2025 Section IV Blog
6/3/25
Championship Saturday (and Sunday, because it rained) is in the books, as Section IV crowned six champions!
Let’s recap all of the action:
Class AAA Championship: #1 Corning 4 - #2 Elmira 0. For the third straight year, Corning had Elmira’s number, as the Hawks took home their sixth championship in school history. The final score shows that Corning may have cruised, and through six innings, that was largely the case as the Express only managed two baserunners. In the 7th, it got a little sticky, as Elmira refused to go down quietly. They loaded the bases on a walk by Addison Taft, Marely Devlin reaching on an error, and with one out, Addisyn Chorney getting an infield hit. Corning starter Matti Johnston, one of the best in the state, held tough by striking out Madelynn Cavelier and getting Ava Cornacchio to ground into a fielder’s choice. Johnston finished with a two-hit shutout while striking out eight. It was right up there with her effort from last year when she tossed a no-hitter. Either way, it’s tough to get any sort of runner on against her, which is why the Hawks always feel so confident going into state tournament play. On offense, it was the Sophie Schoonover show, as she had two hits and drove in all four runs in the #3 spot. She had an RBI groundout in the 1st, a two-run single in the 3rd, and finished the scoring with an RBI triple in the 5th, taking advantage of playing on a bigger field at Greenlight Park. Elmira started the year losing 16-3 to Corning, but played much more competitively in the final two losses. Devlin finished with five strikeouts and only one earned run. They will definitely miss the contributions of Taft, who’s off to Bucknell, and Chorney. But, they do have plenty of young talent to keep building around, as Devlin (8th grade) and Cornacchio (sophomore) will be back. As for Corning, they have a date with Middletown (IX) in the Regional Final on Saturday at Monroe-Woodbury. The road to defending a state championship begins right there.
Class AA Championship: #1 Horseheads 7 - #2 Vestal 6. After being three-hit and shutout in last year’s Class AA Championship, Horseheads extracted some revenge this year, stranding the tying run on 2nd as they took the victory 7-6. Through three innings, it was a back-and-forth affair, as Horseheads held a slim 2-1 lead. The Blue Raiders struck first on a Chloe Perritt RBI single in the 1st. Natalie Frobel evened it up by scoring on a passed ball in the 3rd, but Raegan Burge made it 2-1 with a sac fly RBI. This is where things get a little strange if you check Gamechanger, as one side has Horseheads scoring four runs in the 4th, and the other has three. And then if you look at the 5th, it happens again with Horseheads either scoring two or one. These things usually happen when there’s a dispute over a hit or an error, but the actual runs scored shouldn’t be so off like that. But anyway, a sacrifice bunt by Grace Cronin started the scoring in the 4th, followed by Presley McInnis scoring on a passed ball and Caitlin Yearick adding an RBI single. Vestal got a couple of those runs back when Frobel again scampered home on a passed ball and an RBI infield single by Lauren Policare. Vestal either tied it up or took the lead in the 5th (depending on which side you want to believe) when Alessandra Carter either reached on an error or doubled to make it 6-6 (or 6-5). The winning run for Horseheads came in after Wolf was given the intentional pass to load the bases, then Burge walked the old-fashioned way to make it 7-6. As predicted, both teams played hard until the end and did not give an inch to each other. Vestal came within a play or two of winning both the STAC and Section IV Class AA titles. Their starting pitcher, Erin Gowe, is only a freshman. Aubrey Rogers, Maggie Costello, and Frobel are other underclassmen back next year, so the talent is there to continue to make a run. Horseheads will ride the Binghamton University commit in Wolf into a Regional Final on Wednesday back at Greenlight Park vs. Goshen of Section IX.
Class A Championship: #1 Maine-Endwell 14 - #2 Chenango Valley 11. Both teams earned Semi-final home victories over teams that they were beaten by during the season (Johnson City and Owego, respectively). The Championship game was played for one inning in rainy, windy conditions on Saturday before being postponed until Sunday. Factor in the lousy weather conditions, the nerves, and the fact that each team has plenty of firepower on offense, and the result was a combined 25 runs and 22 walks. Not exactly the cleanest display of softball at times, but it did make for quite the entertaining affair in you’re a fan of offense. CV was feeling pretty good through three innings with an 8-4 lead. It was a lot of self-inflicted wounds by M-E, as they walked 10 CV batters in that span. Still, CV did a good job in taking advantage of the free passes, as Abby Cron drove in a run on a single and Colsten Beers added a two-run double. M-E stayed close thanks to some patience of their own, and did get a two-run single from Kaylee Hurba. The big blow came in the 4th when M-E took the lead for good. After Emily Bealla stroked an RBI double and Chloe Sage drew a bases loaded walk to make it 8-6, Olivia Virgil, who came into pitch in the 3rd, launched a grand slam to dead center that made it 10-8. She later added an insurance run with an RBI single in the 5th, part of her amazing day at the plate for the freshman with five RBIs. CV tried to mount a comeback, as Caelyn Koch smashed a two-run shot in the 6th. They brought the tying run to the plate in the 7th, but a groundout ended it. CV was led by Koch scoring three times, along with a double and the homer. Beers drove in three and Amelia Paske added a double with two runs scored. They will return young talent such as Paske, Cron, and starting pitcher Natalie Tyler, but will need to replace some seniors who produced big numbers like Koch, Beers, and catcher Makenzi Reinhard. The box score for M-E shows that eight of the nine hitters scored at least one run, as five added a pair. In addition to Virgil’s five RBIs, Sage had four and Hurba three. With the recent additions of some JV talent in the mix, the M-E offense has exploded for 31 runs in two games. Obviously, they will need their pitching to be much cleaner to make a run in the state playoffs. But if they can limit free passes, look out. They will meet either Peru (VII) or Franklin (X) in the Regional Final on the road Saturday.
Class B Championship: #1 Susquehanna Valley 10 - #3 Edison 5. Much like the Class A Championship, the B title game saw one inning played on Saturday before rain forced them to complete it the next day. That one inning of play on Saturday certainly brought plenty fireworks, though. In a sight only seen two other times through 17 games up until this point, SV’s opponent put up runs in the 1st inning. After an error and single put two runners on with one out, Kailey Ripley delivered a two-run double and scored on Rosie Wheeler’s RBI single right after. If SV was shellshocked, they sure got over it quickly, as Rianne Moelder drew a leadoff walk, stole 2nd, and scored on Kylee Richardson’s RBI double. Richardson then stole 3rd and scored on an error, and the game got knotted at three on Kiana Cipolla’s single. After waiting a day and continuing on Sunday, SV took a 5-3 lead in the 2nd before Ripley powered up by crushing a two-run homer in the 3rd to make it 5-5. Unfortunately for Edison, that’s all the scoring they would get on this day, as SV starter LilliOnna D’Introno only allowed one baserunner on a walk the rest of the way. SV took the lead for good in the 4th on an RBI triple by Julia Ricci and never looked back. The offensive attack was very balanced for SV, as eight of their nine hitters recorded hits. Moelder reached base all four times (two hits, two walks) in the leadoff spot and scored each time. Norah Schneider and Richardson each drove in two. Edison played much more competitively this time around, as they were blanked 7-0 last year and looked like the stage may have been a little too big for them. Not this time, as they came out swinging against an excellent pitcher from the start and made SV earn this one. Their two pitchers, Aurora Parlo and Wheeler, are both back next year, so it’s a great place to start. Ripley had four RBIs in her last game before heading off to Pittsburgh-Bradford, as she is part of a crew of seniors who will be tough to replace. SV will look to get over the Regional Final hump by taking on either Haverling (V) or Fredonia (VI) on Saturday at Grand Island. They were in the same spot last year, but couldn’t hold onto a 7th inning lead. A year older and a year wiser, they’ll be out to prove they are ready.
Class C Championship: #1 Deposit-Hancock 7 - #3 Tioga 1. Deposit-Hancock survived an early push from Tioga to claim a Class C Championship, their first since the COVID-shortened 2021 season (they won Class D titles from 2022-2024). In what was probably an unusual sight, Tioga put a couple of runners on to start the game on a walk to Bri Lounsbury and RaeAnne Feeko being hit by a pitch. Addison Makowski settled in to set the next three down in order, and the offense took off from there. Olivia Johnston led off the D-H half of the 1st with a double and scored on an RBI single from Pagan Macumber. Three more runs were soon scored on a Sarah Gross RBI double, Amanda Ray’s sac fly RBI, and an RBI groundout from Ivy Tice. Makowski only allowed three hitters to reach base after, with McKenzie Williams launching a solo homer in the 7th to finally get Tioga on the board. On the day, Makowski finished with three hits allowed and 14 strikeouts. The top three in the order of Johnston (two hits, one double, two runs), Macumber (one hit, one run, one RBI), and Gross (three hits, a homer, a double, two runs, four RBIs) provided all the spark the Eagles would need. Give Tioga a lot of credit for not folding after quickly being in a 7-0 hole after two innings. This game could’ve gotten very ugly, but they didn’t let that happen. To hold a powerful team like D-H scoreless over the last four innings showed how much fight they had in them. Unfortunately, a combination of some nerves to start the game led to three errors, and their bats just couldn’t generate much of a threat. The road win in the Semi-final over undefeated Union Springs will be a memory they will forever have. They also have a young ace in the circle coming back, as Kate Kithcart got plenty of experience as only an 8th grader. As for D-H, they get a bye into the Regional Final vs. Section III on Thursday at Greenlight Park. They have the pitching, defense, and bats to make another deep state playoff run.
