TAYLOR MADE: MILESTONES & MORE (2018-09-17)
Quietly, and without much fanfare, the Owego varsity volleyball program won its 100th consecutive match last Tuesday. While the publicity of a long win streak is nice, if you can sneak under the radar, less press often means less pressure on the athletes.
In 1998, I took over as head coach of a relatively new high school wrestling program in Colorado. I had a great group of kids coming out of the youth ranks and it didn't take them long to start winning league championships and work their way into the state's top 10 rankings. Naturally, they started getting some recognition from the media, so I witnessed first-hand the pressure that can accompany notoriety.
It's not a necessarily a bad thing - hiding in the shadows - but, as a journalist, it is my responsibility to make the readers aware of
these achievements. Somehow I think Race's Indians can handle the
publicity. After all, they have won three state championships in five
years.
Even though I never covered Owego before this fall season, I did follow the volleyball team a little bit, mainly because head coach Brittney Race's father and I were wrestling teammates at Tioga. Still, I didn't realize the Indians had a long streak going, nor did I give it any thought until Tioga's 87-match regular-season run ended at the hands of Candor last week.
Anyway, a belated congratulations to Race and all the players - past and present - who have been involved in reaching the milestone.
Splish, Splash
While we're on the subject of
impressive accomplishments, the school and pool record for girls diving
at Owego was 248.1 points heading into this season. Kailee Payne set the
mark last season as a freshman.
This past week, the school record tumbled when Payne chalked up 253 points at Union-Endicott.
By the way, since the Class B state rankings began in 2005, the Indians have been No. 1 twice (2017, 2012). They've also been No. 2 six times and No. 4 twice.
Tough breaks
Speaking of Owego, the Indians were one of two football teams I covered this past weekend, the other being Tioga.
Both teams had the talent to beat two very good opponents, but things just didn't quite click.
Everyone knows Chenango Forks is among the state's best - on an annual basis - but had Owego QB Tyler Phelps been zoned in with Christian Sage, Barrett Hafer and
Kobe Bogart through the air, the outcome might have been different. There were a few passes either dropped or slightly off-target that, had they been completed, could have changed things around.
The Indians' "bend, but don't break" defense finally broke a couple of times - on a 54-yard Jacob Topa-to-Lucas Scott screen pass and on Topa's 87-yard belly option keeper. Both plays were as well-executed as any I've seen at the high school ranks.
However, Scott, who was averaging in the neighborhood of 175 yards offense and four TDs per game coming in, was held to 21 yards in the first half. He finished the game with 115 total yards, but minus the TD pass, and two double-digit runs for 26 more yards on CF's final possession, he was held in check.
On Saturday, I switched coverage with Tim Birney of our sister site, valleysportsreport.com, to make the 3-hour-plus trip to Tonawanda to watch my nephew, Stephen, play for Tioga against Cardinal O'Hara.
The Tigers were also victims of a fumble just before halftime after driving to the Hawks' 11.
O'Hara, ranked No. 1 in the Monsignor Martin Association, League B (small schools) displayed size, strength and speed in a 34-12 victory. The Hawks are one of the more athletic teams I've seen so far this season.
One of their TDs was a one-handed catch reminiscent to the one Odell Beckham Jr. for the N.Y. Giants against the Dallas Cowboys in 2014. Five of their players received various accolades from a Buffalo-area TV station for their performances.
One thing Tiger fans who attended the game might have been surprised by was how well they THREW the ball. That's right, arguably Section IV's most-well known run, run, run, and then run some more team, Tioga actually went to the air. Rookie quarterback Brady Worthing was 7-for-13 for 124 yards. He did throw one pick - a desperation heave on the game's final play.
As one former Tioga offensive lineman told me years ago, "We can throw the ball; we choose not to."
Owego could get another crack at Forks in the postseason, however, Tioga won't see O'Hara again. The Hawks are not a member of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association.
