TIOGA COUNTY SPORTS REPORT: WAVERLY'S WATSON HEADLINES ALL-COUNTY TEAM AS FOOTBALL 'PLAYER OF THE YEAR;' OWEGO'S PALLADINO, BENSLEY, BUCHSBAUM, BRACE, TAYLOR, WAVERLY'S HILLS, TIOGA'S BROWNE, AND SVEC'S AMAN ALSO EA (2024-12-09)
Tioga County Sports ReportTIOGA COUNTY — A threat to score every time he touched the ball, Waverly senior
Xavier Watson was a dominant presence on the gridiron in every facet of the game. He is the 2024
Tioga County Sports Report Football "
Player of the Year."
Owego senior
Joseph Palladino is the "
Offensive Player of the Year," while Owego senior
Zack Bensley is the "
Defensive Player of the Year," Waverly senior
Kam Hills is the "
Lineman of the Year," Owego senior
Jack Buchsbaum is the "
Special Teams Player of the Year," SVEC junior
Logan Aman is the "
Breakout Player of the Year," and Owego's
Patton Taylor is the "
Coach of the Year."
A 6-5, 220-pound chiseled specimen with a knack for highlight-reel catches, Watson, who was double-covered most of the season, hauled in 45 receptions for 692 yards, and 11 TDs. He also had three carries for 34 yards.
Defensively, Watson had very few passes thrown in his direction. He had 29 tackles, including 17 solo stops, three interceptions, and several pass break-ups.
On special teams, Watson averaged 32 yards per kickoff return, including a 92-yard return for a TD, and 13.4 yards per punt return.
Watson is headed to UConn in January as an enrollee to play Division I football for the Huskies.
Fast and elusive, Palladino rushed for 952 yards and 15 TDs on 111 Carris (8.6 yards per carry), and did not lose a fumble all season. He also had three catches for nine yards. And, he had one kick return for a score.
Bensley was a disruptive force on the defensive front for the River Hawks. He had 48 tackles, including 13 solo stops, 10 tackles-for-losses, four QB sacks, two QB pressures, one pass break-up, and one interception.
Hills was a dominant blocker on the offensive line, and a force in the middle of the defensive line. Defensively, Hills had 37 tackles in nine games, including 12 solo stops and a number of tackles-for-loss. He also had two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
Brace had a team-high 86 tackles, including 33 solo stops, for the River Hawks. He also had 11 tackles-for-losses, two QB sacks, one QB pressure, two pass break-ups, and one fumble recovery.
Browne, who was goal keeper on the Tioga soccer team the last two years, became an old-fashioned workhorse tailback for the Tigers after injuries sidelines four other backs. He rushed for 1,422 yards and 23 TDs on 186 carries (7.6 yards per carry) on the season.
In Tioga's 56-28 win over then-unbeaten Deposit-Hancock, Browne set team and Section IV record with 421 yards (on 32 carries), and eight TDs, which tied a Section IV record.
Defensively, Browne had 15 tackles, and one forced fumble.
Buchsbaum put Owego fans on the edge of their seats every time the ball was kicked to him. He returned three kickoffs for TDs, and averaged 23 yards per punt return with one TD.
Despite missing a couple games due to injuries, Aman rushed for 884 yards and 14 TDs on 111 carries (8 yards per carry). He also had three catches for 37 yards. He also had two kick returns for TDs.
In just his second season, Taylor directed the River Hawks to their second straight Class B title game. Owego posted an 8-2 record, with both losses coming to state runner-up Maine-Endwell.
FOOTBALL
Player of the Year: Xavier Watson, senior Waverly;
Offensive Player of Year: Joseph Palladino, senior, Owego;
Defensive Player of Year: Zach Bensley, senior Owego;
Lineman of the Year: Kam Hills, senior, Waverly;
Newcomer of the Year: Dylan Brace, sophomore, Owego and Jake Browne, senior, Tioga;
Special Teams Player of Year: Jack Buchsbaum, senior, Owego;
Breakout Player of the Year: Logan Aman, junior, SVEC;
Coach of the Year: Patton Taylor, Owego.
————————
Quarterback
Ben Shaw, sophomore, Waverly: After a rough first game, Shaw was nearly perfect the remainder of the season. He completed 70.8 percent (102 of 144) of his passes for 1,783 yards and 24 TDs with just one interception. He also ran for 1 TD.
Running Backs
Joseph Palladino, senior, Owego: See above.
Jake Brown, senior, Tioga: See above.
Logan Aman, junior, SVEC: See above.
