Salute to Senior Athletes

Salute to 2024 Senior Athletes

From left to right: Jacob Staroba, Connor Quarino, coach Aaron Kaufman, Darren Dengler and Jeff Palmatier of South Kortright celebrate after winning the Section IV Class D Championship against Edmeston at SUNY Delhi, Saturday, March 2.

Class of 2024 ends tumultuous four years on a high note

By Nick Richardson Sports Editor

However you want to define the “normal high school experience,” that certainly hasn’t been what the Class of 2024 has experienced the last four years.

This year’s group of seniors entered high school in the fall of 2020 when the COVID pandemic was at its peak. Classes were conducted via Zoom, sports seasons were canceled and there was an unmistakable cloud of anxiety as to when, if ever, things would go back to normal.

Oneonta’s Makya Morrison had a particularly rough freshman year: not only was he not able to play the sports he loved, but he also injured his foot.

“The pandemic just, all around, it slowed everything down: my work, basketball practice, all that stuff,” he said. “It was a slow year so it definitely wasn’t a great start to my high school experience.”

Charlie Lambert of Cooperstown said he and his teammates were able to organize some summer workouts on their own, but it just wasn’t the same.

“It definitely put a little bit of a stunt on our development as players, not being able to really have a season as a freshman,” he said.

But as things started to improve and students returned to both the classrooms and the playing fields, they were able to start making up for lost time.

“When we went back into the normal school routine, it was wonderful,” Worcester’s Hailey Shalor said. “I got to get back into sports, I got to see my teachers and interact with my classmates. It just brought so much joy back into my life and it made me realize how grateful I am

“I couldn’t stop smiling; my cheeks hurt so bad. I was just smiling and all the love that was in the gym, the support, I could feel it. The crowd cheering so loud is something that I will definitely never forget.”

Hailey Shalor

that we can have school the regular way and finish out my career like that.”

High school athletes look to make the most of every sports season, but especially those in their senior year.

Playing and practicing with classmates and friends they’ve known for years for the last time is something none of them wanted to take for granted.

“My motto this whole year was leave it all out on the floor,” Shalor said. “You don’t want to leave the floor with any regrets, especially since it’s your last year.”

“Just knowing that it was going to be my last year, I wanted to try my best and do everything I could for these guys this last season and try to make my last season the best one out of all of them,” Morrison said.

“It made me embrace every moment of the season,” Lambert said. “It made me appreciate every win that we had, every practice that we had.”

Today’s high school students have to deal with more distractions than ever before: schoolwork, college applications, part-time jobs, clubs and sports practices to name a few.

But sports has a way of serving as a distraction from the distractions according to Morrison.

“I think basketball always helps with just easing my mind a little bit

and helping me not think about the stress of all that stuff,” he said. “It kind of puts me back in check.”

Shalor added that the key to maintaining stability in high school is to stay organized and prioritize what’s important.

“I always get my schoolwork done first and then comes sports and then the extracurriculars,” she said. “I would say focusing on your time and allowing yourself to create a good schedule is the best advice I would give to the younger students.”

One of the best parts about high school sports is the chance to make memories. Both Shalor and Lambert did so on the basketball court as each reached the historic 1,000-point barrier this season.

“It was the best moment of my high school career. I’d been looking forward to it for so long,” Shalor said of achieving the milestone in a home game against Roxbury on Jan. 12.

“I couldn’t stop smiling; my cheeks hurt so bad,” she said. “I was just smiling and all the love that was in the gym, the support, I could feel it. The crowd cheering so loud is something that I will definitely never forget.”

Lambert reached his milestone not much earlier, hitting 1,000 points in a 39-point performance against Morrisville-Eaton on Jan. 4.

But when asked about his most memorable high school sports experience, instead of focusing on an individual achievement, Lambert singled out moments spent with teammates.

“I’d probably say the bus rides back from away games with my teammates were the most memorable part,” he said. “Win or loss, just bonding with the guys after the game, talking about who knows what.”

While high school isn’t a permanent goodbye to past friendships, it does mark the end of being around one another almost every day.

“I’ll miss a lot of friends,” Morrison said. “I won’t see them as much because they’re all going their separate ways and I’m going my separate way.”

“It’s definitely going to be the people within the school, within the community, my coaches, my teammates, my teachers, my classmates. I’ll miss them all so much,” Shalor said. “I’m going to go to college and meet different people which is nice, but I’m definitely going to miss everyone and seeing the same people that I’ve seen for the last 13, 14 years of my life.”

Lambert will be saying goodbye to one of the most special experiences of all: getting to play for his father John, the Hawkeyes’ boys basketball coach.

“Having him as a coach was one of the greatest experiences I’ve had,” Charlie said. “It was just really special. Just having him there with me on the sidelines knowing he’s a great voice of reason; it was a great experience.

“There was a little bit of separation in the offseason as father and son. But when it was coach and player it was a great relationship and I loved every second of it.”

