2026 Section IV Blog
5/31/26
Championship Saturday at Greenlight Park has come and gone, and what a day it was! Let’s recap all six Section IV Championship games.
Class AAA Championship: #1 Corning 12 - #2 Elmira 3. For the 4th straight year (once in AA, three times in AAA), Corning got the better of their STAC West counterpart in downing Elmira for the AAA title. Taking a 1-0 lead into the 3rd inning, Matti Johnston scored her second run of the day on a Sophie Schoonover single, followed by a 2-run homer from Hannah Kauffman to make it 4-0. The runs kept coming in the 4th. Johnston stroked an RBI double, then Schoonover and Emilia Smith launched back-to-back home runs to jump up 8-0. Lauren DeRosa got in on the fun with a 2-run bomb in the 5th. Down 12-0 in the 7th, give Elmira credit for not going down with a whimper, as they were able to score three runs and chase Johnston from the game. Ava Cornacchio and Rylee Gonzalez each drove in runs with singles, and Grace Romeo scored on a passed ball. Smith relieved Johnston and got Annabelle Decker to line out to Schoonover at 3rd to end it. The Express came in as a longshot to upset Corning, and unfortunately for them, just could not get their offense going against the excellent pitching of Corning before it was too late. The top and bottom of the order in Cornacchio (2 hits, 1 run, 1 RBI) and Romeo (3 hits, 1 run) are both back next year, so that’s a good place to start. Both of their pitchers in Madi Smith and Aleida Agosto are graduating, and if you want to slay a dragon like Corning, it needs to start in the circle. Cornacchio pitched in 10 games this year, so perhaps she will take the bulk of the innings next year. Corning will look ahead to the NYSPHSAA Subregional vs. Newburgh Free Academy of Section IX on Tuesday at Greenlight Park. As Coach Mike Johnston pointed out in a postgame interview, they will look to be cleaner on the bases, which is a facet of the game that has separated the Hawks from the competition over the years.
Class AA Championship: #1 Vestal 5 - #2 Horseheads 4 in 9 innings. Last year’s game between these two was wild and seemingly hard to top. But perhaps it was topped this year, as a 1-1 game in the 7th quickly turned into a 4-4 tie entering extra innings, before Natalie Frobel’s walk-off single won it for Vestal. For much of the game, Horseheads’ Reagan Burge and Vestal’s Erin Gowe were simply fantastic, as neither team could get much of anything going. Scoreless entering the 4th, Vestal led off with consecutive singles by Gowe and Aubrey Rogers. After KayLynn Tanton took a walk with one out, Rachel Ouimette brought in a run with an RBI groundout to make it 1-0. Horseheads struck back in the 6th on the first of two home runs on the day by Caitlyn Yearick (more on her second homer shortly). At 1-1 entering the 7th, it sure seemed like we would go to extras with each pitcher locked in. Well, it did go to extra innings, but maybe not the way people thought. That’s because Horseheads, playing as the away team, put two on from a Kolby Chaffee double and Grace Cronin walk. Yearick then demolished a three-run bomb to right with two down to take the 4-1 lead. It sure looked like that lead would hold up in the bottom half, especially when Tanton got overaggressive and thrown out at home for the first out. With two down, Tilly MacNamee plated a run with a single, then Maggie Costello delivered a two-run homer to dead center, shocking the Blue Raiders and tying it at 4-4. A scoreless 8th led to the 9th, where a leadoff single by Emma Annunziata started the Vestal rally before Frobel’s walk-off single with two outs ended it. Horseheads got about as close as you can in defending their Class AA title, but just fell an out short. Burge was terrific in the circle, as the lefty held a powerful Vestal offense scoreless for six of the nine innings. She will be back for her senior year, as will young talent like Presley McInnis, Reese O'Herron, and Aubrey Maticic. With a program like Horseheads, there are always players ready to step in and contribute at a high level. They will absolutely miss Yearick, who is bound for St. John’s in the fall. She drove in all four runs on two home runs and a double. About the only box left to check for Vestal is winning a State Championship, as they have made it twice but lost both times. Their path starts on Tuesday in the NYSPHSAA Subregional, as they take on North Tonawanda from Section VI. With a pitcher like Gowe and an offense that can strike at any point, they will be a serious threat going forward.
Class A Championship: #1 Maine-Endwell 3 - #3 Oneonta 1. One of the quickest games of the day came here, as Maine-Endwell made it four straight A Championships, and five of the last six. A lot of that had to do with the two pitchers. One is a junior who already has plenty of big-game experience (M-E’s Tessa L’Amoreaux) and the other is only in 7th grade, yet already making plenty of noise (Oneonta’s Carley Mistler). Maine-Endwell struck first in the 1st, as L’Amoreaux led off with a single, advanced to 3rd after a groundout and passed ball, and scored on Harper Eagan’s fielder’s choice. In the 3rd, an error with two-outs led to the 2nd run, as Kaylee Hurba reached and scored on Eagan’s RBI single. Oneonta kept battling, as they sliced their deficit in half in the 5th. Leading off, Desiree Wheeler singled and Kendall LeFever walked. After a passed ball advanced both to scoring position with one down, Wheeler came home on Julie Ferriera-Reyes’s sacrifice fly to make it 2-1. M-E got that run right back in the bottom half, as L’Amoreaux’s RBI single scored Emma Rondeau, who singled leading off. The Yellowjackets tried to rally in the 7th. Kendall LeFever walked with two down, but she was doubled off of 1st on a lineout for a game ending double play. Even in the loss, Oneonta has a lot to be proud of. This game had the recipe for a possible blowout, as it pitted a team with plenty of big game experience vs. one that is on this stage for the first time. None of that mattered to Oneonta, however. They played hard from the start and showed they belonged among Section IV’s best. Mistler is already a threat in the circle, and to think that she still has five years ahead of her is bad news for the rest of the section. They will miss seniors Logan Jipson and Desiree Wheeler, who both contributed in the sectional wins over Chenango Valley and Waverly. The 3-5 hitters in this game of Jenevie Gallusser, Kylie Carr, and Alaina Brown are only sophomores, so there’s plenty of firepower back next year. Maine-Endwell reached the State Semi-final last year, and have many of those same names back looking to take the next step this year. It all starts with a NYSPHSAA Subregional vs. Section VIII’s Seaford on Tuesday at Greenlight Park. The Spartans can win games by pitcher’s duals and by scoring in bunches. They look as ready as they can be.
Class B Championship: #1 Susquehanna Valley 8 - #2 Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour 3. When you look at this score, you might think that it was SV in cruise control the whole game. Not so. WG/O-M took an early 2-0 lead and put a scare into the defending champs. Sisters Keira and Paige Ells started things off with a single and walk in the 1st. An error advanced both of them ahead a base, and both soon scored on RBI groundouts from Amy Field and Brooklynn Thompson. SV tied it up when Rianne Moelder walked and came around to score on an error, and Kylee Richardson singled and scored on an RBI groundout from LilliOnna D’Introno. From there, SV settled down and gradually extended their advantage to 6-2 in the 4th. Kiana Cipolla collected an RBI single, Danica LaBarre scored on an error, and Amelia Frisbie and Richardson both stroked RBI doubles. WG/O-M scored their final run of the day on an RBI double from Paige Ells in the 5th to make it 6-3. Frisbie and Richardson slammed the door shut right after. Frisbie had another RBI double and Richardson launched a solo shot to make it 8-3. After a bumpy 1st inning, D’Introno went on to surrender only one more run the rest of the way, striking out 12. The offense was led by Frisbie and Richardson, who combined for four extra-base hits. WG/O-M did not show any jitters playing on this stage for the first time, which was especially impressive when playing against a veteran team like Susquehanna Valley. They came out swinging and made SV work hard to defeat them. Coach Shannon Ells has both of his daughters back next year, Paige and Keira. That’s great news for them, and not so great news for everyone else. Plenty of other talent are on their way back as well in Lauren Signor, Sydnee McCormick, Field, and Thompson. Their run is just getting started. Susquehanna Valley will look to get past the Regional stage of the State Tournament. They will take on Norwood-Norfolk in the NYSPHSAA Subregional on Tuesday at Greenlight Park. They certainly have the pieces to put it all together and keep the season going.
