The WCDO Athlete of the Week program continues to recognize excellence throughout the 2026 season. This week, we are proud to spotlight bowling as part of our commitment to honoring athletes across all high school sports in our local communities. Since returning in 2024, the program has been embraced by athletes, schools and fans across the region. The black hoodie has become a true symbol of local pride, made possible by the continued support of Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney as our returning title sponsor.
For the week of 1/26 to 1/31, our recipient is Landon Wilcox from the Sidney Bowling team. Landon recently bowled a perfect 300 game at Galaxy Bowl in Bainbridge and recorded an 826 series, the highest in the MAC this season. The 826 series is also being reviewed as a possible MAC league record. Impressive work by Landon.
Good luck the rest of this season to all our local bowlers!
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Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
Another week of the 2026 season brings another opportunity to recognize excellence through the WCDO Athlete of the Week program. This week, we are proud to honor a standout athlete in girls downhill skiing, slalom and giant slalom, reinforcing our focus on celebrating all sports in our area. Since returning in 2024, the program has been embraced by athletes, schools and fans across the region. The black hoodie has become a true symbol of local pride, made possible by the continued support of Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney as our returning title sponsor.
For the week of 1/19 to 1/24, our recipient is Piper Cohane from the Windham/Catskill Girls Ski team. Piper has won all five of her races so far this season across slalom and giant slalom. Her WAJ squad won states in 2025 and will have a great chance to do it again in 2026. We are happy to honor Delaware League student-athletes competing in skiing. Piper and her teammates were featured on The Nate Lull Podcast last spring after winning states, so be sure to check that out in the archives.
Good luck the rest of this season!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
About the author: Rich Turnbull is a lifelong upstate New York resident, educator, and coach. He serves as a media specialist for Section IV Athletics and is a frequent contributor to The Nate Lull Podcast and NateLull.com.
Eating during or after a sporting event has become one of the rituals I look forward to most. As a player, I loved stopping with my team to share a meal. During my coaching years, those post game meals with players were just as special, we bonded while replaying highlights from the game or talking about whatever was going on in our lives at the time. Today, I still enjoy sitting down with family or colleagues after an athletic event. There’s just something about food and conversation that brings people together.
During the fall season, I have the privilege of working at the New York State Girls Soccer Championships, and it’s there that I discovered one of my newer favorite spots: Dashers Corner Pub in Homer. The place is always packed, which some might see as a negative. I see it as a good sign, it usually means the food is worth the wait, and I’m more than willing to wait for good food. At Dashers, the Girls Soccer Committee gathers to enjoy a great meal while discussing the tournament and any other state business that needs attention. Over time, friendships have been built and disagreements settled right there at the dinner table.
After my most recent trip to the tournament, I started thinking about how great it is to sit with a team, new or old, and share ideas. That reflection quickly turned into reminiscing about all the places I used to stop as an athlete, coach, or spectator. First, I thought about the spots that are still open. The classic Moe’s/Wendy’s stop on Front Street in Binghamton, if you are or were a coach or athlete in Norwich, you know that stop well. I’ve had many post game meals at Magro’s in Norwich. There’s nothing better than Sal keeping the door open for you and that chicken tender sub waiting. Dante’s Pizza has become a favorite stop in Oneonta, even if it’s just for a quick slice. And speaking of Oneonta, if you’ve never had a sandwich from the Undercover Eggplant, you’re missing out, go there immediately.
All this talk of food got me thinking about the places I loved that are no longer with us. So here it is: my top five spots to eat that are now defunct. The criteria is simple, it has to be a place I remember stopping at as an athlete, coach, or while attending or working an athletic event, and it must now be closed. That rules out the Neptune Diner on Oneonta’s Southside, since I only remember eating there after movies with friends or taking my daughters to meet Cinderella. Sorry to Millie’s Diner in Norwich as well, it doesn’t meet the criteria, even though Millie made the best breakfast at any time of day.
One disclaimer before we begin: I played sports in the Tri-Valley, so many of our stops were in the Oneonta area. I coached in Norwich, which meant a lot of trips toward Binghamton.
So here we go, my top five spots to eat as an athlete, coach, or attendee that are no longer with us.
5 – The Spot Diner, Upper Front Street, Binghamton
The Spot Diner closed in the fall of 2023. It was a popular stop when heading back to Norwich from downtown Binghamton. The diner was huge, with plenty of seating, so you rarely had to wait. As you might expect, the Turnbull family never turns down a diner, and this one was no exception. I stopped here on many scouting trips or after games at Broome Community College. What sold The Spot wasn’t the food, it was the convenience. Just like the name suggests, it was the perfect spot when you weren’t sure what else was open. Typical diner fare, topped off with dessert and coffee that hit the spot after a long day.
4 – Pudgie’s Pizza, Oneonta
Jaycee Youth Soccer at Neahwa Park was a staple for kids from Otsego, Chenango, and Delaware counties in the 1980s. You got your team-issued colored shirt and played a different town every Saturday morning. It was often the first time you saw the best athletes from other schools. After a hard-fought game, muffled by the sounds of Interstate 88, most Saturdays ended at McDonald’s or Burger King on Chestnut Street (ironically, both now closed). But if you were really lucky, your parents would take you just over the bridge on Lettis Highway, tucked behind KFC (also closed), to Pudgie’s Pizza. What more could a kid want after a tough game than a Pudgie’s Pack, sheet pizza, wings, salad bar, and soda? It was pizza heaven. And if the arcade machines were working and your parents had a few extra quarters, even better.
3 – Garf’s Deli, Norwich
If you ever played or coached in Norwich, there’s a good chance you had a Garf’s sub on a road trip. Owned by the legendary Stewart family, Garf’s sat on the corner near the Chenango County Courthouse in downtown Norwich. It was a major supporter of Norwich athletics and offered discounted subs for teams heading out on away games. There was nothing better than getting your sub at the gym doors before loading the bus for a one-hour STAC League road trip. In a small way, it made you feel like a pro, they give us food!
I’m also lucky to call former owner John Stewart a friend. A legendary tennis coach and multi-sport athlete for the Purple Tornado, John is one of a kind. Many days I’d stop in for a Turkey Trot sandwich or a cup of coffee and leave with a full lecture on something, anything. Those conversations were part of the experience. Though he’s now retired and we still talk regularly, I truly miss walking into Garf’s for food and wisdom all at once. Not that long ago, Garf’s was the place to eat in Norwich.
2 – Ponderosa Steakhouse, Oneonta
COVID-19 may not have officially ended buffets, but it certainly changed them forever. The Ponderosa buffet on Chestnut Street in Oneonta was our go-to spot for special occasions. Growing up in Edmeston, we didn’t have many “big town” dining options, so trips to places like Schenevus, Worcester, or Franklin often included a stop on Oneonta’s Southside. For really big games, like league championships, our coaches treated us to Ponderosa.
For a teenager, it was heaven: all-you-can-eat salad, pasta, soup, and just about anything else you could imagine. To this day, the best salad dressing I’ve ever had was the sweet and tangy French dressing from that buffet, I put it on everything. If you were lucky, your parents gave you a few extra bucks to add steak tips, complete with sautéed mushrooms. And if you somehow still had room, there was all-you-can-eat ice cream waiting. If you never experienced Ponderosa, you missed one of the true dining gems of the 1990s.
1 – Burger World, Springfield
Playing sports for the Edmeston Panthers often led us to Southside Oneonta for meals. Other trips didn’t offer that luxury. Short rides, New Berlin, South New Berlin, Morris, didn’t require a stop. Laurens was borderline, so you packed a snack. Milford was the worst: longer than 30 minutes with no good stopping point. That left Cherry Valley-Springfield. To today’s Edmeston athletes, that must be a tough destination but if you lived in the 1990s you got to eat at Burger World.
Located at the intersection of Routes 20 & 80, Burger World was essentially a mom-and-pop fast-food joint housed in what felt like a barn. You walked in, ordered to the right, and could watch the magic happen behind the counter. Burgers were the specialty, but for some reason I always went with the tacos, a rare treat back then in a fast-food setting. There was plenty of seating for the whole team, and I also ate there many times with my parents and grandma while visiting friends. Burger World holds nothing but great memories.
Bonus – Dairy Isle, Richfield Springs
The Turnbull family has traveled all over the Tri-County area enjoying ice cream stands, we have many favorites that are still open but we certainly miss one that is now closed. The Dairy Isle in Richfield Springs. We visited many times, and I vividly remember stopping there after playing in the Richfield Springs Little League tournament. That tournament still haunts me, I made a costly error at second base that ended our championship hopes. Thirty years later, my coach still remembers it. I made the classic mistake: didn’t get the glove down, and the ball rolled right through my legs like a croquet ball through a wicket.
What makes a 12-year-old feel better after costing his team a title? Ice cream from the Dairy Isle. Located where the Kinney Drug store now sits on Route 20, it was the classic upstate New York ice cream stand. I can still remember how good that vanilla cone tasted, or better yet, the watermelon slushy. Ice cream and a slushy can make even the worst error feel a little less painful.
Sports and food, what a great combination for bringing teams and families closer together. As you can probably tell, this list isn’t just about the food; it’s about the memories tied to it. Hopefully these spots brought back a few memories for you as well. Let us know which places I missed, and I’ll see you soon at a restaurant near you.
Photo credit for this story goes to the Richfield Springs Central School Library staff. Thank you for digging through your archives to uncover a photo of the famous Burger World sign. Special thanks to Ben Patton of The Walton Reporter for photo editing.
The WCDO Athlete of the Week program is off and running in 2026 and continues to be a special part of our local sports community. This week, we are proud to honor two athletes, both from Sidney High School, as the tradition continues to shine. Since returning in 2024, the program has been embraced by athletes, schools and fans across the region. The black hoodie has become a true symbol of local pride, made possible by the continued support of Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney as our returning title sponsor.
For the week of 1/12 to 1/17, our recipient is Dejah Taylor from the Sidney Girls Indoor Track and Field team. Dejah recently committed to continue her running career at Binghamton University and it is easy to see why! She now holds six individual indoor records at SCS along with two relay records. Dejah currently holds school records in the 55, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 along with the 4x200 and the 4x400 relays. She also qualified for Nike Nationals in three events. That meet will be held in March. Great job Dejah! Our other winner from Sidney this week is Bella Phelps from the SCS Girls Wrestling team.
Good luck the rest of this season!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week program is off and running in 2026 and continues to be a special part of our local sports community. This week, we are proud to honor two athletes, both from Sidney High School, as the tradition continues to shine. Since returning in 2024, the program has been embraced by athletes, schools and fans across the region. The black hoodie has become a true symbol of local pride, made possible by the continued support of Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney as our returning title sponsor.
For the week of 1/12 to 1/17, our recipient is Bella Phelps from the Sidney Girls Wrestling team. Bella is 30-1 so far this season with five first place finishes at big tournaments. She is also currently the top ranked girls grappler at 114 pounds by New York Wrestling News. Bella took the crown at the Larry Goodrich Girls Invitational, the Bash at the Burg, the Queen Bee Girls Tournament, the Southern Tier Memorial Girls Tournament and the Windsor Lady Black Knights Invitational. She also placed 3rd at the prestigious Eastern States Girls Classic. Our other winner from Sidney this week is Dejah Taylor from the SCS Indoor Track and Field team.
Good luck the rest of this season!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week program is off and running in 2026 and remains a special part of our local sports community. Since returning in 2024, the tradition has been embraced by athletes, schools and fans across the region. The black hoodie has become a true symbol of local pride. We are grateful to Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney for returning as our title sponsor and helping make it all possible.
For the week of 1/5 to 1/10, our recipient is Yanni Drapaniotis from the combined Unatego/Unadilla Valley/Franklin Wrestling team. Yanni is 29-0 so far this season and recently took 1st place at the prestigious Eastern States Tournament at 190 pounds. He also earned a 1st place finish at the Ross Cordell Tournament in Oneonta. Yanni is 74-3 with 56 pins in his time on varsity and is looking to cap off a great career later this season as he hopes to return to the state tournament.
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
As we welcome 2026, the WCDO Athlete of the Week program continues to be a special part of our local sports community. Since its return in 2024, it has been exciting to see how much athletes, schools, and fans have embraced it. The black hoodie has become a point of pride, and we are grateful to Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney for making it all possible as our returning title sponsor. We look forward to celebrating many more great athletes throughout the new year.
For the week of 12/29 to 1/3, our recipient is Justin Somers from the combined Walton/Delhi Wrestling team. Justin recently picked up two huge first place finishes at the Windsor Christmas Tournament and the Oneonta Rotary Ross Cordell Tournament. He is 19-2 so far this season and earned his 100th career victory in December. Justin also placed third at the Clyde Cole Tournament in Oxford on 12/5. He is primed to make a nice run in the postseason. Best of luck!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
About the author: Rich Turnbull is a lifelong upstate New York resident, educator, and coach. He serves as a media specialist for Section IV Athletics and is a frequent contributor to The Nate Lull Podcast and NateLull.com.
Most people look back on their childhood years fondly, often telling the next generation how great their era was. I am no different. The music, movies, and sports of the 1980s and 1990s were special. For me, Upstate New York and the Tri-Valley League were amazing.
I had a unique childhood. My parents divorced when I was four, but unlike many divorced couples, they worked hard to make life feel as normal as possible for my sister and me. My “normal” meant living with my mother in Edmeston during the week and staying with my father on weekends in Garrattsville. Though separated by only eight miles, the two homes felt like different countries because they were in different school districts. Depending on where I was staying, I had friends in both Edmeston and Morris.
Adding to the uniqueness, my mother lived in Edmeston but was a proud Morris Central School alum. My father was an Edmeston alumnus who worked in the Morris school district. During the week, I was lucky enough to attend Edmeston sporting events with my mom, watching the likes of Rod Bennett, Mike Schoonover, and one of my favorites, John Davis. As fortunate as that was, nothing compared to what awaited me on weekends with my dad: the MCS Express.
For an eight-year-old kid, there was nothing better than watching the Morris boys’ basketball teams of the 1980s. My dad would take me to games in the memorable “old” Morris gym. As a kid, it seemed like the coolest place on earth. The arched windows glowed as you approached the school, and when the lights were on, you knew it was game time. My dad had keys, so we’d sneak in and walk down the stairs that opened level with the basketball hoop. Stepping onto that court felt magical. I’ve since seen basketball games all over the country, but nothing has ever matched walking down those steps on a Friday night with a bag of M&M’s in my hand.
What made those steps even more special was how the teams entered the court. The visiting team would run down first, usually greeted with applause from their fans and a chorus of boos from the MCS student section. Sportsmanship matters, of course, but to an eight-year-old, those boos were part of the fun.
Then came the MCS Express.
To this day, I’ve seen nothing like it. Like a perfectly timed orchestra, the crowd, what felt like the largest gathering Otsego County had ever seen, though it was probably just a couple hundred people, would begin a slow clap in unison. The clapping built for about thirty seconds, and right on cue, the Express came charging down the steps. My eyes practically exploded with excitement.
Idols are defined as “a person or thing that is greatly admired, loved, or revered.” Many kids of my era idolized Magic Johnson or Larry Bird, their posters plastered on bedroom walls. I was no different, I had a Darryl Strawberry poster that greeted me every morning. But Strawberry wasn’t my true idol. My idol didn’t have a poster. He was the first person I ever saw dunk a basketball.