Sports Played & What Years: 202021: Basketball, Track, 2021-22: Basketball and soccer, 2022-23:

Basketball and soccer, 2023-24: Basketball and soccer

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: No Delaware League soccer 2020-21

Honors & Awards: Coaches award 2022 and 2023, All Star Chic Walshe 2021 and 2023, all tournament team

Mayor’s Cup 2023, NY PIzzeria all tournament team 2022, Section IV Character Counts Recognition Award 2023

Additional Info: Scholar athlete award all 4 years

Luke Montgomery

Sports Played & What Years: Soccer 2013-2023, Basketball 2016-2024

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: 2020

Honors & Awards: NA

Charlotte Valley Wildcats C CV V

Sports Played & What Years: 2020-2021

Soccer, Basketball, Baseball 2021-2022

Soccer, Basketball, Baseball 2022-2023

Soccer, Basketball, Baseball 2023-2024 Soccer, Basketball, Baseball

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: None

Honors & Awards: SOCCER: 2022-23

Honorable Mention All Star Award, 202324 Honorable Mention All Star Award, 2023 Waterville Kick Off Tournament All Star Team Award, BASKETBALL: 2021-22

Honorable Mention All Star Team Award, 2022-23 Second Team All Star Award, 2022 Lee Fisher Tournament All Star Award, 2022 Lee Fisher Tournament Three Point Champs Award, 2023 Lee Fisher

Tournament MVP Award, 2023 Lee Fisher

Tournament Three Point Champs Award, 2023 Unadilla Valley Holiday Tournament

All Star Team Award, BASEBALL: 2021-22

Honorable Mention All Star Award, 202223 Second Team All Star Award

Additional Info: AAU Basketball 2021, 2022, 2023

The Athletes

Sports Played & What Years: Baseball 20202024 (8th-12th grade), Soccer 2020-2023 (9th-12th grade), Basketball-2020-2024 (9th-12th grade)

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: 2020 (8th grade) Baseball. 2020-21 (9th grade) Soccer, Basketball, had independent seasons for each.

Honors & Awards: 10th grade: Delaware League Academic All-Star for basketball & baseball, Delaware League 2nd Team AllStar Soccer, Delaware League Honorable Mention Basketball, Delaware League 2nd Team All-Star Baseball, Chic Walshe All Tournament Team, Lee Fisher All Tournament Team. 11th grade: Delaware League Academic All-Star for Basketball & Baseball, Delaware League 2nd Team All-Star Soccer, Delaware League 1st Team

All-Star for Basketball & Baseball, NYS Boys Basketball Class-D All-State Team Honorable Mention, Lee Fisher & Shalkey Mokay Basketball All-Tournament Teams, Doug Calhoun Baseball All-Tournament Team, CVCS Male Athlete of the year. 12th grade: Delaware League Academic AllStar Soccer, Delaware League First Team All-Star Soccer, Lee Fisher All-Tournament Team Basketball, Joseph P. Beck Scholar Athlete.

Sports Played & What Years: Varsity Soccer 5 years, Varsity Basketball 5 years, Varsity Softball 4 years

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: For 9th grade the 2020-21 season for all sports a compressed 6 game season offered in Spring 2021

Honors & Awards: Varsity Soccer: 2019 Chic Walshe Tournament

All Star, 2022 Outstanding Offense Award, 2022 Delaware League All Star Honorable Mention, 2023 Delaware League

All Star 2nd Team. Varsity Basketball: 2019, 2022, 2023 Ray Preston Holiday Tournament All Star, 2019 Coaches Award, 2022 Outstanding Team Performance Award, 2019 Delaware League

All Star Honorable Mention, 2022 Delaware League All Star 1st Team. Varsity Softball: 2021, 2022 Coaches Award, 2023

Doug Calhoun Tournament All Star, 2023 Delaware League All Star Honorable Mention

Additional Info: ACL injury for soccer and basketball 10th grade 2021-22.

Photo by Christina Losie Cadence Losie

Ezra Ontl

Trevor Waid

Photo by Allan Hecox

Jessica Zuill

Cherry Valley-Springfield Patriots CV V S S

Mina Aramini

Sports Played & What Years: Varsity Soccer 2021, 2022, 2023, Accelerate Soccer 2020, Clark Sharks Swim Team 2014-2024, Oneonta YMCA Orcas 20202021, Varsity Track and Field 2021, 2022, 2023, Softball 2024

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: Spring, Fall, Winter 2020

Honors & Awards: Soccer: Section IV All Star 2023, 2024, Swimming: Gold Team Member 2020, Outstanding Female Swimmer 2020, Track and Field: Tri Valley All Star 2021, Coaches Award 2022

Additional Info: Mina attended the Section IV All Star Trip to Spain in 2024

Amelia (Mia) Dubben

Sports Played & What Years: Soccer 2021-2023, Basketball 2021-2024, Softball 2020-2024

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: 2020

Honors & Awards: NA

Additional Info: Basketball Class D TriValley Champions 2022-23, 2023-24. Made Sectionals for Soccer, Basketball, Softball

Best of luck in the spring season and congratulations on your athletic accomplishments!