Class C Championship: #1 Deposit-Hancock 3 - #2 Union Springs 2. The thought coming into this game was that two “small school” teams, who are both recent Section IV and League Champions, would play an entertaining game that would go down to the very end. Check! A fast start by Union Springs led to some nervous moments for the reigning champs, who were on the ropes until tying the game in the 5th and walking it off in the 7th. Union Springs put an immediate scare into D-H as the away team. Paityn Delaney led off with a walk and soon made her way to 3rd before scoring on a sacrifice fly RBI from Gracie Chalupnicki. Abbi Tracy, fresh off a five-RBI game vs. Southern Cayuga in the Semi-final, continued her hot streak with a solo homer, and just like that, it was 2-0. Offense was hard to come by for both teams the next several innings, as any threat was extinguished by pitchers Chalupnicki and D-H’s Aubrey Smith. In the 5th, Union Springs shot themselves in the foot, as their defense let them down. Emma Tice singled leading off, and scored the Eagles’ first run on an errant throw to 1st. Pagan Macumber tied the game on an RBI single to score Olivia Johnston, and it was a new game at 2-2. Union Springs had their last serious threat in the 6th when Lilliana Paul hit a leadoff single. With one out, Jordan Diemer relieved and induced a lineout double play to end the inning. It remined 2-2 until the 7th, when Teeghan Tarbox, hitting in the final spot of the order, singled to start the threat against new pitcher Delaney. Another error put runners on the corners. With one out, Tarbox scampered home on a wild pitch, and that was the ballgame. When two evenly matched teams go at it, the one with the last at-bat usually has a slight edge. That proved to be the case here, as Deposit-Hancock earning the #1 seed paid dividends. Union Springs can be proud of their effort, as very few teams are capable of perhaps being a play or two away from beating D-H. The margin of error is so thin, so the four errors committed was just a bit too much to overcome. They will see Delaney and Chalupnicki both graduate, and both have left their marks on the program. That’s a lot of innings, strikeouts, and wins they brought to the Wolves. Tracy is also graduating, and what a punch she provided to the offense. D-H is now 18-0 in the Section IV Tournament, winning their 6th straight title (three each in C and D). After winning three straight Class D State Championships from 2022-2024, they were upset in the Class C State Semi-final last year by Bloomfield. Their journey towards getting back to the mountaintop begins on Friday at Gates-Chili, where they will play a NYSPHSAA Regional Final vs. a team TBD. Playing a tight game where they needed a comeback to beat an excellent team like Union Springs will only pay off for the Eagles in the long run.
Class D Championship: #2 Windham-Ashland-Jewett 3 - #1 Afton 0. The only non-top seed to advance out of Section IV is Windham-Ashland-Jewett, who got another dominating performance from ace Hannah Tuttle to claim their first sectional title. How good was she? Try no hits and 15 strikeouts. That’s how good. One game after Afton put up 22 runs in crushing Edmeston/Morris, the team that won Class D last year, the Crimson Knights could only muster three baserunners all game on two walks and an error. Obviously, they weren’t going to score that many runs again, but to no-hit a team that just had 22 runs and 17 hits two days ago is extremely impressive. Lost in this result was how good Afton’s Jenna Wilson was too, as she only surrendered seven hits and allowed one earned run. She also did not give up a free pass and struck out seven. The game was flying by and scoreless entering the 4th, when W-A-J got a one-out single from Tuttle, who went to 2nd on a wild throw. Kylie Jordan then grounded out to 3rd, but Tuttle didn’t break stride as she raced around to score on the throw to 1st to make it 1-0. In the 5th, Sophia Garzone singled with one down and Hailey Dolan reached on an error. That proved to be huge, as Piper Cohane smacked a two-run double to give Tuttle more than enough run support. Afton never seriously threatened the rest of the way, as their chance for a 23rd Section IV title was denied. The good news for them is that Wilson will be back for her senior year in 2027, and that’s a heck of a good player to build around. The lefty made a name for herself as the season progressed, and should only get better. Adleigh Noone and Megan Racine will also be back. Makenna Schultz played her last game on Saturday, and she had a great year, including three hits and four RBIs in the Semi-final win. W-A-J has already made school history with this win, and they have the pieces to keep it going for another couple of weeks. It starts with a NYSPHSAA Regional Final (no Subregional games in the smaller Class D) vs. Chapel Field Christian of Section IX on Thursday at Monroe-Woodbury. They have the pitching to stay in any game. If the bats come out swinging, they will be a very tough team to beat.
5/28/26
12 teams are left standing in Section IV. It’s time for Championship Saturday at Greenlight Park! Let’s take a look at the six matchups.
Class AAA Championship: #1 Corning vs. #2 Elmira (Previewed on blog from 5/19)
Sectional Championship Game History:
Corning (6-4) – 6 championships in 2012, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025
Elmira (0-4)
Times Met in Championship: 4
Corning – 4 wins (2019, 2023, 2024, 2025)
Class AA Championship: #1 Vestal vs. #2 Horseheads (Previewed on blog from 5/19)
Sectional Championship Game History:
Vestal (10-9) – 10 championships in 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1995, 2003, 2005, 2019, 2022, 2024
Horseheads (14-17) – 14 championships in 1983, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2018, 2022, 2025
Times Met in Championship: 7
Horseheads – 2 wins in 1983, 2025
Vestal – 5 wins in 1978, 1995, 2003, 2005, 2024
Class A Championship: #1 Maine-Endwell vs. #3 Oneonta. For the first time since 2014, Oneonta finds themselves competing for a Section IV title. That game didn’t go so well, as a powerhouse Windsor downed the Yellowjackets 9-1. Wins in sectionals have been hard to come by since then, including a tight 8-7 loss to Waverly in the Quarterfinal round last year. That all changed this year, as Oneonta rolled by Chenango Valley and picked up a big road win over Waverly to reach the Championship. The heart of the order did the damage against Waverly, as Jenevie Gallusser, Kylie Carr, and Alaina Brown all had two hits, and Desiree Wheeler and Kendall LaFever each drove in three runs right behind them. Maine-Endwell, on the other hand, will be playing in their 6th straight Championship, winning the previous three straight. They rolled right through Owego in the Semi-final, using a 7-run 6th to put the game away for good. All nine hitters recorded hits, with the 3-4 combination of Kaylee Hurba and Harper Eagan proving lethal (5-for-7, 5 runs, 4 RBIs). Hurba added a double and homer. Tessa L’Amoreaux was sensational in the circle, surrendering only two hits and striking out 17. On paper, M-E will come in as the favorite. They have the talent and experience of a State Semi-final run last year that is huge this time of year. Oneonta has their own momentum, as they’ve won six straight and continue to make school history with this deep run in sectionals. The Yellowjackets started off the Waverly win with a 4-0 lead, with the big blow being a Wheeler 3-run bomb. If they can find a way to put some early runs on the board, they can put pressure on the Spartans. What Oneonta cannot do is give up the big inning, as that could be an early knockout punch if they’re not careful. M-E will need to treat this game just like they did vs. Owego, as they came in focused and ready to take care of business.
Sectional Championship Game History:
Maine-Endwell (15-4) – 15 championships in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2106, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025
Oneonta (0-1)
Times Met in Championship: 0
Class B Championship: #1 Susquehanna Valley vs. #2 Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour. Two years ago, Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour went to Greenlight Park (the temporary home for Susquehanna Valley, as their field was getting turf installed) and started the game with a 2-0 lead. The score was knotted at 2-2 before SV put up five runs in the 5th, going on to win 10-5. Last year, WG/O-M took the next step, advancing to the Semi-final and building a 7-0 lead in the 2nd inning against Edison. However, that game ended in heartbreak, as Edison stormed all the way back to win 9-8. Put both of those games together and call it a learning experience, as this season, WG/O-M not only won their first combined IAC Championship (Large School), but are now playing for a Section IV Championship. They did it by defeating Edison for the third time this season in the Semi-final, 5-3. Paige Ells gave up only four hits and one earned run. Keira Ells led the offensive attack with three hits in the leadoff spot, with sister Paige knocking in a pair of runs on a double in the 4th to take the lead for good. With seven straight wins, they’re as ready as can be. They’ll need to be at their best, as they will look to take down SV, winners of the previous two Class B titles, both over Edison. SV bounced back from a STAC Semi-final loss against Vestal to completely shut down Sidney (13-0) and Lansing (10-0). LilliOnna D’Introno has been super sharp, hurling a no-hitter on 16 strikeouts over Sidney, then tossing a two-hitter with eight strikeouts against Lansing. Danica LaBarre hit cleanup and collected three hits with a pair of RBIs in the Lansing win, as D’Introno and Amelia Frisbie also drove in two. Much like the Class A Championship, you have a team that has been there, done that (M-E and SV) against an upstart that has already made program history and looking for more (Oneonta and WG/O-M). What WG/O-M can do is look to Edison last year, as they put up five runs on SV and D’Introno through three innings. That came a year after Edison was blanked 7-0 in the 2024 Championship, so WG/O-M will need to overcome the big stage jitters and come out swinging. SV has a deep lineup with the senior leadership of players like D’Introno, LaBarre, and Kylee Richardson. They will look to complete the Three Peat.
Sectional Championship Game History:
Susquehanna Valley (16-5) – 16 championships in 1983, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2024, 2025
Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour (first appearance as combined program)
(Odessa-Montour is 1-1 with a win in 1982; Watkins Glen is 0-1)
Times Met in Championship: 0
Class C Championship: #1 Deposit-Hancock vs. #2 Union Springs. One year ago, this game was circled as a dream matchup coming into sectionals, as it would have pitted two reigning Section IV Champions from 2024 (Deposit-Hancock in Class D, Union Springs in Class C). While D-H did their part, Union Springs went undefeated all the way until the Semi-final before Tioga pulled the upset. D-H went on to defeat Tioga in the Championship. It may have taken longer than most people thought, but now we get one of the best “small school” matchups you’ll see in New York. D-H rolled through Harpursville and Tioga, and Union Springs took down Delhi and Southern Cayuga. D-H was boosted by a no-hitter from Aubrey Smith in the first game, as she struck out 15. Ivy Tice went yard twice, part of her eight RBI day. Jordan Diemer took the ball and struck out 13 in the win over Tioga. What’s interesting to note is that Smith did not appear in that game, so we’ll see if she’s available on Saturday. Not to be outdone, Union Springs’ Gracie Chalupnicki tossed a no-hitter vs. Delhi with 13 K’s, then handed the ball to Paityn Delaney, who surrendered only six hits and one earned run in a 12-2 victory over Southern Cayuga. Abbi Tracy had a huge day at the plate with a home run, two doubles, and five RBIs. Both teams have dominated the competition this year. D-H won their 4th straight MAC Championship, while Union Springs won their 2nd straight IAC Small School Championship. D-H challenged themselves in tournaments, defeating much bigger schools in Horseheads and Colonie at the Morabito, and bouncing back from a loss against Maine-Endwell to defeat Webster Schroeder in the Mary Testa. Union Springs lost their first game of the season to Tioga and hasn’t looked back since, running off 17 straight wins coming into this game. As the top seed, D-H will get the final at-bat, which could prove key in a game with such a thin margin of error. For longtime Section IV fans, you might recall a couple of Deposit vs. Edmeston games in 2016 and 2017 for the Class D Championship that were both “small school” thrillers. Don’t be surprised to see a similar game here.