RB / WR
Kolsen Keathley, senior, Waverly: Keathley saw some time at tailback, but spent the majority of his time at receiver. He rushed for 384 yards and four TDs on 41 carries (9.4 yards per carry), and hauled in 24 catches for 595 yards (team-high 24.8 yards per reception), and seven TDs.
Wide Receivers
Xavier Watson, senior, Waverly: See above.
Dalton Davis, junior, Waverly: Extremely fast, Davis proved to be a good compliment to Watson. He had 17 receptions for 317 yards and three TDs. He also had 30 yards and one TD on 13 rushing attempts.
Jack Buchsbaum, senior, Owego: Dangerous anytime he touched the ball, Buchsbaum had 10 receptions for 150 yards, and one TD. He also ran for 277 yards and four TBs on 19 carries.
Tight End
Matthias Welles, sophomore, Waverly: A devastating blocker, Welles had five catches for 83 yards, and one TD. He also ran the ball three times for 15 yards.
Evan English, senior, Owego: A big target with good hands, English had 23 receptions for 329 yards, and three TDs.
Offensive LineTate MaCauley, senior, Tioga:
Kam Hills, senior, Waverly:
Troy Beeman, junior, Waverly:
Dylan Davis, junior, Owego:
Ryan Huizinga, junior, SVEC:
Zack Bensley, senior, Owego.
Place Kicker
Hogan Shaw, junior, Waverly: A weapon with his kick-offs (11 touchbacks), Shaw made 58 of 63 extra-point attempts, and also made a 33-yard field goal.
——————————
Defensive Line
Kam Hills, senior, Waverly: See above.
Matthias Welles, sophomore, Waverly: Nearly unblockable, Welles was a disruptive force at defensive end for the Wolverines. He had 47 tackles, including 17 solo stops, and one QB sack, to go along with a pass break-up, one fumble recovery, and one blocked field goal.
Garrett Godfrey, senior, Tioga: A force in the middle of the Tioga defense, Godfrey had 48 tackles, including nine solo stops, one QB sack, one tackle-for-loss, and one forced fumble.
Troy Beeman, junior, Waverly: A force in the middle of the defensive front, Beeman had 46 tackles, including 15 solo stops, 3.5 QB sacks, and two pass break-ups.
Zach Bensley, senior Owego: See above.
Titus Callahan, junior, Newark Valley: Long and athletic, Callahan was among Newark Valley's leading tacklers. He had 50 tackles, including eight tackles-for-losses, and one fumble recovery.
Linebackers
Ben Shaw, sophomore, Waverly: A sideline-to-sideline defender, Shaw led the Wolverines in tackles again this season with 73, including 29 solo stops, and one QB sack. He also had one fumble recovery.
Conlan Taylor, senior, Owego: A nose for the ball, Taylor had 53 tackles, including 17 solo stops, nine tackles-for-loss, 1.5 QB sacks, three QB pressures, three pass break-ups, one interception, and one fumble recovery.
Kolsen Keathley, senior, Waverly: Keathley was a disruptor on the defensive side of the ball for the Wolverines. He had 44 tackles, including 23 solo stops, one QB sack, and a number of tackles-for-losses. He also had two interceptions — both pick-6s, two tackles for safeties, two kick returns for scores, and one fumble recovery.
Bobby Struble, senior, Owego: A sideline-to-sideline defender, Struble recorded 65 tackles, including 24 solo stops, 10 tackles-for-losses, one QB sack, and one QB pressure.
Gabe Merrill, senior, Newark Valley: An aggressive defender who seemed to always be around the ball, Merrill had 68 tackles, including four tackles-for-loss, and one forced fumble.
Defensive Backs
Xavier Watson, senior, Waverly: See above.
Jakobe Foster, junior, SVEC: A good defender in pass coverage, Foster had 23 tackles and two interceptions.
Caleb Cole, senior, Owego: A very good coverage guy, Cole had 12 tackles, including seven solo stops, three interceptions, including one pick-6, one pass break-up, and one fumble recovery.
Logan Rhodes, junior, Newark Valley: Strong on run support, Rhodes had 54 tackles, including two tackles-for-losses, and one forced fumble.
Kadin Cole, junior, Tioga: Cole had a nose for the football, and led the Tigers in tackles with 56, including 20 solo stops and one tackle-for-loss. He also had two interceptions and one fumble recovery.
PunterJak Smith, sophomore, SVEC: Smith averaged 40.6 yards per punt on 26 attempts.
Print Friendly Version