CJ Hurley

Sports Played & What Years: Football 2021-2023. Basketball 2021-2024 Baseball 2021-2024

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: Football 2020, Basketball 2020-21

Honors & Awards: Football Section III 8-man 2nd team offense 2022

Photo by Savannah Duncan

D D Delhi Bulldogs

Bryce Burrows

Sports Played & What

Years: Soccer 9-12, Tennis 9-12

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: None

Honors & Awards: Soccer: 2023 James Campbell All Tournament Team, 2023 Team’s Top Goal Scorer, 2023 MAC 1st Team

All Star; Tennis: 2022 MAC Champions, 2022

Section IV Class C/D Champions, 2022 3rd Place Doubles Section IV Class C/D, 2022 MAC 1st Team All Star, 2023 MAC Champions, 2023

Section IV Division II Team Champions

Ryan Burrows

Sports Played & What Years:

Soccer 10-12, Tennis 9-12

Seasons Missed

Due to Pandemic: None

Honors & Awards: Soccer: 2021 Stamford Mayor’s Cup All Tournament Team, 2022 Honorable Mention MAC All Star, 2023 Team Co-Captain, 2023 2nd Team MAC All Star; Tennis: 2022 MAC Champions, 2022 Section IV

Class C/D Champions, 2022 2nd Team MAC All Star, 2023 MAC Champions, 2023 Section IV Division II Team Champions, 2023 MAC 1st Team All Star

Victoria Verspoor

Natalie Vredenburgh

Sports Played & What Years: Basketball and Soccer

Honors & Awards: MAC League First Team All Star Basketball and First Team All Star Soccer

Sports Played & What Years: Volleyball 2018-2023; Basketball 2022-2024; Softball 2019-2024

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: Softball 2020

Honors & Awards: Scholar athlete every year, every season

Edmeston Panthers E e

The Athletes

Carly Bond

Sports Played & What Years: Cross Country 2021-2023, Track and Field 2022-2024, Basketball 2018-2021, 2023-2024, Soccer 2018-2021, Softball 2018-2021

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: Basketball 2021-22

Honors & Awards: 2nd Team All Star Cross Country 2021, 2022

Avery Bolton

Sports Played & What Years: Varsity Soccer 8th-12th, Varsity Basketball 9th, 10th, 12th

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: 1 season

Honors & Awards: Varsity Soccer: 2023 All-state 2nd team, 2023 All-Star 1st team, 2022-2023 Playmaker Award, 2022 All-State 4th team, 2022 All-Star 1st team, 2021 All-star 2nd team

Preston Graham

Sports Played & What Years: Soccer 2020-2023, Basketball 2020-2024, Baseball 2020-2024

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: None

Honors & Awards: Soccer second team all star 2022-23, Soccer second team all star 2023-24, Most Improved 2022-23, Section 4 class D runner up 2023-24, Basketball 2022 Christmas Tournament All star, Coaches Award 2022-23, Team Captain 202324, Section 4 Class D runner up 2023-24, Baseball 2nd team all star 2022-23, Tri Valley champions 2021, 2022 and 2023

Salute to Senior Athletes

Jennadee Cotten

Sports Played & What Years: Soccer K-12, Basketball 12, Track 11 and 12

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: None

Honors & Awards: First Team Soccer

All Star 2022, Track All Star 2023, Honorable mention Soccer 2023

Photo by Megan Carpenter Photography

Photo by Krista Cotten

Sports Played & What Years: Soccer, Basketball and Softball 2020-2024

Honors & Awards: Daily Star All-Star throughout the years

Additional Info: Member and Team Captain of E-M Girls Varsity Soccer Team back-to-back Tri-Valley Champs 20232024 and Sectional Champs 2024

Sports Played & What Years: Cheerleading 2021-22, 2023-24

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: n/a

Honors & Awards: High Honors Award, National Honors Society & National Technical Honors Society

Edmeston Panthers E e

Gunner Schoellig

Sports Played & What Years: 2019-2024 Soccer, Basketball, Baseball

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: None Honors & Awards: 2021-22 Most Improved

Sports Played & What Years: Soccer 2020-2023

Basketball 2021-2024 Track Field 2021-2024

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: None

Honors & Awards: Soccer Tri Valley Champion

2022 and 2023, Section IV finalist 2022 Section IV Champion 2023, NY State Regional Finalist Track and Field 2022, Tri Valley League 4th Place 400 Hurdles 2023, 1st Place Tri Valley Relays Triple Jump, Tri Valley League 2nd Place Steeplechase

Additional Info: Emma has been a consecutive Scholar Athlete for all sports seasons from 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. Emma has been sworn in and will be serving in the United States Air Force upon graduation in June

The Athletes

Barbie & Vinny Montuori Owners

Photo by Madison Porter Photography

Haylie Lund

Photo by Krista Leigh photography

Emma White

Amber Roseboom

Photo by Madison Porter Photography

The Athletes

Gilboa-Conesville Wildcats G G

Jacob Strauch

Sports Played & What Years: Varsity Baseball 8, 10, 11, 12; Varsity Basketball 11, 12; Varsity Soccer 10, 11, 12