His name was Bill Fisher.
Bill Fisher, a power forward on the MCS Express, was mythical to me. Watching him dunk with ease then running back down the court like a combination of an ostrich and gazelle was the highlight of my week. Years later, curiosity got the best of me and I looked up his stats. Though he averaged over 25 points and double digit rebounds per game he only played a few years and never reached the storied 1,000-point club. He was still great. Even forty years later, the stats remain impressive.
Statistics aside, the most memorable Bill Fisher story is the night he shattered the backboard in Mt. Upton. It happened on Friday, February 5, 1988, and remarkably, it was the second Mt. Upton backboard broken that season. Just a week earlier, on January 29, Laurens’ Wade Webster had broken one during warmups. The difference, and what cemented the tale, was that Fisher’s came during game action. With Morris leading 4-0 and 6:30 remaining in the first quarter, Bill went coast to coast on one of his signature breakaway dunks and threw it down on a non-breakaway rim in the now-defunct Mt. Upton gym. The backboard shattered, the game was postponed, and a legend was born.
I love basketball history and for years I secretly felt disappointed that I hadn’t seen the infamous dunk. That changed when I managed to track down a video of it through Matt Jacobsen, the son of the late, great coach Gary Jacobsen. Ironically, Matt and I connected while watching a Colgate basketball game, proof that basketball still brings people together. Matt wasn’t at the Mt. Upton game either, but he had something even better: a recording. Thanks to modern technology, I had a copy on my phone within twenty-four hours.
It may have been one of the greatest gifts I’ve ever received. Watching your idol shatter a backboard in a game you love, on footage you thought was lost to time, is unbelievable. I must have watched it a hundred times. I even showed my family, who were, unsurprisingly, unimpressed by the grainy camcorder footage of what I consider the greatest dunk in Tri-Valley history.
Days after the dunk heard around the Tri-Valley, an eight-year-old’s dream came true at a Morris basketball game. I met the legend himself. Outside Coach Jacobsen’s office, at the bottom of the MCS Express stairwell, there stood Bill Fisher, holding a piece of the shattered backboard like a prized possession. After a few introductions from my dad, Bill talked with me and let me hold the backboard. I don’t remember what he said, but I vividly remember looking up at him in awe. That moment left a permanent mark. Because of Bill, my first basketball idol, I fell in love with the game forever.
Now in my forties and still deeply involved in sports, I’m not sure today’s athletes realize how closely young kids are watching. Technology has given us global idols, but that shouldn’t diminish the impact of local heroes. The current sports landscape often feels strange to me. The chest-thumping, constant self-promotion, and social-media moments have become overwhelming. Hearing profanity from the courtside seats on every possession takes something away from the game.
There’s no way I would have idolized Bill Fisher if he had been pounding his chest, stopping for selfies, or swearing nonstop. Better yet, my dad wouldn’t have let me. When does this evolution of insanity stop? When does it become about simply playing the game again? I long for the basketball of the ’80s and ’90s. And to those who say it doesn’t compare athletically, I’ll take my chances with the MCS Express and Bill Fisher against today’s generation any day. I’ve become that person who I rolled my eyes at as a kid, a person who believes their generation is the best and someone who just wants to see basketball, not the antics.
A few years ago, I was getting my car repaired at a local shop when I noticed a man sitting quietly in the corner. After chatting with the owner, I began looking around for something to pass the time. That’s when it happened.
“Are you little Richie Turnbull?” the man asked.
“Richie” caught me off guard, few people call me that anymore. I said yes, and the man stood up. Once again, I found myself looking up at my idol.
“Hello, I’m Bill Fisher.”
I couldn’t believe it. Speechless, rare for me. I don’t remember much beyond pleasantries, but I do know this: my 1980s idol had come back to life, and decades later, he remembered me.
I look back on my childhood with gratitude. I was lucky to have parents who exposed me to sports, took me to games, and encouraged me to play. Even now, it’s rare to talk to either of them without sports coming up. Sports create memories and spark endless debates, who was the best team, or which player could dominate any era. Those discussions are what make sports great. Idols make sports great, too.
Thank you to all the childhood idols like Bill Fisher who played the game the right way and made us fall in love with sports. To the new generation: remember that someone is always watching, maybe a kid who idolizes you. Do you want to be remembered as the chest-thumping, selfie-taking, foul-mouthed player, or as someone who graced the court with pure domination?
Think about that the next time you take the court. If you’re lucky, maybe one day your idol will recognize you while you’re waiting for your car.
Photo credit for this story goes to the Morris Central School Yearbook (the Morrisanian). Special thanks to Ben Patton of The Walton Reporter for photo editing.
As we wrap up 2025 and look ahead to 2026, the WCDO Athlete of the Week program continues to grow into a special part of our local sports community. Since its return in 2024, it has been exciting to see how much athletes, schools, and fans have embraced it. The black hoodie has quickly become a point of pride, and we are grateful to Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney for making it all possible as our returning title sponsor. We look forward to celebrating many more great athletes in the year ahead.
For the week of 12/22 to 12/27, our recipient is Marissa Mayo from the Bainbridge-Guilford Girls Basketball team. Marissa was named MVP of the 47th Annual Kazalski Tournament during the holiday break. She stacked up 31 points and 20 rebounds during the two game event. Marissa is quiet off the court, but her hard work and fire on the court are undeniable. The Bobcats are now 8-0 on the season so far. Congrats Marissa!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award continues to shine as we start to close out 2025 and gear up for an exciting 2026. Since its return in 2024 after nearly two decades, the response has been incredible. Year two has shown just how much athletes, schools, and fans enjoy the tradition and the signature black hoodie has quickly become a symbol of local pride. We could not do this without the generous support of Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney, our returning title sponsor. We are truly grateful for their continued commitment and look forward to celebrating even more standout athletes in the year ahead.
For the week of 12/15 to 12/20, our recipient is Lanie Nelen from the Cooperstown Girls Basketball team. Lanie is averaging 20.4 PPG so far this season for the Hawkeyes. She fired in a career high 27 points in a recent contest against Stamford/Jefferson. Great work! Lanie is just a freshman and has a very bright future ahead of her.
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award continues to shine as we start to close out 2025 and gear up for an exciting 2026. Since its return in 2024 after nearly two decades, the response has been incredible. Year two has shown just how much athletes, schools, and fans enjoy the tradition and the signature black hoodie has quickly become a symbol of local pride. We could not do this without the generous support of Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney, our returning title sponsor. We are truly grateful for their continued commitment and look forward to celebrating even more standout athletes in the year ahead.
For the week of 12/8 to 12/13, our recipient is Maverick Beckwith from the Norwich Wrestling team!
Here is Mav's recent resume:
-Clyde Cole Tournament Champion at 157
-Earned his 150th career win
-Committed to D1 Army West Point
-Off to a 12-0 start with 7 pins in 2025
-Ranked 1st in New York State Division-II at 157
Good luck to Maverick as he continues to compete this season. He is currently a junior and is looking for his 3rd state title!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award continues to shine as we start to close out 2025 and gear up for an exciting 2026. Since its return in 2024 after nearly two decades, the response has been incredible. Year two has shown just how much athletes, schools, and fans enjoy the tradition and the signature black hoodie has quickly become a symbol of local pride. We could not do this without the generous support of Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney, our returning title sponsor. We are truly grateful for their continued commitment and look forward to celebrating even more standout athletes in the year ahead.
For the week of 12/1 to 12/6, our recipient is Josey Ryan from the Norwich Girls Basketball team. Josey went off for a game high 28 points in a season opening 60-49 victory over Sidney at NHS. This was a huge performance in what has become a big rivalry game in recent years. Josey's hard work has prepared her for a big season in 2025-2026.
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award continues to shine as we start to close out 2025 and gear up for an exciting 2026. Since its return in 2024 after nearly two decades, the response has been incredible. Year two has shown just how much athletes, schools, and fans enjoy the tradition and the signature black hoodie has quickly become a symbol of local pride. We could not do this without the generous support of Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney, our returning title sponsor. We are truly grateful for their continued commitment and look forward to celebrating even more standout athletes in the year ahead.
For the week of 12/1 to 12/6, our recipient is Brady Carr from the Oneonta Boys Basketball team. Brady was named Co-MVP of the annual Drago Tournament and also became the all-time OHS Boys leading scorer with almost 1,300 points. He scored 55 points over two games at the Drago. Brady passed Graham Wooden (record set in 2020) to take over the top spot on the career scoring list.
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
Thank you to our generous sponsor for this story! Covered Bridge Farm Market is owned by the Johnson Family of Unadilla. Located along the Susquehanna River, with an on-farm seasonal market, they offer home-grown vegetables that are picked fresh daily. They grow everything from potatoes to tomatoes and of course their award winning sweet corn! You can also visit them to pick out the perfect Christmas tree this holiday season at Nadelbaum Acres at Lundin Tree Farm in Otego. They will be open on 12/6 and 12/7 with pre-cut and u-cut trees from 10 AM to 4 PM.
For more photos from this story, please follow me on Instagram: nate.lull
One of my favorite parts of being a small-town sports reporter is getting to know the athletes I cover on a personal basis. That is especially true when I work on special projects like the annual Athlete on the Farm story, which has been going strong since 2018.
Each year I take a trip into the countryside to meet up with an athlete who works on a local farm. This tradition has taken me all over the three-county region and down many dirt roads that are off the beaten path. It is a day where I get to embarrass myself, but also learn more about the hard work that farmers do day in and day out.
What has always intrigued me about this series is that athletes who also work on the family farm rarely get any credit for the long days they put in. They wake up early, have chores to do, go to school, then have practice or a game. Quite often they are also involved in other activities and then they come home and go back to the barn to finish the day. In today’s world, where I often hear that kids lack work ethic, these student athletes who are also farmers, completely break the mold on that stereotype.
This year I traveled to Valley View Farm in Ashland to visit the Tuttle family. Valley View started in 1976 and has been a family owned operation ever since. Scott and Eve Tuttle run the farm with the help of their daughter, Hannah, who is a standout softball and soccer player at nearby Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central School. I should also mention that Hannah was a star basketball player as well, but W-A-J has not had enough girls to play in the last few seasons.
Hannah is not just your average Delaware League athlete. She has committed to play NCAA Division-II softball at Mansfield University in Pennsylvania next year. Her hard work in school, sports, and travel softball have set her up to play at the next level. That work ethic started when she was just a little girl following her parents down to the barn.
Her dad, Scott, said Hannah showed interest from a young age around the property. “She started coming with me early on and so we decided to put her to work. It was never a chore for her; she just liked helping us out and being around the animals.”
Hannah agrees that she has enjoyed being in the barn for as long as she can remember. “I started showing cows when I was five and just wanted to be down here whenever I had free time,” she said while walking between stalls. “Being here is a bit of an escape for me from the stress of school and sports.”
Hannah’s mom, Eve, is also a coach at W-A-J and has been very helpful to me over the years with gathering information from various games and events. It is not uncommon for me to text Eve after a game looking for the score and stats. Quite often I will get a response late at night. It usually reads something like, “Sorry Nate, Hannah and I left after her game and drove three hours down to her travel tournament in Pennsylvania. They play tomorrow at 8 AM. Here is the info you need. Thanks.” It amazes me how much time and effort the Tuttle family has put into helping Hannah follow her dreams.
I have always felt that parents are willing to make these sacrifices if their kids show the passion to chase a goal like playing in college. Hannah is definitely motivated and willing to do what it takes to succeed on the playing field, in the classroom, and on the farm.
Hannah plays travel ball for the Lady Dukes from Saugerties. They are an NY Select 18U team that plays in tournaments all over the Northeast with players coming from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and more. She usually travels two days a week for practice on top of school sports, activities and farm work. I have always thought of Hannah as the dominating pitcher from the Delaware League with over 300 career strikeouts, but she laughed when I asked if she would pitch in college. “No, I don't even pitch in travel ball,” she said with a smile. “I usually play in center and I love it.” Without the pressures of pitching, Hannah can use her athletic ability to track down balls in the outfield and swing her quick bat at the plate. Her versatility makes her a valuable recruit.
It may sound like an old-fashioned idea, but Hannah fits the belief that a strong farm kid makes a great athlete. She is physically strong, tough and not much seems to bother her. “We told her early on that pushing around a heavy feed cart or doing hay is only going to make her stronger for sports,” said Scott.
I bring up Hannah’s drive in sports and travel ball because I feel that her work ethic comes from the farm. You can tell how passionate she is about Valley View. Scott said that years ago their milking herd held steady at 65, then in more recent times 45, but now the herd is much smaller. Farming is not easy in today’s economy and Scott had a chance to take on some other farm work in the area for a much bigger outfit. While Valley View might be quieter these days, it certainly is not going anywhere and Hannah is a big reason why.
About three months ago, Hannah took on a new project at the farm. She was able to get a permit to sell raw milk, which allows the farm to offer a high quality product right at their doorstep. Hannah set up a small farm stand with a refrigerator and cash box. Customers can stop by the farm at their convenience to buy milk from Valley View. Hannah also made all the signs for the stand and hopes to expand it in the future with eggs from her chickens and other farm offerings.
Taking on the raw milk project was no small task, but Hannah does it all with a smile. She enjoys helping in any way she can. “I also like to mow hay, work on the tractor, spread manure, whatever Dad needs help with” she said. Having a balance between the physical work on the farm and the paperwork side of things, such as the raw milk permit, makes her a true asset.
Hannah’s favorite activity on the farm might be working with the cows she shows. She has been doing this since kindergarten and it has taken her from local fairs all the way to Louisville, Kentucky in 2022 for a special event. It all started at the Greene County Youth Fair, where she realized she had the natural ability and personality for working with her animals in the public eye. That led to annual trips to the Delaware County Fair in Walton and many other stops along the showing circuit. “I always enjoy going to Walton because I get to see all my friends from sports and from farming in one place,” said Hannah.
I would like to give a special thank you to the Tuttle family for letting me visit the farm and learn more about the day-to-day operations. Ben Patton from the Walton Reporter traveled with me and captured some great photos that really show Hannah’s love for her work at Valley View.
With each passing day, it becomes harder for small family farms to make a living in this country. When you see a young person like Hannah, someone who is willing to put in the time and effort to find new ways to keep the barn lights on, it gives me hope that small town America can still thrive again in the near future.
Photo credit for this story goes to Benjamin Patton of The Reporter. Thank you to Ben for all his hard work with this feature and his coverage of sports in the Delaware League.
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award continues to shine as we start to close out 2025 and gear up for an exciting 2026. Since its return in 2024 after nearly two decades, the response has been incredible. Year two has shown just how much athletes, schools, and fans enjoy the tradition and the signature black hoodie has quickly become a symbol of local pride. We could not do this without the generous support of Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney, our returning title sponsor. We are truly grateful for their continued commitment and look forward to celebrating even more standout athletes in the year ahead.
For the week of 11/24 to 11/29, our recipient is Brinlee Wright from the combined Charlotte Valley/Schenevus Girls Basketball team. Brinlee powered CV/S to the Hunter-Tannersville Tournament title with games of 20 points and 16 points. She is a dynamic player that can do it all. Make sure you get out to watch a CV/S Girls game this season.