Sectional Championship Game History:
Deposit-Hancock (5-0) – 5 championships in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Union Springs (1-1) – 1 championship in 2024
Times Met in Championship: 0
Class D Championship: #1 Afton vs. #2 Windham-Ashland-Jewett. It’s been a minute, but for the first time in 11 years, the team with the most Section IV Championships will be back on the big stage. Following a 22-3 blowout of reigning Class D Champions Edmeston/Morris, Afton will look to win their 23rd sectional title and first since 2013. There was a time when Afton owned the spotlight, starting with four straight titles in the 1980s, and then 16 consecutive from 1995-2010. There’s dominance, and there’s THAT level of dominance. As great as some teams are around here, I’m not sure you’ll ever see something like that again. There were a whole lot of stars in the E/M win, starting with Jenna Wilson’s four-hitter and two hits at the plate. Makenna Schultz had four hits and a walk in the leadoff spot. The 3-5 hitters of Adleigh Noane, Emilie Hopkins, and Megan Rayne combined for eight hits and seven runs scored. So how for real is this offense? Well, we’re about to find out, as waiting in the wings is Hannah Tuttle and undefeated Windham-Ashland-Jewett, looking to win their first ever sectional title in their first appearance. Tuttle has dazzled all season long, from multiple no-hitters to recording nearly all outs via strikeout. She’s been everything W-A-J has hoped for, and then some. The offense can also hold their own, as Piper Cohane, Kylie Jordan, and Mikenzie Schoonmaker each had three hits in the 13-3 Semi-final win over Roxbury/Gilboa. Schoonmaker also won a Tri-Valley title on a walk-off single in the 7th. While W-A-J has gotten plenty of headlines this year, Afton seems to have flown a bit under the radar. That will change if they can end the flawless run of W-A-J and get back into the state tournament, adding to the school’s rich history.
Sectional Championship Game History:
Afton (22-3) – 22 championships in 1976, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013
Windham-Ashland-Jewett (first appearance)
Times Met in Championship: 0
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5/19/26
Just like that, we’re already at sectionals season! League Championships have come and gone, and now it’s all win-or-go-home.
Let’s take a look at all six classes, teams that could make noise, and some of the more intriguing matchups in the Section IV Playoffs.
Class AAA
* Top 2 seeds: Corning, Elmira
* Number of teams qualified: 2
* Championship matchup: #1 Corning vs. #2 Elmira
* Date of game: Championship – 5/30
* 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.” That’s what was written last year, and for the fourth straight year, it’s a battle of STAC West opponents. Corning has claimed the first three, including a 4-0 victory last year. Matti Johnston spun a two-hit shutout and Sophie Schoonover drove in all four runs, which included a triple. This year, Corning brings a sparkling 16-0 record into this game, as they recently dispatched Waverly (7-0) and Vestal (6-0) to win their second straight STAC Championship. This year, the teams have met twice, both lopsided wins by the Hawks. On April 17, Corning jumped up by scores of 5-0 and 12-0 en route to a 17-4 win. Johnston drove in three runs, Lauren DeRosa had four hits, and Keira Brass three from the last spot of the order. The next game on April 23 was closer at the start, but Corning blew it open in the middle innings for a 14-2 win. The 18-hit attack was led by Emilia Smith (four), Katie Grover (three), and Mia Madden (three). Looking at this matchup on paper, it appears to heavily favor Corning, and they’ve earned that. But, the records go from 16-0 and 7-9 to 0-0 for this game. Anything is possible. Take last year, for example. Corning won 4-0, but a closer look at that game shows that the Express loaded the bases with one out in the 7th, but were stranded. Elmira has thrown Ava Cornacchio, Aleida Agosto, and Madison Smith. Perhaps all three could enter this game in order to give Corning different looks. As for Corning, their goal will be to stay in the moment and not start to think too far ahead to the state playoffs. They’ve been able to do that quite well this season.
* All-time sectional records (championships in parenthesis):
#1 Corning: 10-8 (6)
#2 Elmira: 2-12 (0)
Class AA
* Top 2 seeds: Vestal, Horseheads
* Number of teams qualified: 2
* Championship matchup: #1 Vestal vs. #2 Horseheads
* Date of game: Championship – 5/30
* Most intriguing game: #1 Vestal vs. #2 Horseheads. Just like Class AAA, the Class AA bracket is short, sweet, and to the point. It’s also the fourth straight year they’ve met, with three straight in the Championship game. Vestal got the advantage 5-0 in 2024 on their way to a State Semi-final appearance, and Horseheads got them back in a bit of a wacky game last year 7-6. The Blue Raiders ended up falling in the State Championship game. Their one meeting this year was on April 21. After an early 1-0 lead for Horseheads, Vestal got a pair of runs on RBI singles from KayLynn Tanton and Rachel Ouimette to take the lead, then kept it for good in the 5th on an RBI groundout from Aubrey Rogers. Erin Gowe shut the door in the 7th thanks to a double play to end it, as she tallied nine strikeouts and no walks. Reagan Burge wasn’t at her sharpest for Horseheads, surrendering six hits and walking four, but still kept the Vestal offense reasonably in check. One year after Molly Wolf pitched the Blue Raiders to the season’s last day, it’s been more of a starter by committee approach. Rachel O’Herron has thrown the most innings, and considering she didn’t appear in the regular season matchup, it’s reasonable to think she’ll get the ball in this one since Vestal is not nearly as familiar with her. Teams are very familiar with Gowe, not that it matters. She just made two appearances in the STAC Playoffs on May 16, tossing 11 innings, striking out 15, and giving up only nine hits against great competition in Susquehanna Valley and Corning. The Golden Bears might have some revenge in mind after falling just a hair short last year.
* All-time sectional records (championships in parenthesis):
#1 Vestal: 37-38 (10)
#2 Horseheads: 50-32 (14)
Class A
* Top 4 seeds: Maine-Endwell, Waverly, Oneonta, Owego
* Number of teams qualified: 6
* Quarterfinal matchups: #6 Chenango Valley at #3 Oneonta; #5 Johnson City at #4 Owego (Top 2 seeds have byes)
* Semi-final matchups: #1 Maine-Endwell hosts JC/Owego winner; #2 Waverly hosts CV/Oneonta winner
* Dates of games: Quarterfinals – 5/21; Semi-finals – 5/27; Championship – 5/30
* Most intriguing Quarterfinal game: #5 Johnson City at #4 Owego. Here’s a game that matches two STAC teams that don’t cross paths with each other often. Johnson City has gone through a gauntlet of competition, facing off with teams such as Corning, Vestal, and Maine-Endwell. Some of those results have been rough, but there’s also a split vs. Union-Endicott, and a recent win over Dryden that gave the Wildcats the win they needed to qualify. In the 15-0 home win, Juliana Berru-Brown fired a five-inning no-hitter with 10 strikeouts. It came a couple of days after a close 1-0, 8-inning loss at Homer in which Berru-Brown gave up only three hits. If she’s on her game, the road team has to like their chances. JC is looking for their first sectional win since 2016 when they beat Owego. Speaking of Owego, they’ve had an interesting season in which they raced out to a 9-1 record, lost 20-2 to Waverly, bounced back to force a STAC Central Division Tiebreaker game, but dropped it to Waverly 13-3. It should be noted that one of their top players in Carsten Crawford was lost for the season with an unfortunate injury. They have to remember what got them off to such a great start and play with that confidence. Joslyn Space and Emily Sipe have split the pitching duties in Crawford’s absence, so we’ll see which one gets the call in this one. Another interesting tidbit to this game is that Class A rarely has Quarterfinal games played. The last two times? 2016, when Johnson City beat Owego 9-3, and in 2011, when Owego beat JC 5-0.