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: Varsity Baseball 9th grade, JV Basketball 9th grade, Varsity Soccer 9th grade

Honors & Awards: Varsity Basketball:

Most improved 11th, Delaware League

All Star Honorable Mention 11th, Highest Free Throw percentage 11th; Varsity Soccer: Delaware League 2nd Team All Star 10, Delaware League 2nd Team All Star 12; Varsity Baseball: Lincoln Faulkner Award Integrity, Desire, Hustle

10th, Delaware League 2nd Team All Star 10th, Golden Glove 11th, Delaware League 1st Team All Star

Additional Info: Attending SUNY Delhi in the Fall for Electrical Instrumentation with a Merit Scholarship

Laurens Leopards L L

Sports Played & What Years: Varsity Soccer 8th-12th, JV basketball 9th, Varsity basketball 12th, Track & Field 8th-12th

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: None

Honors & Awards: High Honor Award 9th-12th, Key Club Community Service Award 9th-12th, LTA Spanish Award 9th, NYSPHSAA Scholar Athlete Soccer 8th-12th, NYSPHSAA Scholar Athlete Track & Field 8th-12th, Booster Club Most Improved Track, Instrumental Music Big 3 Award, Marching Band High Achievement Award, LTA Award Math 9th & 10th, Area ll Skills USA Related Tech Math Award 3P

Additional Info: Class of 2024 Treasurer 9th-11th, Spanish Club Treasurer 9th-11th, Class of 2024 Treasurer 12th, Peer Tutoring, Graduating a year early, Currently in the New Vision Engineering Program, 27 college credits from HCCC, Syracuse University, SUNY Oneonta, and SUNY Cobleskill

Salute to Senior Athletes

Photo by Carol Louden

Jaidon Brodie

Photo by Amanda Popp

Sports Played & What Years: Soccer: Varsity 8-12. Basketball: Varsity 10, 11. Track: Varsity 7-10, 12

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: Basketball 2020-21

Honors & Awards: Soccer: Tri-Valley All-Star 1st Team 2023-24 and 2021-22; NYSSCOGS All State Soccer Third Team 2023-24; Milford “Outstanding Player” 2020-21 and 2021-22; Chic Walshe All-Tournament MVP 2021-2022; and New York Pizzeria All-Tournament MVP 2019-20 and 2023-24. Track: Tri-Valley All-Star 1st team 2021-22; Milford “Most Dedicated Runner” 201819

The Athletes

Milford Wildcats M M

Braden Murphy

Sports Played & What Years: Basketball 2021-2024. Track and Field 2021-2024. Soccer 2021, Baseball 2022-2024.

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: Braden attended Salisbury prep school (Salisbury Connecticut) for the 2020-21 year and played Varsity basketball as a freshman.

Honors & Awards: Scholar Athlete, 3rd Varsity Letter in Basketball and Track, Tri-Valley All Star track, 1st Varsity letter in Soccer, 2nd Varsity Letter in Baseball, Stamford Basketball

Tournament All-Star, 1st Team Tri-Valley All-Star in Basketball, Outstanding Sportsmanship award in Basketball 2022-23, Honorable Mention Class D All-State Selection Basketball.

Additional Info: National Honor Society, Volunteer youth basketball referee.

TJ O’Connor

Sports Played & What Years: Varsity Wrestling 7-12, Varsity Soccer 8 and 12, JV Baseball 9, Varsity Baseball 12

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: 9th grade (2020-21)

Honors & Awards: Wrestling: 4th Place in States, 2nd Place in Sectionals & Classes, Most Outstanding Wrestler, John Winslow Wrestling Award, Captain for 3 years; Soccer: All-Star 2nd Team, Captain

Additional Info: Set school record for all time wrestling career wins with 195 wins

Sports Played & What Years: Varsity Soccer 2021-2023, Varsity Basketball 2021-2024, Varsity Softball 20212024

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: soccer fall 2020 (moved to spring), basketball winter 2020-21 (canceled)

Honors & Awards: Softball First Team All-Star 2021, Soccer First Team AllStar 2022 and 2023, Scholar Athlete in each sport each season, Best Offensive Player Soccer 2023, Team Captain soccer 2023, basketball 2023-24

Congrats to all Senior Athletes!