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award continues to shine as we start to close out 2025 and gear up for an exciting 2026. Since its return in 2024 after nearly two decades, the response has been incredible. Year two has shown just how much athletes, schools, and fans enjoy the tradition and the signature black hoodie has quickly become a symbol of local pride. We could not do this without the generous support of Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney, our returning title sponsor. We are truly grateful for their continued commitment and look forward to celebrating even more standout athletes in the year ahead.
For the week of 11/24 to 11/29, our recipient is Owen Degan from the Bainbridge-Guilford/Afton/Harpursville Cross Country team. Owen ran a personal best time of 16:28 at states to finish 20th out of 130 runners. He was the top local finisher in the Class-C race. His hard work has really paid off!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award has returned for the 2025-2026 high school sports season! Last year marked the first time since 2005 that WCDO was able to bring back this honor and present athletes with the coveted black hoodie. We couldn’t make this happen without the generous support of Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney, our returning title sponsor. We’re grateful for their commitment, and we invite you to check back each week to see who our next recipient will be.
For the week of 11/17 to 11/22, our recipient is Gideon Glennon from the Hunter-Tannersville Golf team. He led HTC to another Delaware League title this season and earned medalist honors with a score of 76. Gideon shot under 40 in all his matches this year and had a season best 3-under 33 against Margaretville. H-T is one of the hidden gems of Section IV that deserves more recognition and we are glad to honor Gideon.
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award has returned for the 2025-2026 high school sports season! Last year marked the first time since 2005 that WCDO was able to bring back this honor and present athletes with the coveted black hoodie. We couldn’t make this happen without the generous support of Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney, our returning title sponsor. We’re grateful for their commitment, and we invite you to check back each week to see who our next recipient will be.
For the week of 11/17 to 11/22, our recipient is Zack Parker from the Norwich Football team. He stacked up 1,409 yards rushing and scored 19 TDs for NHS this season. One of Zack's biggest games of the year came against Oneonta where he finished with 243 yards rushing and 3 TDs in a 29-6 win. Congrats Zack!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award has returned for the 2025-2026 high school sports season! Last year marked the first time since 2005 that WCDO was able to bring back this honor and present athletes with the coveted black hoodie. We couldn’t make this happen without the generous support of Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney, our returning title sponsor. We’re grateful for their commitment, and we invite you to check back each week to see who our next recipient will be.
For the week of 11/10 to 11/15, our recipient is Brenin Dempsey from the Cooperstown 8-Man Football team. Brenin led Coop this season with 1,600 yards passing and 16 TDs. He also rushed for 600 yards and 12 TDs on the ground. He finished his Hawkeyes career with five school records! Good luck to Brenin in the future as he looks to play at the next level in college.
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award has returned for the 2025-2026 high school sports season! Last year marked the first time since 2005 that WCDO was able to bring back this honor and present athletes with the coveted black hoodie. We couldn’t make this happen without the generous support of Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney, our returning title sponsor. We’re grateful for their commitment, and we invite you to check back each week to see who our next recipient will be.
For the week of 11/10 to 11/15, our recipient is Joe Sargent from the Unatego/Franklin/G-MU 8-Man Football team. Joe led the Spartans to a Section IV title last weekend with 202 yards rushing on 22 carries and 3 TDs. U/F/G-MU took down Moravia 40-20 to win their first 8-Man title in program history. Good luck at states on Saturday!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award has returned for the 2025-2026 high school sports season! Last year marked the first time since 2005 that WCDO was able to bring back this honor and present athletes with the coveted black hoodie. We couldn’t make this happen without the generous support of Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney, our returning title sponsor. We’re grateful for their commitment, and we invite you to check back each week to see who our next recipient will be.
For the week of 11/3 to 11/8, our recipient is Roni Grieco from the combined Gilboa-Conesville/Roxbury Boys Soccer team. Roni was the leading goal scorer in the Nate Lull coverage area this season with 34 goals. He also handed out 15 assists. GCR finished the 2025 season with a record of 16-0-3 and became Section IV Class-D Co-Champions. Congrats to Roni and the GCR Boys on a fantastic season!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award has returned for the 2025-2026 high school sports season! Last year marked the first time since 2005 that WCDO was able to bring back this honor and present athletes with the coveted black hoodie. We couldn’t make this happen without the generous support of Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney, our returning title sponsor. We’re grateful for their commitment, and we invite you to check back each week to see who our next recipient will be.
For the week of 10/27 to 11/4, our recipient is Aubry Microni from the Oneonta Volleyball team. The Jackets are 13-2 and they are the top seed in the Section IV Class-B Tournament. Aubry has 336 assists this year (6.7 assists per set). She is climbing the OHS record books as we speak!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award has returned for the 2025-2026 high school sports season! Last year marked the first time since 2005 that WCDO was able to bring back this honor and present athletes with the coveted black hoodie. We couldn’t make this happen without the generous support of Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney, our returning title sponsor. We’re grateful for their commitment, and we invite you to check back each week to see who our next recipient will be.
For the week of 10/27 to 11/4, our recipient is Sire Champen from the Edmeston Boys Soccer team. The Panthers goalie made three huge saves in penalty kicks in the Section IV Class-D title game to help ECS advance to the state tournament for the first time since 2005. Super impressive performance by Sire!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award has returned for the 2025-2026 high school sports season! Last year marked the first time since 2005 that WCDO was able to bring back this honor and present athletes with the coveted black hoodie. We couldn’t make this happen without the generous support of Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney, our returning title sponsor. We’re grateful for their commitment, and we invite you to check back each week to see who our next recipient will be.
For the week of 10/20 to 10/25, our recipient is Shannon Kingsbury from the Franklin Girls Soccer team. Shannon scored 5 goals against Sharon Springs to reach 190 goals for her career. She is now the all-time Section IV Girls Soccer career leader in goals! Shannon is only a junior and has one more season to add to her amazing career total. She finished the 2025 campaign with 42 goals and 7 assists. Shannon is a true leader and role model for many younger players in the area. Keep up the good work!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award has returned for the 2025-2026 high school sports season! Last year marked the first time since 2005 that WCDO was able to bring back this honor and present athletes with the coveted black hoodie. We couldn’t make this happen without the generous support of Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney, our returning title sponsor. We’re grateful for their commitment, and we invite you to check back each week to see who our next recipient will be.
For the week of 10/20 to 10/25, our recipient is Mallory Hafele from the Unatego Volleyball team. Congrats to Mallory on reaching 500 career assists in a big 3-0 victory over Deposit-Hancock. This is a huge accomplishment for one of the best players in the MAC. Mal invests a ton of time in the off-season playing travel ball and working on her game, so her hard work is definitely paying off. Good luck to the Spartans in the upcoming Section IV Tournament.
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award has returned for the 2025-2026 high school sports season! Last year marked the first time since 2005 that WCDO was able to bring back this honor and present athletes with the coveted black hoodie. We couldn’t make this happen without the generous support of Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney, our returning title sponsor. We’re grateful for their commitment, and we invite you to check back each week to see who our next recipient will be.
For the week of 10/13 to 10/18, our recipient is Owen Mott from the Sidney Cross Country team! Owen has taken a big step this season by cutting his times and establishing himself among the MAC’s best. He’s turned in five top-15 finishes at invitationals for SCS including 3rd place at the Norwich Invite and 4th place at the Marathon Invite. Owen also finished 24th at the McQuaid Invite, which has over 350 runners participating. Enjoy that hoodie Owen!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award has returned for the 2025-2026 high school sports season! Last year marked the first time since 2005 that WCDO was able to bring back this honor and present athletes with the coveted black hoodie. We couldn’t make this happen without the generous support of Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney, our returning title sponsor. We’re grateful for their commitment, and we invite you to check back each week to see who our next recipient will be.
For the week of 10/6 to 10/11, our recipient is Bennett Paden from the Oxford Golf team. Bennett was the top individual finisher at the MAC championship at Maple Hill GC in Marathon. He shot a 75 to win by 6 strokes. Bennett also led OA to their first overall MAC team title since 2010. Well done!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award has returned for the 2025-2026 high school sports season! Last year marked the first time since 2005 that WCDO was able to bring back this honor and present athletes with the coveted black hoodie. We couldn’t make this happen without the generous support of Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney, our returning title sponsor. We’re grateful for their commitment, and we invite you to check back each week to see who our next recipient will be.
For the week of 9/29 to 10/4, our recipient is Noah Bass from the Deposit-Hancock Football team. Noah has been a beast for the Eagles! He ran for 117 yards on 14 carries and 3 TDs in a win over Newark Valley last week. He has 936 rushing yards and 11 TDs so far this season. Noah is also a key linebacker for D-H. Great job!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award has returned for the 2025-2026 high school sports season! Last year marked the first time since 2005 that WCDO was able to bring back this honor and present athletes with the coveted black hoodie. We couldn’t make this happen without the generous support of Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney, our returning title sponsor. We’re grateful for their commitment, and we invite you to check back each week to see who our next recipient will be.
For the week of 9/22 to 9/27, our recipient is Jordan Odell from the Charlotte Valley/Schenevus Girls Soccer team. Jordan currently has 23 goals to lead the WCDO coverage area so far this season. She scored 7 goals to help CV/S win the Chic Walshe Tournament. Great job Jordan!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award has returned for the 2025-2026 high school sports season! Last year marked the first time since 2005 that WCDO was able to bring back this honor and present athletes with the coveted black hoodie. We couldn’t make this happen without the generous support of Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney, our returning title sponsor. We’re grateful for their commitment, and we invite you to check back each week to see who our next recipient will be.
For the week of 9/15 to 9/20, our recipient is Jake Kingsbury from the combined Unatego/Franklin Boys Soccer team. Jake scored 9 goals in 2 games last week and set a new FCS school record for career points. He now has more than 180 points and is still in his junior season. The previous record of 173 points was set 33 years ago in 1992 by Matt Carey. Great job Jake!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award has returned for the 2025-2026 high school sports season! Last year marked the first time since 2005 that WCDO was able to bring back this honor and present athletes with the coveted black hoodie. We couldn’t make this happen without the generous support of Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney, our returning title sponsor. We’re grateful for their commitment, and we invite you to check back each week to see who our next recipient will be.
For the week of 9/8 to 9/13, our recipient is Zack Sousa from the combined Unatego/Franklin/G-MU Football team. Zack has piled up more than 300 rushing yards on just 15 carries with 4 touchdowns in 2 games this season. The Spartans have opened the year 2-0 and are ranked 4th in the latest NYS 8-Man Football poll. Get out and watch this dynamic team this fall!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award has returned for the 2025-2026 high school sports season! Last year marked the first time since 2005 that WCDO was able to bring back this honor and present athletes with the coveted black hoodie. We couldn’t make this happen without the generous support of Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney, our returning title sponsor. We’re grateful for their commitment, and we invite you to check back each week to see who our next recipient will be.
For the week of 9/1 to 9/6, our recipient is Tyler Reed from the combined Walton/Downsville Boys Soccer team. Tyler was on fire last week, scoring 9 goals in 3 games to help W/D win the James Campbell Tournament at DCS. He is the leading goal scorer in the area so far this season. Keep up the good work Tyler!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award has returned for the 2025-2026 high school sports season! Last year marked the first time since 2005 that WCDO was able to bring back this honor and present athletes with the coveted black hoodie. We couldn’t make this happen without the generous support of Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney, our returning title sponsor. We’re grateful for their commitment, and we invite you to check back each week to see who our next recipient will be.
For the week of 8/25 to 8/30, our winner is Brevin Bennett from the Norwich Golf program. A rising 8th grader, Brevin has already made his mark on the STAC with standout performances last year and again early this season. He opened the 2025 campaign in impressive fashion, capturing 1st place at the Nick DiNunzio Memorial Tournament with a score of 69. He has also collected medalist honors in multiple early season STAC matches for the Purple Tornado. Great job, Brevin!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award has officially wrapped up for the 2024–2025 high school season! Its return this year sparked renewed excitement across the local sports scene, with dozens of standout athletes competing each week for the coveted black hoodie. A special thank you to Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney for stepping up as the title sponsor - this award wouldn’t be possible without their generous support.
For the weeks of 6/23 to 7/12, one of our honorees is Aiden Bosc from the Cherry Valley-Springfield Track and Field Team. Aiden had an outstanding season, highlighted by breaking the school record in the discus with a throw of 143 feet, 5 inches. He was named a 2025 Tri-Valley League Track & Field All-Star (2x), earned Section IV 1st Team honors in the discus, and placed fourth at the state qualifiers. Great job Aiden!
This is one of our final Athlete of the Week honors for the year, with the series set to resume when high school sports return in the fall.
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award has officially wrapped up for the 2024–2025 high school season! Its return this year sparked renewed excitement across the local sports scene, with dozens of standout athletes competing each week for the coveted black hoodie. A special thank you to Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney for stepping up as the title sponsor - this award wouldn’t be possible without their generous support.
For the weeks of 6/23 to 7/12, one of our honorees is Natalie Amadon from the combined Charlotte Valley/Schenevus Softball Team. Natalie was named to the NYS Class D All-State 3rd Team and played a key role in leading CV/S to a 14–3 record and the 2025 Delaware League championship. Well done Nat!
This is one of our final Athlete of the Week honors for the year, with the series set to resume when high school sports return in the fall.
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award has officially wrapped up for the 2024–2025 high school season! Its return this year sparked renewed excitement across the local sports scene, with dozens of standout athletes competing each week for the coveted black hoodie. A special thank you to Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney for stepping up as the title sponsor - this award wouldn’t be possible without their generous support.
For the weeks of 6/23 to 7/12, one of our honorees is Quinton Beckwith from the Sidney Baseball Team. He had a fantastic season for the Sabers and rarely gets the credit he deserves. Pitcher, catcher, clutch hits at the plate - Quinton can do it all! He’ll continue his career next year at St. John Fisher in Rochester.
This is one of our final Athlete of the Week honors for the year, with the series set to resume when high school sports return in the fall.
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is approaching the end of the 2024-2025 high school calendar! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene with dozens of athletes trying to stake their claim each week for the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Check back here next week to see our final winners before summer break.
For the week of 6/16 to 6/21 our winner is Andrea Favinger from the Unadilla Valley/G-MU Cross Country Team. I missed the chance to honor Andrea during her standout XC season and figured I’d catch up with her during track. Unfortunately, a broken leg cut her season short before that could happen. Despite the setback, Andrea has continued to work hard through rehab, and I believe this recognition is well deserved. I can’t wait to see her back out racing next season.
Andrea's Fall XC Highlights:
-1st at the New Hartford Invitational
-5th at MAC Championships
-4th in Section IV Class-D
-Qualified for states
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is approaching the end of the 2024-2025 high school calendar! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene with dozens of athletes trying to stake their claim each week for the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Check back here next week to see our final winners before summer break.
For the week of 6/9 to 6/14 our winner is Gabe Decker from the Norwich Track and Field team. Gabe is the 2025 New York State Class-B Champion in the 400 meter hurdles! He took 3rd in the Federation race against private school competition too! Gabe ran 53.90 seconds in the state final. He will run at Division-I Le Moyne next year. Sky is the limit for this young man!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is approaching the end of the 2024-2025 high school calendar! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene with dozens of athletes trying to stake their claim each week for the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Check back here next week to see our final winners before summer break.