* Other thoughts: As stated, it’s great to see enough teams qualify for Quarterfinal games in Class A. Two years ago, there were no game as Maine-Endwell won the Championship via cancellation. Maine-Endwell got hot at the end of last season, going all the way to the State Semi-final. Their only losses have been twice to Corning and Vestal, and a non-leaguer against Webster Schroeder. Led by the power of Kaylee Hurba, they have a lineup that can overwhelm their opponents. Waverly might not have been the team you would have picked to be the #2 seed coming into this year, but they have been terrific, especially the stretch with their two dominant victories over Owego. They appeared in their first ever STAC Playoff game, losing to Corning 7-0, but keeping the game scoreless heading into the 4th. Taylin Gonzalez is only a freshman, but does quite a bit for them in the circle and at the plate. Watch out for them. Oneonta has not won a sectional game since 2015, losing their last seven straight. That could change this year, as they’ve earned a home game vs. Chenango Valley, a team they recently dispatched of 13-0 in a Carley Mistler one-hitter. They also went to Johnson City right before and upset the home team 7-4. With four straight wins, they’re as ready as can be. Chenango Valley will play the role of the underdog. They bounced back after the Oneonta defeat to post two straight wins to reach this point. The home team Yellowjackets has not won a sectional game since 2015, and will finally look to reverse the trend after seven straight postseason losses.
* All-time sectional records (championships in parenthesis):
#1 Maine-Endwell: 37-20 (15)
#2 Waverly: 17-29 (1)
#3 Oneonta: 8-20 (0)
#4 Owego: 18-32 (0)
#5 Johnson City: 27-34 (4)
#6 Chenango Valley: 55-30 (8)
Class B
* Top 4 seeds: Susquehanna Valley, Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour, Edison, Lansing
* Number of teams qualified: 8
* Quarterfinal matchups: #8 Sidney at #1 Susquehanna Valley; #7 Whitney Point at #2 Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour; #6 Spencer-Van Etten/Candor at #3 Edison; #5 Windsor at #4 Lansing
* Dates of games: Quarterfinals – 5/21 and 5/26; Semi-finals – 5/28; Championship – 5/30
* Most intriguing Quarterfinal game: #5 Windsor at #4 Lansing. Lansing gets in as the #4 seed after barely losing the IAC Large School Championship to Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour, 7-6. A rally in the last inning produced two runs, but the tying run was stranded on base as the Bobcats ran out of time. Still, they’ve enjoyed a terrific season in which they’ve won five straight before the title game loss. Even though this is an IAC vs. STAC matchup, there actually are two common opponents between the two: Chenango Forks and Whitney Point. Windsor defeated Forks 8-5 on April 15 thanks in part to seven runs in the middle innings with production up and down the lineup. Lansing rolled right through Forks 18-6 on April 24. Liana Newman homered and drove in six runs as part of her big day. Lansing swept both of their games over Whitney Point, while Windsor most recently defeated them 10-4. Windsor will need a strong pitching performance on the road from the likes of Berkley Ingram or Brooke Quick to quiet down the big bats of Piper Mason, Kennedy Perine, Marissa Nolan, and Newman to pull the upset.
* Other thoughts: Susquehanna Valley will enter as the heavy favorites, as they will be looking for the Three Peat in Class B. They have a roster full of big-game experience, led by LilliOnna D’Introno in the circle, and power bats like Kylee Richardson, Rianne Moelder, and Danica LaBarre at the plate. WG/O-M just won their first IAC Championship as a combined program, and get right back to work with IAC opponent Whitney Point. The Storm won both matchups in the regular season. The other IAC matchup is SVEC going to Edison, who will be looking to get into the Class B Championship game for the third straight year. After a close 3-2 Edison win April 13, it was a 10-0 blowout for Edison two weeks later with Hailey Clark tossing a one-hitter with 12 strikeouts. A potential Edison at WG/O-M Semi-final game would be their fourth matchup of the season after WG/O-M won the IAC South Large Division Tiebreaker 8-5 on May 12, which followed a pair of low scoring games earlier in the season.
* All-time sectional records (championships in parenthesis):
#1 Susquehanna Valley: 64-24 (16)
#2 Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour: 2-2 (0)
#3 Edison: 54-28 (7)
#4 Lansing: 41-32 (3)
#5 Windsor: 60-30 (11)
#6 Spencer-Van Etten/Candor: 1-3 (0)
#7 Whitney Point: 15-25 (0)
#8 Sidney: 28-32 (2)
Class C
* Top 4 seeds: Deposit-Hancock, Union Springs, Southern Cayuga, Moravia
* Number of teams qualified: 12
* 1st Round matchups: #12 Oxford at #5 Tioga; #11 Seton at #6 Bainbridge-Guilford; #10 Elmira Notre Dame at #7 Delhi; #9 Harpursville at #8 Greene (Top 4 seeds have byes)
* Quarterfinal matchups: #1 Deposit-Hancock hosts Harpursville/Greene winner; #2 Union Springs hosts Delhi/END winner; #3 Southern Cayuga hosts B-G/Seton winner; #4 Moravia hosts Tioga/Oxford winner
* Dates of games: 1st Round – 5/21; Quarterfinals – 5/26; Semi-finals – 5/28; Championship – 5/30
* Most intriguing 1st Round game: #11 Seton at #5 Bainbridge-Guilford. On the surface, this doesn’t look like much of a matchup. Seton has only two wins this season and B-G just competed for a MAC Championship. But, this is where the magic of sectionals kicks in. Who were those two wins for Seton against? Unatego (7-0 on March 30) and Greene (11-5 on April 24). Yes, those are two MAC teams that B-G regularly faces. B-G split a pair of close games vs. the same two. The win was 7-5 over Greene on May 1; the loss was 9-7 against Unatego on May 11. Give B-G credit for even making a game out of that one, as they were down 9-0 heading into their half of the 4th before a furious comeback. The victory over Greene was tied 5-5 in the 5th before a pair of RBIs from Alessandra Cafasso and Jayslin Henderson gave them the lead for good. Seton does get battle tested during the season facing the likes of Waverly, Owego, Oneonta, and Susquehanna Valley. They put together their most complete game of the year in the Unatego win, as Olivia Nazarenus struck out 14 in a two-hit shutout. Nazarenus, Hayden Buckley, and Brooke Buckley all had two hits at the top of the order. However, they are on a six-game losing streak, so momentum is not exactly on their side. B-G beat Afton in the MAC Semi-final before losing to Deposit-Hancock in the league championship.
* Other thoughts: Last year, Deposit-Hancock and Union Springs were the top seeds, and all signs were pointing to a matchup of reigning sectional champs (D-H won Class D in 2023). Tioga had other ideas in handing Union Springs their first loss of the season. This year, D-H and Union Springs both won their league championships and are looking to finally make that game happen. Southern Cayuga has enjoyed a great season, with only a pair of close losses to Union Springs. They can do it at the plate with double digits in the last four games, and in the circle with Ava Harvatine over the 500-career strikeout mark. Tioga will need to take care of business vs. Oxford’s Lily Marshman and Paizleigh Timke if they want to play at Moravia, a team the Tigers have beaten twice already this season. Moravia had a very good middle stretch of the season, but must prove they can beat some of the stronger teams such as Southern Cayuga, Tioga, and Union Springs if they want to advance in this bracket. Harpursville just edged out Greene for the final home game, but have dropped both previous matchups to the Trojans. The last game was an 11-5 win for Greene in 8 innings, as they exploded for six runs in extras thanks to a barrage of hits, errors, and hit batsmen. And finally, Delhi will once again look to win their first ever sectional game. They were in good position to do so two years ago as the #4 seed, but lost a home game to #5 Greene in the Quarterfinal. They will ride the arm of 8th grader Kinsley Tracy, who already has over 100 K’s this season. Elmira Notre Dame will make the long trek to Delaware Academy to try and keep the Bulldogs winless.
* All-time sectional records (championships in parenthesis):
#1 Deposit-Hancock: 15-0 (5)
#2 Union Springs: 19-28 (1)
#3 Southern Cayuga: 14-25 (0)
#4 Moravia: 21-32 (2)
#5 Tioga: 37-31 (1)
#6 Bainbridge-Guilford: 14-29 (0)
#7 Delhi: 0-7 (0)
#8 Harpursville: 44-33 (5)
#9 Greene: 28-33 (2)
#10 Elmira Notre Dame: 77-29 (14)
#11 Seton: 62-24 (10)
#12 Oxford: 11-17 (0)
Class D
* Top 4 seeds: Afton, Windham-Ashland-Jewett, Charlotte Valley/Schenevus, Edmeston/Morris
* Number of teams qualified: 8
* Quarterfinal matchups: #8 South Kortright at #1 Afton, #7 Cherry Valley-Springfield/Sharon Springs at #2 Windham-Ashland-Jewett, #6 Roxbury/Gilboa at #3 Charlotte Valley/Schenevus, #5 Richfield Springs at #4 Edmeston/Morris
* Dates of games: Quarterfinals – 5/26; Semi-finals – 5/28; Championship – 5/30
* Most intriguing Quarterfinal game: #6 Roxbury/Gilboa at #3 Charlotte Valley/Schenevus. While the rematch of the Tri-Valley Championship between Richfield Springs and Edmeston/Morris is certainly intriguing, we’ll lean to this game instead. The Delaware League rivals met twice during the regular season, with CV/S getting both wins by scores of 5-3 and 8-2. The first score was the first game of the season for both, way back on March 30. It was a 1-1 game heading into the final inning before CV/S plated four runs with six straight hitters reaching to start the inning. Brinlee Wright struck out 14. In the next game on April 24, Wright struck out 13 and drove in three runs in the #3 spot. R/G’s Addy Hynes matched Wright with 13 K’s, but six walks didn’t help her cause. She will need to limit the free passes to give her team a fighting chance. After the 2nd loss to CV/S, R/G won five straight before falling to Windham-Ashland-Jewett on May 13. While CV/S has enjoyed a terrific season, they are coming off a close loss to W-A-J in the Tri-Valley Championship. If last year’s Class D sectionals are any indication (the #4, #6, #7, and #8 seeds all advanced to the Semi-finals), then perhaps more wackiness will happen this year, starting with this game.