Photo by PhotoJoe Photography

Photo by CPM - Chipped Paint Media

Delaney Maison

Photo by Emily Garlick

Julia Barown

Morris Mustangs M M

The Athletes

Sports Played & What Years: Cross Country, Basketball, Track

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: 2020 Track, 2021 Basketball

Honors & Awards: Section IV

Charactership Award, Honorable Mention Basketball, Community Service Athletic Award, Team Captain for Basketball, Track, & Cross Country

Additional Info: Maddie will be attending SUNY ESF for Environmental Studies and Pre Law in the fall

Sports Played & What Years: Varsity Soccer 2021- 2023. Varsity Basketball 2021-2024. Varsity Baseball 2021-2024

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: Varsity Soccer 2020 (played in spring 2021), Varsity Basketball (no season 2020-21)

Honors & Awards: Varsity Baseball: TriValley League Champions 2022, 2023, Tri-Valley 1st Team Baseball All-Star 2021, 2022, 2023. Varsity Basketball: Tri-Valley League Champions 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24. Varsity Soccer: TriValley League Champions 2022, 2nd Team Soccer All-Star 2022, 1st Team Soccer All-Star 2023

Additional Info: Pitched a perfect game April 19, 2023

Sports Played & What Years: Varsity Soccer 2021-2023, JV Basketball 2021, Varsity Basketball 2022-2024, Varsity Baseball 2021-2024

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: No missed seasons just the 2021 soccer season that was moved to early spring

Honors & Awards: Tri-Valley Champions for Soccer (2022), Basketball (2022, 2023, 2024), Baseball (2022, 2023), Tri Valley All Stars for Basketball and Baseball

Lorissa Johnston

Sports

Played & What Years: Track, cross country, indoor track 2022-2024

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: None

Honors & Awards: XC Tornado 5000, 6th place XC Fort Plain Invite, first place in 4x800 meter tri valley relay, 3rd place girls tri valley league 3200 meter relay, 5th place Norwich REK invitational, 6th place 3000 meter run Cooperstown Don Howard invitational

PO Box 404, 1977 NYS,Highway 23, Morris, NY 13808

607-263-2363

https://www.faithfulfriendsofmorris.com/

Maddie Coleman

Photo by MG Portraits by Monica George Asa Dugan

Photo by Megan Carpenter Photography Keegan Fraser

Morris Mustangs M M

Tiger Ross

Sports Played & What Years: Basketball 2018-2024, Soccer 2018-2024, Golf Club 2020-2024, Golf 2021-2022, Travel Baseball 2021-2022, Taekwondo 20202021 and Baseball 2020

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: Freshman Year

Honors & Awards: National Honor Society 2021-2024, High Honor Roll 2020-2024, Basketball Tri Valley Champion 20212022, Soccer Tri Valley Champion 2022, Basketball Second team All Star 2022, Basketball Tri Valley Champion Longest winning streak (20-0) 2023, Basketball First Team All Star 2023, Basketball Fifth Team All State 2023, Basketball DOTY 2023, Soccer Second Team All Star 2023, Basketball First Team All Star 2024, Basketball 1,000 Point Scorer 2024

Tobi Carter

Sports Played & What Years: Golf junior and senior years

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: None

Honors & Awards: Career best golf round of 42

O O Oneonta Yellowjackets

Elias House

Sports Played & What Years: Varsity Swimming 7th-12th; Varsity Track & Field 9th-12th; Cross Country 9th

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: None

Honors & Awards: Sectional Champion 50 free 12th; State Championship Qualifier Swim 12th; Scholar Athlete Award for Swim 10th & Track 10th; Sportsmanship Award for Swim 9th & 11th; STAC All-Conference All Star for Swim 9th-12th

The Athletes

AlanMichael Rubin

Sports Played & What Years: Wrestling, 2021-2023; Cross Country 2021, Soccer 2022-2023

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: Wrestling 2020 (9th); Cross Country 2020 (9th)

Honors & Awards: 1st Place at Granville Tournament; Section IV 4th place winner in 160lbs.

Additional Info: Seeking to complete a PhD in PharmaD. A well rounded athlete. Worked part-time through his high school years, took AP courses and achieved National Honor Society. Captain of the Wrestling team junior and senior year, AlanMichael is a natural leader, and leads alongside his peers. Setting a great example, he motivated, inspired and became a mentor to many younger wrestlers. Devoted, determined and dedicated young man.

Makya Morrison

Sports Played & What Years: Basketball and soccer. Basketball since he was 5 at Boys and Girls Club. Soccer 3 years. All-Division in both sports

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: Freshman year

Honors & Awards: All division goalie junior and senior year. All division basketball 2 years.

Additional Info: Makya is a hard working dedicated student athlete. He maintains around a 90 average with AP classes. He works at the Boys and Girls Club where he is liked by kids and staff alike.

Photo by Lynn Farrell

Photo by Lynn Farrell

Merged teams help provide seniors with opportunities to compete

By Drew Epstein Staff Writer

There are plenty of benefits to high school sports, such as physical activity, building relationships, learning teamwork and leadership and providing community support.

In some cases, kids aren’t afforded these opportunities without merging with nearby schools. Especially in this area, mergers have become a necessary part of the high school sports experience.

“You make new friends and you still get to play the sport that you otherwise wouldn’t get the chance at all to play, so even if you have some new challenges, it’s worth it to play the sport, for me anyway,” Milford’s TJ O’Connor said.

O’Connor has spent five years as a member of the Cooperstown/Milford wrestling team, a year of soccer merged with Laurens and will do the same in the upcoming baseball season.

“It is nice to be on your home field, everything like that, but I still enjoyed having the opportunity that otherwise I wouldn’t have had because there’s either not enough kids on the team or my school just didn’t have the sport at all,” he added.