For the week of 6/9 to 6/14 our winner is Amira Ross from the Edmeston/Morris Track and Field team. She is only the 3rd athlete in MCS history to qualify for the state meet. Amira specializes in the 100 meter dash. She was the Tri-Valley League and Section IV Class-D Champion in the 100. She took 3rd at the Section IV State Qualifiers, where she only finished behind big school competition. Great job Amira!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is approaching the end of the 2024-2025 high school calendar! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene with dozens of athletes trying to stake their claim each week for the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Check back here next week to see our final winners before summer break.
For the week of 6/2 to 6/7 our winner is Grace Walley from the Walton Track and Field team. Grace took 1st place in the shot put at the Section IV State Qualifiers with a throw of 38-7.5 feet. This meet was held at Union-Endicott High School. Grace's throw beat all small and large school competitors. She is now off to the NYSPHSAA Track and Field Championships on 6/13 to compete against the best in NYS. This award was overdue as Grace averaged 17.2 PPG during the basketball season too. Congrats!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong in 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 5/26 to 5/31 our winner is Ryan Murphy from the Edmeston/Morris Track and Field team. Ryan has broken four school records for MCS this spring (Triple Jump, Long Jump, the 100 Meter Dash and the 4x100 Relay). This is overdue as he led the area in Boys Basketball scoring too!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong in 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 5/26 to 5/31 our winner is Hannah Tuttle from the Windham-Ashland-Jewett Softball team. Hannah is a standout local pitcher and she recently reached 300 career strikeouts. The Warriors were the Delaware League regular season champs and finished as the runner-up in the DL title game. Well done!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong in 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 5/19 to 5/24 our winner is Breanna Casey from the Bainbridge-Guilford Softball team. Breanna has been super consistent all season for the Bobcats. In her last four games she has stacked up 8 runs, 8 hits and 5 RBIs. B-G has also picked up two sectional wins during that stretch. Great job Breanna!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong in 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 5/12 to 5/17 our winner is Tyler Abts from the Delhi Tennis team. She is the 2025 MAC Girls Singles Champion after a convincing 6-0, 6-0 victory in the finals. DA Tennis won the MAC Regular Season crown for the 7th straight season with a record of 12-0. Keep it up Tyler!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong in 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 5/12 to 5/17 our winner is Ryan Wright from the combined Afton and Harpursville Baseball team. He took two dominant wins on the mound last week. 16 strikeouts in a 2-hitter victory over Delhi and 15 strikeouts in a 1-hitter triumph over Oxford. Ryan also recently reached 400 career strikeouts. He plans to play for SUNY Cortland next year. Well done!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong in 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 5/12 to 5/17 our winner is Addison Makowski from the Deposit-Hancock Softball team. Stunning numbers from Addison this season! She tossed her 4th perfect game of 2025 in the MAC Championship. D-H beat Greene 15-0 in that game. She totaled 3 hits including 1 HR and 1 double plus 3 RBIs against GCS. Addison will pitch for Division-I Fairleigh Dickinson University next year. Best of luck!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong in 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 5/5 to 5/10 our winner is Sarah Gross from the Deposit-Hancock Softball team. D-H has outscored their MAC opponents 149 to 0 so far this season and Sarah's hitting is a big reason why! Last week she stacked up 7 hits including 3 doubles and 1 HR. She also added 6 runs and 8 RBIs. Awesome job!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong in 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 5/5 to 5/10 our winner is Carson Strauss from the Sidney Track team. He has been on fire lately! Carson was the 1600 meter champ at both the REK Invite in Norwich (4:35) and the Parkhurst Invite at Union-Endicott (4:36). He is undefeated in MAC 1600 meter races in 2025. He has also run a season best in the 3200 (10:13) and the 800 (2:08). Great job Carson!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong in 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 4/28 to 5/3 our winner is Alessandra Cafasso from the Bainbridge-Guilford Softball team. The Bobcats earned 4 wins last week as Alessandra stacked up a total of 12 runs, 11 hits including 1 HR and 10 RBIs. She also fired in 14 strikeouts in 2 appearances in the circle. Great job!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong in 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 4/21 to 4/26 we have two winners! Nolan Stark and Bruce Mistler from the Oneonta Baseball team were both very deserving after the Jackets went 3-0 during that stretch. Here are the stats for the week: Nolan stacked up 8 runs, 9 hits, 13 RBIs, 2 HRs and 1 pitching win with 12 Ks (1-hitter). Bruce finished with 5 hits including 2 doubles, 6 RBIs and 1 pitching win with 9 Ks (1-hitter). Great job guys! OHS is off to a 9-1 start this season and they have high hopes for the upcoming STAC and Section IV playoffs.
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong in 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 4/14 to 4/19 our winner is Abby Yahner from the Greene Softball team. Abby went off last week as GCS picked up two victories in MAC action. She smashed a grand slam and drove in 7 RBIs against Sidney. She also cracked 1 home run in a win over Oxford. She totaled 5 hits and 10 RBI's for the week. Great job Abby!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong in 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 4/7 to 4/12 our winner is Megan Racine from the Afton Softball team. The Crimson Knights picked up two wins last week thanks to Megan's strong bat. She had 3 RBIs and 1 monster home run over the fence in left at ACS against Harpursville. Meg also added 3 runs, 3 hits (2 doubles) and 1 RBI vs Walton/Downsville. Great work!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong in 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 3/31 to 4/5 our winner is Xander Johnson from the Unatego/Franklin Baseball team. U/F grabbed 3 wins last week and Xander tossed a 1-hitter with 19 strikeouts in a victory over Walton/Downsville. He had 8 total hits over 3 games including 1 home run. Great work!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong in 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 3/24 to 3/29 our winner is Miles Nelen from the Cooperstown Boys Basketball team. Miles averaged 22.2 PPG this season and hit an incredible 84 three-pointers. He scored 532 points and handed out 102 assists. Coop finished 24-1 and won the Section III Class-C title. Miles is a junior guard that will be back again next year in the orange and black.
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong in 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 3/24 to 3/29 our winner is Emma Johnson from the Cooperstown Girls Basketball team. Emma is a 7th grade standout that averaged 13.3 PPG this season and led Coop to the NYS Class-C Final Four. She hit 58 threes and the Hawkeyes finished 21-5. Congrats to Cooperstown on a great season!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong in 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 3/17 to 3/22 our winner is Danielle Ennist from the Delhi Girls Basketball team. Danielle is a talented 8th grader who led the Bulldogs to the Section IV Class-C title as a 10-seed! We are catching up to give D this honor after her amazing performance in the state regional round. She scored 27 points in a close loss to Section III champion Cooperstown. Danielle averaged 16.4 PPG this season. The future is bright at DA!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong in 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 3/10 to 3/15 our winner is Jacob Prentice from the Unadilla Valley/Norwich Bowling team. Jacob finished with the highest series score out of all Division-1 and Division-2 competitors (125 bowlers) at the New York State Championship! He totaled a score of 1477 over 6 games for a 246 average. Jacob was also a member of the Section IV composite team that took 3rd place. Congrats on making history!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong in 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 3/3 to 3/8 our winner is McKenna Hoyt from the Stamford/Jefferson Girls Basketball team. McKenna averaged 22 points per game this season and her team went 16-4. She led her squad to the Section IV Class-D title game. McKenna was the top female scorer in the WCDO coverage area. Great job!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong in 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 3/3 to 3/8 our winner is Lexi Davis from the Delhi Girls Basketball team. She helped DA capture the Section IV Class-C crown last week as a 10-seed. Lexi scored a team high 14 points in the S4 title game and added 13 points in the semis. Good luck this weekend in the state tournament!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong in 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 2/24 to 3/1 our winner is Alex Neubert from the Sidney Indoor Track and Field team. Alex is ranked in the Top 10 in New York State for Girls Triple Jump. She crushed it at the Section IV State Qualifier with a 1st place finish (37-04.25). Alex also took 3rd in the Long Jump and helped the 4x200 relay team to a states birth. Keep it up!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong in 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 2/24 to 3/1 our winner is Connor Davy from the Bainbridge-Guilford Indoor Track and Field team. Connor is one of the best athletes in the area! He has excelled in Football, Baseball and Track. The B-G standout took 1st place at the Section IV State Qualifier in the 55-meter dash with a school record time of 6.48 seconds. He beat all the big school competition in this race as well. Connor is extremely close to breaking the all-time Section IV record in the 55 too. Great work!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong in 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 2/17 to 2/22 our winner is Nayla Miley from the Sidney Girls Basketball team. Nayla stacked up 12 points and 13 rebounds in the MAC championship game to lead SCS to their first league title since 2002. The Sabers defeated Greene 51-43. Nayla's athletic plays on defense and her leadership helped Sidney to victory. She is averaging 14 points per game this season and was recently named a 1st Team MAC All-Star.
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong in 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 2/10 to 2/15 our winner is Caden Higley from Sidney Wrestling. Caden took home the Section IV Division-II crown at 108 pounds to earn his first career sectional title. His record is 25-3 so far this season. The outlook is bright for the state tournament! Make sure to follow his journey to Albany starting on 2/28.
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong in 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 2/10 to 2/15 our winner is Maverick Beckwith from Norwich Wrestling. Mav captured the Section IV Division-II title at 124 pounds and is headed back to Albany to defend his state title from 2024. He was named the Section IV Most Outstanding Wrestler for the Division-II Tournament. Mav's record is 39-1 on the season so far. All projections look like he will be the top seed at states at 124. Good luck!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong as we head into 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 2/3 to 2/8 our winner is Michael Morrissey from the Sidney Indoor Track and Field team. Michael is the Section IV Division-II champion in the shot put and weight throw after a solid performance at the Class Championship meet at Cornell on 2/8. He beat over 30 competitors in the shot put and his teammate, Logan Mott, finished in 2nd place. Michael also set a personal record earlier this year in the weight throw. He is state ranked in both events. Great job Michael!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong as we head into 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 1/27 to 2/1 our winner is Steven Dowdall from the Norwich Boys Basketball team. He is averaging 24.6 PPG this season (4th in the NL coverage area) and has led NHS to a record of 12-3. Steven recently joined the 1,000 point club and has scored 30+ points in 4 games this season. He is a true leader on and off the floor for the Purple Tornado. Congrats!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong as we head into 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 1/20 to 1/25 our winner is Brenna Bolton from the Edmeston/Morris Girls Basketball team. Brenna is a sophomore and is averaging 19.2 points per game (4th highest in the Nate Lull coverage area). She has also hit 41 three-pointers. E/M is currently sitting in 1st place in the Tri-Valley League.
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong as we head into 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 1/20 to 1/25 our winner is Yanni Drapaniotis from the combined Unatego Wresting team (U/UV/F/G-MU/L). He is 32-0 this season with 27 pins at 190 pounds. Yanni has three 1st place tournament finishes and his team won the Section IV D2 Dual Meet championship. Fantastic numbers for Yanni!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong as we head into 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 1/13 to 1/18 our winners are from the Sidney Girls Indoor Track and Field team. Camille Bagley and Dejah Taylor have been outstanding for the Sabers. They are both undefeated in MAC events this season.
Camille recently set the SCS record in the weight throw with a toss of 39'1. She also set a personal record in the shot put with a marking of 35'25. She is currently in the top 25 in the NYS rankings for shot put.
Dejah has been ripping up the track with three school records this winter. She took the 300M (41.22), the 400M (58.3) and the 600M (1:40.30). Dejah also ran the final leg of the 4x400 relay to help Sidney earn a come-from-behind victory over Corning for 1st place at the Doug Quinney Invitational hosted by Ithaca College. She also placed 2nd in the 55M dash out of 88 competitors and 2nd in the 300M dash out of 83 competitors.
Great job to both Camille and Dejah!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong as we head into 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 1/6 to 1/11 our winner is Shelby Rose from the combined Unadilla Valley/Norwich Girls Bowling team. Shelby has the highest average in the MAC so far this season (168.2). She also has the 2nd best high game score (197) and the top high series (557). UV/N has a record of 13-3. Coach Matt Bleyle speaks highly of Shelby as a bowler and as a person. "Even though she had never picked up a bowling ball before, we recruited Shelby as a freshman because of her athleticism and how coachable she was. She broke her leg in one of her last soccer games that year but she put the work in every day to fight back and now, as a senior, she is one of the best bowlers on our team and in the MAC."
Kudos to Shelby and good luck the rest of this season!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong as we head into 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 12/30 to 1/4 our winner is Aiden Branigan from the Walton/Delhi Wrestling team. Aiden is currently 18-2 on the season with 8 pins. He is ranked 2nd in Section IV at 116 pounds. Aiden has taken 1st place at the prestigious Clyde Cole Tournament in Oxford and the Cuneen Doane Tournament so far this season. Good luck to Aiden the rest of the way!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is going strong as we head into 2025! The return of this award has sparked excitement on the local sports scene as dozens of athletes try to stake their claim each week to earn the coveted black hoodie. Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor and we couldn't keep this award going without them. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 12/23 to 12/28 our winner is Lizzie Craft from the Unatego Girls Basketball team. Lizzie was named MVP of the Dick White Tournament on 12/27 as the Spartans earned wins over two state ranked teams. She is averaging 14.4 points per game so far this season and continues to be a nightmare for opposing coaches to game plan for. Congrats Lizzie and keep up the good work!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is back! This award was a staple of WCDO's local sports coverage for many years in the 1990s, but had gone dormant without a dedicated sponsor. That has now changed for the 2024-2025 season as Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 12/16 to 12/21 the winner is Bella Phelps of the Sidney Girls Wrestling Team! Bella was recently named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the Phoenix Tournament after taking 1st place in her weight category. She is also ranked 3rd in the state at 114 pounds by New York Wrestling News this week! Congrats Bella!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is back! This award was a staple of WCDO's local sports coverage for many years in the 1990s, but had gone dormant without a dedicated sponsor. That has now changed for the 2024-2025 season as Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 12/9 to 12/14 the winner is Blake Fortunato of the Deposit-Hancock Boys Basketball team. Blake tallied 41 points and 19 rebounds to lift D-H over Morris in the MCS Holiday Tournament title game on 12/14. He also hit 8 three-pointers on the day and was named to the all-tournament team for his efforts. Blake is closing in on reaching 1,000 career points as well. He needs 21 points as of 12/18 to reach this historic milestone. Good luck!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is back! This award was a staple of WCDO's local sports coverage for many years in the 1990s, but had gone dormant without a dedicated sponsor. That has now changed for the 2024-2025 season as Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 12/2 to 12/7 the winner is Brady Carr of the Oneonta Boys Basketball team. Brady led the Jackets to the Drago Tournament title and was named MVP after scoring 33 points in the championship game against the Hoosac School from the Albany area. He also fired in 16 points in a close opening round victory over Delhi. Brady is a must see local player this winter!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is back! This award was a staple of WCDO's local sports coverage for many years in the 1990s, but had gone dormant without a dedicated sponsor. That has now changed for the 2024-2025 season as Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 11/25 to 11/30 the winner is Amber Burton of the Schenevus Girls Basketball team. Amber scored 19 points in the Hunter-Tannersville Tournament title game on November 27th as the Dragons pulled out a 39-36 victory over HTC. She also fired in 17 points in the 50-35 opening round win over Charlotte Valley. Great job Amber!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is back! This award was a staple of WCDO's local sports coverage for many years in the 1990s, but had gone dormant without a dedicated sponsor. That has now changed for the 2024-2025 season as Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
It's another special edition with two winners this week!
