STAC GIRLS BASKETBALL: OWEGO FACES STIFF CHALLENGES WITH GRADUATION LOSSES, INJURIES (December 15, 2025)

By TIM TAYLOR
Tioga County Sports Report
OWEGO — The Owego girls basketball team graduated a pair of key starters and lost two more players to injury, which will leave the River Hawks facing some big challenges this season.

One bright spot for the team is their championship run in the recent Charlie Sibley Memorial Tournament, the first title for the River Hawks in the event’s five-year history.

Owego went 8-12 overall last season, and was 3-9 in STAC play and 2-6 in the Central division.

“The Owego Free Academy varsity girls basketball team is focused on maintaining a high standard of performance and competitiveness, both within and outside of Southern Tier Athletic Conference play,” said coach Luke McEvoy.

“Last season, we proved highly competitive in demanding matchups, yet we frequently found ourselves on the losing side of several narrow contests. This year, the team is determined to reverse that trend, leveraging those close-game experiences as motivation. The season is anticipated to be a journey, offering invaluable opportunities for development and growth.”

Leading the charge will be junior Ashlyn Dalton and sophomore Jenna McEvoy, both of whom will play the point guard and shooting guard positions.

Returning to help out will be freshman forward Eva Crawford, seniors Katelyn Dodge and Keely Wicklund, both of whom will see time at guard and forward and junior guard/forward Jana Nikulich.

Newcomer Marielle Searles, a junior forward, is expected to contribute as well.

“Marielle joined our program during the season last year and played for our JV program,” coach McEvoy said.

Graduation losses included Madison McEvoy, the River Hawks’ deadly long-range shooter who is now playing at SUNY Oswego, and Lexi Herceg.

The team is also missing a pair of seniors due to injury – Kylie Grippen and Carsten Crawford.

“With a roster featuring a promising blend of seasoned returners and talented new faces, we have a ton of potential,” coach McEvoy said. “Both players and coaches are fully committed to the necessary work to maximize this potential and achieve our collective goals.”

Within the division, Owego will face the likes of NYSPHSAA Class B semifinalist Chenango Forks, as well as Waverly and Chenango Valley. Those three teams, along with Susquehanna Valley and Norwich, are among the teams to beat in STAC while Johnson City, Waverly, Maine-Endwell and Norwich will present challenges in Section IV Class A.

The River Hawks are currently 2-1.

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