Unatego senior Chase Birdsall played four years of soccer, three years of baseball and two years of basketball merged with Franklin.

“A few years ago, Unatego only had like six guys for soccer so we had to merge with Franklin,” he said. “Personally, I think the merger has been very successful. We’ve won three league titles and one [Stamford] Mayor’s Cup.”

Avery Bolton of Edmeston has seen the benefits of playing two years of soccer and one year of basketball merged with Morris.

“I was on board with it from the beginning; I really loved the idea of it,” she said. “We had a lot more girls, we weren’t trying to pull up girls from seventh or eighth grade who really didn’t have much experience. I think we also had double the support from both schools, so we had double the fans, double the coaches. It was a lot of help.”

All of these seniors talked about the friend-

“A few years ago, Unatego only had like six guys for soccer so we had to merge with Franklin. Personally, I think the merger has been very successful. We’ve won three league titles and one [Stamford] Mayor’s Cup.”

Chase Birdsall

ships they were able to make as a result of joining forces with another school.

“I knew two of the kids from Franklin previously, but not really well,” Birdsall said. “We’ve built those relationships through athletics and were just focused on becoming a successful team. I guess we all wanted that goal as a team. We really worked well together and became great friends.”

“I knew of them from playing against them but I didn’t know them on a personal level,” Bolton said of her Morris teammates. “I definitely grew much closer with the girls. I became close with them right from the start, because there were a few girls in particular that had the same passion for the sports like I did so it’s something we bonded over really quickly.”

Delaney Maison of Milford knew a couple of her new teammates from travel soccer and AAU basketball, but made new friends as well as a result of Milford merging with Laurens in softball and basketball.

“Working together on a merged team gave me opportunities to meet new people and make new friends,” she said. “I became friends with girls that had previously been rivals when Milford faced Laurens before the merger. There were some challenges as well because we were still two separate schools. I feel like everyone worked hard to overcome those challenges. Even our families and fans had fun coming together.”

“It took some getting used to since most of us

did not know each other and we had to get used to two different coaches who had not worked together before,” she added. “However the coaches and girls worked hard to turn us into a strong [softball] team. We even won the Tri-Valley Championship.”

Transportation can present a bit of a challenge for a merged team as players often need to take a bus to another school just for practice, but several of these seniors noted that while it may not be ideal, the extra bus rides provide an opportunity to grow closer as teammates.

Some have their reasons for being against schools merging together, but it’s evident that the students who have experience with being a part of these teams enjoyed the opportunity and recommend it to schools who may be undecided on making a similar move when it becomes necessary.

“I definitely think merging was a good thing for us,” Bolton agreed. “I think that it was a necessary transition because it was getting to the point where it was really hard for us to make a team that was able to compete.”

“Many schools are facing the same problem of not having enough athletes to put teams together,” Maison said. “In that event, merging teams is a great solution and I was lucky enough to have had some great experiences with my merged teams.”

Despite an understandable adjustment period, many in the Class of 2024 have embraced playing for merged teams.

“Personally, I think being a part of a merged team is great because you get to meet kids from new schools,” Birdsall said. “I learned a lot about Franklin and actually Franklin is kind of merged with Unatego, so there are multiple Franklin seniors that go to school at Unatego.

“Sports kind of set that up to start so we made our friendships in sports and now they’re coming to our school to learn. I definitely would recommend merging if needed, if you don’t have enough athletes for a sport, because it really does just bring two schools together and it blends together really well.”

R R Roxbury Rockets

The Athletes

Schenevus Dragons S S

William Sulas

Sports Played & What

Years: Boys varsity Soccer two seasons, Golf, Otsego composite mountain biking team and Hawaiian shirt, mafia mountain bike.

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: One season missed 2019-2020

Honors & Awards: Scholar athlete team award, Schenevus/Charlotte Valley school boys golf 2023

Additional Info: National honor Society

Dennis Slauson Jr.

Sports Played & What Years: Golf 2019-2024; Soccer 2023; Skiing 2020-2024

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: Golf 2020; Skiing 2021

Honors & Awards: Scholar Athlete; Member of Section 4 Ski Team at NYS Finals (4 Years)

Sidney Warriors S S

Makayla Bales

Sports Played & What Years: Field Hockey 2nd-12th, Basketball 2nd-12th, Softball 2nd-10th, Track 10th-12th, Badminton 11th-12th

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: none

Honors & Awards: Douglas Quinney, Scholar Athlete, 1st and 2nd Team AllStar, Defensive and All Purpose Player of the Game

Photo by Ricky MacPherson

Farrell

Sports Played & What Years: Volleyball

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: 1

Ava Cirigliano

Sports Played & What Years: Varsity Field Hockey 2019-2023; Varsity Basketball 20202024; Badminton 20212024; Varsity Softball 2019-2024