The first recipient from 11/18 to 11/23 is Rylie Conrow from the Windsor Girls Volleyball team. She is a highly skilled libero that led the Black Knights to their first state final four in program history. Rylie stacked up 10 digs and 4 aces in the state regional sweep of Fredonia. She also had 10 digs in the Section IV title game victory over Whitney Point.
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is back! This award was a staple of WCDO's local sports coverage for many years in the 1990s, but had gone dormant without a dedicated sponsor. That has now changed for the 2024-2025 season as Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
It's another special edition with two winners this week!
The second recipient from 11/18 to 11/23 is Madison Moore from the Edmeston/Morris Cross Country team. She took 2nd place at the Section IV Class-D championships and was also the 2nd highest local finisher at states. Madison is the first female runner in school history to qualify for the state meet. She will run for Misericordia University in Pennsylvania next year.
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is back! This award was a staple of WCDO's local sports coverage for many years in the 1990s, but had gone dormant without a dedicated sponsor. That has now changed for the 2024-2025 season as Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
It's a special edition with two winners this week!
The second recipient from 11/11 to 11/16 is Genevieve Huston from the Whitney Point Field Hockey team. She earned all-tournament honors as WP won their 4th straight state title on Sunday. G had 1 goal and 1 assist in the title game. The Eagles have now won 9 out of the last 10 NYS Class-C Field Hockey crowns. Genevieve is a junior that is already committed to Syracuse University. Congrats!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is back! This award was a staple of WCDO's local sports coverage for many years in the 1990s, but had gone dormant without a dedicated sponsor. That has now changed for the 2024-2025 season as Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
It's a special edition with two winners this week!
The first recipient from 11/11 to 11/16 is Adam Cook from the Delhi Football team. He rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns in the Section IV Class-D title game win over Tioga (22-21). Adam also scored the huge two-point conversion in OT to seal the victory. Good luck to Adam and the Bulldogs this Friday in the state playoffs against Dolgeville.
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is back! This award was a staple of WCDO's local sports coverage for many years in the 1990s, but had gone dormant without a dedicated sponsor. That has now changed for the 2024-2025 season as Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 11/4 to 11/9 the winner is Maddie Ingham from the combined Bainbridge-Guilford/Afton/Harpursville Cross Country Team. Maddie is a 9th grader who took 3rd place in the Section IV Class-C Championship race on 11/7 at Chenango Valley State Park. She was the top finisher for the Bears helping them to capture the overall team title! Good luck to Maddie and her teammates this weekend at the NYSPHSAA Championship meet at Queensbury High School.
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is back! This award was a staple of WCDO's local sports coverage for many years in the 1990s, but had gone dormant without a dedicated sponsor. That has now changed for the 2024-2025 season as Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 10/28 to 11/2 the winner is Addy Eckert of the South Kortright/Andes Girls Soccer team. Goalkeeper Addy had three shutouts in a row as the Rams won the Section IV Class-D Girls Soccer Championship for the first time since 2016. Addy was tremendous in the sectional title game as SK/A pulled out a 1-0 win over Schenevus in two overtimes. She was also rock solid against Edmeston/Morris in the semifinals in wet and slick conditions as the Rams won 1-0. Good luck at states this Saturday!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
Thank you to our generous sponsor for this story! Covered Bridge Farm Market is owned by the Johnson Family of Unadilla. Located along the Susquehanna River, with an on-farm seasonal market, they offer home-grown vegetables that are picked fresh daily. They grow everything from potatoes to tomatoes and of course their award winning sweet corn!
For more photos from this story, please follow me on Instagram: nate.lull
Each year I take a trip into the countryside to meet up with an athlete who works on a local farm. This tradition has taken me all over the three-county region to many back roads that are off the beaten path. It’s a day where I get to embarrass myself, but also get to learn more about the hard work that farmers do day in and day out.
There are no vacations when it comes to caring for animals and working the land. These farmers count on having all hands on deck to make it work, including their younger helpers who are still in school. This next generation is expected to balance school, athletics and other activities on top of getting their daily chores done. I have found over the years that these young farmers rarely complain and complete their work in a timely and efficient manner. Having this type of work ethic and time management skills helps them greatly, especially on any athletic field.
This year I traveled to DairySmith Holsteins Farm in Franklin to visit the Smith family. This farm started in 1896 and has been passed down to the current fifth generation. Former Unatego standout athlete, Cody Smith, is now running the day-to-day operations with his father, Donnie Smith. Cody is always striving to work faster and smarter and couldn’t help but notice that a youngster that lived up the road seemed interested in hanging around. Smith was pleased to have Logan Kingsbury join his crew and start to learn what farming was all about.
Before we go any farther, we have to give you the backstory on Logan. If you follow local sports you definitely know Logan’s sister, Shannon and brother, Jake. They are both star athletes at Franklin Central School. These two are constantly making headlines for their game winning goals, record setting accomplishments and more. They both play three sports and are always in the public eye. Shannon, Jake and Logan are triplets and it is interesting to watch the dynamic between all three as they go through their high school years.
Now you might say, well it must be that Logan isn’t into sports. That’s where you would be wrong. Logan is just as talented as his brother and sister athletically, but his real passion is at DairySmith Holsteins. Amidst getting all his school and farm work done, he does play basketball and baseball.
Janice Smith is Cody’s grandmother and is still going strong on the farm at 82 years old. She has formed a special bond with Logan since he started showing up wanting to know more about the business. “I think it's so important to have young people who are interested in this career field” said Janice. “Most people don’t understand how complicated it actually is. You really have to know your stuff. Logan is smart and can have a bright future in this if he wants. He makes a great team with Cody.”
Cody echoed what Janice said about Logan having the right DNA for farming. “It’s that combination of hard work, getting your hands dirty, but also knowing there is some science behind this ” said Cody. “Logan sees both sides. He isn’t afraid to show up here at 11:00 PM after a basketball game when it’s dark and cold out just to see if we need help with milking. That takes a special kind of kid at his age to do that.”
So what draws a young student athlete to want to go to work after playing a physically demanding game? It would be easy to go home, stay warm, watch a movie or play on your phone, but that’s not Logan. “I like being down here, learning from the guys and Janice. I guess it’s a place I feel comfortable and can make some money too” said Logan. He is a man of few words so when I asked him if this is where his heart is, his nod and smile said it all.
Logan lives about a mile from the farm. He was relying on getting a ride to work or maybe walking if the weather was nice, but he wanted more. He worked hard and saved up enough to buy his own ATV so he could go back and forth. This gives him independence, something that every young person is looking for in those teenage years.
As I followed Logan into the calf barn he really began to light up. He told me what each calf needed to drink and took great care to make sure they had the right amount. Janice was keeping a close eye on us from the other side of the barn. As we got closer she pulled me off to the side. “This is where he really shines” she said. “I think he could have a great future as an inspector. When they come to the farm to check on our herd, I told Logan he should follow along and ask questions. It is a career field that could really suit him, if he wants.”
When I brought that idea up to Logan, he was definitely interested. “That is something I would like to learn more about” he said. “With FFA starting up in Franklin I am hoping to learn more about dairy evaluation, maybe get a chance to do something at the state fair, I would be open to it.”
Logan is a growing star on the farm, but he is also one on the sports teams of Unatego/Franklin. He was a key piece on the infield of their historic Section IV Class-C Baseball championship last spring. He has also been a major contributor for teams that have had great success on the summer PONY League circuit.
U/F Coach Frank Microni spoke of the calm demeanor that Logan has on the diamond. “We love having him out there” said Frank. “His brother Jake, you can see the passion, you have to settle him down at times because he has fire coming out of his ears, but with Logan, it’s just steady all the time.”
Microni gave some examples during the playoff run where Logan stepped up for the team. “A few times I would say something to him in a big moment and he would just give me a nod. He doesn’t have to say anything; you just know you are going to get the best from that kid at all times. I wish I could get him to play football” joked Microni.
That’s something that Cody Smith told me as well. “I think he could be a heck of a football player” said Cody. “I keep trying to talk him into it, but he says he wants to be here. As long as he is active, I am happy with that. He’s into the other sports so it’s a good thing.”
There are other coaches clamoring for Logan’s services in the fall as well. For years I have heard that he was a tremendous soccer goalie in his younger days. Franklin Boys Varsity Soccer Coach Allecia Laing has mentioned to me on many occasions that she would love for him to return to the goal. Coach Laing is known for developing strong goalies and to add another one to the fold would make her squad even better. I’m sure Allecia won’t give up on Logan until he graduates.
Maybe it’s good that Logan is free each fall season. DairySmith is a busy place year round but each summer and autumn it is especially helpful to have him around. “We’ve taught him how to drive and run all the machines” said Cody. “It’s been so helpful to have him when we are working on hay. We have about 300 acres of hay ground and we are also working on corn and silage. Knowing I can send Logan off to rake hay, move round bales or spread manure, it means I can get something else done here, plus we are dodging the weather and trying to be faster and more efficient. He is a huge help with that.”
DairySmith routinely milks 109 cows and has to maintain land all over the valley in the Franklin area, over to Otego, and down to the KOA near Unadilla. It’s a massive undertaking for a small family farm and that’s why having a helper like Logan dropped into their laps has been a huge blessing for the Smith’s. “He has become family” said Janice. “We love having him here. I keep trying to get him to open up and talk more. I’ll keep trying” she said with a laugh.
What I truly respect the most about Logan is his ability to stay grounded and follow his heart. He is genuinely happy for the great success that his sister and brother have in their athletic endeavors and he is one of their biggest supporters. Yet, he is also totally fine with going off into his own world to follow his own dreams. He doesn’t let the outside world affect his decisions and he never lets peer pressure get the better of him.
I’d like to say a special thank you to the Smith and Kingsbury families for allowing me to tag along on this adventure. They were very patient with me during the whole process. Each time I work on this feature I am reminded at how special these small family operations are. We continue to lose dozens of farms each year throughout our region as it gets harder to pay the bills. My hope is that with youngsters like Logan coming into the industry that we can find a way to keep the lights on for the farms on the back roads of America.
Photo credit for this story goes to Benjamin Patton of The Reporter. Thanks to Ben for all his hard work with this feature and with his coverage of sports in Delaware County.
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is back! This award was a staple of WCDO's local sports coverage for many years in the 1990s, but had gone dormant without a dedicated sponsor. That has now changed for the 2024-2025 season as Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 10/21 to 10/26 the winner is Aurelia Comer of the combined Delhi and South Kortright Girls Cross Country team. Aurelia is a freshman and is currently the top seed for the upcoming MAC and S4 championship races. She also won the very hilly Whitney Point Invitational last week (21:17, 5K). "She is so hardworking and consistent" said DA Coach Skip Baxter. The DA/SK team took 1st place at the WP Invite.
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is back! This award was a staple of WCDO's local sports coverage for many years in the 1990s, but had gone dormant without a dedicated sponsor. That has now changed for the 2024-2025 season as Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 10/14 to 10/19 the winner is Amanda Ray from the Deposit-Hancock Field Hockey team. Amanda stacked up 6 goals and 1 assist in her last 3 games. She has 23 goals and 10 assists on the season. Her 23 goals are the most of any player in the area so far this season. D-H currently has a record of 13-3 and just captured the Section IV Division-II title.
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is back! This award was a staple of WCDO's local sports coverage for many years in the 1990s, but had gone dormant without a dedicated sponsor. That has now changed for the 2024-2025 season as Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 10/7 to 10/12 the winner is Darrin Walley from the Walton Football team. Darrin ran for 302 yards on 36 carries and scored 6 touchdowns in the Warriors win over Susquehanna Valley. He is only the 3rd Walton running back since 1976 to rush for 300+ yards in a game. What a historic day for Darrin!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is back! This award was a staple of WCDO's local sports coverage for many years in the 1990s, but had gone dormant without a dedicated sponsor. That has now changed for the 2024-2025 season as Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 9/30 to 10/5 the winner is Hannah Wist of Morris. Hannah finished the week with 8 goals and 2 assists for the combined Edmeston/Morris Girls Soccer team. She also scored her 100th career goal on October 1st. E/M is currently 10-2-1 this season. Great job Hannah!
For more information on WRE: Click here
Waste Recovery is the area's most trusted source for all your disposal needs!
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is back! This award was a staple of WCDO's local sports coverage for many years in the 1990s, but had gone dormant without a dedicated sponsor. That has now changed for the 2024-2025 season as Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 9/23 to 9/28 the winner is Chase Mabery of Downsville. Chase is a standout for the Walton/Downsville Boys Soccer team. He stacked up 5 goals and 3 assists in 2 games last week. He had a fantastic diving header goal as W/D took down state ranked Sus Valley 3-1. Great job Chase!
For more information on WRE: Click here
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is back! This award was a staple of WCDO's local sports coverage for many years in the 1990s, but had gone dormant without a dedicated sponsor. That has now changed for the 2024-2025 season as Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 9/16 to 9/21 the winner is Jayslin Henderson of Bainbridge-Guilford. She led the Bobcats Girls Soccer team with 2 goals and 1 assist in a big MAC win over Sidney. Jayslin was also named to the all-star team at the Greene Tournament after dishing out 3 assists. Great job Jayslin!
For more information on WRE: Click here
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is back! This award was a staple of WCDO's local sports coverage for many years in the 1990s, but had gone dormant without a dedicated sponsor. That has now changed for the 2024-2025 season as Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 9/9 to 9/14 the winner is Dylan Easton of Sidney. Dylan is the quarterback for the Sabers Football team. Sidney is off to a 2-0 start thanks to his excellent play. In a 38-0 win over Harpursville/Afton he went 8-for-8 passing for 135 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 59 yards and scored one touchdown. Great job Dylan!
For more information on WRE: Click here
The WCDO Athlete of the Week award is back! This award was a staple of WCDO's local sports coverage for many years in the 1990s, but had gone dormant without a dedicated sponsor. That has now changed for the 2024-2025 season as Waste Recovery Enterprises of Sidney has stepped up to be the title sponsor. A huge thank you to WRE for their support. Each week the recipient will receive a hooded sweatshirt to celebrate their accomplishments. Check back here each Tuesday to see who wins!
For the week of 9/2-9/7 the winner is Shannon Kingsbury from Franklin. Shannon is a standout player for the FCS Girls Soccer team. She scored 11 goals this week and already has an area leading 15 goals on the season so far. Shannon is a 10th grader who just set the Franklin school record for career goals and career points. Shannon currently has 120 career goals! Congratulations Shannon!
For more information on WRE: Click here
For generations, summer sports camps have been a staple for athletes in our area. Some families could fill their entire summer calendar going from program to program depending on the sport and location. As time has passed, more and more of these opportunities have gone away, leaving the athletes of today with little to no options. That’s where the core idea for the Oneonta Soccer Club Player Development Academy at the Wright National Soccer Campus came from.