Class D Championship: #6 Morris/Edmeston 14 - #8 Laurens/Milford 9. Two teams that pulled one upset after another faced off for the third time this season on the big stage of Greenlight Park. After the Tri-Valley rivals split the first two games, the rubber match belonged to Morris/Edmeston. After building a 10-3 advantage after three, Laurens/Milford put up a five-spot in the 5th to make it 10-8, but Morris/Edmeston responded right away with three more runs to effectively put the game on ice. Down 2-0 entering their turn in the 1st, Morris/Edmeston loaded the bases with one down, and Abby O’Brien plated a pair with a single. Kenna Buriello added an RBI single and Ella Sparaco a two-run single to make it 6-2. In the 3rd, a big two-out rally with the bases clear added four more. Sophie Robinson singled, went to 2nd on an error, and scored on an RBI double from Chelsey Clegg. Hannah Wist drove in two with a double and Haper Folts one more on a single. Laurens/Milford would not go down quietly, as they brought home five in the 5th to cut into their deficit. The big hits were an RBI double from Brooke Mann, an RBI infield single from Makenzie Briggs, a bunt single RBI from Emma Gannon, and two more runs scoring on errors. Morris/Edmeston responded right away with three runs to go up 13-8, as Laurens/Milford could only muster one more run the rest of the way. The conditions weren’t the greatest, as both teams battled through some rain and annoyingly cold weather on the last day of May, instead of sunny skies and warmth like we all hope for this time of year. The pitching lines for both Wist and Mann aren’t typical for what they’re capable of, but credit also goes to the hitters who stepped up ready to make some noise. Mann was hurt by five walks, but half of the runs (7 of 14) were unearned thanks to six team errors. Obviously, it’s really hard to win that way. But, the run they had to get to this point is something they’ll never forget with dominant playoff wins over Windham-Ashland-Jewett and Cherry Valley-Springfield/Sharon Springs. As for Morris/Edmeston, they will advance to their first state playoff game in a Regional Final vs. Hamilton (III) on Thursday at Greenlight Park. Interesting to note that while Morris has never been this far, Edmeston did win Section IV titles in 1980, 1982, and 1984. The state playoffs did not begin until 1985, so after a long wait, they will finally get to play in the state tournament.
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5/29/25
Championship Saturday at Greenlight Park is all set! 12 of the best teams in the state will do battle to crown 6 Section IV champions.
Let’s dive in and take a look at each matchup:
Class AAA Championship: #1 Corning vs. #2 Elmira, 4:00 (Previewed on blog from 5/21.)
Sectional Championship Game History:
Corning (5-4) – 5 championships in 2012, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024
Elmira (0-3)
Times Met in Championship: 3
Corning – 3 wins (2019, 2023, 2024)
Class AA Championships: #1 Horseheads vs. #2 Vestal, 4:00 (Previewed on blog from 5/21.)
Sectional Championship Game History:
Horseheads (13-17) – 13 championships in 1983, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2018, 2022
Vestal (10-8) – 10 championships in 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1995, 2003, 2005, 2019, 2022, 2024
Times Met in Championship: 6
Horseheads – 1 win in 1983
Vestal – 5 wins in 1978, 1994, 2003, 2005, 2024
Class A Championship: #1 Maine-Endwell vs. #2 Chenango Valley, 2:00. One of the unique aspects of New York going to six classifications a year ago is some new matchups in sectionals. Maine-Endwell has played in 56 career sectional games and Chenango Valley in 84. Only once have they played against each other. You have to go way back to 1988 when CV beat M-E 7-2 in a Class B Semi-final (CV ended up losing in the Championship to rival Chenango Forks). This year, both teams dominated on their home fields in the Semi-finals to go to this point. M-E started things off with a 17-2 win over Johnson City. A 1-0 deficit to start the game was quickly turned into a 3-1 lead after the 1st, 6-1 after the 2nd, and 11-1 after the 4th to cruise to a victory. Tessa L’Amoreaux struck out nine in a four-hitter, and Kaylee Hurba was a perfect 5-for-5 at the dish with a homer, double, four runs, and six RBIs. Emma Rondeau and Harper Eagan chipped in with three hits apiece. What’s interesting about those two names is that they actually spent the year with the JV team, winning a STAC Championship in a 1-0 victory over Corning before being called up to varsity for sectionals. They were thrown into the fire and showed that they belonged. CV took care of Owego 9-3, highlighted by a seven-run 3rd to put the game away. Natlie Tyler started in the circle and got through four innings of three-run ball, then Abby Cron closed the door with three hitless innings in relief. Eight of the nine hitters recorded one hit each. Tyler, Cron, and Makenzi Reinhard all drove in two runs. Despite being in different STAC divisions, there are quite a few common opponents: Corning (both teams went 0-1), Johnson City (M-E went 2-1, CV 1-0), Chenango Forks (M-E went 1-0, CV 2-0), Waverly (M-E went 1-0, CV 2-0), Oneonta (M-E and CV both went 1-0), and Vestal (M-E went 1-1, CV 0-2). One key for CV will be to keep Hurba in check. She leads her team many offensive categories, including average, home runs, and RBIs. Another is to not take the “JV” kids lightly for even an instant. They were in the lineup against a couple of good pitchers from Johnson City, and responded with huge games at the plate. For M-E, keeping the top of the CV order off base is a good start. Colsten Beers, Amelia Paske, Reinhard, and Caelyn Koch form a very tough 1-4. If they get on base consistently, CV is hard to stop.
Sectional Championship Game History:
Maine-Endwell (14-4) – 14 championships in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2106, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2023, 2024
Chenango Valley (8-13) – 8 championships in 1982, 1987, 1992, 1995, 2001, 2009, 2010, 2022
Times Met in Championship: 0
Class B Championship: #1 Susquehanna Valley vs. #3 Edison, 2:00. The third of three rematches from 2024 is in Class B, where SV held serve as the top seed, and Edison hit the road to down the #2 seed Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour. Last year, it was Edison looking to repeat as Section IV Champions (they won Class C in 2023), but ran into a roadblock from SV and lost 7-0. In that game, LilliOnna D’Introno spun a four-hitter with seven strikeouts, and Paige Weaver delivered the big blow with a three-run homer in the 3rd that started the scoring, as the Sabers never looked back. D’Introno is back this year, and if you’ve been paying attention at all, you should know how dominant of a year she’s enjoyed. In the Quarterfinal win over Whitney Point, she tossed a no-hitter with 13 K’s. The offense is very deep, with a top that includes Rianne Moelder, Norah Schneider, Kylee Richardson, Danica LaBarre, and D’Introno. They are tough to beat, but if there’s a team up for the challenge, it’s the IAC Large School Champions, Edison. Since dropping a game to Horseheads in the Morabito Tournament, they have run off seven straight wins. The most recent was a 9-8 comeback win over WG/O-M. Down 8-7 in the 7th, Charlee Stroman hit an infield single leading off and soon scored on an RBI double by Rosie Wheeler. An outfield error led to the go-ahead run that scored Kailey Ripley, who walked with one down. Aurora Parlo shut the door in the 7th, aided by a 1-6-3 double play. Emily Aiello hit a three-run homer and Stroman collected three hits with a double. While SV solely rolls with D’Introno in the circle, Edison can turn to three pitchers at any point: Parlo, Wheeler, and Ripley. Perhaps all three will get the ball in this one in an effort to give SV different looks. The offense had a tough time last year, but with a year of experience under their belts, they should be more confident this time around, even against an ace like D’Introno. If they can not let the moment overtake them and put some runners on base, they can apply some pressure and look for the upset win.
Sectional Championship Game History:
Susquehanna Valley (15-5) – 15 championships in 1983, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2024
Edison (7-6) – 7 championships in 1991, 1994, 2006, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2023
Times Met in Championship: 1
Susquehanna Valley – 1 win in 2024
Class C Championship: #1 Deposit-Hancock vs. #3 Tioga, Noon. For the 17th consecutive season, a team from Deposit will be playing for a Section IV Championship. From 2008-2019, Deposit dominated their way to eight championships. After the 2020 season was wiped out, Deposit and Hancock joined forces and are a flawless 14-0 in sectionals, including the last three state championships. It’s been more of the same this year, as they have completely run right through all Section IV competition, which has included a MAC Championship, and two wins vs. other teams playing for titles this year in Elmira and Susquehanna Valley. Their opponent may be a bit of a surprise. Tioga went on the road and pulled the upset over #2 seed, undefeated Union Springs 4-3. Down 3-0 heading into the 4th, Irie Lynch and Emily Shiner both scored on wild pitches (or passed balls, depending on the scorekeeper). The next inning, the Tigers grabbed the lead for good on an RBI single from McKenzie Williams and a steal of home by RaeAnne Feeko. What might be most incredible about this win is that Kate Kitchart and the Tioga defense held a dangerous Wolves’ offense scoreless the final four innings. After losing to Union Springs 13-1 and 4-0 during the year, perhaps this was the biggest upset in this year’s sectional tournament. In order for Tioga to pull an even bigger one, they’ll have to carry that same confidence into the Championship game against a team that has been there and done that over and over and over. For D-H, they’ve done a superb job at staying in the moment and not thinking too far ahead to state playoff competition. It all starts with one of the best in the state, Addison Makowski. She can strike you out in the circle, then hit one over your head at the plate. But it’s far from a one-woman show, as she gets plenty of support from the likes of Olivia Johnston, Pagan Macumber, Sarah Gross, Kadyn Appley, and Amanda Ray, among others. The Eagles will look to flex their muscle once again on the main stage.
