TAYLOR MADE: A FINAL LOOK AT 2019-20 STANDOUTS (2020-06-27)

As the 2019-20 school year comes to a close, Tioga County can look back on the numerous successes attained by our high school athletes — despite the fact a promising spring season was wiped out by the coronavirus pandemic.

FALL
The start of the 2019-20 campaign brought a state championship to Candor on the volleyball court. The Indians moved past Bainbridge-Guilford and into a tie with Owego atop the Section IV leaderboard with three titles apiece.

The fall also produced another Section IV championship for the Tioga football team (its 8th in the past 9 years). The Tigers rank fourth in Section IV titles with 11 (including the bowl era).

Owego won its third consecutive Section IV title in boys cross country and Waverly's Sheridan Talada captured a medal at the state cross country meet.

Newark Valley field hockey battled its way to a Section IV runner-up showing.

Owego's Emma Stephenson won the 200-yard freestyle and the 500 free, and Ashleigh Gault won the 100 backstroke at the Section IV championships. The duo teamed with Jennifer Scott and Katie Shoen to win the 200 medley relay and 200 free relay. Shoen was also a qualifier in the 50 free and 100 free.

WINTER
The winter season was impressive for the locals as well. Tioga wrestling repeated as the state team tournament champion, and captured titles at the Section IV tournament (four straight) and the Section IV dual meet tourney (three in a row).

Nine wrestlers from Newark Valley, Owego, Tioga and Waverly qualified for the state tourney with eight reaching the podium — including the Tigers' champion, Gianni Silvestri.
Tioga's Brady Worthing (2nd), Owego's Cam Bundy (3rd), the Tigers' Caden Bellis and Waverly's Ethan Stotler (4th), Newark Valley's Josh Post (5th), and Tioga's Emmett Wood (7th) and Mason Welch (8th) were place-winners as well.

Waverly's Isaac Chandler snagged a bronze medal in the pole vault at the indoor track & field state championships.

Wolverine swimmer Mike Atanasoff placed fifth at states in the 50-yard freestyle and 11th in the 100 free. Teammate Gage Streeter was a state qualifier in diving.
The Newark Valley girls basketball team made quite the impression on the hardwoods, winning their first 22 games en route to a Section IV runner-up finish, while the NV cheer squad also finished second in Section IV.

SPRING
Unfortunately, athletes and teams were unable to display their talents when COVID-19 forced the cancellation of spring sports. That cheated Owego boys lacrosse out of a possible encore after winning its first Section IV championship last spring. Also hoping to repeat as sectional champs were the Tioga baseball and Waverly softball teams, and the Tioga boys and Waverly girls golf teams, the latter of which holds a state-best 118-match win streak.

Individually, Chandler and teammates Elizabeth Fritzen, Olivia Nittinger, Melina Ortiz, Cora Smith, Sheridan Talada, and Collin Wright, NV's Kayla Malarkey, Candor's Lance Jensen and Owego's Derek Sarrge were denied returns to state competition. Also looking to go back to states was Tioga golfer Sam Taylor, who qualified in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

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Following is a list of individuals and teams who qualified for state competition or were recognized at the state level, and team state rankings.

GIRLS
Cross Country
• Sheridan Talada, Waverly, Class C 3rd team, 15th place
• Elizabeth Fritzen, Waverly, Class C 56th place
• Abigail Fahey, Owego, Class B 77th place
• Hannah Monell, Owego, Class B 99th place

Soccer
• Melina Ortiz, Waverly, Class B 1st team
• Mackenna Nechwedowich, Newark Valley, Class B 3rd team
• Gabby Picco, Waverly, Class B 4th team

Swimming & Diving
• Ashleigh Gault, Owego, 22nd place, 200 medley relay
• Jennifer Scott, Owego, 22nd place, 200 medley relay
• Katie Shoen, Owego, 22nd place, 200 medley relay; 27th place, 50 freestyle; 51st place, 100 free
• Emma Stevenson, Owego, 22nd place, 200 medley relay

Volleyball
• Braelyn Hornick, Candor, Class D 1st team, tournament MVP
• Jennah Kareem, Candor, Class D 1st team, all-tournament team
• Megan Henry, Candor, Class D 2nd team, all-tournament team
• Mackenzie Struble, Owego, Class B third team
• Sara Zepkowski, Owego, Class B 4th team

Basketball
• Kaci Donovan, Owego, Class B 1st team
• Mackenna Nechwedowich, Newark Valley, Class B 4th team
• Sidney Tomasso, Waverly, Class B 10th team
• Evee Coleman, Owego, Class B 11th team