OSC board member and SUNY Oneonta Women’s Soccer Assistant Coach, Chad Angellotti, first came up with the developmental program idea when the former Headwaters Soccer camp stopped running. “Headwaters was such a great thing for this entire area” said Angellotti. “It was so successful, with multiple venues, so when that went away, I knew we had to find a way to fill that void.”
Angellotti, who works for Otsego County Mental Health as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, not only recognized the need to help athletes improve their skills, he also saw the opportunity to introduce kids to the mental side of the game. “Yes, we want to do some of the traditional soccer drills, but we also put a huge focus on finding the proper mindset for your game” said Angellotti. “When you learn things here and take it back to your school teams, it can help you get the most out of your ability, and it can help you to be a leader and great teammate. We really focus on mental performance and player development.”
As stated on the OSC website, a daily rundown of activities includes a focus on specific areas like technical training, situational training, offensive and defensive training, physical fitness, mental toughness and personal growth.
A more detailed description from the site is the perfect representation of how Angellotti and his staff combine the physical and mental parts of the sport. “Each day will follow a routine schedule that begins with a simple skill and progressing to situational small sided play. Players will then have a break to engage in the Academy Mindset Program. This is meant to give players a chance to do some self-reflection about how they can engage the game differently through personal change. This will be followed by lunch, more mental training, alternative soccer play and then 7 v 7 scrimmage. The academy is looking to elevate the game for all soccer players in the local area who want something more than the traditional experience.”
This was my second year of visiting The Academy as a guest speaker. I always enjoy connecting and speaking with athletes during the off-season, but this year I wanted to get more on their perspective from this experience. I sat down with four local soccer players to get their thoughts; Avery James (junior at Unatego), Brynn Lawrence (freshman at Oneonta HS), Jason Hoag (senior at Schenevus) and Harper Folts (freshman at Edmeston).
My main objective was to see what they would tell me about the mental training they were doing and how they thought it was helping them. “It’s been huge for me” said Jason Hoag. “I’m a senior now and I want to be more of a leader on my team this season. Before I would get easily frustrated if things didn’t go my way in a game, but this has taught me how to take a deep breath and stay calm. I think it’s going to really help me this year.”
With two of my interviews being freshman players, they were focused on improving in all aspects as they prepare for their high school careers. “This has really helped me feel more confident heading into the season” said Harper Folts. “My school team, Edmeston/Morris, is filled with strong players and sometimes I worry about how I fit in as a young player, but this has given me the physical and mental confidence to know how I can find a role and help the team.”
Brynn Lawrence from Oneonta is in a similar situation as Harper. “I’m trying to see what my season will look like this year” said Brynn. “No matter if I am on JV or varsity, I know I will be confident with all the work I put in this summer. Before this, I would spend so much time worrying, but this has really helped me to not sweat the small stuff, it’s been huge for that.”
Unatego has been one of the most successful girls teams in the area over the past decade. Avery James knows it is now her time to help keep that tradition going. “There is definitely pressure at my school with how good the team has been.” said James. “I think that’s why I keep coming back here. The information that Chad gives us, it has helped me to just relax and play the game. It really does help me stay calm.”
After speaking with these athletes and getting to watch them participate in a day of the program, it’s easy to see why these lessons are helping them so much. One big take away I had was something Chad mentioned in passing when we were walking around. “We like to just let them have free play” he said. “Maybe that sounds like it would be a free-for-all but we believe it helps so much. Sports can be so structured that sometimes we just need to let go and let them play."
I’m so thankful I made the time to spend a few hours at the OSC Player Development Academy this year. I always come away feeling refreshed from the positive vibes around the athletes and staff. It is also so enjoyable to see these lessons translate into the fall season. In only my first week of coverage I have already witnessed two athletes from the program keep their cool in a very high stress situation during a game. I can only credit that to the training and guidance they received this summer from Coach Angelloti and his staff.
For more information please visit here.
Photo taken by Nate Lull. Athletes left-to-right are Harper Folts (Edmeston), Jason Hoag (Schenevus) and Brynn Lawrence (Oneonta). Missing is Avery James (Unatego). Photo editing by Ben Patton.
I had been planning to finish this article on Unatego’s Braeden Johnson for about three months now. Typically, I might blame writer’s block, a busy schedule, or summer laziness, but this time, the reason was different. Every time I thought I had the best angle or the perfect closing line, Braeden would find a way to top his previous accomplishments, and I would find myself back at square one.
While it's not a bad problem to have, it certainly makes summarizing his high school career a creative challenge. Since Braeden would never say it himself, I've decided to share how this quiet Unadilla native is trading his Spartan green for the red and white of Cornell Baseball.
In an age of elaborate signing days and endless social media posts, Braeden managed to stay completely off the radar. He does have an online presence, yet he hasn’t made a single post on his Instagram or X accounts. Nobody outside his family and high school coaches had any idea what his college options were. He didn’t want any fuss surrounding him while there was work to be done on the field.
Even when the news broke that he would attend and pitch at Cornell next year, he remained silent. Instead he was laser focused on winning a Section IV Class-C Baseball championship for the first time in school history.
Unatego/Franklin Coach Frank Microni has had dozens of fireballers on the mound and heavy hitters at the plate during his long tenure with the Spartans, and that makes his praise of Braeden that much more special. “He’s one of the best to ever do it here” said Microni. “He was a leader on and off the field for us. I never had to worry about his work ethic and I also knew he was making sure all the other guys were dialed in. He got better and better with the leadership part every year.”
In the end, U/F walked off into the sunset with that sectional title and a trip to states, but for most of Braeden’s career, it wasn’t always a happy ending. “He seemed to have the worst luck” said Microni. “One bad hop or bounce, losing some very tough one-run playoff games, I could go on” he said. “I kept thinking, ‘this kid works so hard, when is it going to be his turn?’ You hope it comes around but you just never know.”
Even this year, a three-way tie atop the MAC regular season standings resulted in names being picked from a hat (yes, that’s the tiebreaker, don’t ask). U/F got the three-seed and had to face always rugged Deposit-Hancock in the league semis, which resulted in a tough loss. The odd tiebreaker outcome added another chapter in the “we were this close” book for Braeden. Little did we know he was about to do the best work of his career in the final three weeks of his senior season.
Unatego/Franklin earned the four-seed in the sectional tournament after the MAC playoffs. The Spartan-Devils took down Tioga 12-0 before knocking off top-seeded Union Springs 7-1 on the road. U/F capped off the run with a 4-0, no-hit gem for Braeden against Trumansburg to finally break through to the local baseball promised land.
In the win over T-Burg, Braeden tossed a complete game, no-hitter with 12 strikeouts and only 3 walks on 107 pitches. It was a masterful performance that kept U/F in full control of the game from start to finish. On top of this was a 4-inning, no-hit outing with 10 strikeouts in the opening round victory over Tioga. Basically nobody was able to hit him during the 2024 sectional playoffs.
The no-hitter in the sectional final certainly put him into the Unatego and Section IV history books. It’s a feat that isn’t often accomplished and Braeden secretly knew it. “I didn’t look at the scoreboard until the 4th inning” said Braeden with a chuckle. “Then I saw they had no hits and I thought to myself ‘I really can’t mess this up now.’ I tried not to think about it too much and tell myself it was just another day of pitching.”
While Frank Microni was elated to see this group finally get over the championship hump, it meant the world to Braeden and his teammates to give their coach his first baseball sectional title as well. “Getting him this win was the icing on the cake for all of us” said Braeden. “I have been able to grow and learn so much over the years with him. It was a good feeling knowing we did it for him and for Unatego.”
One of those key teammates that Braeden relied on this season was his younger brother, Xander, who is also a quiet three-sport star that continues to impress every time he walks on a field or court. “I am definitely most comfortable when he is catching for me” said Braeden. “The familiarity has just been there since Little League. His ability to know the movement of my ball and where to set up to get a call is something that only close brothers can do.”
Unatego/Franklin Assistant Coach Justin Corna spent countless hours working with the Johnson brothers during recent high school and Legion ball seasons. He knows the time they put in at home together is the reason it all paid off this year. “I don’t think anyone truly realizes how dialed in these guys are” said Corna. “Working on pitching mechanics, footwork, perfecting how the ball moves, they just don’t stop. I offer any advice I can but it’s the time they put in when nobody is looking that makes the difference.”
Finding time to toss the ball around in the backyard might seem easy, but not when you have the Johnsons’ schedule. They work on the family farm in Unadilla, which also runs Covered Bridge Farm Market. They are famous for their corn, fresh fruits, vegetables and more. Braeden and Xander even sold me a Christmas tree this past winter, as they took on running a local Christmas tree farm in Otego. Their list of chores must be a mile long. Add in school work, soccer, basketball, baseball, school clubs and activities and well, you get the point. Somehow Braeden always finds time to get his workout in and get better each day. That is what sets him apart.
When you combine all the accolades and intangibles from his career, it's clear why Cornell is eager to bet on a small-school pitcher with enormous upside. Braeden’s quiet nature and strong work ethic make him the perfect person to be able to handle the rigors of an Ivy League education along with the load of playing a sport.
Braeden is eager to get to work but he is also glad the whole process is over. “I’m not trying to be negative, but I did not enjoy the recruiting part just because of the suspense” said Braeden. “It was hard to get in contact with coaches and prove to them that I had what it takes. Most of them don't have time to see you play so you can’t show them in person. That’s why Cornell was different. Coach Mac knows and played with Coach (Dan) Pepicelli so he was able to visit and watch me last year in a sectional game and liked what he saw. In my mind being a D1 Ivy League pitcher sounds so cool so I think it is a good fit.”
Agriculture remains a big part of Braeden’s life, and so Cornell is also perfect on the academic side. “It has one of the best programs in the world” said Braeden. “I love the idea of being able to study and play there, plus the size of the campus and the distance from home. I want to maximize my potential in all areas, and I think this gives me the opportunity to do that.” Braeden plans to earn a degree within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences while deciding down the road his exact academic course.
If someone was trying to make the blueprint for the perfect high school athlete, on and off the field, you would probably come up with something close to Braeden. With his quiet demeanor, I asked him how he wants to be thought of in the history of Unatego athletics. “I want to be remembered as a kind person who led by example, not always words. As long as my team got along and put in the effort to get better, that’s all I could ask for.”
I'll be watching closely as Braeden heads off to Cornell this fall. I'm excited to see where his future takes him and hope the Big Red Athletic Communication writing staff is ready to chronicle the ever-evolving success story of Braeden Johnson.
Photo: Unatego’s Braeden Johnson throws a pitch during a 2024 MAC Baseball contest. Photo credit to Benjamin Patton of The Reporter.
One of the best parts of following a sports team is when you get to see a Cinderella story come true. The 2024 edition of the Oneonta High School Girls 4x100-meter relay team certainly fit into the glass slipper, or maybe in this case it was several pairs of very fast track spikes. Either way, the members of this historic squad didn’t turn into pumpkins when the big moment came; instead they were the belles of the ball by taking home the second state title in OHS Track and Field history.
Another aspect to this story that makes it so unique is that this championship team of four features two sets of twins. Thalia Wellman and Selene Wellman joined forces with Maddie Seguin and Claire Seguin to create a relay team that had a ton of potential but not a lot of experience to start with.
Oneonta Coach Dave Slater didn’t mind that this group wasn’t a bunch of seasoned veterans. He was just happy to get them all on the team as he had noticed their potential when they were much younger. “In a way I’m not surprised this all happened” said Slater. “They had all the tools but between injuries and other activities, it just felt like we didn’t have great timing.”
Let’s sum up where this group was coming into the 2024 season: Thalia had been playing softball in recent years, Selene was battling some nagging injuries, and Maddie was returning from ACL knee surgery. That left Claire hoping it would all come together for this relay team.
Coach Slater knew it might be a slow start but that they had time to figure things out. “I really tried to preach patience to this group” said Slater. “We knew we had to get into shape, get healthy and work on handoffs. We also changed the running order a few times, but overall the goal was to be ready for the postseason.”
Being patient paid off as the group threw down a time of 50.46 seconds in the STAC championship where they also hit the state standard. This performance seemed to whisk the Jackets into the postseason like a wave from the Fairy Godmother’s wand. Very consistent times of 50.79 at the Section IV championship and 50.48 on state qualifier day had this group confident that they could compete at the state meet.
OHS saved their best for last running a blazing fast time of 49.88 seconds to win the 2024 NYSPHSAA Division-II state title at Cicero-North Syracuse. Unlike other sports where everyone in the stadium knows who the big winner is, tight track races make you sweat it out until the time flashes up on the big board. The Jackets were overjoyed when their 49.88 edged out Batavia, who ran 49.89 to take second place. Cheektowaga grabbed third place with a clocking of 49.97. Oneonta had done it! They had come from an injured and inexperienced squad to state champions.
The state title race was as exciting as it gets. As Claire sprinted down the home stretch, catching two competitors close to the line while pulling off the perfect lean to seal it for OHS, all anyone else could do was hold their breaths and watch. “I was by myself, I had no idea because of the angle I was watching from, but I was screaming for all I was worth” joked Coach Slater. “When she crossed the line all I could yell was 'Yes Claire!' ” he said.
Even Claire didn’t know if the Jackets had won when she broke the tape. “I could still see the two girls in my peripheral vision and I knew we got top three, but winning it? I knew there was a chance but I personally couldn’t comprehend us winning” said Claire.
The final race was so close that the OHS athletes continued to stare at the scoreboard to make sure this was real. “I could see we had won by literally a couple of inches” said Claire. “It took a minute to sink in for me. From winning small, relatively local meets to the state title was truly amazing.”
The other runners on the team shared Claire’s feelings on the surprise and thrill of the victory. “When I handed off to Selene, the thought that we might win never crossed my mind” said Maddie. “But as Claire was running down the home stretch I thought, we could win this. I was jumping up and down and crying and yelling 'that’s my sister! My sister is doing that!' It was one of the best moments of my life.”
Other team members described the win as shocking. “That was the feeling for me” said Selene. I couldn’t believe my eyes and I was filled with joy and happy tears because of our accomplishment.”
As Coach Slater yelled, the other girls ran across the infield to meet up with Claire. Thalia had run lead-off, followed by Maddie in second position with Selene running the corner in the third spot, and Claire holding down the anchor. As everyone finally came together nobody seemed to believe it. You could hear several members of the team questioning “are we really champs??” It would take several minutes until it all sank in as the runners and Coach Slater reunited.
There was hardly much time to relax as three members of the new state champs had to run in the 4x400-meter relay just a few minutes later. Selene, Maddie and Claire joined forces with Natalie Wilde to set a new school record with a time of 4:07.82. What a day it had been for the Jackets.
After the adrenaline had worn off from racing, the team got excited again as they would be welcomed back to Oneonta with a big celebration the next day. “Coming home to the parade felt like such a reward” said Thalia. “I had to keep telling myself this was real because it was such an intense track meet, we never thought we would win, but we found a way to pull it out.”
As the dust settled from the weekend, the 4x100 team had some time to think about what they had accomplished. The one common theme was that the girls all credited Coach Slater for putting this group together and believing in them. “Coach kept saying that we are knocking at states door” said Claire. “He believed in us and we kept growing as the season went on and we just clicked. I guess that’s what you get with two sets of twins.”