Sectional Championship Game History:
Deposit-Hancock (4-0) – 4 championships in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Tioga (1-5) – 1 championship in 2009
Times Met in Championship: 0
Class D Championship: #6 Morris/Edmeston vs. #8 Laurens/Milford, Noon. This is exactly the matchup everyone predicted ahead of time. Right? Well, maybe you did, maybe you didn’t. But based on the seedings, this will go down as one of the most unlikely Section IV Championship games in history. All of the credit in the world goes to these two teams, who slayed dragons along the way to earn a chance at a championship. The craziness started in the Quarterfinal round on Tuesday, as Laurens/Milford went nine innings to beat #1 seed Charlotte Valley/Schenevus 6-3, and Morris/Edmeston earned a big road win over #3 Windham-Ashland-Jewett 11-3. In the Semi-final round, Laurens/Milford again won on the road, 6-3 over #4 Roxbury/Gilboa. A four-run 3rd sealed the deal, with the big hit a two-run triple by Bella Garlick. Brooke Mann allowed no earned runs, as she struck out five. Morris/Edmeston got an unusual home game in this round for a #6 seed, as they ran away from #7 Cherry Valley-Springfield/Sharon Springs (who defeated #2 Afton in the Quarterfinal) 10-3. Down 1-0 to start the game, Morris/Edmeston soon took a 5-1 lead after two, then upped it to 9-3 after three. Hannah Wist was a perfect 4-for-4 with three doubles and three runs scored. She also took the ball and worked around 10 hits allowed, constantly making big pitches to get out of threats. Now we get to witness a great pitching matchup in Mann vs. Wist, who are each riding the high of big playoff wins. These two met twice this year as Tri-Valley members, and as expected, each split close games. The first was a 4-3 regular season win for Morris/Edmeston. Trinitie Barker and Savannah Coyle each had three hits. The second was an 11-10 win in nine innings for Laurens/Milford in the TV Semi-final. Two runs came in on an error for the winning runs in the 9th, and after a run was scored by Morris/Edmeston, Mann stranded a pair to hold on. Laurens/Milford ended up winning the TV title over CV-S/SS. Two terrific small school teams seeking their first Section IV Championship will be the perfect setup for a great day of action at Greenlight Park.
Sectional Championship Game History:
Morris/Edmeston (0-0) (*Edmeston has 3 championships in 1980, 1982, 1984)
Laurens/Milford (0-0)
Times Met in Championship: 0
5/21/25
It’s time for the Section IV Playoffs! We made it through league championship season with the Tri-Valley finishing on Monday. Now, let’s turn our attention to the time of year when it’s win or go home.
Let’s take a look at all six classes and the teams that could make some noise in the sectional tournament:
Class AAA
* Top 2 seeds: Corning, Elmira
* Number of teams qualified: 2
* Championship matchup: #1 Corning vs. #2 Elmira
* Date of game: Championship – 5/31
* Most intriguing game: #1 Corning vs. #2 Elmira. As can be cut and pasted every year, it’s time for Corning and Elmira to clash for the Class AAA title. Last year, Corning won 5-0, which propelled them to a State Championship. The STAC West rivals played their usual two games vs. one another during the regular season, and it was all Corning by scores of 16-3 and 3-0. The most recent game was on May 14. The first pair of runs came on errors in the 1st, followed by a Kendall Curreri solo home run in the 2nd. That was all the support Matti Johnston would need, as she tossed a two-hit shutout, striking out nine. Marley Devlin and Ava Cornacchio combined to throw three innings apiece for Elmira, only surrendering one earned run. It was a much different story than their meeting on April 9, where the Hawks launched four home runs. Johnston collected two solo shots (and eight K’s in the circle), Katie Gover a two-run shot, and Sophie Schoonover a grand slam. This is the third straight year they’ve met for a Section IV Championship, with two years ago being for Class AA before Class AAA started last season. Elmira will have to exorcise their demons in finally getting over the hump. But, with the close result in their recent game, that’s certainly possible if they play clean in the field and get some timely hits.
* All-time sectional records (championships in parenthesis):
#1 Corning: 9-8 (5)
#2 Elmira: 2-12 (0)
Class AA
* Top 2 seeds: Horseheads, Vestal
* Number of teams qualified: 2
* Championship matchup: #1 Horseheads vs. #2 Vestal
* Date of game: Championship – 5/31
* Most intriguing game: #1 Horseheads vs. #2 Vestal. Just like in Class AAA, only two teams qualified in Class AA. And just like the bracket above, it’s another rematch, as Vestal blanked Horseheads 5-0 behind a three-hit shutout from Reilly Storer and a two-run homer by Kendall Brady. Both of those names have graduated, but Megan Wolf of Horseheads has not, as she got the start in the circle that day and collected one of the hits. This year, these teams met way back on April 4, a 4-2 victory by the Blue Raiders. Wolf was terrific, going 3-for-3 at the plate and striking out 11 in a three-hitter. Most recently, Horseheads dropped a one-game playoff to Corning for the STAC West division crown, as Corning went on to defeat Vestal in the STAC Championship. Vestal had a solid win right before, downing Susquehanna Valley in the Semi-final. These are two evenly matched teams, so it could very well come down to who plays cleaner on defense.
* All-time sectional records (championships in parenthesis):
#1 Horseheads: 49-32 (13)
#2 Vestal: 37-37 (10)
Class A
* Top 4 seeds: Maine-Endwell, Chenango Valley, Owego, Johnson City
* Number of teams qualified: 4
* Semi-final matchups: #4 Johnson City at #1 Maine-Endwell; #3 Owego at #2 Chenango Valley
* Dates of games: Semi-final – 5/28; Championship – 5/31
* Most intriguing Semi-final game: #4 Johnson City at #1 Maine-Endwell. It’s a bit of a toss-up, since both games feature teams that split vs. one another. But, I’ll go with this one based on the rich history of Maine-Endwell, and the chance for Johnson City to grab their first sectional victory since 2016. They have not even appeared in sectionals since 2019, which is what made their 3-0 win over M-E on May 14 that much more special, because it qualified them for this tournament. That day, it was Juliana Berru-Brown who spun a one-hit shutout, striking out nine. Gianna Harrington drove in two runs, and Annabel Burke scored twice and stole three bases. M-E has had an interesting season in which they beat Vestal 6-3, but also got blown out in Elmira 14-0 before the JC loss. To their credit, they bounced right back the next day to defeat Union-Endicott, and did have a 12-6 win over JC back on April 7.
* Other thoughts: With only one other game, here’s where we can preview Owego at Chenango Valley. Each team picked up road wins. The first game was on May 7, with Owego winning 7-4. Carsten Crawford struck out 11, and the River Hawks put the ball in play that day and took advantage of some shaky CV defense to notch the win. Miley Laubach had three RBIs. In the rematch on May 10 at Greenlight Park, CV got a strong start from Natalie Tyler (six hits, one earned run) and the top two in the order of Colsten Beers and Amelia Paske had six hits, three runs, and three RBIs in the 6-4 victory. Owego is still searching for that elusive first Section IV Championship, as they were unable to compete in last year’s title game.
* All-time sectional records (championships in parenthesis):
#1 Maine-Endwell: 35-20 (14)
#2 Chenango Valley: 54-29 (8)
#3 Owego: 18-31 (0)
#4 Johnson City: 27-33 (4)
Class B
* Top 4 seeds: Susquehanna Valley, Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour, Edison, Waverly
* Number of teams qualified: 10
* 1st Round matchups: #9 Spencer-Van Etten/Candor at #8 Whitney Point; #10 Sidney at #7 Lansing (Top 4 seeds have byes)
* Quarterfinal games: #1 Susquehanna Valley hosts SVEC/WP winner; #2 Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour hosts Sidney/Lansing winner; #6 Windsor at #3 Edison; #5 Oneonta at #4 Waverly
* Dates of games: 1st Round – 5/22; Quarterfinals – 5/27; Semi-finals – 5/29; Championship – 5/31
* Most intriguing 1st Round game: #9 Spencer-Van Etten/Candor at #8 Whitney Point. There’s only two to choose from this year, but the battle of IAC teams stands out. These teams clashed twice already and split. The first game was all Whitney Point 24-4 on April 4. The Golden Eagles scored eight in the 1st, then followed that up with a nine-spot in the 2nd to emphatically put it away. Olivia Somers hit a grand slam and struck out 10 in the circle. That was part of a rough stretch to open the season for SVEC, who dropped their first five, then ran off four straight wins. On April 28, the rematch went to SVEC 4-3, as Ryleigh Bowman scored on a passed ball in the 6th for the go-ahead run. Elliana Middlebrook pitched very well for SVEC, striking out seven and only allowing one earned run. If you’re looking at recent results, Whitney Point has won three straight, including a 9-5 decision over IAC North Large champion Lansing. SVEC is on a skid of four straight losses.
* Other thoughts: Defending Class B champion Susquehanna Valley could potentially matchup with two STAC schools they breezed by in the regular season: Oneonta (23-0, 5-0) and Waverly (21-1). LilliOnna D’Introno showed her all-around game against Vestal in the STAC Semi-final, crushing a long home run. With a heart of the order that includes Kylee Richardson and Danica LaBarre, they are very tough to beat. WG/O-M grabbed the #2 seed after a terrific regular season that included a win over Edison, handing the Spartans a rare loss within the IAC. Paige Ells has both a solo and a combined no-hitter this season. Windsor will get a chance at some revenge by traveling to Edison, after the two played in a crazy Semi-final game last year won by Edison in which a dropped 3rd strike and throwaway to 1st allowed the tying and winning runs to score. Let’s see if they can top that one!
* All-time sectional records (championships in parenthesis):
#1 Susquehanna Valley 61-24 (15)
#2 Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour 1-1 (0)
#3 Edison 52-27 (7)
#4 Waverly 16-28 (1)
#5 Oneonta 8-19 (0)
#6 Windsor 60-28 (11)
#7 Lansing 40-31 (3)
#8 Whitney Point 14-24 (0)
#9 Spencer-Van Etten/Candor 1-2 (0)
#10 Sidney 28-31 (2)
Class C
* Top 4 seeds: Deposit-Hancock, Union Springs, Tioga, Moravia
* Number of teams qualified: 14
* 1st Round matchups: #9 Greene at #8 Harpursville; #12 Delhi at #5 Bainbridge-Guilford; #13 Unatego at #4 Moravia; #14 Marathon at #3 Tioga; #11 Southern Cayuga at #6 Elmira Notre Dame; #10 Oxford at #7 Seton (Top 2 seeds have byes)
* Quarterfinal matchups: #1 Deposit-Hancock hosts Greene/Harpursville winner; #2 Union Springs hosts Seton/Oxford winner; B-G/Delhi vs. Moravia/Unatego; Tioga/Marathon vs. Elmira ND/Southern Cayuga
* Dates of games: 1st Round – 5/22; Quarterfinals – 5/27; Semi-finals – 5/29; Championship – 5/31
* Most intriguing 1st Round game: #9 Greene at #8 Harpursville. Harpursville spent most of the season as the road warriors, as they awaited their brand new turf to be ready for play. After 12 games away from home, they finally got to embrace their rebuilt home field with a 20-3 victory over Walton/Downsville. That was only one of two home games on the season, up until this point. These MAC teams played on April 30, with Harpursville taking a road win 12-6. Gabby Piester had five hits, part of a 15-hit attack on the day. Greene recently upset Bainbridge-Guilford 20-5 for a road MAC Semi-final victory. Audra Doll hit a grand slam and collected seven RBIs. Cali Knapp scattered eight hits and only one earned run. Harpursville has to be excited to get a home game in sectionals, something that didn’t seem likely after a 2-6 start to the season.