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: NA

Honors & Awards: All Star Awards Field Hockey, Basketball & Softball; Section IV Div. 1 First Team All Star All State Field Hockey; Greater Binghamton Elite Field Hockey Player; Amphenol Aerospace Athlete of the Week; 1,000 point scorer; recipient of Nate Lull broadcast awards; 2024 MAC women’s basketball MVP; SFCU Softball Tournament MVP 2022; SFCU Softball All Tournament Player 2023

Sidney Warriors S S

Liv Gavin

Sports Played & What Years: Field Hockey 19972024

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: 2021 Honors & Awards: National honor society

The Athletes

Sports Played & What Years: Volleyball 2018-2024

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: None

Honors & Awards: HS National Honor Society, Shirley B Ford Math Award

Sports Played & What Years: Varsity Volleyball 2021-2023, Varsity Softball 2021-2024. Modified Volleyball 2019, Started playing Softball (T-Ball) in 1st grade and has been on a softball team since then.

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: 2020 Varsity Volleyball and 2020 Varsity Softball

Honors & Awards: 2023 All Tournament Player for Softball

Additional Info: Aurienna loves playing volleyball and softball. However, her real passion is barrel racing. She started riding horses at age 4 and has been barrel racing since she was 8.

Sports Played & What Years: Volleyball Libero 2018-2024

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: 2021

Honors & Awards: Team captain

Additional Info: Attending college for Psychology after graduation and plans to play college volleyball as well.

Photos by Tara Cirigliano; CDH photography (Cooper Harvey)

Photo by Quick Photography

Gabriella Gavin

School Volleyball Photo

Ayla

Photo by Michaela Bliss

Aurienna Larson

Photo by LA photography

Layla Rollins

U U

Unatego Spartans

The Athletes

Chase Birdsall

Sports Played & What Years: Varsity Soccer 2021-2023, JV basketball 2020-2022 Varsity Basketball 2023-2024, Varsity Baseball 2022-2024, Varsity Track 2023-2024

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: JV baseball 2020

Honors & Awards: Tri-Valley Soccer all star 1st team 2021 and 2023, Tri-Valley all star 2nd team 2022. Most Improved Baseball 2023 (Unatego), Stamford’s Mayor’s Cup All Star 2022 and 2023.

Additional Info: Unatego/Franklin Tri-Valley soccer Champions 3 years in a row 2021, 2022, 2023 and Stamford Mayor’s Cup Champions 2023.

Corinne Ashley

Sports Played & What Years: Volleyball 2022-23 and 2023-24

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: none

Honors & Awards: National Technical Honor Society

Additional Info: Player 2022-23 season, Team Manager 2023-24 season

Nicole Ashley

Sports Played & What Years: Girls volleyball 2022-23 and 2023-24

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: none

Honors & Awards: National Technical Honor Society

Additional Info: 2023-24 Team Manager

Salute to Senior Athletes

Wyatt Beers

Sports Played & What Years: Soccer 2021-2023, Baseball 20232024

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: No Varsity Seasons missed

Honors & Awards: Three time TriValley Champions

Additional Info: NA

David Clapper

Sports Played & What Years: Soccer 2021-2024, Outdoor Track 2021-2023, Indoor Track 2022-23

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: None other than canceled championships/sectionals in first season.

Honors & Awards: Soccer: Tri-Valley Champions and Tri-Valley First Team All Star 2021-2023, Stamford Mayor’s Cup Champions and All Star Player 2023, I-88 Soccer Tournament Champions 2023 and Tournament MVP 2018-2023, Varsity Soccer Team Captain 2023. Indoor track: 600 meter Section IV Champion 2023, High School 600 meter Record 2023. Outdoor track: MAC Champion 2023

Katelyn Gloeckler

Sports Played & What Years: Volleyball 20182023. Track & Field 2021-2022

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: None

Honors & Awards: None

Peyton

Sports Played & What Years: Soccer 2011-2023, softball 2011-2024, basketball 2019-2022, wrestling 2022-2024

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: 2020 seasons

Honors & Awards: Varsity letter earned in Soccer, softball & wrestling. 2024 MAC champion for Wrestling

Photo by Annandale Farms Photography

Coleman

U U Unatego Spartans

Shane Howell

Sports Played & What Years: Soccer 7th-12th, Varsity Wrestling 7th-12th

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: 2020-2021

Honors & Awards: Received first Varsity Athlete Award 7th grade, Scholar Athlete, High Academic Award, Outstanding Student of the Quarter, Multiple team championships and Medals

Additional Info: Plans to major in Aviation Technology and Join the Air Force after.