It was more than just the work on handoffs and strategy for this group; it was the personal time that Coach Slater put in that made it all go. “He played a huge role in helping me come back from my ACL injury” said Maddie. “Before the season even started we would meet at the track and work on my form, power and speed. From the beginning, he was there to help me recover and keep my bouncing energy in line. I was so eager to come back to sports and he made sure I did that safely and responsibly. I am truly lucky to have him as a mentor and coach.”
This Cinderella story certainly had a perfect ending and it is one that Coach Slater caught a glimpse of many years ago. “I first saw this group when I had them in class in 3rd grade” he said. “I knew then that they were a competitive and driven bunch and it is wonderful that we got this chance to work together all these years later.”
It is wonderful indeed and as Cinderella once said “Why, it's like a dream. A wonderful dream come true” and that is exactly how this Oneonta season concluded.
Photo: Thalia Wellman and Claire Seguin celebrate at the Section IV State Qualifier track meet at Union-Endicott High School as one of the OHS Coaches (Dan Forbes) looks on. Photo credit to Benjamin Patton of The Reporter.
The mood was tense in the Deposit-Hancock dugout as the 5th inning began in the state semifinals on Long Island on Friday. D-H found themselves down 1-0 to a tough Friendship/Scio team from Section 5. F/S pitcher Nevaeh Ross (a D1 LeMoyne commit) was pounding the zone and so far, D-H hadn’t been able to catch up. They had spent all week with the pitching machine cranked up high to prepare for this, but now it felt like it was slipping away.
The Eagles needed a hero, and in this scenario, they wound up with several. Six runs in the top of the 5th shut the door as D-H took the victory 8-2 and punched their tickets to the 2024 NYS Class-D Softball title game on Saturday.
The pressure to win and keep the D-H and Deposit traditions going is intense. That’s why that 5th inning deficit felt so scary at times for the Eagles faithful fans. Wins, championships and state tournament trips are expected and this was no cake walk of a semifinal game.
Friendship/Scio had given D-H all they could handle in the 2023 state title contest. That game was an instant classic that went 13 innings where Deposit-Hancock finally came out on top 5-3. The Eagles knew they would be facing the same pitcher in Ross and that F/S would be out for revenge.
Add in some hot and toasty conditions as the semifinal progressed and you had a recipe for a “who wants it more” type of day. This is where the big game experience for D-H really sets them apart. They have been here before and they know how to handle it.
The current Deposit-Hancock players feel that pressure more than anyone, but they almost embrace it, like the many that have come before them. Each Eagles team doesn’t want to be the one that lets the streak die. “It means a lot to the community” said 3rd baseman Sarah Gross. “The softball team creates a lot of excitement in our small towns during the spring. Our cheering sections came out and it meant a lot to see everyone at our sendoff to states.”
Speaking of pressure, D-H Coach Dan Briggs is certainly no stranger to big games. This is his 7th trip to the final four as the head man and he knows occasionally it takes time for things to click. “Traditionally my teams tend to be slow starters” said Briggs after the semifinal game victory over F/S. “We might need one full go through the lineup before we know what works and then we can get things going. Having patience to believe in what we are doing is a big part of that.”
Another reason Deposit-Hancock has confidence is the many familiar faces they have on their coaching staff. Having recent grads like Makenzie Stiles, Bryn Martin and Kaitlyn Macumber offering advice certainly doesn’t hurt. Between Stiles and Macumber going over tips in the circle to Martin talking about what pitches to call from the wristband, this Eagles team might have the most experienced staff in the state. “Being able to come back after graduating and seeing how successful this program has become is awesome” said Martin. “What started with a couple trips to states back in the early 2010s became a yearly trip for us. These younger athletes share the same dream and drive we once had. It’s a privilege being able to help them achieve it.”
D-H tried to play small ball in the early innings against F/S but couldn’t get the bunt they needed. They were making contact but they just needed to find that spark.
They finally lit the fire in the top of the 5th when 8th grader Nora Bartholomew singled to center. The dugout seemed to come alive at this moment as the older vets knew that a younger player had just stepped up big.
That was just the start as Haley Begeal doubled to left and Nora advanced to 3rd. Kadyn Appley, a 9th grader, came in to run for Haley. Abby Russell finally got the bunt they had been waiting for and D-H had the bases loaded with no outs.
I was standing near 1st baseman Amanda Ray in the dugout when the bunt game started to pay off. “It’s exciting to see us figure it out” said Amanda. “We had some hard hits and timely bunts, which was what we were missing last year against them when we struggled. Coach Briggs prepared us well this time.”
Coach Briggs was beaming when the small ball game finally came through. “That was so big” said Briggs with a smile. “Two JV call-ups in Nora and Kadyn really stepped up and made a play when we needed it the most.”
Dan is also the coach of the D-H Wrestling team and this added an extra layer of trust for putting Nora into the lineup. “She wrestles for our program in the winter and I know what she is capable of when things are on the line. I had a gut feeling this week that she was going to get on base and she just really came in clutch today.”
D-H was down 1-0 when Olivia Johnston came to the dish with the bases full. Olivia has been making solid contact all season and has a .429 batting average. She immediately put the ball into play and Nora came in to score. It was a 1-1 game and the Eagles had new life.
Sarah Gross walked up to the plate with the bases juiced and only one out. You couldn’t ask for a better scenario for D-H. Sporting a .500 batting average this year, Sarah is who you want in this spot. “Her bat has really come along recently” said Briggs. “I think she has learned from past experiences how to play in these big moments. Her glove has always been solid, but her bat has just come alive this postseason.”
Sarah’s blast immediately let everyone know that this was the monster hit that D-H needed. It was a deep drive to left field that brought in Kadyn, Abby and Olivia to make the score 4-1 for Deposit-Hancock. The Eagles didn’t know it in that moment, but it was the icing on the cake that would seal the victory for them.
The other very important piece of this semifinal win was the outstanding pitching performance from Addison Makowski. The junior went six innings strong with 13 strikeouts while giving up no hits. She did all this in the sweltering heat on a dark turf field that probably felt more like an oven at times.
Addison did all she could between innings by rehydrating and putting a cool towel on her neck and head. It was smart move by the savvy veteran, who picked up her 12th victory of the season.
Makowski was quick to move the praise to her teammates after the game. “The younger players stepped up today and it gave me assurance in the circle” said Addison. "I knew the bottom of our lineup could get a hit when we needed it. It means a lot to the future of this program.”
With two more runs in the top of the 7th inning, Deposit-Hancock would finish off an 8-2 win over Friendship/Scio to earn another trip to the state title game. This will be the 3rd straight trip for D-H and the 7th appearance in a row for Deposit. DCS has been in the Class-D championship game every year straight since 2015 (minus 2020 and 2021 for COVID). This continues a remarkable run by the Deposit and combined Deposit-Hancock programs.
D-H is looking for their 3rd straight state title on Saturday and if they win it would be the 9th state title in school history for Deposit. It’s hard to make sense of success like that. Year in and year out, they just find a way to get it done.
The Eagles will now face Section 2 champion, Salem, in the 2024 title game. “We saw them last year in the semis and it was a good game” said Briggs. “We know they will give us their best shot and we just have to be ready for it.”
For updates on the state championship game, follow me on Twitter (X) for inning-by-inning updates. First pitch is at 10:30 AM back at Martha Avenue Recreation Park in Bellport, New York.
Photo: Deposit-Hancock’s Sarah Gross connects for a key hit in the NYS Class-D Softball Semifinals on Long Island. Photo credit to Benjamin Patton of The Reporter. Thanks to Ben for making the trip to Long Island to cover the state final four.
It has been a historic season for the CV-S Girls Basketball program. The Patriots captured their second straight Tri-Valley League title and went on to win their first Section IV Class-D championship about two weeks later. They then made a long drive to Long Island for a state regional game and brought home the hardware from that contest too. Up next it's a trip to the state final four on Saturday, March 16 in Troy. Many teams that make it this deep into the season boast a dominate player that can take over games, but that’s not CV-S. Their success has come from consistent hard work by a group of eight players that can all step up at any time.
As with many great teams, the roots of this group can be traced back to biddy basketball in 3rd and 4th grade. This current bunch of seniors and juniors were always up for a challenge. Assistant Coach BJ Whiteman has been around them from the start, not only because his daughter, Brin, was on the team, but because he knew they were unique. “We took them all over the place for games” said BJ. “We played in tournaments in Hamilton and Utica and the kids not only had fun but they had some success too. I thought if this group stayed together through the years they would have a chance to do something special.”
As the team progressed they made it to modified basketball with current varsity head coach, Kelly Taggart. “These seniors are the first athletes I coached in modified when they were little 7th graders” said Taggart. Coach eventually made the jump up to varsity and reunited with her original players and they haven’t looked back since. “It has been an amazing ride” she said. “These girls are so much fun to be around. Being able to experience these moments with this particular group is something special.”
It wasn’t always rainbows and butterflies for CV-S this season though. Their 20-3 record makes things look peachy but a slow start had many fans wondering, what is going on with this team? “It was definitely a bumpy start!” said Taggart. “We sort of limped into January. We won a couple. We had a setback against Schenevus, and then we talked about it and basically laid it all out. We reminded them of their goals from the beginning and started to focus more on the little things, working to get better every day. Slowly it started to come together, each game they improved.”
What were those goals coach was talking about? That stems back to the 2023 season when the Patriots won the league but then suffered a heartbreaking 38-36 loss in the sectional final to Oxford. The Blackhawks went on to play in the Class-D state title game and it had to leave CV-S wondering if that could have been them.
Junior guard Brin Whiteman agreed that the tough loss to end last season was the motivation for this year. “We set goals for ourselves of winning the Tri-Valley and the section” said Brin. “As we continued to move on we kept setting higher goals. It has been so special for us, and our community. The overwhelming support has been great."
Senior forward Daphnee West also said the sectional final was on the team’s mind. “We just needed to prove to ourselves and everyone else that we could win that game” said West. “We worked very hard to do so. That is what makes this run so special, especially for us seniors.”
After that January loss to Schenevus something changed for this team. The balance really came into play as each night seemed to have a new scoring leader. Top scorers on the team are Daphnee West (12.3 PPG), Morgan Huff (12 PPG) and Mia Dubben (10 PPG). Brin Whiteman isn’t far behind either (9 PPG). Opponents didn’t know where to look when one night Morgan would have 17 points and the next night it would be Mia tossing in 15 points, and so on.
It really became clear in the Tri-Valley League playoffs when 4th seeded CV-S stunned top-seeded Edmeston/Morris 57-52 on the road. Morgan had 19 points while Daphnee went for 14 points and 9 rebounds. Mia and Brin chipped in 11 points each. From there on out, opposing coaches had to be losing sleep over how to stop the Patriots. “Going into a game we never know who might be our high scorer” said Daphnee. “We just play our game and find the open man.”
As this run continued it was more than just the usual suspects that were putting up the numbers. 8th grader Mackenzie McGovern has made huge contributions off the bench especially in the TVL title game and the regional game on Long Island. Erin Williams and Sara Cortese always seem to be in the right place for a big rebound or a timely bucket too. Kailey Barnes made her mark in the regional game with 11 points as CV-S put away Section 11 champ Smithtown Christian in the second half.
As CV-S continues to make history this season, it is also easy to see the Patriots will never forget the players that came before them that helped to set the stage. 2023 alumna Joleen Lusk was a huge part of last year’s squad that won the league and came a whisker away from the state tournament. Jo is off to a great start in her college career at St. John Fisher where she was recently named the Co-Rookie of the Year for the Empire 8 Conference as well as earning several other accolades. It is my belief that this current Patriots team takes pride in their 2024 victories because it is not only special for them, it is special for all those that wore the CV-S uniform before them, including Jo and many, many others.
The Patriots will depart from Cherry Valley on Saturday morning as they make their way to Hudson Valley Community College for their contest against defending state champion Hammond from Section 10. I have no doubt that the community will be there to wish them well. It’s a tough match-up for CV-S but Coach Taggart says this group is up for the challenge. “The team is excited” she said. “To be honest, to get to experience this with these girls is like a dream come true. Having seen where they started to where they are now is surreal to me.”
I asked coach what her final message might be as her team takes the floor on Saturday. “I usually find something to say in that moment” said Taggart. “But it will be along the lines of making sure we do the things that we’ve done to get there, to play together and most of all HAVE FUN!”
No matter what happens this weekend, this Cherry Valley-Springfield team will be talked about for years to come. The memories are priceless, Patriots grads are beaming with pride and it’s all because the hard work and team effort have truly paid off.
Note: I will have the broadcast of the state semifinal game on WCDO Radio out of Sidney. You can find it on the dial in the Sidney/Oneonta area at 100.9 FM. It is also available on 92.3 FM in the Norwich area or you can stream the free audio online at wcdosports.com. Just click the big play button on the page. Good luck CV-S!
Photo credit for this story goes to Benjamin Patton of The Reporter (Walton newspaper). CV-S fans should know that Ben does not normally cover Otsego County teams. He made the trip to Long Island to cover the South Kortright Boys game and then decided to stay the night to photograph the CV-S Girls contest the next day. His photos from the regional game will be cherished many years from now when we look back on these special memories. A big thank you to Ben!
Thank you to White’s Farm Supply in Franklin for sponsoring this story. White’s has been serving the tri-county area since 1946. From farm tractors and equipment to parts and service, you can find it all at White’s Farm Supply.
For more photos from this story, please follow me on Instagram: nate.lull
Around this time each year I take a trip into the local countryside to meet up with an athlete who works on their family farm. Over the years I have traveled to the hills of South Kortright, Bovina Center, Hancock, Oxford and many more. While every trip is different and I always learn something new, one thing remains the same; our athletes that live on a farm work incredibly hard.
What makes these trips so interesting is that most of the time these athletes don’t even realize how hard they are working. It has been instilled in them since they were young that you are expected to balance school, sports and activities with your responsibilities on the farm.
This year was no different as I traveled to Walton to visit with freshman three-sport star, Grace Walley. Grace played varsity basketball as an 8th grader last year and Coach Gary Backus could only rave about his talented young standout. “Grace is physically strong and plays hard all the time. She is fun to watch and is just pure hustle and energy.”
Grace led the team with 205 rebounds last winter. She also scored 182 points, collected 38 steals and blocked 22 shots. Imagine what those numbers might look like with four more years ahead of her.
I arrived at the Walley’s farm on a sunny Sunday afternoon. There was Grace out mowing the lawn. Nobody asked her to mow it but she’s the type to just get it done.
A few minutes later, local photographer Ben Patton arrived to help me capture the day and we were off to the barn.
We got to meet Grace’s calves and put down some fresh bedding for them. One of her favorites is “Havoc”, which is named after the AAU basketball club she plays for in Albany. Havoc is an Under Armour sponsored program that has some of the best talent in the northeast playing on their teams. Several other calves in this pen were named after Grace’s AAU teammates. “They all really wanted me to name one after them,” joked Grace.
Terrance Florence is the program director for Havoc. He recently made the trip from Albany to visit Grace on the farm. “I had to come down and see Grace in her element” said Terrance. “This is what she loves to do, she loves the life. She wants to throw hay with her Dad and do all the chores, I mean… what kid says that. I love her work ethic so much.”