* Other thoughts: When the news broke that Deposit-Hancock would be going up a class into C for the 2025 season, the immediate thought was how great it would be to see D-H vs. Union Springs for a Section IV Championship. So far, both have more than delivered, as Union Springs has gone undefeated, and D-H has only lost to two schools much bigger than them. In fact, against their MAC brethren, they did not surrender one run the entire season. Wow! But as well as things have gone, one loss is all it takes to get bounced at this point, so they will each have to focus on the here and the now. The majority of the bracket consists of IAC and MAC schools, but the smallest school in STAC, Seton, will lock horns with Oxford. It’s always interesting to see if their schedule vs. bigger schools in their league will give them any sort of advantage against schools their own size in sectionals. Delhi is still in search of their first ever sectional win (0-6), and if they can knock of Bainbridge-Guilford as they did earlier in the season 5-4, they will do just that.
* All-time sectional records (championships in parenthesis):
#1 Deposit-Hancock 12-0 (4)
#2 Union Springs 18-27 (1)
#3 Tioga 34-30 (1)
#4 Moravia 20-31 (2)
#5 Bainbridge-Guilford 12-28 (0)
#6 Elmira Notre Dame 77-28 (14)
#7 Seton 61-23 (10)
#8 Harpursville 43-32 (5)
#9 Greene 28-32 (2)
#10 Oxford 11-16 (0)
#11 Southern Cayuga 13-24 (0)
#12 Delhi 0-6 (0)
#13 Unatego 14-19 (1)
#14 Marathon 21-20 (0)
Class D
* Top 4 seeds: Charlotte Valley/Schenevus, Afton, Windham-Ashland-Jewett, Roxbury/Gilboa
* Number of teams qualified: 9
* 1st Round matchup: #9 South Kortright at #8 Laurens/Milford (Top 7 seeds have byes)
* Quarterfinal matchups: #1 Charlotte Valley/Schenevus hosts SK/LM winner; #5 Richfield Springs at #4 Roxbury/Gilboa; #6 Morris/Edmeston at #3 Windham-Ashland-Jewett; #7 Cherry Valley-Springfield/Sharon Springs at #2 Afton
* Dates of games: 1st Round – 5/22; Quarterfinals – 5/27; Semi-finals – 5/29; Championship – 5/31
* Most intriguing Quarterfinal game: #6 Morris/Edmeston at #3 Windham-Ashland-Jewett. Two teams that made their league playoffs will meet at W-A-J. M/E entered the Tri-Valley playoffs as the #2 seed, but got upset by Laurens/Milford, who went on to win the title 15-0 over Cherry Valley-Springfield/Sharon Springs. W-A-J was the top seed in the Delaware, but fell apart defensively with eight errors in losing the league title game to Charlotte Valley/Schenevus, 12-4. W-A-J was able to bounce back quickly, beating Unatego in the Weir/Chase Tournament on Saturday, and leading Roxbury/Gilboa 5-2 in the Championship game before it was washed away. M/E also responded very well, beating top seed Richfield Springs 7-5 in the TV Consolation. Hannah Wist, a four-time All-State selection, had three hits and drove in a pair, and got the win in the circle. Last year, it was W-A-J who went on the road and got the upset victory 12-8 behind three hits from Hannah Tuttle, who also had nine strikeouts in the circle. Another Tuttle vs. Wist matchup will be great to witness, as both are capable of carrying their teams to wins.
* Other thoughts: The 4/5 matchup of Roxbury/Gilboa home vs. Richfield Springs is another intriguing game, as R/G dropped their first two games of the season before running off 10 straight currently. Momentum is definitely on their side. Richfield Springs was rolling along to a #1 seed in the Tri-Valley playoffs, but took a pair of tough losses to Cherry Valley-Springfield/Sharon Springs and Morris/Edmeston. They’ll be looking to prove that they’ve learned from those games. Longtime Section IV softball fans will be pleased to see Afton back in the fold, as the 22-time sectional champion (tops in all of S4) will look for their first win in the postseason since 2018. That’s a little hard to believe considering their rich history, but they’re looking to show that they’ve turned the program back around again. Whether teams will openly admit this or not, they all have to be thrilled that Deposit-Hancock is up in Class C, as they actually feel like they have a realistic chance of winning it all now. Take away Afton and their 22 sectional titles, and the other eight teams have combined for none. That could change this year.
* All-time sectional records (championships in parenthesis):
#1 Charlotte Valley/Schenevus (first year as combined program)
#2 Afton 86-14 (22)
#3 Windham-Ashland-Jewett 9-18 (0)
#4 Roxbury/Gilboa 2-1 (0)
#5 Richfield Springs 9-10 (0)
#6 Morris/Edmeston 3-3 (0)
#7 Cherry Valley-Springfield/Sharon Springs 2-2 (0)
#8 Laurens/Milford 0-2 (0)
#9 South Kortright 10-14 (0)
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5/18/25
Here is the final league playoff preview, borrowed from our friends over at STAC!
* STAC Semi-final, Sunday at noon at Greenlight Park: (Metro) Vestal vs. (East) Susquehanna Valley. Returning to the STAC playoffs looking to defend last year’s championship is Vestal. For the first time since 1987, the Golden Bears won a league title in a 7-3 victory over Corning, and went on to suffer their only loss in the State Semi-final. This season has brought an eight-game winning streak, but recently has been a little more up and down, as they’ve traded wins and losses in their last four games. Two of those losses have been to Maine-Endwell and Corning, though they did beat Chenango Valley for the second time this season in between. They could give the ball to either Lauren Policare or Erin Gowe. Susquehanna Valley finished a perfect 11-0 in STAC League play, 13-1 overall, with their only blemish to powerhouse Deposit-Hancock in a 1-0 thriller. They are led by their superstar in the circle, LilliOnna D’Introno. She owns three no-hitters this year, and as a team, SV has only surrendered seven runs 14 games. Their biggest win recently was 1-0 over Chenango Valley in which D’Introno collected 13 K’s in outdueling CV’s Natalie Tyler. A matchup like this is what makes the STAC Playoffs so much fun, because you get to see a smaller school like SV step up in class and see how they fare against the bigger school in Vestal. While SV can’t control their league schedule, they did challenge themselves with non-league games against Deposit-Hancock, Abington Heights, and Union-Endicott. They will look to win their first league title since 2006.
* STAC Semi-final, Sunday at noon at Greenlight Park: (Central) Chenango Valley vs. (West) Corning. Corning survived the Horseheads gauntlet to finally win the West and earn a STAC playoff berth. It took three games (two that actually counted), 23 innings, and 52 combined runs (32 on the record) for it to happen. In the deciding one-game tiebreaker, an 11-run 1st inning helped paved the way, but not before Horseheads still made the Hawks earn every out before an eventual 15-12 final. Their week began on Monday with a 12-2 win over Vestal, then 3-0 over Elmira on Wednesday before playing Horseheads three straight days. Now they’ll tangle with Central champ Chenango Valley, who’s been off since defeating Chenango Forks on Wednesday, 13-0. If you believe in a well-rested team having the advantage, then CV is that team. They can give the ball to either Natalie Tyler or Abby Cron, with each roughly splitting the starts in the circle this year. They have a very potent top of the order in Colsten Beers, Amelia Paske, Makenzi Reinhard, and Caelyn Koch. They’ll need to make some noise against a team that is returning many members of their Class AAA State Championship team from last year, including pitcher Matti Johnston, who’s one of the best in the state. Just like the top of the CV order, Corning’s can be lethal as well. Johnston, Kendall Curreri, Sophie Schoonover, and Emelia Smith each had two hits and scored 10 runs in the Horseheads win. Like the other Semi-final, it will be interesting to see a smaller school in CV battle the bigger school, which is what makes the playoffs fun to watch.
* STAC Championship game will be played on the same day, 30 minutes after the last Semi-final game is concluded.
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5/15/25
* MAC Championship, Thursday at 4:30: #3 Greene at #1 Deposit-Hancock. Both Semi-final matchups ended up as blowouts, but maybe not the results you were expecting. D-H handled business at home, jumping up 6-0 on #4 Oxford after an inning, then expanding it to 15-0 at the end of the 3rd. Aubrey Smith got the call in the circle, and she responded with five innings of one-hit ball, striking out 13. Haley Begeal collected a double and triple, part of a 15-hit team effort. The other result probably raised some eyebrows, as Greene went into #2 Bainbridge-Guilford and came away with a 20-5 blowout win. A combination of nine walks and four B-G errors was part of the story. The other part was a grand slam by Audra Doll, as she ended up with seven RBIs. A 6-5 Greene lead after two innings was soon turned into a complete shellacking. Now Greene gets the D-H test. On April 28, D-H won 16-0 behind a 5-inning perfect game from Addison Makowski with 12 strikeouts. Sarah Gross and Kadyn Appley each had three hits. For Greene to pull this off, they’ll have to have to carry the same attitude into this game as they did against B-G. D-H has yet to give up one run vs. their fellow MAC opponents this year, which is an unheard of streak. They’ll look to put a bow on league play with their second straight MAC title, and third overall. Greene beat D-H in 2022 and 2023, and will look to recreate some of that magic by winning their 6th MAC title.