* Other thoughts: It’s a bit strange not seeing any 1st Round games in this class. Only eight teams means the fun starts in the Quarterfinals. If you toss out the Covid-shortened 2021 season where every class started in the Quarterfinal round, the last time Class D did not feature a 1st Round game was 1988. That’s pretty crazy! Like old times, Afton is back on top as the #1 seed, a place they made themselves nice and comfortable with for many years. They were the #2 seed last year, but were upset by #7 Cherry Valley-Springfield/Sharon Springs. They are the only MAC school in this class, and will ride the arm and bat of superstar Jenna Wilson. W-A-J is riding high from winning the Tri-Valley title. When you have a pitcher like Hannah Tuttle with such tremendous swing-and-miss stuff, your chances of winning increase that much more, as the defense doesn’t have to do as much work. CV-S/SS had W-A-J a bit on the ropes in their only matchup on May 2 with a 2-1 lead in the 4th, but W-A-J put up a five-spot and won 8-2. Richfield Springs will look to flip the script on Edmeston/Morris, as E/M won the TV title 12-7 on Monday. Just like Roxbury/Gilboa, Richfield Springs will have to hope third time’s a charm after losing the first two to E/M.
* All-time sectional records (championships in parenthesis):
#1 Afton: 86-15 (22)
#2 Windham-Ashland-Jewett: 9-18 (0)
#3 Charlotte Valley/Schenevus: 0-1 (0)
#4 Edmeston/Morris: 6-3 (1)
#5 Richfield Springs: 8-12 (0)
#6 Roxbury/Gilboa: 3-2 (0)
#7 Cherry Valley-Springfield/Sharon Springs: 3-3 (0)
#8 South Kortright: 10-15 (0)
5/17/26
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* Tri-Valley Championship, Monday at 5:00 at Sidney: #1 Edmeston/Morris vs. #2 Richfield Springs. The final league championship game comes in the Tri-Valley. Two teams that met for the title two years ago will tangle again. In 2024, Richfield Springs earned a 6-4 win, and they rode that momentum all the way to an appearance in the Section IV Class D Championship game before falling to eventual state champion Deposit-Hancock (before D-H was bumped up to Class C the following year). This year, the teams met on April 22, and E/M used a 4-run 1st inning to grab the 8-3 win. The team pounded out 13 hits that day, led by three hits from Kendall Gould, and two apiece by Abby O’Brien, McKenzie Thall, and Harper Folts. Gould started and struck out five in three innings. Thall relieved in the 4th and took it the rest of the way, only allowing one run. Sophia Spencer took the loss, as she surrendered 12 hits and walked four. Since that game, E/M has suffered only a couple of losses, but they were rather lopsided. Charlotte Valley/Schenevus beat them 15-3, and Fort Plain most recently put up a 17-0 victory. That game was a week ago, so we’ll see if there’s any lingering effects from it. Richfield Springs has only played four games since then, but there were all victories, including a couple over Cherry Valley-Springfield/Sharon Springs. In their last game on May 8, an 8-1 win over CV-S/SS, Spencer went the distance and struck out seven. She also had two hits at the plate in the #2 hole, and combined with Gabby Seamon (leadoff) and Riley Constantinetis (#3) for seven hits, five runs, and four RBIs. This game will serve as a warmup to their Class D Quarterfinal game, which comes on May 26 as #5 Richfield Springs visits #2 Edmeston/Morris.
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5/15/26
Here is a preview of the STAC Playoffs on Saturday, borrowed from our friends over at STAC. Semi-finals will take place at 11:00, with the Championship game to follow around 1:00.
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* STAC Semi-final, Saturday at 11:00 am at Greenlight Park: (Central) Waverly vs. (West) Corning. In one Semi-final matchup, defending STAC and Section IV Class AAA Champions Corning will face off with Central champion Waverly. Corning has been flawless this season at 14-0, using a combination of stellar pitching and big bats throughout the lineup. They’ve swept every New York opponent and went 4-0 in games vs. other states in Myrtle Beach over Spring Break. Needless to say, there’s not much they haven’t done right this season. In a recent 6-0 win over M-E on Monday, the lone senior on the team, Matti Johnston, tossed a one-hit gem with 11 strikeouts, and drove in a pair of runs from the leadoff spot. Cleanup hitter Emilia Smith launched a 3-run homer to build the lead in the 6th. In a 9-2 victory over Vestal on April 22, Lauren DeRosa had three hits and scored three runs, while Hannah Kauffman drove in three. Beating this squad is quite a tall order, but that’s exactly the type of challenge Waverly will welcome. Not too long ago, they found themselves a game behind Owego in the Central and in need of a strong run to overtake them. Strong run they received, indeed. On May 4, the Wolverines went into Owego and shocked the home team 20-2. Taylin Gonzalez allowed only six hits and homered at the plate. Hannah Carpenter, hitting in the #4 spot, had an amazing game: 4-for-5, 2 home runs, a double, and 8 RBIs. Eight! Maddie Cron was a perfect 5-for-5 with 2 triples and 5 RBIs. That set up a Central division tiebreaker game, which again was dominated by the Wolverines 13-3. This time, it was an 8-run 1st inning that put the game away quickly, as five hitters recorded two or more hits apiece. They are currently on a 10-game winning streak after defeating Horseheads 5-1 on Thursday. The competition will crank up a few notches on Saturday, as they will need to be at their very best to meet the challenge of Corning and dethrone the reigning champs. After joining STAC in the 2023-2024 school year, this is the first time Waverly will be competing in the STAC Playoffs. Corning will seek their 3rd STAC title.
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* STAC Semi-final, Saturday at 11:00 am at Greenlight Park: (Metro) Vestal vs. (East) Susquehanna Valley. The other Semi-final matchup will be a rematch from last season. East champion Susquehanna Valley will look to get some revenge after dropping a tight 3-2 decision to Metro champion Vestal. The difference in that game was an RBI double by Aubrey Rogers in the 6th to plate the eventual winning run. This year, both teams are coming in strong, as Vestal has won six straight and SV eight straight. Vestal swept their Metro division rivals Maine-Endwell to edge the Spartans for the division title. On May 6, the Golden Bears put it all together in a dominant 11-0 romp. Erin Gowe was terrific in tossing a two-hit shutout with 16 strikeouts. The top in the order of Maggie Costello and Natalie Frobel took advantage of some M-E wildness in the circle, each drawing three walks to score five times. Their only two losses have come against Corning, the team they could potentially meet up with later on Saturday in the Championship. Susquehanna Valley held off a tough Oneonta squad to capture another East division title, and are coming off one of their best games of the season. In a 15-0 shutout of Chenango Forks, LilliOnna D’Introno fired a 5-inning no-hitter on 10 strikeouts, with only one walk separating her from a perfect game. Leadoff hitter Rianne Moelder smashed two home runs and drove in four. Four other hitters collected multiple hits, including Amelia Frisbie with three. While the pitching of D’Introno has been sensational for years, the Sabers have proven they can also win on days where she’s not at her very best. On April 29, they visited Oneonta at a time when the Yellowjackets were making a serious push to win the division. The SV offense carried the load that day, led by a double, triple, and three RBIs from Kylee Richardson. Danica LaBarre drove in three from the cleanup spot, and Frisbie three more in an 11-5 win. Just like last year, this game will feature two pitchers at the top of their craft, and offenses that can break out big innings at any point. SV will look to claim their 8th league title, and Vestal their 7th.
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5/13/26
* MAC Championship, Thursday at 4:30: #2 Bainbridge-Guilford at #1 Deposit-Hancock. For the 9th straight time a MAC Championship has been played (excluding the Covid years of 2020 and 2021), a team from Deposit will play for the league title. Deposit-Hancock claimed the last two titles over Sidney and Greene, respectively. This year, Bainbridge-Guilford will give it a shot, as they are appearing in the MAC Championship for the first time since losing close games to Deposit in 2017 (2-0) and 2018 (3-0). D-H downed #4 Delhi in one Semi-final, as Jordan Diemer tossed a six-hit shutout with 11 K’s. The offense had their typical production up and down the lineup, with leadoff hitter Olivia Johnston gathering three hits, and Kadyn Appley, Ivy Tice, and Haley Begeal two apiece. Bainbridge-Guilford suffered a home loss to Unatego on Monday, but shook that off to beat #3 Afton 8-4 the next day in the other Semi-final. A five-run 2nd was the difference, as Alessandra Cafasso’s two-run homer put the margin at 6-0. Cafasso also started in the circle and pitched four scoreless innings before Afton got to the bullpen a bit in the later innings. In the MAC league game between these two on May 5, D-H had one of their closer games of the season in a 9-4 victory. The final score is a bit deceiving, as B-G did everything they could to get the win…though six innings. A 4-3 advantage was erased as D-H plated six in the top of the frame. Johnston doubled leading off, which opened the floodgates to six hits, one walk, and one HBP. So, the obvious goal for B-G to get the upset win is to somehow avoid the big inning when D-H starts to threaten. One note from that game is that Cafasso did not pitch, so perhaps she will get the call in this one. D-H went with Diemer in the Semi-final, and can also hand the ball to two aces in Aubrey Smith and Tice. B-G will be looking to win their first MAC title in school history, as they are 0-3 overall. D-H has three titles and Deposit four.