Up next we took one the calves, Lindy, out into the yard. I displayed my usual poor attempt at doing a show walk and Lindy knew right away that I was a rookie and took full advantage. Grace took her turn and did the trot to perfection, even telling me she entered Lindy in the “sheep and goat Olympics” (because why not) at the Delaware County Fair. They did quite well there, despite not entering either one of those animals the event was named for. “I love working with them, trying to teach them tricks, that’s the fun part for me” said Grace.
After that it was a trip over to see the sheep and goats. These friendly guys were eating out of my hand and were nice enough to let me pick them up. I can see why Grace likes hanging with them. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I see a large ram named Lima Bean come out from behind a shed. Okay, so he doesn’t have the scariest name in the world, but they should still move him to South Kortright because he would be the most frightening mascot in the area!
I feel like Lima Bean is staring into my soul as he walks towards me, but have no fear, Grace is here. She quickly wrestles him over into the corner giving me and Ben time to escape. I don’t think LB liked it, but Grace was the boss and wasn’t having any of it. If she can handle that situation, I don’t see anything on a basketball court that is going to intimidate her. “Wow he is a lot to handle” I said. “Ahh he’s just trying to show off” laughed Grace.
Next up, it was time to do some driving. Even though Grace is two years away from getting her driver’s license, she wanted to give me a lesson on the tractor. How hard can it be right?
We had to drive out into a field to pick up a big bale of hay for the animals. I’m not sure if this was a tractor or a NASA spaceship because it had more controls and buttons than I could count. It was tough!
With some excellent instructions from Grace, I was able to slowly make my way over to the bales. Picking it up with the claws was no easy task, but she wasn’t going to let me off the hook. I didn’t break any speed records but I was able to get the job done. It amazes me how easy farm kids make this stuff look, it’s all just part of their normal day.
For the last part of the tour, we walked up on the hill where the Walley’s small herd of about 40 cows was grazing. There was a great view of all the land that her family takes care of. That’s when it really sunk in for me how much Grace, and other athletes, take on.
Grace finds time to do it all; varsity soccer, basketball, softball (she is even considering track now), plus traveling to Albany at least two times per week for AAU. Mix in other school clubs and activities in addition to her farm work and you have someone who is an expert at time management and making the most out of their day. I really admire that.
Terrance might have put it best. “Not many players her age have the drive and focus that she has. Her family sacrifices so much to bring her up to Albany to play, but it’s all worth it, she loves being here. I believe she has the potential to be a scholarship player.”
Despite getting a taste of big city basketball, Grace stays pretty close to her roots. “She wants to study to be a vet tech” said Terrance. “You can’t talk her out of it either” he laughed. “Like I said before, she loves that life.”
I can’t say thanks enough to Grace and her family for allowing me to come hang out for the day. Usually I have done this feature with an athlete who is just about to graduate, but in this case, I will get to cover Grace for four more years. I know that the skills she has developed on the farm will continue to serve her well on the basketball court and beyond.
Photo credit for this story goes to Benjamin Patton of The Reporter. Thanks to Ben for all his hard work with this feature and with his coverage of sports in Delaware County.
About the author: Hannah Bonczkowski is a 2023 graduate of Gilbertsville-Mt. Upton Central School. She was a three-sport standout athlete for the Raiders. Hannah will study journalism at SUNY Morrisville where she will also play basketball. She is currently an intern at WCDO and NateLull.com
Matt Serrao, a 2022 Franklin graduate and three-sport star for the Purple Devils was a highly recruited athlete during his senior year. He had options to play soccer or baseball at the next level and surely a few college coaches would love to have his all-state caliber basketball skills on their team too. Matt’s heart was on the soccer pitch and he decided to stay close to home and join the program at SUNY Delhi.
Before we dive too deep, here are some fun facts in case you’ve never met Matt: Matt loves to write, he enjoyed English class in high school and finds writing to be a much needed outlet. “I believe that to maintain happiness, people should express their emotions in unique forms that are natural to them.” he said.
His favorite sports teams include many from New York including the Knicks, Jets, and Mets. His favorite food is spaghetti, his favorite dessert is mint chip ice cream and hands down his favorite animal is a cheetah.
As with many small school athletes, Matt described college as “a bit of a culture shock.” Franklin is one of those tight knit schools, in a sleepy town, that has a low population of K-12 students. To put it into perspective Matt said “I went from having roughly 200 kids in an entire school to 200 kids in a dining hall at 9 AM.”
Sometimes the adjustment from small school bubble to bustling college campus can be extremely difficult, but for Matt this new world was a great challenge that he wanted to take head on. Schedules are different in college and more responsibilities are put on the shoulders of the student athletes. Time management becomes the key to everything. Lucky for Matt, being a student athlete at the next level came naturally to him, as he had been balancing sports, education and other activities for as long as he could remember. “My earliest memories center around a ball, hoop, or goal at school” he said.
This is one advantage that small town kids usually have. They are used to being involved in tons of activities during the course of a normal school day.
Matt began making an impact on the field from the beginning and ended up starting in the first game of the season for the soccer team. When asked about the game, Matt said “You can only prepare so much before you’re actually thrown into the thick of things.”
He remembered feeling one strong emotion, “I feel like the first game for a freshman, whether its high school or college, is always intimidating. Seeing my name in the starting lineup for that first game definitely added to my nerves.”
Along with the nerves, the game itself was changing for Matt. He couldn’t say enough about how different the game was for him compared to high school. “The first thing I noticed was the physicality. I came into preseason scrawnier than I should’ve been, and I learned pretty quickly how hard it was going to be to adapt physically.”
It was more than just the strength of the athletes too, the game seemed to be whizzing by him at times. “I also noticed the speed of the game” he said. “Everything moves so much faster in college. It’s like everyone knows exactly what they’re going to do with the ball before they get it.” Despite these early season challenges, Matt worked hard and the coaching staff noticed. He continued to get more playing time and earn the trust of the program.
In the end, the Broncos put it all together this past fall and pulled off winning the NAC West Championship. “At the start of the year, no one really expected us to go far at all. I think the guys took that personally and you could tell that we played with a chip on our shoulder. Going from a three win team to being one game away from the NCAA tournament is something that’ll really stick with me for years to come.”
It was more than just foot skills and a great touch that allowed Matt to see playing time during his first year in college. It was the leadership and people skills he learned at FCS that make him the complete package. He is a humble and selfless person who puts his teammates before himself. Matt’s best friend in Franklin, Brandon Gregory, might have said it best. “When Matt scored a goal he would give a tiny fist bump and head back to our half, but when one of our teammates would score he would jump and yell and have a huge smile on his face. That always meant a lot to the guys”
Brandon played on the same teams as Matt since youth sports and he only had praise for what a good teammate he is. They have now forged a lifelong friendship from their love for sports.
Matt didn’t just have an impact on Franklin players around his own age either. When a talented young player named Jake Kingsbury was moved up to varsity early, Matt knew what to do. “I was lucky enough to have Matt take me under his wing for my 7th grade season and it has shaped me to be the player I am today” said Jake. Matt became a role model and became someone for Jake to look up to.
Jake’s sister, Shannon Kingsbury, is also a young standout at FCS. She has close to 70 goals entering her 9th grade season this fall. “Watching Matt take my brother under his wing was one of the things I loved about that year” said Shannon. “Matt had a connection with every player, it didn’t matter the age, the size, anything. He treated everyone the same and was always pushing everyone to get better.” That kind of teammate is irreplaceable on a team.
No matter the success Matt sees he always stays humble and looks for the next move. “I want to make the NCAA’s” he said. “I think our Delhi team took major steps forward this year to make that dream a possibility. Now it’s about improving our mistakes from last year.”
From his days roaming the field or court at FCS to his continuing improvement on the soccer pitch at SUNY Delhi, we can all rest assured that Matt Serrao is representing our area with all the best attributes that a small town athlete can have.
Photo: SUNY Delhi’s Matt Serrao looks to make a move up the field in a game last fall. Photo credit to the SUNY Delhi Athletic Department.
About the author: Hannah Bonczkowski is a senior at Gilbertsville-Mt. Upton Central School and is a three-sport standout athlete for the Raiders. Hannah is planning to pursue journalism at SUNY Morrisville where she will also play basketball. She is currently an intern at WCDO and NateLull.com
Most athletes have goals. Reaching these goals requires constant motivation, dedication and passion. The path to success is usually never simple, and there can be several roadblocks during the journey.
Not giving up when these hard times present themselves is key in sports and in life. Injuries are one example of how quickly a season or career can change in the blink of an eye.
Let’s set the scene…
In the Tri-Valley League, a junior basketball guard has been lighting up the scoreboard. He most recently became the all-time leading scorer in school history as he is just shy of 1,400 points.
His name is Dylan Hosford and he is a do-it-all player for the Richfield Springs/Owen D. Young varsity team.
Dylan and his teammates love to set large and lofty goals. When asked for specifics he rattled off a list that would be amazing for any area player to achieve.
Scoring 1,000 career points (check), winning a league championship, holding the section title plaque, becoming a D1 player and even scoring 2,000 points.
With these types of goals, difficulty and challenges are inevitable. But he already has been so close on over half of the list including a triple-overtime loss in the TVL title game and an overtime defeat in the Section IV championship game.
These were tough setbacks, but the biggest obstacle was still to come.
Dylan tore his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) on April 25, 2022. This injury is one that is very frequent in athletes who participate in start-stop, sudden directional change sports.
“Something just felt wrong” said Dylan as he remembered the scary moment.
A simple hyper-extension of Dylan’s knee in an off-season AAU game put him on the sidelines with an injury involving an extensive recovery that would last at least nine months.
As we have noted in other articles on the subject, this recovery time can eat up large parts of a high school career.
“I thought I wouldn't have a junior season,” he said.
Dylan was questioning what was next for him and how he could get back on the floor as quickly as possible.
The thought of being able to play again constantly pushed him through recovery.
Physical therapy three times a week was the starting point. Strengthening and regaining agility was the main priority at his appointments. He spent a lot of time doing exercises like stationary biking, leg presses, calf raises, balancing, ladder work and more.
When you are used to playing at a high level with the strength to dominate, these exercises can be mundane and mind-numbing, but he kept working. He relied on a positive mindset to allow for his recovery to be quick and successful.
Dylan jumped back into basketball this winter and came back as a force to be reckoned with. WCDO Sports Director Nate Lull couldn’t believe when he got the text that Dylan would be suiting up at the Cooperstown Christmas Tournament.
“I was definitely shocked,” said Nate. “It might be the quickest return from an ACL injury that I have seen in my time covering local sports. I was worried maybe he rushed it but after that first game performance, I knew he was ready.”
Hosford fired in 18 points in just 20 minutes of action against Class-B Utica Notre Dame in his late December return. This was just about eight months removed from the injury. It was just the start of a solid junior campaign.
Dylan played in a total of 12 games and scored 266 points this season. His persistence and dedication in the off-season allowed for him to not miss a beat when he jumped back into the game he loved.
Many local athletes, coaches and fans have wondered how he returned to action so fast. An athlete of few words, Dylan kept his answer short and sweet.
“Hard work and dedication, consistency is also important, if you work at your craft everyday then results will show” he said.
This mentality of persistence has allowed Dylan to continuously make an impact on the court. Despite missing time at the start of the season, he was still voted as a first team league all-star. A testament to his overall ability.
As he prepares for his senior season at RS/ODY, there is no doubt that a healthy Dylan Hosford will be a handful for any area opponent. He will see junk defenses, double teams and more. This doesn’t seem to phase Hosford though.
“I just stay locked in and know what I’m capable of.”
A simple answer from an athlete that has already battled through so much adversity and still has many more goals he wants to accomplish.
If you haven’t had the chance to see Dylan play in person, make sure you mark the calendar next winter as he attempts to cross off the rest of the items on his high school sports wish-list.
Photo: Richfield Springs standout Dylan Hosford shoots a free throw in a game earlier this winter. Photo credit to Brian Horey.
About the author: Hannah Bonczkowski is a senior at Gilbertsville-Mt. Upton Central School and is a three-sport standout athlete for the Raiders. She was named to the NYS all-state basketball team last winter. Hannah is planning to pursue journalism in college and is currently an intern at WCDO and NateLull.com
Has the towel been thrown in on good sportsmanship? Verbal insults being thrown back and forth, criticism of coaches and officials, and degrading cheers have become more frequent at all levels of athletics. Is this negative environment being normalized in high school sports? Fans and athletes alike are creating these toxic conditions. Could this environment lead to the decline of student athlete participation? Good sportsmanship is due for a comeback.
To try to improve the problem, Section IV began an initiative to promote sportsmanship throughout the section. For the 2022-2023 school year, the section is making sportsmanship one of their top priorities.
Recent seasons have resulted in many yellow and red cards, fan ejections, and technical fouls. Bill Bryant, the president of Section IV says “we just can’t tolerate this behavior anymore.”
This issue needed to be addressed, and as a result Section IV wrote several public service announcements and shared a video to help inform people about the importance of sportsmanship.
“It's not going to happen overnight, but we’re going to keep working on it… it's going to take all of us.” said Bryant. Good sportsmanship is a necessity, taking time to talk about what it means to be a good sport can be beneficial to everyone.
So what can people really do to become better sports? Sportsmanship can be a difficult word to define, as it is a word that holds a different meaning to everyone. When asked to define the word sportsmanship, some answers from local coaches and officials included:
“Having a competitive nature while respecting others and obeying the rules.”
“Having such a love for the game and competition that you compete and give your best effort, but always follow the rules and show respect to opposing players and officials, while having a positive attitude whether you win or lose.”
“Playing a game competitively while having fun, respecting others and playing the game with the integrity that was intended.”
“If you knock someone down, you help them up. If you give respect, you get respect.”
Good sportsmanship can quite simply be broken down into three concepts: respect, competition and passion.
Throughout the contest these concepts should be shown by all. Respect is how you treat others, competition is the environment created when there is a winner or loser, passion is when someone has such strong emotion for the sport that they become dedicated to it. Following these three concepts gives athletes, coaches, officials and spectators the upper hand when it comes to good sportsmanship.
Student athletes who are good sports exhibit these concepts daily and set good examples for others. Unfortunately, the lack of good sportsmanship in recent years has created a toxicity which has begun to undermine this.
This negative environment does not have to become normalized, it can be stopped. The New York State Public High School Athletic Association promotes good sportsmanship with their member schools; they have done this with their “Stay in the Game Program.”
Todd Nelson, a NYSPHSAA assistant director said, “NYSPHSAA provided each school with a Stay in the Game banner several years ago. Each school year, if a school does not have any disqualifications of a coach or player at any level then their school receives a decal to put on the banner signifying the accomplishment.” Although it is just a simple decal this program can be motivating for players and coaches to remain good sports.
Knowing one's role is crucial to good sportsmanship, everyone has a job when it comes to games. The players are there to compete, the coaches are there to guide the players, the officials are there to keep the game safe, and the spectators are there to be supportive and positive.
NYSPHSAA has a public address announcement that is made at all state championship events and within this announcement is a quote that envelopes the environment that should be created during high school sports. It reads, “Be Loud, Be Proud, Be Positive.”
This motto might seem simple, but if you can remember it in the heat of the moment, it will help you to keep the bigger picture in mind.
Photo: Delhi’s Alton Francisco helps Sidney’s Caiden Benedict after a Section IV Cross Country race earlier this fall. Photo credit to Benjamin Patton of The Reporter.