BOYS
Cross Country
• Callum Avery, SVEC, Class C 4th team, 23rd place
• Jonny Sherwood, Newark Valley, Class C 5th team, 29th place
• Collin Wright, Waverly, Class C honorable mention, 39th place
• Jimmy McDonald, Owego, Class B, 80th place
• Owen Casterline, Owego, Class B, 89th place
• Hunter Ellis, Owego, Class B, 93rd place
• Gavin Bowers, Owego, Class B, 95th place
• Matt Miller, Owego, Class B, 99th place
• Jayce Stuart, Owego, Class B, 102nd place
• Derek Sarrge, Owego, Class B, 108th place

Football
• Caden Bennett, Newark Valley, Class C 1st team, DB
• Jake Armstrong, Newark Valley, Class C honorable mention, LB
• Raidyn Ford, Newark Valley, Class C honorable mention, RB
• Gio Fabi, Owego, Class B 2nd team, DL
• Ben Miller, Owego, Class B 4th team, LB
• Mike Wasyln, Owego, Class B honorable mention, DE
• Dom Wood, Tioga, Class D 1st team, DL
• Emmett Wood, Tioga, Class D 1st team, RB
• Brady Worthing, Tioga, Class D 1st team, DB
• Aaron Howard, Tioga, Class D 2nd team, DL
• Cole Williams, Tioga, Class D 2nd team, OL
• David Hallett, Waverly, Class B 2nd team, LB
• Jalen McCarty, Waverly, Class B honorable mention, OE

Basketball
• Scott Woodring, Waverly, Class B 1st team
• Brendan Evans, Owego, Class B honorable mention
• Evan Hamed, Owego, Class B honorable mention

Indoor Track & Field
• Isaac Chandler, Waverly, 3rd place, pole vault

Swimming & Diving
• Mike Atanasoff, Waverly, 5th place, 50 freestyle; 11th place, 100 free
• Gage Streeter, Waverly, state qualifier, diving

Wrestling
• Gianni Silvestri, Tioga, 1st place, Division II, 99 pounds
• Brady Worthing, Tioga, 2nd place, Division II, 138
• Cam Bundy, Owego, 3rd place, Division II, 170
• Caden Bellis, Tioga, 4th place, Division II, 106
• Ethan Stotler, Waverly, 4th place, Division II, 160
• Josh Post, Newark Valley, 5th place, Division II, 132
• Emmett Wood, Tioga, 7th place, Division II, 152
• Mason Welch, Tioga, 8th place, 120
• Donavan Smith, Tioga, state qualifier, 120

STATE RANKINGS
Boys Cross Country
• Owego: Class B — No. 17 (New York State Sportswriters Association)

Football
• Tioga: Class D — No. 2 (NYSSWA)
• Owego: Class B — Honorable Mention (NYSSWA)
• Newark Valley: Class C — Honorable Mention (NYSSWA)

Girls Cross Country
• Waverly: Class C — No. 15 (NYSSWA)

Girls Soccer
• Waverly: Class B — No. 17 (NYSSWA)

Volleyball
• Candor: Class D — No. 1 (New York Volleyball Coaches Association)
• Owego: Class B — No. 4 (NYVCA)
• Tioga: Class D — Honorable Mention (NYVCA)

Girls Basketball
• Newark Valley: Class B — No. 15 (NYSSWA)
• Owego: Class B — No. 21 (NYSSWA)

Wrestling
• Tioga: Division II (Dual Meets) — No. 4 (New York Wrestling News), No. 6 (NYSSWA)
• Owego: Division II (Dual Meets) — Honorable Mention (NYSSWA)

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Following is a list of individuals who were named to conference or league all-star teams.

CONFERENCE / LEAGUE ALL-STARS
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
IAC
Newark Valley
First Team: Jonny Sherwood
Second Team: Seth Hartenstein

SVEC
Second Team: Callum Avery

Waverly
First Team: Collin Wright
Second Team: Nate Ackley

BOYS GOLF
STAC
Owego
All-Metro: Brendan Evans

BOYS SOCCER
IAC
Newark Valley
First Team: Nathan Sokol (co-MVP), Riley Malone, Noah Shiel, Corey Young
Second Team: John Boldis, Derek Kalpokas, John Simmons

SVEC
First Team: Hunter King (co-MVP), Jacob Banks, Alex Doucett, Lance Jensen, Mason Holmes, Daniel Thomas
Second Team: Brayden Ferris, Jacob Grube, Addison Young

Waverly
First Team: Cameron McIsaac, Nate Ryck
Second Team: Peyton Bowen, Rylan Laforest

STAC
Owego
All-Metro: Joey Higgins, Jason Caldwell

FIELD HOCKEY
Section IV Field Hockey Conference
Division III
Newark Valley
First Team: Taylor Benjamin, Marissa Berghorn, Gavin Blee, Cassidy Hoffmier, Sarah Mertson
Second Team: Emma Clark, Phaedra Day, Hannah Ferguson