* IAC Small School Championship, Thursday at 3:00 at Watkins Glen: (North) Union Springs vs. (South) Tioga. In the IAC, all roads lead through Union Springs and Tioga for Small School supremacy. For the 6th consecutive year, these two powerhouses will meet for the league title. Union Springs has won three of the five games, including a 4-0 victory last year. It was a fast start for the Wolves, as some shaky Tigers’ defense helped plate all of the runs in the first two innings. Tioga used this as motivation, defeating Union Springs 4-3 in a Class C Semi-final and handing them their first loss in 19 games. This year, the teams have split their first two games. Back on April 8, Tioga got a 5-3 victory behind a 3-for-3 day from Madelyn Rogers with a pair of RBIs, and Kate Kithcart going the distance and allowing only five hits. The rematch came on Tuesday, and it was all Union Springs 16-3. The offense pounded out 14 hits, as Gracie Chalupnicki had four hits and five RBIs and Abbi Tracey two hits and two RBIs. Tioga, however, chose to rest Kithcart and give the ball to Olivia Shugars, who has only appeared in five games this year. It’s not a surprising move considering the rubber match was going to happen two days later. Tioga has dropped three of their last five, but did win six of seven before that. Union Springs rolls with their 1-2 punch of Paityn Delaney and Chalupnicki in the circle, with the Tioga loss in their first game of the season their only setback. This is the ultimate “toss the records out of the window” types of games, as both teams have to be at their best to get the win. Tioga will look to win their 12th IAC title, and Union Springs their 7th.
* IAC Large School Championship, Thursday at 5:00 at Watkins Glen: (North) Lansing vs. (South) Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour. After knocking off Edison in the South Large Division Tiebreaker 8-5, Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour returns to an IAC Championship game for the first time since Watkins Glen lost to Trumansburg in 1997, 10-9. Odessa-Montour last appeared in 1988, losing to Dryden, 8-2. Put it all together, and this year’s team is making history as we speak. One year after giving Edison all they could handle in a 9-8, Class B Semi-final loss, this year’s squad jumped out to a 10-0 record, which included solid wins over Spencer-Van Etten/Candor, Edison, and twice over their Large School Championship opponent, Lansing. Both games have not been particularly close, as WG/O-M won by a combined 22-2. In the first game on March 30, a 10-run 3rd put the game out of reach in a 13-1, 5-inning mercy rule win. The top three in the order of Keira Ells, Paige Ells, and Lauren Signor combined for six hits and seven RBIs. Keira Ells gave up two hits and struck out nine. The rematch wasn’t a whole lot different on April 21, as WG/O-M took it 9-1. This time, the lead was 5-0 after two innings. The top three in the order again led the way, as did Brooklyn Thompson with two hits and Sydnee McCormick with two RBIs. Paige Ells took the ball and struck out 13 in a four-hitter. While those were a couple of rough games for Lansing, there have been plenty of great moments. They pounded Chenango Forks 18-6 and recently swept a doubleheader over Spencer-Van Etten/Candor. Currently, they’ve won five straight, so they appear to be peaking at the right moment. In order to claim the crown, the Bobcats will need some steady pitching from Reagan Chalupsky, who has pitched all but seven innings this year. They also need to limit the other team’s chances with good defense. In a 2-1 win over SVEC, they committed no errors. In the 20-13 win right after, they had six. There’s no way they can keep up with WG/O-M if their gloves don’t bring their best effort. This will be Lansing’s 5th Large School Championship appearance in six years, and all have ended with losses mostly by blowout. A win would give them their 8th title and first since 1999. WG/O-M has not won as a combined program, but do have two titles by Watkins Glen and one by Odessa-Montour.
* Delaware League Championship, Thursday at 4:30 at Neahwa Park in Oneonta: #1 Windham-Ashland-Jewett vs. #2 Charlotte Valley/Schenevus. After two games that more than delivered on nail-biting drama, it’s only appropriate that we’re treated to a third. Both games were won by Windham-Ashland-Jewett by 1-0 scores. You rarely see something like that in high school softball anymore. On April 27, Alexis Weinberg walked leading off the 3rd, stole 2nd, and scored on an RBI double by Piper Cohane. That’s all ace Hannah Tuttle needed as she stuck out 21 in seven innings. That’s right – every single out was by a K. That’s insane! Credit to Brinlee Wright and Abby Vroman for getting hits off of her. Wright’s hit was a leadoff triple in the 4th, but she was stranded. Wright stuck out 14 herself, and it still wasn’t enough. The second game came shortly after on May 7, as Tuttle struck out 22, Wright K’d 16, and W-A-J earned the win in the 8th when Tuttle’s double drove in Cohane. CV/S did all they possibly could to win, and still came up short. That’s a full credit to W-A-J. They have an ace in Tuttle who averages about 2 ½ strikeouts an inning. Their offense can win by putting up a bunch of runs one night, or grind out a run when needed against a great pitcher. CV/S has the two losses to W-A-J as their only blemishes this year. Their offensive production has really picked up steam in the second half of the season, as they’ve posted double-digits in seven of their last nine games. It’s easy to see another low-scoring game, but what makes these championship games so unique is that the unexpected can often happen. Nerves and jitters play a role for any athlete, especially high school kids playing for a title. Last year, W-A-J was the top seed and committed eight errors in losing the DL Championship to CV/S 12-4. Both teams also suffered upset losses to lower seeds in the Class D Quarterfinals, so anything can happen. W-A-J is looking for their first DL title. CV/S will attempt to go back-to-back, as Charlotte Valley also won five previous titles.
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5/3/26
Another week down in Section IV, and the playoff picture is taking shape across all leagues. Let’s take a look at who could represent the STAC, IAC Large, IAC Small, MAC, Delaware, and Tri-Valley in league playoffs.
This will be broken down based on how each league held their playoffs last year. If any of that has changed, feel free to reach out to correct.
(The Section IV Tournament, otherwise referred to as “sectionals,” will begin later in May. Individual league playoff season always comes first.)
* STAC. The standings are courtesy of stacshowcase.com, a great resource for all things STAC. The division winners in the West, Metro, Central, and East all earn a ticket to the Semi-finals, which will be held with the Championship game to follow on Saturday, May 16 at Greenlight Park. Right now, Corning is a game away from clinching the West and earning a shot at defending their STAC Championship. Any combination of a win for Corning or loss for Horseheads clinches it. The other three divisions are all very close. In the Metro, Vestal is a game ahead of Maine-Endwell. M-E needs wins at Horseheads on Monday and at Vestal on Wednesday to force a one-game tiebreaker. A loss in either of the two means Vestal clinches. In the Central, Owego currently leads over Waverly, who meet up on Monday at Owego. A win by Owego would mean they sweep the series and clinch the division. Finally, Susquehanna Valley earned a big road win over Oneonta on Wednesday and now has a one-game lead and owns the tiebreaker by sweeping the season series. Oneonta will need to beat Norwich on Wednesday and get some help in order to reclaim the division lead.
* IAC Large. The IAC standings are harder to come by, so we’ll do the best we can here. In the North Large, Lansing has taken care of business with a pair of wins over Whitney Point, and one each over Dryden and Trumansburg with one more game vs. each to come. Their three losses have come against South Large opponents: Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour twice and Edison once. They welcome Edison on Monday and still have two games against Spencer-Van Etten/Candor. The South Large is once again very close. Edison played three tough teams in the Morabito Tournament last weekend, and used that experience to post a 3-0 week with wins over SVEC, WG/O-M, and Elmira Notre Dame. WG/O-M raced out to a red hot start, including the Lansing sweep and a 1-0 win over Edison on April 17. Edison got one back 3-0 this past Friday. Each has between 3-4 league games left. If they both end up with the same league losses, there will be a one-game tiebreaker held.
* IAC Small. Union Springs started the season with a close 5-3 loss to nemesis Tioga and have run off 12 straight wins since. Two of those wins were by narrow margins over Southern Cayuga, putting the Wolves in full control of their fate in the North Small. They have won three of the last four Small School Championships, and have appeared five straight times. In the South Small, it’s Tioga currently at 10-3, with two of those losses to Southern Cayuga. The rematch vs. Union Springs will be on Wednesday at Union Springs in a possible league and sectional playoff preview. Get ready for more fireworks in the month of May between these two.
* MAC. Thanks to the great Nate Lull and his standings over at natelull.com, we’re able to get plenty of clarity for the “smaller” schools. Deposit-Hancock (surprise, surprise) is currently in 1st with a 7-0 league record. Right behind them is Bainbridge-Guilford at 6-1, who shook off an early loss to Oxford to win six straight league games. D-H travels to B-G on Tuesday in a possible MAC Championship preview. The 3-4 spots are very competitive: Delhi (5-3), Sidney (5-3), Afton (4-3), Oxford (4-3), Unatego (3-3), and Harpursville (4-4). With 10 league games, these spots could easily switch many more times during the week. A couple of games to keep an eye on are Sidney going to Delhi on Thursday, and Afton traveling to Oxford on Friday. Harpursville will most likely need to defeat Oxford and Unatego this week to give themselves a chance at sneaking in.
