zander Wilson, freshman, Williamson: Wilson posted a 43-3 record with 10 falls and 10 technical falls.

Wilson won the North Section and District 4 titles. He suffered his first loss of the season in the opening-round of the Northeast Regionals, but won four in a row on Day 2 to finish third. He went 1-2 at States.

Nolan Proudfoot, freshman, Corning: Proudfoot scored his 1,000th point as a freshman, averaging 23 points per game in the always-tough STAC, while leading the Hawks to the Section IV, Class 3A team title. He also averaged 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals per game.

Jakobe Foster, junior, Candor basketball: Foster had an outstanding season, including a pair of triple-doubles. Foster averaged 22.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 2.7 steals per game.

He shot 44 percent from the field, including a 32-percent mark from behind the arc with 43 3-pointers. He also shot 73 percent from the free-throw line, making 132 of 180 attempts.

Evan Woodward, senior, Troy: Woodward was the heart of the Trojan defense with 3.2 steals per game while also scoring 10.2 points per game, and handing out 5 assists per game.

Brayden Pettitt, sophomore, Athens: Pettitt finished eighth at the PIAA Championships in the 100 breaststroke in 59.18 seconds, after swimming a school-record 58.57 in the prelims. He was the first Athens state medalist since 2014.

He was second in the 200 IM at districts in a school-record time of 1:59.17. He took 17th at states in the event.

Brenden Jardin-Reed, senior, Corning: Jardin-Reed was a state medalist and is a Section IV record-holder in the six-dive (378.55 points) and 11-dive (655.80).

Riley Vanderpool, senior, Towanda: Vanderpool posted a 41-8 record, including 27 pins and four technical falls. He finished his career with a 158-37 record.

Vanderpool won the North Section and District 4 titles, finished second at the Northeast Regionals. At States, he was 2-3, losing a pair of one-point decisions.

Jack Burbage, senior, Troy: Burbage topped the 1,000-point career scoring plateau, and led the Trojans at 18.5 points, and 8.4 rebounds per game.

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