Owego
First Team: Lauren Gilbert
Second Team: Jordan Greeno

SVEC
First Team: Ryleigh Clark, Andrea Douglas, Cora Sousa
Second Team: Rhiana Lawrence, Adriana Newman, Bella Young

Tioga
First Team: Olivia Ayers, Kim Tarbox
Second Team: Kindra Wessels

FOOTBALL
Section IV Football Conference
Division II
Owego
First Team: Nate Bennett, Cameron Bundy, Gio Fabi, Sean Heffernan, Ben Miller, Josh Terry, Nick Wasyln, Mike Wasyln
Honorable Mention: Zach Miner, Wyatt Gunther

Waverly
First Team: Jalen McCarty, Ethan Stotler, David Hallett, Cayden Turcsik, Joe Tomasso,
Honorable Mention: Aidan Westbrook, Hunter Rando

Division III
Newark Valley
First Team: Caden Bennett, Raidyn Ford, Jake Armstrong, Connor Spoonhower, Mike Wandell, Andrew Obregon, Hunter Kelly
Honorable Mention: Cameron Carrier, Matt Waterman

SVEC
First Team: James Sutherlin, Nick Thomas, Marcus Rypkema
Honorable Mention: Elliot Walter, Jacob Campolito

Division VI
Tioga
First Team: Brady Worthing, Emmett Wood, Dom Wood, Cole Williams, Aaron Howard, Sloan Manuel, Mason Booser
Honorable Mention: David MacWhinnie

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
IAC
Newark Valley
First Team: Renee Riegel

Waverly
First Team: Sheridan Talada
Second Team: Elizabeth Fritzen

GIRLS SOCCER
IAC
Newark Valley
First Team: Bri Beebe, Emma Miller, Mackenna Nechwedowich, Leah Williams
Second Team: Maris Aylesworth, Hayley Beebe, Molly McCloskey, Christa Shambacher

SVEC
First Team: Ava Bruehwiler
Second Team: Madelynn Pasto, Kilie Streeter

Tioga
First Team: Madison Howey, Makenzie Macumber, Destini Sweet
Second Team: Gabrielle Foley

Waverly
First Team: Melina Ortiz (MVP), Kaitlyn Clark, Gabby Picco, Cora Smith, Lea Van Allen, Sadi Van Allen
Second Team: Tessa Petlock, Kennedy Westbrook

STAC
Owego
All-Metro: Jade Fenton, Erin McDonald

VOLLEYBALL
IAC
Candor
First Team: Braelyn Hornick (co-MVP), Jennah Kareem (co-MVP), Kailyn Edwards, Megan Henry, Shelby Swartz
Second Team: Asia Curkendall, Selah Ray, Kori Strong

Newark Valley
First Team: Emma Graves (co-MVP), Jordan Stiffarm, Allie Wandell
Second Team: Gracie Gardner

S-VE
Second Team: Lydia Diboun
Honorable Mention: Emily Jones

Tioga
First Team: Emme Hall, Giovanna Rossi
Second Team: Chloe Bellis, Bri Rossi
Honorable Mention: Julia Bellis, Kaitlyn Perry, Madison Macumber
Waverly
First Team: Chloe Croft (co-MVP), Adrianah Clinton, Paige Lewis
Second Team: Morgan Adams, Maddy Goodwin, Sidney Tomasso

STAC
Owego All-Metro: Taylor Aubel, Annika Kinney, Mackenzie Struble, Sara Zepkowski

WINTER 2019-20
BOYS BASKETBALL
IAC
Candor
First Team: Daniel Thomas
Second Team: Alex Doucett, Kolden Foster, Marcus Rypkema, Nick Thomas

Newark Valley
First Team: Donavin Beebe

S-VE
First Team: James Sutherlin
Second Team: Matthew Byrne, Matthew Merrick

Tioga
First Team: Sam Taylor

Waverly
First Team: Scott Woodring (MVP)
Second Team: Joe Tomasso, Aidan Westbrook

STAC
Owego
All-Metro: Brendan Evans, Evan Hamed, Michael Wasyln

BOYS BOWLING
STAC
Owego
All-Metro: Qwinten Adams

GIRLS BASKETBALL
IAC
Candor
First Team: Braelyn Hornick
Second Team: Jennah Kareem

Newark Valley
First Team: Hannah Ferguson, Grace Gardner, Mackenna Nechwedowich
Second Team: Bri Beebe, Allie Wandell
Honorable Mention: Kendra Morris

S-VE
Honorable Mention: Sophia Dutra, Tara Perkins

Tioga
First Team: Olivia Ayres
Second Team: Chloe Bellis
Honorable Mention: Giovanna Rossi, Eve Wood

Waverly
First Team: Sidney Tomasso (MVP), Kennedy Westbrook
Honorable Mention: Morgan Adams, Paige Lewis

STAC
Owego
All-Metro: Evee Coleman, Kaci Donovan