* Delaware. Last season, the top two teams advanced to the championship, as there were no semi-final games played. Assuming that stays the same this year, all signs are pointing to a rematch between defending league champion Charlotte Valley/Schenevus and runner-up Windham-Ashland-Jewett. W-A-J is 7-0 in league games and owns a close 1-0 win over CV/S on April 27 thanks to a 21-strikeout, 2-hit shutout by Hannah Tuttle. The rematch is on Tuesday at W-A-J. Both teams picked up a pair of wins on Saturday, with W-A-J downing Cherry Valley-Springfield/Sharon Springs and South Kortright in their Round Robin Tournament, and CV/S winning the Calhoun Classic by defeating Worcester and Edmeston/Morris. Lurking right behind is Roxbury/Gilboa at 5-3. They still have a pair of games against W-A-J, so if they can pull upsets, they have a chance.
* Tri-Valley. With only six teams in this conference, there are only five league games to play. Last year, there were semi-final games held, so that’s what we’ll go with here. Also of note from last year, it was the two road teams that pulled the upsets and advanced, with #3 Laurens/Milford shutting out #4 Cherry Valley-Springfield/Sharon Springs 15-0 in the Championship. This year, defending Class D Champion Edmeston/Morris has clinched a spot at 4-0. Right behind them at 3-1 is Richfield Springs, who entered as the top seed last year but were upset by CV-S/SS. Laurens/Milford and CV-S/SS are each 2-2 and seem to control their own fate, as Franklin and Worcester have both struggled to get going this year.
* It’s that time to take a look ahead the big games this week, along with the never-ending reminder to check Schedule Galaxy and/or the school website for possible postponements and changing of dates.
- Monday: Maine-Endwell at Horseheads, Vestal at Elmira, Waverly at Owego, Edison at Lansing, Sidney at Afton
- Tuesday: Union Springs at Moravia, Deposit-Hancock at Bainbridge-Guilford, Delhi at Unatego, Windham-Ashland-Jewett at Charlotte Valley/Schenevus
- Wednesday: Corning at Horseheads, Maine-Endwell at Vestal, Oneonta at Norwich, Spencer-Van Etten/Candor at Lansing, Whitney Point at Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour, Tioga at Union Springs, Roxbury/Gilboa at Windham-Ashland-Jewett
- Thursday: Oxford at Deposit-Hancock, Sidney at Delhi, Charlotte Valley/Schenevus at Edmeston/Morris
- Friday: Horseheads at Maine-Endwell
- Saturday: Milford Tournament (Laurens/Milford vs. Worcester, Windham-Ashland-Jewett vs. Richfield Springs, Championship and Consolation to follow), Tioga at Waverly, Edmeston/Morris at Roxbury/Gilboa
* The season is flying by. Enjoy it while you can!
4/26/26
After a miserable Monday, it was a full week of softball across Section IV. Let’s take a look at the week that was.
* One team that has continued to get better and better throughout the season is Oneonta in the STAC East. They started the season off with about as tough a matchup as you can get, losing 14-3 to two-time defending Class B champion Susquehanna Valley. Since then, they’ve taken 9 of the last 10, with the only loss against Holy Name, Ohio in Myrtle Beach. Along the way, they have two solid wins over division rival Windsor and won the SFCU Tournament over Sidney. The two wins that perhaps jump out the most are over Owego (6-2) and Waverly (13-3). That’s Owego’s only loss this season, as they continue to play great as well. In that game, Oneonta came to the plate down 2-1 in the 7th, then proceeded to put up a 5-spot to stun the home team. Three errors that inning did not help Owego’s cause, but Oneonta was still able to cash in on RBI singles from Logan Jipson and Carley Mistler, an RBI double by Jenevie Gallusser, and a sacrifice by Delaney Wheeler to score another. Mistler made sure to close the door in the bottom of the frame with a shutdown inning. In the win over Waverly, Gallusser went off with a homer, double, and five runs batted in. Carr added three hits, and Jipson and Kendall LeFever with two. That division has historically been owned by SV and Windsor. The last time one of the two has not appeared in the STAC Playoffs? You have to go all the way back to 2001 when Chenango Valley was in the East (currently the Central). The rematch vs. SV will be on Wednesday, and that very well could determine who eventually wins the division.
* The IAC continues to be a competitive race for three of the top teams, in addition to Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour and Edison discussed last week. Union Springs started the season with a close 5-3 loss to Tioga and have since won seven straight. One of those wins was 6-2 over Southern Cayuga, giving the Cougars their only loss in nine games. Two wins for Southern Cayuga are over Tioga, who won their other seven games, including the aforementioned Union Springs victory on April 8. Bottom line? It’s two in the North Small (SC and US) and one in the North Large (Tioga) that bring out the best in each other.
* Southern Cayuga made some noise in the 2023 Class D Playoffs by advancing to the Championship before losing to Deposit-Hancock. The last two years, they’ve been bounced in the Class C Quarterfinals to Union Springs and Tioga, respectively. Their IAC Playoff appearances have been few and far between, last appearing in a 2009 Semi-final loss to Newark Valley, and only once winning it all with a 1981 Large School Championship past Newark Valley. The two wins over Tioga were very impressive. Ava Harvatine struck out seven and drove in a pair in the most recent 5-2 win on Wednesday. The second game vs. Union Springs on Thursday will again be a great test for both teams.
* After the win over Southern Cayuga on April 17, Union Springs has rolled right along with three dominant wins this week, including a doubleheader sweep of Newark Valley. The pitching duo of Gracie Chalupnicki and Paityn Delaney continue to deliver, which is something that has been said since their run to the State Semi-final in 2024, a season in which the Wolves won their first sectional title in a 16-1 beatdown of Tioga. They are nearly identical in both innings pitched and strikeouts, with Delaney not surrendering a run yet in 20 innings. Tioga halted the Wolves’ 18-0, undefeated season in the Class C Semi-final last year, scoring four unanswered runs after falling behind 3-0 in one of the biggest games of the year. The Tigers are also led by an experienced pitcher in Kate Kithcart, who as a freshman has already pitched in many big games and continues to get better with each appearance. Upcoming games against Moravia, Union Springs, and Waverly will be great competition for them.
* Hannah Tuttle of Windham-Ashland-Jewett outdid herself again this week. She already had two no-hitters this season, then followed that up with a perfect game and 14 strikeouts in a 21-0 5-inning shellacking of Margaretville. The numbers through six games are staggering: 34 innings, 4 hits, 5 runs (4 earned), and 96 strikeouts. Taking nothing away from their schedule so far, but it’ll be exciting to see her play tougher competition on Monday when they welcome Charlotte Valley/Schenevus in a huge Delaware League matchup. CV/S just swept the season series with Roxbury/Gilboa on Friday in an 8-2 win, as they’ve raced out to a 7-0 start. What’s interesting to note is that they’ve only scored double figures once (22-11 past Margaretville) and won games by smaller margins. Quite often in this sport, a team undefeated this many games in the season puts up monster numbers on offense and has many blowouts. Not the case here, which is actually a great sign going forward to playoff season in May. They’ve proven they can win in tight, pressure situations, which will only pay off in “one-and-done” games. Brinlee Wright just spun a three-hitter and struck out 13 in the recent win over R/G. The game before, she put it all together in a performance for the ages in a 6-5, 9-inning win over South Kortright. She went the distance and struck out 12, setting the school record for career strikeouts with 516. She also singled with two outs in the 9th and proceeded to steal three straight bases to win the game. My goodness! CV/S at W-A-J on Monday will be one to watch.
* On a side note, Section IV continues to churn out one great pitcher after another. Some don’t always get the recognition of others, simply because the level of competition can vary greatly. Don’t me wrong – a no-hitter is a no-hitter. Anyone who accomplishes this task has earned their flowers. There’s just a whole lot of others who pitch just as well, but face tougher bats on the other end. In STAC, that’s certainly the case once again. Erin Gowe of Vestal just tossed a one-hitter past Union-Endicott, striking out 11. (Her teammate Allie Policare has a no-hitter on March 24 over Binghamton.) Taylin Gonzalez of Waverly put together quite a pair of wins in back-to-back days over Chenango Valley. On Tuesday, she smashed two home runs at the plate and struck out 10 in the circle, then followed that up on Wednesday with one homer and eight strikeouts. Corning’s Matti Johnston gave up no earned runs in a 9-2 win over Vestal, gathering two hits at the plate in the leadoff spot. Tessa L’Amoreaux of Maine-Endwell K’d 13 in an 11-1 win against Johnson City. Owego has received great pitching from Joslyn Space and Emily Sipe, as they combined for a 3-0 week with two shutouts against Chenango Forks and Seton. Brooke Quick of Windsor just one-hit Binghamton. Johnson City’s Juliana Berru-Brown collected 14 K’s in a 7-1 win over Binghamton, and last year threw a one-hit shutout over Maine-Endwell. LilliOnna D’Introno just fired a perfect game with 14 strikeouts against Norwich, and celebrated her 600th career strikeout on Sunday. It all goes to show that many teams have ace pitchers who are capable of stringing wins together in sectionals. Some defense behind you and clutch hitting when on offense can go a long way.