Reese James

Sports Played & What Years: Football 2021-2023, Basketball 2021-2023, Volleyball 2024, Baseball 2024

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: None

Honors & Awards: 2022 Division VI 1st team All Star

Additional Info: Tied State record for most interceptions in a game with 5, Finished with 12 interceptions on the season and Tied the career state record with 18 interceptions

Bailey McCoy

Sports Played & What Years:

Soccer: grades 7-12, 4-year varsity player, Basketball: grades 7-12, 4-year varsity player, Softball: grades 7-12, 3-year varsity player

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: No 2020 Basketball State tournament, 2020 Softball season canceled, 2020 Soccer, Basketball and 2021 Softball were all shortened seasons

Honors & Awards: Soccer: MAC champions 2021, 2nd team MAC all star 2021, 1st team MAC all star 2022, 2023. Basketball: Section IV Class C Sectional Champion 2020, MAC champion 2022, 2023, 1st team MAC all star 2024. Softball: MAC 1st team all star 2022, 2023

Additional Info: Class President, National Honor Society President, student council President, member of the FBLA. Bailey has been accepted into the nursing program at Hartwick College for the Fall 2024 semester were she will begin her journey towards her goal of becoming a Nurse Anesthetist

Sports Played & What Years: Baseball 8-12, Basketball 9-12, Soccer 9-12

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: Varsity Baseball 2020

Honors & Awards: NY Section 4 Character Counts Recipient; SAAC Leadership Representative; NYSPHSAA Leadership Representative; 2023 Southern Tier Elite Spring All Star Team; 2023 The Daily Star Baseball Player of the Year; 2023 MAC MVP baseball; 2022-24 MAC Basketball All Star; High Honor Roll; National Honor Society

Additional Info: Future plans are to attend Cornell University in the fall to study agriculture and play baseball.

Braeden Johnson

Photo by Jack Cole

Photo by Joe Harmer (photoJoe)

Darya Arjomand

Sports Played & What Years: Ski racing 2021-2024, softball 2021-2024

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: Ski racing and softball

Honors & Awards: Honor roll, high honor roll, principal’s list, and warrior of the month

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JP Klein

Sports Played & What Years: Golf 20212023, Soccer 2022, Alpine

Skiing 20222024, Tennis 2022-2024 Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: 2020-21

Honors & Awards: Scholar Athlete, NYSPHSAA States

Section IV

Representative Alpine Ski Racer 2021-2023, NYSPHSAA Sportsmanship Award 2021

The Athletes

Sophia Dyjak

Sports Played & What Years: Varsity Soccer 2021-2023, Varsity Alpine Skiing 2021-2024, Varsity Tennis 2021-2024, Windham Mountain Race Factory Alpine Ski Program 20202024

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: March 2020, Fall 2020, Winter 202021

Honors & Awards: Joseph P. Beck

Senior Scholar Athlete Award 2024, 2nd Team All Star Tennis(2023, 1st Team All Star Skiing 2023, Scholar Athlete 2022-23, Academic All Star Skiing 2023, Delaware League League Girls Double Champion 2023, Most Improved Tennis Award 2023, Girls Team Skiing Section 4 Champions 2022-2024, Most Dedicated Alpine Ski Award 2022, 2023, Most Dedicated Alpine Ski Award 2022, 2023, Most Dedicated Tennis Award 2022, U-16 Most Improved NYSSRA Women East 2021

Additional Info: Sophia is planning to attend college and major in nursing.

Luke Maeurer

Sports Played & What

Years: Soccer 7-12; basketball 11-12; baseball 7, 11,12; tennis 10

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: Soccer, baseball

Honors & Awards: Joseph P Beck award for scholar athlete 2023-2024; scholar athlete 20212023; most improved player soccer 2021-22; best defensive player soccer 2022-23 season, coaches award in baseball 2023 season

Hannah Mattice

Sports Played & What Years: Soccer 2018-2023, Softball 2013-,2024, Skiing 2024

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: Soccer and Softball

Honors & Awards: Student athlete since 9th grade

Additional Info: Skied since 2016 and took a break due to COVID for 3 years. Completed last year of ski racing through the school as well.

Charlie Mulholland

Sports Played & What Years: Varsity Golf 7th-12th, track and field 8th and 10th, Varsity Tennis 10th and 11th, Freestyle skiing 7th-11th, Alpine Ski Racing 12th

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: Golf freshman year due to Covid, junior out due to injury

Honors & Awards: Delaware all star,Varsity Golf 8th grade honorable mention, 10th first team, 12th first team, 10th golf scholar athlete, Tennis 10th golf scholar athlete,

Additional Info: Student council Junior and senior year, President of class Junior Senior years, Junior National Honor Society, and National Honor Society sophomore through Senior years

Photo by Taylor Day

Photo by Jamie Lynn Zambri

Tyler Head

Sports Played & What Years: Varsity Soccer, Varsity Basketball, Varsity Baseball

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: Baseball 2020, Soccer 2020, Basketball 2020-21

Honors & Awards: Varsity Soccer MVP 2022, 2023, Varsity Basketball 2022, 2023, Coach Charlie Ives Award 2021

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The Athletes

Hailey Shalor

Sports Played & What Years: Varsity basketball 8th-12th, Varsity Soccer 9th-12th, Varsity Softball 9th-12th

Seasons Missed Due to Pandemic: 2020 Softball, 2020 Soccer, 2020-21 Basketball

Honors & Awards: Tri-Valley all star in all sports, coaches award all sports, Coach Ives Award, all state player basketball, Student Athletic Association Committee Selection for Section IV, 1,000 point club basketball

Photo by K. Darling Photography

Photo by K. Darling Photography