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5/13/25
* Delaware League Championship, Thursday at 4:30 at Neahwa Park in Oneonta: #1 Windham-Ashland-Jewett vs. #2 Charlotte Valley/Schenevus. The top two squads in the Delaware will have a rematch of a great game on May 1. W-A-J got the victory that day 2-0 in a pitchers’ duel. Hannah Tuttle led the way for W-A-J with a whopping 17 strikeouts. Brinlee Wright of CV/S countered with 11 of her own. The difference was the offense of Tuttle, who added a home run, a double, and scored both runs. It’s about as complete an all-around performance as you’ll find. It’s only one of two blemishes on the season for CV/S, who also dropped a close 5-4 decision to the #1 seed in the Tri-Valley, Richfield Springs. W-A-J has enjoyed a great season, as their two losses were to teams not in Section IV (Germantown and Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk). They have defeated all six of their Delaware opponents, which includes the team that finished in 3rd place, Roxbury/Gilboa, by a score of 11-7. What’s on the line for CV/S is their 3rd consecutive Delaware league title, as they won the previous two years just as Charlotte Valley. Before this year’s merger, Schenevus competed in the Tri-Vally and most recently won back-to-back TV championships in 2021 and 2022. Windham is 0-4 in league title games, with their last appearance in 2014. If they hold serve and take the victory, it will be a crowning moment for their program.
* IAC Large School Championship, Thursday at 3:00 at Watkins Glen: (North) Lansing vs. (South) Edison. For the second straight year, Edison and Lansing will lock horns for a Large School Championship. Last year, Edison broke open a 1-1 tie with five runs in the 3rd, and they went on to win 9-3. There’s been a pair of rematches this year, and it’s been all Edison by scores of 16-0 and 12-0. In the first game, Rosie Wheeler threw a 5-inning no-hitter and struck out 11. The offense was led by Aurora Parlo with three hits, and Maycie Bennett and Emily Aiello with two hits apiece. In the second game, Edison again won by mercy in five, with Kailey Ripley firing a one-hitter on 11 strikeouts. Parlo, Ripley, and Tayler Burdick each had two hits. So, it’s been a bit lopsided thus far. Edison is 15-3, with two of their losses to bigger STAC schools in Corning and Horseheads. Lansing has been a bit more up and down at 8-7. They were on a three-game winning streak recently, but have dropped their last two to Whitney Point and Chenango Forks. In games like this where the prior results have been so one-sided, the team on the wrong end has to show up, play hard, and play with nothing to lose. If they don’t, Edison could make quick work of them. A win by Edison would tie them with Tioga with 11 IAC titles. Lansing has seven, but has not won since 1999.
* Tri-Valley Championship, Monday at 4:30 at Sidney: #3 Laurens/Milford vs. #4 Cherry Valley-Springfield/Sharon Springs. How about the results from the Tri-Valley Semi-finals? On Monday, CV-S/SS pulled the upset by taking down #1 Richfield Springs 10-8, who were the reigning league champs and appeared in the Section IV Class D Championship game last year. One day later, L/M made it 2-for-2 in upsets, as they went nine innings in taking down #2 Morris/Edmeston 11-10. Pretty crazy! But, the lower seeds earned those victories by making the big plays when needed the most, so maybe it shouldn’t be too surprising. Now we look forward to a championship game that is a rematch from April 15, a 6-3 win by L/M. That day, Brooke Mann led the way with seven strikeouts over seven innings, adding a double and two runs scored at the plate. Bella Garlick and Jordan Strong also doubled off of CV-S/SS starter Bailey Thayer, who’s enjoyed a terrific season, highlighted by a pair of solo no-hitters and a combined one with Emily Fox. L/M build up a 6-0 lead going into the final inning, but CV-S/SS woke up and plated three before running out of steam. There’s no reason to think this game won’t be just as tight. L/M last won a TV title in 2023 by defeating Morris/Edmeston. While the TV championship history is a bit incomplete (some results have been lost over time), what is known is that Cherry Valley-Springfield lost to Milford in 2003. Going back a little more time, they won two consecutive in 1988 and 1989. Regardless of other times they may have appeared, a win from them this year would be historic.
* MAC Semi-final, Wednesday at 4:30: #4 Oxford at #1 Deposit-Hancock. On paper, this might be the biggest mismatch of all league playoff games. D-H is 10-0 in MAC league play, and their only losses (14-2 overall) have come in tournaments against much bigger schools (Abington Heights, PA and St. Anthony’s). Oxford is 6-4 in the MAC, 7-4 overall, and just got walloped by D-H 17-0 on May 9 (Aubrey Smith fired a no-hitter with 13 strikeouts). Add it all up, and it certainly looks like it won’t be close. But, as the saying goes, that’s why the games are played on the field, and not on paper. D-H could go with their #1 ace in Addison Makowski, who as you may have heard, is one of the best players in the state. Smith is also an option, and on any given number of teams, she’d be the #1 starter. Oxford has to do their best to keep things simple. They can’t shoot themselves in the foot with errors (4 vs. D-H in the last game), they can’t walk hitter after hitter (9 vs. D-H), and they have to make the plays that a varsity team should make. If they play a clean game, then that will force D-H to play their best as well.
* MAC Semi-final, Wednesday at 4:30: #3 Greene at #2 Bainbridge-Guilford. Both teams played on the turf at Greenlight Park on May 7, and it was all B-G by the score of 13-3. Alessandra Cafasso led the attack with two home runs and a double, and Victoria Suda added a double and triple with 4 RBIs. Cali Knapp battled for Greene and went seven innings in the circle, but was a little wild with seven walks. That’s one key, not handing B-G one free base after another. Since this game, Greene won a doubleheader over Delhi and Walton/Downsville. The Delhi win was impressive, as the Trojans were able to clinch a playoff spot at 6-4, while Delhi finished just on the outside looking in at 5-5. B-G was edged by Delhi 5-4 in their first game of the season, but ran the table through the rest of the MAC until losing to Deposit-Hancock in the second game of their doubleheader after defeating Greene. Maybe Greene will like the fact that this game is on a dirt field, as they can hope the ball bounces their way a little bit more to try and pull the upset. B-G has only dropped one home game all season, a 15-13 non-league setback to Oneonta.
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5/11/25
After a week that brought rain, rain, and then more rain on top of that, it’s starting to look a little clearer. Now, it’s time to think league playoffs, as the STAC, IAC, MAC, Delaware, and Tri-Valley will attempt to crown champions (assuming better weather).
As of this writing, there are a few matchups etched in stone, so let’s take a look at them:
* IAC Small School Championship, Thursday at Watkins Glen, 5:00: (North) Union Springs vs. (South) Tioga. For the fifth straight year, two of the best in the IAC will tangle for a Small School title. And to show how evenly matched these two teams are, it’s a 2-2 deadlock so far. Last year, McKenzie Williams played the role of hero with a walk-off RBI double to score RaeAnne Feeko and give Tioga the 5-4 win. The rematch took place a little over a couple of weeks later in the Section IV Class C Championship, and it was all Union Springs, 16-1. This year, Union Springs dominated the first matchup on April 28, 13-1 in 5 innings. The big blow was a Gracie Chalupnicki three-run homer in the 2nd, who also added an RBI double in the 3rd. She got the ball in the circle and scattered six hits with four strikeouts. Tioga came into the game winners of seven of their first eight, but have managed to bounce back very well with four straight wins. Erin Luther got the start in the first game, but got roughed up for nine runs (eight earned) in only 1 1/3 innings. Kate Kithcart pitched solidly in relief with three innings of four-run ball. Whichever one gets the start this time, they’ll have quite the challenge of quieting down an offense in Union Springs that has put up double-digits in 14 of their 16 games. Their Gamechanger stats show eight players hitting about .300, with three above .500. While Union Springs is 16-0, Tioga is 11-2 and certainly no strangers to winning themselves. We’ll see if Union Springs is in Tioga’s heads, or if the Tigers can play loose and put some pressure on an undefeated team.
* Tri-Valley Semi-final, Monday at 4:30: #4 Cherry Valley-Springfield/Sharon Springs at #1 Richfield Springs. The top seed belongs to Richfield Springs, who swept the rest of the Tri-Valley for a perfect 5-0 league record. One of those wins was over Cherry Valley-Springfield/Sharon Springs on April 17, 5-3. Richfield Springs put a four-spot in the 3rd behind a two-run double by Sophia Spencer, an RBI single from Arianna Beavers, and Issy Seamon scoring on a wild pitch. After another run was tacked on, CV-S/SS made some late noise in the 7th with an RBI single from Brin Whiteman and two-run double by River Beauregard, but she was stranded for the final two outs. Spencer got the win in the circle that day with 10 strikeouts. Bailey Thayer only surrendered five hits, but had some control problems with five walks. The only two losses for Richfield Springs was a doubleheader to Union Springs on April 18. Since then, it’s been five straight wins. CV-S/SS was only 2-3 in league, but the close loss in the first game shows how seriously they should be taken, even as a #4 seed. In a 5-4 win over #3 seed Laurens/Milford, Thayer fired in 12 strikeouts, so she’s very capable of taking matters into her own hands. Spencer has 78 K’s in 59 2/3 innings, and plenty of big-game experience from last year leading her team to a Section IV Class D Championship game appearance. Another low-scoring game certainly seems in the cards.
* Tri-Valley Semi-final, Tuesday at 4:30: #3 Laurens/Milford at #2 Morris/Edmeston (Cooperstown All-Star Village). The other Semi-final matchup is another rematch from a close regular season game. On May 6, Morris/Edmeston edged Laurens/Milford 4-3 in a game shortened to five innings, most likely due to rain. Trinitie Barker and Savannah Coyle each collected three hits and drove in one run apiece. The bottom of the order of Ella Sparaco and Sophie Robinson each had one RBI, which proved to be huge. Hannah Wist gave up eight hits in the circle with two strikeouts, which was a little better than Brooke Mann, who gave up 10 hits, but did have eight strikeouts. That game was played at Cooperstown All-Star Village, and the scene remains the same for this one. Of the two teams, Morris/Edmeston has been playing much better of late, as they have won five consecutive. Laurens/Milford started off the year winning four of five, but have since dropped three of four. But, two of those losses were by one run each to Cherry Valley-Springfield/Sharon Springs and Morris/Edmeston. It should be another tight contest.
* For the other leagues that still have some work to do to determine playoffs, here’s a look at the big games that will help determine who’s in, and who’s out:
- Monday: Vestal at Corning, Johnson City at Horseheads, Elmira at Maine-Endwell, Chenango Valley at Susquehanna Valley, Whitney Point at Lansing, Spencer Van-Etten/Candor at Edison, Delhi at Greene, Roxbury/Gilboa at South Kortright
- Tuesday: Corning at Horseheads, Elmira Notre Dame at Whitney Point, Charlotte Valley/Schenevus at Stamford/Jefferson
- Wednesday: Elmira at Corning, Maine-Endwell at Johnson City, Chenango Valley at Chenango Forks, Oneonta at Owego
- Thursday: Waverly at Owego, IAC Large and Small School Championships at Wells College, MAC Championship at higher seed, Delaware League Championship at Neahwa Park in Oneonta, Tri-Valley Championship at TBD
- Friday: (No big games as of yet)
- Saturday: STAC Semi-finals and Championship at Greenlight Park in Binghamton
* Keep in mind, the days of playoff games can easily change due to weather and/or the need for tiebreaker games to be played.
* The blog will be updated during the week once more playoff matchups are set. Until then, enjoy another great week of softball!
5/4/25
May is here! So is the rain, but at least the days of playing softball in 30- and 40-degree weather appear to be over (fingers crossed). You just have to dodge the rain now.
We’re getting close to league playoff time in STAC, IAC (Small and Large), MAC, Delaware, and Tri-Valley. Let’s take a look at who could be appearing in the playoffs. For clarity’s sake, I will go by the criteria for league playoffs from last year. For example, in STAC, the four division winners meet, while in Delaware, it’s the top two who go straight to the championship. If any of that has changed, please reach out and let me know.
* STAC (Semi-finals and Championship on Saturday, May 17 at Greenlight Park). As of now, the four division leaders are the same four that appeared in last year’s playoffs: Corning (West), Vestal (Metro), Chenango Valley (Central), Susquehanna Valley (East). The playoffs are structured like so: the conference is split down the middle of West/Metro and Central/East. The top record from the West/Metro will be home team vs. the second best record from the Central/East. And vice versa for the other home team. For the West/Metro top seed, right now it’s Corning with a 5-0 STAC league record. Vestal is 4-1, but it should be noted that the Corning vs. Vestal game that was played on April 1 to open the season was stopped for darkness tied 12-12. That game will most likely need to be replayed (from the beginning), as it could determine the top seed. Corning also has one more game vs. 5-1 Horseheads, who are fresh off of a 3-0 appearance in the Morabito Tournament, being declared co-champs with St. Anthony's after the championship game was rained out. Corning won the first tilt, 17-5. In the Central, CV (6-0) still has two games left vs. Owego (6-1), so it’s a bit of a toss-up. Owego’s one loss was to SV, whom CV has yet to play. In the East, SV is 7-0 and looks like the clear team to beat. However, credit to Windsor for playing much better lately and getting to a 5-2 league record. They have some tough games coming up against CV and SV, but considering they lost so much talent from last year, it’s a credit to this crew and head coach Mike Kuratnick for playing better as the year has progressed.
* IAC Small (Championship on Thursday, May 15 at Wells College). This is like clockwork, because there’s two teams that once again have established themselves as the best: Union Springs (North) and Tioga (South). Union Springs has not lost this year at 13-0, including 10-0 in the IAC. They also just took care of Tioga 13-1 on Monday in five innings. A nine-run 2nd inning did the damage. Gracie Chalupnicki got the win in the circle and drove in four runs at the plate, and Maddie Ward had three hits and three runs from the leadoff spot. Not exactly the best day at the office for Tioga, as Erin Luther and Kate Kithcart combined to surrender 12 hits and 7 walks. If these two do meet again, which is usually the case, the Tigers will need to limit the Wolves from exploding in those big innings that they’re so capable of.
* IAC Large (Championship on Thursday, May 15 at Wells College). The top two teams are both in the South, as Edison and Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour have split two one-run games. The most recent was on Friday, as Amy Field collected an RBI single in the top of the 7th for the game winning run, and WG/O-M won 6-5. Edison won the first matchup 7-6 back on April 9, as they took a 7-1 lead into the 6th and held on after a late charge almost handed the game away. Edison has shown how great of a program they are time and time again, so give lots of credit to WG/O-M for hanging with them pitch-for-pitch. The difference could be a 6-3 loss by WG/O-M to Spencer-Van Etten/Candor on Tuesday. Edison still has two games left vs. SVEC. The North is closer, with Lansing and Whitney Point emerging as the top two. Lansing won the first matchup 5-1 on April 9, and the rematch will be on Friday. Whitney Point struggled in the three games vs. Edison and WG/O-M (2 vs. Edison, 1 vs. WG/O-M), getting shut out all three times. Lansing also went 0-3, but did give WG/O-M a much better game on April 30, getting edged 11-9.
* MAC (Semi-finals on Tuesday, May 13; Championship on Thursday, May 15; all at higher seeds). In this league, everything starts with Deposit-Hancock, who are again enjoying a terrific season. In their eight games vs. MAC opponents, they have yet to surrender a run. They have one of the best players in the state, Addison Makowski, who has just been filthy in the circle. But, they also have Aubrey Smith, who’s pitched more than people realize, and a defense that has more than done their fair share in maintaining all of these shutouts. Bainbridge-Guilford looks to be right behind, as they have bounced back from a season opening loss to Delhi to win their next six league games. It’s great to see Afton playing competitive games again. If you know the history of Section IV softball, you know the dynasty they built, starting in the late 1980s, and again from roughly 1995-2015. They’ve endured some lean years recently, but have had some solid wins recently, including a 14-9 win over Delhi. Speaking of which, Delhi could sneak in behind a 4-0 start to the season, though they have been scuffling a bit since. Two other teams to keep an eye on are Greene and Oxford. Greene earned the always important head-to-head win on April 9, 10-2. Oxford has played very well since then, with one-run wins over Delhi and Afton.
* Delaware (Championship on Thursday, May 15 at Neahwa Park in Oneonta). The two teams that jump off the page are Windham-Ashland-Jewett and Charlotte Valley/Schenevus. If their game on Thursday is an indication, a league championship between the two will be another doozy. W-A-J won 2-0 behind an amazing 17 strikeouts from Hannah Tuttle, who has established herself as one of the best in a pitching-rich Section IV. Brinlee Wright countered with 11 strikeouts. The difference was a solo home run by Tuttle in the 1st and an RBI groundout by Catherine Coe in the 4th. Also lurking is Roxbury/Gilboa, who have run off six straight victories. What’s working against them is two early season losses to W-A-J and CV/S, which could very well come back to haunt them.
* Tri-Valley (Semi-finals on Monday, May 12 at higher seeds; Championship on Thursday, May 15 at TBD). Richfield Springs has taken care of all Tri-Valley competitors thus far, as their only losses on the season were a pair of non-leaguers to Union Springs, who are one of the best teams in the state. A 7-0 win on April 14 over Morris/Edmeston jumps out, along with a pair of victories over Cherry Valley-Springfield/Sharon Springs. Morris/Edmeston is an interesting team in that their wins and losses have mostly been blowouts. A lot of that can be traced back to their All-State pitcher Hannah Wist being in the lineup. She missed a handful of games early on, but recently played and contributed on both sides of the field in wins over Cherry Valley-Springfield/Sharon Springs and Franklin. Laurens/Milford and CV-S/SS are also lurking, as they’ve split their two games.
* Here is where I both list the big games this week and also warn that the weather looks lousy. So, as usual, please check your team’s Aktivate (Schedule Galaxy) page for all the latest updates. A game played on turf is much more likely to get in compared to an all-dirt infield.
- Monday: Elmira at Corning, Owego at Waverly, Edison at Spencer-Van Etten/Candor, Elmira Notre Dame at Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour, Charlotte Valley/Schenevus at Delhi, Richfield Springs at Cherry Valley-Springfield/Sharon Springs
- Tuesday: Elmira Notre Dame at Whitney Point, Bainbridge-Guilford at Deposit-Hancock, Laurens/Milford at Morris/Edmeston
- Wednesday: Owego at Chenango Valley, Susquehanna Valley at Windsor, Bainbridge-Guilford at Greene
- Thursday: Maine-Endwell at Vestal, Deposit-Hancock at Oxford, Laurens/Milford at Richfield Springs
- Friday: Corning at Horseheads, Waverly at Owego, Union-Endicott at Susquehanna Valley, Whitney Point at Lansing, Union Springs at Moravia, Morris/Edmeston at Laurens/Milford
- Saturday: Vestal vs. Chenango Valley and Owego vs. Chenango Valley at Greenlight Park, Delhi at Roxbury/Gilboa
* Bring an umbrella, a raincoat, and some galoshes to the field this week and watch some softball!
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4/27/25
We’re back for another edition of the blog. It was Spring Break for many schools this week, but still plenty of action to review.
* The Mary Testa Tournament took place at various sites on Saturday, with only the three games at Union-Endicott getting rained out (U-E, Tioga, Cohoes). The other sites (Windsor, Waverly, Susquehanna Valley, and Maine-Endwell) are all blessed with turf fields, which makes getting these games in during the wet weather much more plausible. It goes to show that while many people are not a fan of the turf revolution, when you’re trying to play softball/baseball in New York, it’s the way to go. One rainstorm is often all it takes to ruin all-dirt infields, while on turf, it’s just a momentary distraction.
* Corning split a pair of Testa games in Windsor. After taking care of the Black Knights to start the day, they dropped a close 1-0 game to Webster Schroeder. If that team looks somewhat familiar, they are the ones who defeated Vestal in 2022 for the Class A State Championship. In this one, an error and three walks led to the only run of the game, as WS pitcher Liana DeValder went the distance in a one-hitter with 12 strikeouts. Matti Johnston took the tough-luck loss, as the run was unearned. She only surrendered two hits. In the opener, it was Emelia Smith who earned the win, tossing a two-hit shutout. Corning is 9-2 on the season, and has only lost to teams out of Section IV. They had a busy week with five games, with the biggest victories being a dominant 17-5 win over Horseheads on Tuesday, and after a win over Johnson City the next day, played the third straight day and beat Edison 5-0 on Thursday. Johnston threw a one-hitter in the Edison win. The reigning Class AAA State Champions continue to challenge themselves with high-level competition, and the results show that they are hungry for another title.
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* Maine-Endwell defended their home turf with a pair of lopsided wins: 17-1 over Oneonta and 19-2 over Canandaigua. They also played five games this week, going 4-1. They edged Union-Endicott 3-1 on Tuesday and shut out Windsor 12-0 on Friday. In between, they hit the road to Horseheads and lost 12-3. In the Horseheads loss, it was their defense that let them down with four errors, leading to only four of the runs being earned. This upcoming week, they are only scheduled to have one game, a home tilt vs. Vestal. These two programs have a rich history of big wins vs. one another, so it will be fun to see if M-E can stop a team that has won their last five straight.
* Pittsford Sutherland was the big winner in Waverly, as they defeated both Section IV teams. Elmira gathered eight hits, but could only muster one run in a 6-1 loss. A five-run 1st for PS effectively put the game away early. In the nightcap, it was a wild 19-17 victory over Waverly. PS got off to another fast start with four runs in the 1st, but Waverly came out swinging with 14 hits. Maddie Cron went 4-for-5 with a homer, double, three RBIs, and six runs. Hannah Carpenter also hit a home run and drove in four on the day. Shaky defense from both sides didn’t do them any favors, as each had five errors. In the first game, Elmira pounded Waverly 17-2 behind a six-run 1st and five-run 6th. The bottom four of the order did the most damage (Ryleigh Ogden, Madelynn Cavalier, Madison Smith, and Marley Devlin) combining for eight hits, eight RBIs, and nine runs.
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* The main event of the day was perhaps in Susquehanna Valley, with three great programs tangling for competitive games. Susquehanna Valley started the day with a solid 4-1 victory over Abington Heights of Pennsylvania. Danica LaBarre collected a pair of hits, and leadoff hitter Rianne Moelder drove in a pair of runs. LilliOnna D’Introno worked around some wildness with eight walks, but still only surrendered two hits and one unearned run. The second game saw AH hand Deposit-Hancock their first loss of the season in a close 10-9, 8-inning game. In the 8th, a leadoff walk came back to haunt D-H, as Eva Kane scored on a groundout, and Kadyn Appley was stranded at 2nd with nobody out for D-H to end it. The last game was one many were looking forward to, as two of the best in Section IV and in the state clashed. Defense was the difference, as a wild throw to first in the 2nd inning was all D-H would need in the 1-0 win. Addison Makowski, who did not pitch in the first game, struck out 10 in a four-hitter. D’Introno struck out eight and only gave up three hits, so both pitchers were at the top of their games. Thank the brand new turf at SV for allowing these games to get in, as it would have been unlikely on the dirt infield in the past.
* As mentioned before, one of the teams that didn’t get to play was Tioga. They have quietly put together another great season at 7-1. Their only loss was a non-league game against Athens, PA. They’ve scored double-digits in six of their seven wins, including a 19-10 win over Southern Cayuga on Tuesday. We all remember the run Union Springs went on last year, all the way to the State Semi-finals after downing Tioga 16-1 in the Section IV Class C Championship. What might get forgotten is that a couple of weeks before that, Tioga defeated Union Springs 5-4 in the IAC Small School Championship on a walk-off double by McKenzie Williams. Union Springs has gone 14-1 since that point, including 10-0 this season. Tioga is scheduled to visit Union Springs on Monday, which will be a great test for both. Union Springs is coming off of a 3-0 week, destroying Newfield and Groton (twice) by a combined score of 51-1. Paityn Delaney threw a 5-inning perfect game on Friday with 10 strikeouts over Groton. Both teams are playing very well, so it will be interesting to see who comes out on top.
* Believe it or not, we are entering the final couple of weeks of regular season action, with league playoffs for STAC, IAC (Large and Small School), MAC, Delaware, and Tri-Valley taking place the week of May 12. (Go to the bottom of the home page on the website for a full list of dates for league, section, and state playoffs.) Next week, we’ll take a look at which teams could be competing for league supremacy.
* Here’s a look at some big games for this week:
- Monday: Horseheads at Union-Endicott, Susquehanna Valley at Waverly, Tioga at Union Springs, Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour at Whitney Point, Deposit-Hancock at Greene, South Kortright at Roxbury/Gilboa, Richfield Springs at Charlotte Valley/Schenevus
- Tuesday: Spencer-Van Etten/Candor at Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour, Charlotte Valley/Schenevus at South Kortright
- Wednesday: Horseheads at Elmira, Chenango Valley at Waverly, Moravia at Tioga
- Thursday: Vestal at Maine-Endwell, Windham-Ashland-Jewett at Charlotte Valley/Schenevus
- Friday: Corning at Union-Endicott, Owego at Elmira, Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour at Union Springs, Sidney at Bainbridge-Guilford, Laurens/Milford at Cherry Valley-Springfield/Sharon Springs, Richfield Springs at Morris/Edmeston
- Saturday: Morabito Tournament at Greenlight Park (Horseheads vs, Fredonia, Edison vs. Ardsley, Deposit-Hancock vs. Albertus Magnus, followed by one more game each), Cayuga Tournament (Southern Cayuga, Union Springs, Port Byron, Weedsport), Calhoun Classic (Charlotte Valley/Schenevus vs. Walton/Downsville, Worcester vs. Laurens/Milford), Vestal vs. West Genesee at Camden, South Kortright at Windham-Ashland-Jewett
- Sunday: Morabito Tournament at Greenlight Park (Horseheads, Edison, Deposit-Hancock play two games each)
* Lots of great action to go watch this week!
4/20/25
Happy Easter, and welcome back to the blog! It wasn’t the greatest week for the weather, but still plenty of action to dive into.
* Before we get to all of that, a plea for those of you running Gamechanger. First of all, thank you. It makes being a fan much easier to follow along or check box scores at night in a day and age where opening up the newspaper the following morning and looking at this stuff is a thing of the past. From what I can tell, many Section IV teams have a GC and are regularly using them.
If there’s one thing I would change, it’s unlocking access to game videos for everyone to see. I mentioned this on my X account during the week, but it’s a bit of a letdown when you see Team A vs. Team B, but the video is locked to only approved members. Maybe the people who set up the streams don’t realize it is locked, so if that’s you, please check the settings so everyone can view. Then again, maybe it’s a scouting thing, as teams don’t want future opponents picking up any tendencies about them. I get it to a point, but do you know what other high school sports are streamed that aren’t locked? Football, basketball, soccer, field hockey, volleyball, lacrosse, flag football, and possibly other sports that I’m not thinking of. If those sports can be viewed by everyone, then softball (and baseball) should be too.
* Susquehanna Valley is off to a red hot start at 4-0, outscoring their opponents 46-0. One of the wins was 5-0 over Owego, who came in 6-0. In that game, LilliOnna D’Introno struck out 10 in a four-hitter. Here’s an eye-popping stat: she’s given up five hits all season. Four vs. Owego, one vs. Windsor, and two no-hitters vs. Chenango Forks and Norwich. She has 52 strikeouts in 25 innings, and obviously a 0.00 ERA since the Sabers have yet to surrender a run. She’s also only a junior, so it’s interesting to think that the best is yet to come. SV ended last season with a Section IV Class B Championship, and were one good inning away from winning a Regional Final over Marcellus, but unraveled a bit in the final inning, denying them a chance to compete at State Championship weekend. In addition to D’Introno, they have a whole lot of talent around her in Kylee Richardson (already a three-time All-State selection and just a junior), Danica LaBarre, Kiana Cipolla, Julia Ricci, and Rianne Moelder, among others. You could say that there’s a chip on their shoulders as they want to prove that they are the best in the state.
* Union Springs, the reigning Section IV Class C champs, have raced out to a 7-0 start, with their average margin of victory at over 13 runs/game. Their closest game was an 11-6 win over Moravia in which they started the game down 4-0, but eventually pulled ahead in the 4th and didn’t look back. Just like last year, pitching is divided between Gracie Chalupnicki and Paityn Delaney. That’s a heck of a 1-2 punch. Thus far, Chalupnicki has started five of the seven games, and the results are 59 K’s in 31 innings, and a no-hitter in a 23-0 win over Newark Valley. The offense has scored in single digits only once, as Chalupnicki has led the way with 20 hits. Abbi Tracey has driven in 19 runs and has four triples. Ella Dougherty has 12 RBIs and scored 13 runs. As pointed out last week, they went all the way to the State Semi-final last year without a senior on the roster. The competition is even tougher this year with Deposit-Hancock added to Class C, but so far, the Wolves are playing like a team on a mission.
* Corning and Horseheads enjoyed some time playing in Myrtle Beach at the Grand Strand Classic. Corning had a very strong run, winning their first two games over Langley, VA and James Madison, VA, respectively. In their last game, they dropped a narrow 2-1 game to undefeated, 11-0 McLean, VA, a team that features players with Division 1 commitments to Illinois and Coastal Carolina. To be within an eyelash of winning that game as well is very impressive. Horseheads got off to a great start with a 12-4 victory over Central Valley, SC. Reagan Burge and Chloe Perritt combined for the win in the circle, and Megan Wolf, Caitlin Yearick, and Aubrey Howe each collected two hits. They ended up falling in their final two games, but to get away from your normal opponents and test yourself against great teams from other states will pay off in the long run. Horseheads visits Corning on Monday, which will be a great game.
* In the STAC Central, Chenango Valley and Owego appear to be heading on a collision course for the top spot. Owego was covered last week when they were 5-0, and ended up going 2-1 this week with wins over Seton and Chenango Forks sandwiched around their loss to Susquehanna Valley. Chenango Valley started the season with a loss to Horseheads, but have since won their next four straight, all by blowout. Most recently, they defeated Waverly 13-1, with a 10-run 3rd inning being the difference. Waverly entered that game at 4-1 and looking to make a statement win. Early on, the top four of their order in Colsten Beers, Amelia Paske, Makenzi Reinhard, and Caelyn Koch are leading the team in nearly every statistical category, as each are hitting above or near .500, and are getting on base in well over half of their plate appearances. Two of those players, Beers and Reinhard, were key players in CV’s run to the State Championship game when they were freshman in 2022, so they have plenty of big game experience. Like Union Springs, they did not have one senior on their roster last year, so it’s a team that played a lot of softball together and learned how to gel. The competition for the Warriors will be good this week with road games at Johnson City and Vestal. It will also be interesting to see them matchup against great pitchers like Carsten Crawford of Owego and D’Introno from SV a little later this season.
* This Saturday is one of the best days of the Section IV season, the Mary Testa Tournament, held across various sites. It’s always an adventure with the weather, but with many of these games being played on turf, hopefully they can be all be played. The game that perhaps jumps off the page the most is SV vs. D-H, featuring one of the best pitching matchups in the state – D’Introno vs. Addison Makowski. Here is the full schedule:
- at Union-Endicott: Union-Endicott vs. Tioga, 10:00 am; Tioga vs. Cohoes, noon; Union-Endicott vs. Cohoes, 2:00
- at Maine-Endwell: Maine-Endwell vs. Oneonta, 10:00 am; Oneonta vs. Canandaigua, noon; Maine-Endwell vs. Canandaigua, 2:00
- at Susquehanna Valley (on their brand new turf field): Susquehanna Valley vs. Abington Heights, PA, 10:00 am; Abington Heights, PA vs. Deposit-Hancock, noon; Susquehanna Valley vs. Deposit-Hancock, 2:00
- at Waverly: Waverly vs. Elmira, 10:00 am; Elmira vs. Pittsford Sutherland, noon; Waverly vs. Pittsford Sutherland, 2:00
- at Windsor: Windsor vs. Webster Schroeder and Corning vs. Edison, 11:00 am; Consolation and Championship, 1:00 (this is the only place where there are four teams)
* This week is Spring Break for some teams, so start times could be during the day, while others are back to school and at their normal times. As always, check your team’s schedule on Aktivate to confirm. Here’s a look at some of the big games:
- Monday: Horseheads at Corning, Tioga at Southern Cayuga
- Tuesday: Union-Endicott at Maine-Endwell, Vestal at Johnson City, Morris/Edmeston at Charlotte Valley/Schenevus
- Wednesday: Maine-Endwell at Horseheads, Chenango Valley at Vestal
- Thursday: Edison at Corning, Oneonta at Bainbridge-Guilford, Morris/Edmeston vs. Charlotte Valley/Schenevus at Cooperstown All-Star Village
- Friday: Chenango Valley at Johnson City
- Saturday: Mary Testa Tournament across various sites (see full schedule above), Vestal vs. Scranton Prep at Greenlight Networks Park, Watkins Glen vs. Bolivar Richburg at Waterloo Tournament, Bainbridge-Guilford at Marathon Tournament, Windham-Ashland-Jewett vs. Ravena at Greenville Tournament
* Looks like 60s this week, so get out there and watch some softball!
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4/13/25
Every Section IV team is now on the board, so it’s time to fire up the first edition of the 2025 blog!
Let’s take a look at the early action around Section IV, as everyone battles this beautiful, majestic weather that we’ve all been dealt…
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* Our two reigning state champions are off to flawless starts and have largely been untested. Corning won the first ever Class AAA State Championship last June, and have picked up right where they left off with wins over Maine-Endwell, Williamson, PA, and Elmira by combined scores of 41-4. They actually started the season with a wild game vs. Vestal in which it was tied 12-12 heading into extra innings, but was called due to darkness. They’ll have to restart the game from the beginning hopefully sometime soon. In the Maine-Endwell win, a leadoff infield single by pitcher Matti Johnston soon led to five runs thanks to a mixture of hits, walks, sacrifices, and some shaky M-E defense for a quick 5-0 lead. Johnston ended up with 10 punchouts. The win over Elmira was more of the same, as constant traffic on the bases once again put the Hawks up 5-0 en route to a 16-3 victory. They now will play three games in the Grand Strand Classic in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Not a bad way to spend Spring Break!
* Deposit-Hancock, the Class D state champions who are bumped up to Class C this year, have a pair of 16-0 wins under their belts. Addison Makowski started things off with a no-hitter on 12 strikeouts over Unatego, then Aubrey Smith followed that up with a nine-strikeout, four-hit performance in a shutout over Sidney. The offense is (obviously) clicking, led by Amanda Ray with seven hits and seven RBIs through two games, Sarah Gross with six hits, one homer, and five runs scored, and Pagen Macumber with five RBIs and Kayden Appley with four. Once again, while the dominant pitching jumps off the page, it’s an entire team effort that carries D-H so far every season.
* Something that will be very interesting to keep track of is the potential Section IV Championship matchup in Class C. Union Springs (off to a 4-0 start) won it last year, their first in school history, before advancing all the way to the State Semi-final. And, they did it without one senior on their roster. Now they’re a year older, a year wiser, a year better, and all of that. But, they also have to deal with D-H this season, which is quite the roadblock. On paper, Union Springs vs. Deposit-Hancock would be an exciting championship game. However, that’s why games are played on the field, and not on paper. There’s still plenty of teams that can emerge between now and then.
* Owego is off to a 5-0 start with some non-league wins to start the season, then three over their STAC opponents. Pitching has been a huge reason why, as Carsten Crawford has struck out 43 over 24 innings. Miley Laubach had a walk-off, suicide squeeze bunt to defeat Windsor 6-5 on Wednesday, and she leads the River Hawks with nine hits and eight RBIs (tied with Joslyn Space). They have a home game vs. Susquehanna Valley on Tuesday, which will be a good test for both. SV has only played once this year, a 9-0 win over Chenango Forks in which LilliOnna D’Introno tossed a no-hitter with an incredible 20 strikeouts. Putting up any kind of offense against her is always a challenge.
* Two teams making noise in the IAC South Large division are Edison and Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour. They played once already, and it was a doozy. The game started off looking like a runaway for Edison, as they built a 7-1 advantage going into the 6th. That’s when the Storm (as the WG/O-M combined team is nicknamed) woke up, scoring a run, and then four more in the 7th before running out of steam and losing 7-6. Even in the loss, it was an impressive display from the Storm, as Edison had won their first three games by a combined score of 58-0. The Storm then improved their record to 4-1 with an 18-1 takedown of Elmira Notre Dame. Paige Ells tossed a no-hitter in the five-inning mercy rule win. They will next meet on May 2, a game that will be one to circle.
* Over in the Delaware League, two undefeated teams to start off are the combined Charlotte Valley/Schenevus squad (5-0) and Windham-Ashland-Jewett (4-0). CV/S has a couple of wins over MAC schools in Greene and Harpursville, a Tri-Valley win over Worcester, and two wins in their own division over Hunter-Tannersville and Roxbury/Gilboa. The Greene victory was the closest, as the game was knotted 3-3 heading into the 8th. CV/S scored a pair on an RBI groundout from Josie Butler, and Abby Vroman scoring on a wild pitch. Greene fought back when Cali Knapp scored on an error in the bottom half, but a strikeout and flyout ended the threat. CV/S then had three straight shutout wins before a 12-2 win over Roxbury/Gilboa on Friday. W-A-J has been terrific, with all four wins by double-digits. Hannah Tuttle has been sensational in the circle. She started the season off with a 5-inning no-hitter in a 15-1 win over Cairo-Durham, striking out 14. She also punched out 13 over Middleburgh and 17 over H-T. Kylie Jordan picked up the W in an 18-2 win over Margaretville, showing the team’s depth. With pitching like that, it has to feel good to know that you have a chance to compete in every game. W-A-J at CV/S is scheduled for May 1.
* The Tri-Valley teams haven’t seen a lot of games yet, as each has only played two or three. One of the bigger matchups to start the season was Morris/Edmeston defeating Cherry Valley-Springfield/Sharon Springs 7-3. Hannah Wist missed the first game, a crazy 35-20 win over Franklin, and returned to strikeout 14 over CV-S/SS. Playing at a smaller school, she might not get quite the recognition as someone at a bigger school, but her resume speaks for itself. She is a four-time All-State selection who is committed to play soccer at Canisius in the fall. One more selection puts her in some rare air, as only eight players have been selected five times in Section IV history, most recently by Makenzie Stiles of Deposit and Paige Rauch of Windsor and Binghamton (now the head coach at Chenango Valley). Richfield Springs is also 2-0 after defeating Laurens/Milford 13-5. Issy Seamon has four RBIs and Riley Constantinetis added three.
* It’s now time to look ahead at some of the games that jump off the page this week. As usual, they are subject to change, so you should constantly be checking the team’s Aktivate (Schedule Galaxy) page for the latest updates, even minutes before the game:
- Monday: Waverly at Chenango Valley, Edison at Whitney Point, Tioga at Southern Cayuga
- Tuesday: Susquehanna Valley at Owego, Laurens/Milford at Cherry Valley-Springfield/Sharon Springs
- Wednesday: Maine-Endwell at Vestal, Edison at Lansing, Delhi at Oneonta, Laurens/Milford at Morris/Edmeston
- Thursday: Bainbridge-Guilford at Afton, Cherry Valley-Springfield/Sharon Springs at Richfield Springs
- Friday: Waverly at Maine-Endwell
- Saturday: Deposit-Hancock vs. Elmira and Vestal vs. Elmira at Greenlight Park (doubleheader)
* Get out there and enjoy some softball this week!