* Let’s take a look ahead at the big games this upcoming week:
- Monday: Corning at Maine-Endwell, Spencer-Van Etten at Edison, Harpursville at Bainbridge-Guilford, Charlotte Valley/Schenevus at Windham-Ashland-Jewett, Roxbury/Gilboa at South Kortright
- Tuesday: Stamford/Jefferson at Windham-Ashland-Jewett, Richfield Springs at Cherry Valley-Springfield/Sharon Springs
- Wednesday: Susquehanna Valley at Oneonta, Lansing at Whitney Point, Oxford at Delhi
- Thursday: Vestal at Horseheads, Union Springs at Southern Cayuga, Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour at Spencer-Van Etten/Candor, South Kortright at Roxbury/Gilboa
- Friday: Edison at Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour, Delhi at Deposit-Hancock
- Saturday: Mary Testa Tournament at Maine-Endwell (Deposit-Hancock vs. M-E, Deposit-Hancock vs. Webster Schroeder, M-E vs. Webster Schroeder), Mary Testa Tournament at Susquehanna Valley (SV vs. Elmira, Elmira vs. Canandaigua, SV vs. Canandaigua), Mary Testa Tournament at Union-Endicott (U-E vs. Oneonta, Oneonta vs. Pittsford Sutherland, U-E vs. Pittsford Sutherland) Mudville Tournament (Horseheads, Unatego), Windham-Ashland-Jewett Round Robin (W-A-J vs. Cherry Valley-Springfield/Sharon Springs, South Kortright vs. CV/S-SS, W-A-J vs. South Kortright)
* Next week, we’ll take a look at the playoff contenders in each league across Section IV. Until then, get out there and watch some softball!
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4/19/26
Welcome back to the blog! Every team has now been in action (some much more than others), so it’s time to take a look at the happenings across Section IV.
* A couple of results really stood out from this past week. The first was an IAC heavyweight clash where Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour (aka the Schuyler Storm) defeated Edison 1-0 in 8 innings. The two starters on that day did all they could to keep their team in the game. Edison’s Hailey Clark went the distance, giving up four hits and striking out seven. Paige Ells of WG/O-M, owner of a no-hitter this season, surrendered only hit with 12 strikeouts. The winning run came in the top of the 8th when Brooklyn Thompson reached on an error and went to 2nd. Ava Stackhouse brought in the winning run with an RBI single, then Ells set down the Spartans in order in the bottom of the frame. A road win against a powerhouse program like Edison is something very few teams have been able to claim in recent years. The Spartans have won two straight IAC Large School Championships, and advanced to two straight Class B Championship games. Wins vs. them are hard to come by. WG/O-M is led in the circle by sisters Paige and Keira Ells. In 7 of the 8 wins, they’ve given up 1 run or less. Last year, these two played one heck of a Class B Semi-final game, with WG/O-M building an early 7-0 lead before Edison came storming back to win 9-8. The rematch is scheduled for May 1, so keep an eye on that one.
* The other result was Owego going to Susquehanna Valley and shocking the home team 6-2. That’s the first loss that SV has suffered on their home turf, which was installed for play last season. For much of the game, it looked like another ho-hum win for the Sabers, as they built a 2-0 lead behind their ace LilliOnna D’Introno heading into the 6th. That’s where the River Hawks put up a four-spot to take the lead for good. It all started with an error, followed by a pair of walks. With the bases juiced, Elise Silvanic stroked an RBI double to tie the game at 2. Two more runs came in on a sac-fly by Geneva Crawford and Silvanic coming home on another error. A pair of insurance runs were added an inning later on a Space triple, who then scored on a wild pitch. SV managed a couple of baserunners in the 7th, but nothing came of it. Give the River Hawks lots of credit, as they are playing the season without injured STAC All-Conference member Carsten Crawford, but aren’t letting that be an excuse to not compete and win. Space was terrific in giving up only five hits from the circle and scoring twice from the leadoff position. They are currently atop the STAC Central standings with solid wins over Waverly, Chenango Forks, and Windsor as well.
* Corning keeps on rolling along, currently at 7-0, and only getting better and better along the way. They did their annual Myrtle Beach trip and came away with a flawless 3-0 record against competition from Ohio and West Virginia. Whatever bonding they did down there sure seemed to help, as they’ve clobbered STAC West foes Horseheads (23-0) and Elmira (17-4) afterwards. It helps to have a pair of All-State athletes back in pitcher Matti Johnston (1st Team) and 3rd baseman Sophie Schoonover (3rd Team). In the win over Horseheads, they combined for five hits and five RBIs, part of an 18-hit day where the lead was already 9-0 after 1 and 21-0 after 2. Three homers were hit by Johnston, Keana Mann, and Lauren DeRosa, who drove in four. The Hawks then followed that up with 17 hits against Elmira, led by DeRosa with four and Keira Brass with three hitting in the last spot of the order. It should be noted that these games were both 5-inning mercy rule wins. Two years ago, Corning won the inaugural Class AAA State Championship. Last year, they fell to Lancaster of Section VI in the State Semi-final. It’s safe to say that based on their early season results, they are playing with a chip on their shoulder as they look to reclaim the state’s top spot.
* We all know the dominant program Deposit-Hancock has been for a long time, as they continue to set the bar extremely high. Replacing former Class D State Player of the Year Addison Makowski in the circle was going to be interesting to watch. So far, they’ve won all four games by blowout, and have used a pair of pitchers in Ivy Tice and Aubrey Smith. Tice was sensational in an 8-0 win over Harpursville on Thursday, striking out 17 and allowing only one hit. She also doubled and drove in two. Smith, who pitched quite a few innings last year, started the game before and tossed a five-inning no-hitter in an 18-1 win over Walton/Downsville, striking out 13. These things don’t happen by accident for this team. You can argue luck in having good players all you want, but these players are dedicated to their craft and developed at a young age, which pays dividends once it’s time for varsity softball in high school (or even in junior high if you’re skilled enough). Other All-State players like Pagen Macumber and Olivia Johnston are hitting over .500 and have been contributing to wins for several years now. They’ll be participating in the Morabito Tournament at Greenlight Park this coming weekend, starting with a game against Fayetteville-Manlius. As a Class C school, it’s great to see them willing to “play up” in competition, and that’s what they’ll get.
* A few other schools are off to undefeated starts. In the MAC, Delhi started off the season with a huge 14-8 win over Bainbridge-Guilford, then won the next four. The closest one was a 3-2 walk-off win over Greene, with Lexi White’s RBI single ending the game. Kinsley Tracy struck out nine. She combined with Bri Pringle for 14 K’s in an 11-2 defeat of Roxbury/Gilboa last game. Oxford is another MAC school playing great. They walloped Unadilla Valley/Gilbertsville-Mount Upton 32-0 to start the season. Their last three games have all been close, winning by a combined seven runs over B-G, Edmeston/Morris, and Greene. Cora Hodge led the way with seven K’s in the circle and two hits at the plate over E/M, the reigning Class D champions.
* In the Delaware League, Charlotte Valley/Schenevus and Windham-Ashland-Jewett are unbeaten and on a collision course a week from Monday, April 27. There’s been many lopsided results this season, but CV/S has largely gone the opposite way, winning their first four games by scores of 5-3, 3-1, 5-4, and 4-3 (then busting out for 22 runs against Margaretville on Saturday.) The pitching of Brinlee Wright has been a big reason why. In a tight 5-4 win over Stamford/Jefferson, she struck out 14, then followed that up with 9 in a victory past Schoharie of Section II. Speaking of pitching, Hannah Tuttle of W-A-J has been about as good as it gets, throwing a pair of no-hitters against Margaretville and Laurens/Milford, then “only” a one-hitter past South Kortright. She has a ridiculous 48 strikeouts in three games. Any time you have a pitcher with that much swing-and-miss stuff, you are capable of winning any game. CV/S vs. W-A-J will be must-see in a week.
* This is the spot where big games for the upcoming week are shared. It’s also the spot where the annual reminder of “Check Schedule Galaxy for any changes” is stated. Considering how we’ve seen sunny and 70s this weekend, then snow and 30s a day later, you know how often weather changes things. Note that there’s some different tournament games happening on Saturday, so fingers crossed for cooperating weather.
- Monday: Richfield Springs at Edmeston/Morris
- Tuesday: Owego at Chenango Forks, Horseheads at Vestal, Delhi at Bainbridge-Guilford, Windham-Ashland-Jewett at South Kortright
- Wednesday: Vestal at Corning, Tioga at Southern Cayuga, Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour at Lansing, South Kortright at Charlotte Valley/Schenevus
- Thursday: Johnson City at Maine-Endwell
- Friday: (No big games yet, but possible rescheduled games)
- Saturday: Edmeston/Morris at Delhi, Morabito Tournament at Greenlight Park (Susquehanna Valley, Deposit-Hancock, Horseheads, Edison, Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour) Mary Testa Tournament at Windsor (Windsor vs. Tioga, Corning vs. Abington Heights, winners and losers play next), Mary Testa Tournament at Oneonta (Oneonta vs. Union-Endicott, Pittsford Sutherland vs. Oneonta, Pittsford Sutherland vs. Union-Endicott)
- Sunday: Morabito Tournament at Greenlight Park (Susquehanna Valley, Deposit-Hancock, Horseheads, Edison, Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour)