Latest / Cover IV Podcast / Championship Games Previews (Class AA, A, 8-Player and B)

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Championship Games Previews (Class AA, A, 8-Player and B) · Cover IV Podcast

• 0:08
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to Cover 4.
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_00: If you're a Section 4 football fan, you're in the right place.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_00: This is your podcast.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Coach Smith, and I'll be your host.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: Buckle up.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_00: Let's go.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_00: Over the course of two episodes, I will preview all six championship games.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_01: This episode will be dedicated to the Friday night games, class AA, A, Eight Player, and B.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_01: Each preview will contain in-depth and detailed insight from our outstanding Cover 4 podcast analysts.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_01: They are Ryan Ginio of ESPN Ithaca.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_01: Ryan will preview the Northern Teams.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_01: Nate Lull of WCDO in Sydney in the Nate Lull Podcast will preview the Eastern Teams.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_01: Andrew Laguerre, longtime sports writer for the Elmira Star Gazette.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_01: Press and Sun Bulletin and USA Today will preview the Western teams.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_01: Tim Burney, the original TB, the founder of the five sports reports throughout section four.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_01: He will preview the Telga County teams.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_01: Myself and Roger Neal, the sports voice of the Southern Tier, will preview the Broome County teams.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_01: We'll begin with the double-A game.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_01: The Corning Painted Post Hawks traveled to Almira to take on the Express, who is currently ranked in New York State with an honorable mention.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_01: That game will be at 6 p.m.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_01: This will be a battle of the double wing offenses.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_01: Last week, Corning beat the Ithaca Little Red handily, 51-20 in the semifinal game while Elmira had a bye.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_01: The Section 4 Class A, I'm sorry, the Section 4 Class AA football championship game has belonged to either Elmira or Corning in recent seasons.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_01: Elmira won the last two meetings with Corning in the sectional final after the Hawks beat Elmira in the three previous sectional finals.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_01: Since the 2011 merger of Southside and Elmira Free Academy, the Elmira Express has won six Section 4 titles.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_01: Since the 2010 merger of Corning East and Corning West, the Corny Paint's Post Hawks have won five Section 4 titles.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_01: Earlier this season, Elmira beat Corny handily 34-8 as Zach Conklin threw for 215 yards and three touchdowns.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_01: The Express's most explosive offensive player is Julian Collin.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_01: He is a top target in the passing game and has come up with several big runs and kickoff returns.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_01: Elmira won its last four games under head coach Jimmy McAuley after a loss to Horseheads dropped the Express record to 1-4.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_01: Corning started their season 0-3 with losses to Liverpool, Union Indica, and Horseheads.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_01: All three of those teams were playing in the section finals this weekend.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_01: The Hawks' run focus attack is led by Clayton Smith, who set out last week's 52-20 semifinal victory over Ithaca that saw Corning play 57 players after bringing up a large contingent from their JV team that went 8-0 this season.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_01: Fullback Mike Lutton and wingbacks Ty Haynes and John Graham have also had big rushing games this season for the Hawks, who are coached by Mike Johnston Jr.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_01: Now for the single A game, which pits Horseheads Blue Raiders with a record of 7-3 and currently ranked number 24 in New York State at Union Dicott Tigers to take on the Tigers who are 7-2 and currently ranked number 23 in this New York State.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_01: That will be a 7 p.m.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_01: kickoff.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_01: For the Horseheads Blue Raiders, after beating Vestal 31-0 last season for its first Section 4 title since 1998, Horseheads is in the position to go back to back following a 21-7 semifinal victory over Vestal last week.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_01: Horseheads' three losses have come by a combined total of five points.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_01: Two points to Unitycott, two points to Vessel, and one point to Weagle Free Academy.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_01: Head coach Kevin Hillman and the Blue Raiders have dealt with numerous injuries throughout this season.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_01: Kyle Ernst, one of the Horseheads' top tacklers last season, has missed the entire season, and Horseheads has been without some of its top offensive players for multiple games.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_01: Bryce Thomas, the younger brother of former Elmire Express standout Eli Thomas, is among the top rushers in Section 4 and comes off a 160-yard effort in the win over Vestal.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_01: Speedy running back safety Patrick Laney, a center fielder for Horsehead State Championship baseball team, has been a home run hitter for the Horseheads football team, which uses counterplays with considerable success.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_01: Dimitri Charlenot, a senior quarterback, has provided big plays as a passer and runner.
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_01: Liam Morrissey ran for a touchdown last week against Vestal before leaving the game with an injury in the third quarter.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_01: Now for the Unionic Tigers.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_01: Just a few short seasons removed, Coach Tommy Bellino had the UI Tigers playing in the state championship game.
• 5:33
  SPEAKER_01: UE has a strong team with exceptional student athletes in all positions, especially the ball handling positions.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_01: They have one of the premier quarterbacks in Section 4 and arguably New York State.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_01: That's Joseph Generelli Jr.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_01: He is a very athletic.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_01: He makes good play decisions quickly and can act on them.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_01: Although he is the focal point of the UE offense, they also have hard running running backs, Robert McBride Jr., who is a big time threat to run inside or off tackle, and horseheads can definitely expect a heavy dose of McBride early and often.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_01: UE also has a wing back, Alex Palombero, who compliments McBride by running hard and is an exclusive, an elusive threat on the jet sweep, who also occasionally turn it up field to keep the defense honest.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_01: Generelli also has a stable of receivers in Larkin Bianco, Nicholas Figueroa, and Chad Eldridge, who are all capable of the big play.
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_01: One of many other outstanding student athletes on the defense is ball hawking Kishon Mitchell.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_01: One thing UE needs to do is to reduce their penalties.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_01: They were able to overcome 14 against our tribal vestal and still win the game.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_01: If they can reduce their penalties, they have an excellent chance to win this game and advance to the New York State playoffs.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_01: Now for the eight-player game.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_01: The Moravia Blue Devils, currently ranked number four in the state, are going to take on the United Go-Franklin-Gilbertsville Mount Upton team, who is currently ranked number three in the state at 5 p.m.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_01: at Susquehanna Valley.
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_01: The Moravia Blue Devils come in with a record of 7-2 overall and 5-2 in the division for a third place finish.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_01: The Blue Devils won their first three games, all by at least 30 points, then lost to Unitego Franklin, Gilbertsville, Mount Upton, 32 to 29 at home.
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_01: That was a wild game with Moravia trailing most of the contest.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_01: The Blue Devils scored 15 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to take the lead, but the Spartans scored the game-winning TD with just nine seconds left to break the Blue Devils' hearts.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_01: That loss also broke an 18-game winning streak against Section 4 teams during the regular season and a 12-game home winning streak.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_01: They recovered strongly with three blowout wins before losing to Thomas Edison 24-14 in the regular season finale.
• 8:03
  SPEAKER_01: One week later, they would have a rematch against Edison for the eight-player semifinals in Dryden, and they came out on top 26-16.
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_01: The Blue Devils jumped out to a 26-6 lead at halftime and held on from there.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_01: Their red zone defense was outstanding as the Spartans went just 1-5 in the red zone with only one touchdown to show for it.
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_01: And here are some of the key players to watch.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_01: Eli Landis is the starting quarterback.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_01: All state honorable mention last year as a wide receiver.
• 8:35
  SPEAKER_01: He's thrown for 1,519 yards, 24 TDs, and only four interceptions.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_01: He also leads the team in rushing with 69 carries for 854 yards and 14 touchdowns.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_01: He missed the first Thomas Edison game due to an injury, but played in the eight-player semifinal, only playing at quarterback because he also usually plays on defense as a cornerback and on special teams as a kicker-punter and also a kick returner and punt returner.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_01: So you can see his value to the team.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_01: He does everything.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_01: Another student athlete to watch is Noah Corbett.
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_01: He's a starting running back.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_01: He has 583 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns.
• 9:13
  SPEAKER_01: And he is also the leading tackler on defense with 128 tackles and a team high three force fumbles.
• 9:20
  SPEAKER_01: He had three total TDs in the semifinal, rushing for one, I'm sorry, rushing for two and receiving one.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_01: Jaron Francis, Dylan Palmer, and Carson Andrews are all wide receivers.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_01: All have similar, well-balanced statistics, and their offense overall is much more balanced than last year, where they threw the ball a lot more.
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_01: A more mobile quarterback has allowed them to pass and run equally efficiently.
• 9:49
  SPEAKER_01: A little bit of history with the championship.
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_01: This is the four straight Section 4 eight-player championship game for Moravia.
• 9:57
  SPEAKER_01: They're one and two in those contests, losing to Groton in 2022 and beating Trumansburg in 2023 and losing to Trumansburg last year.
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_01: Not only is Moravia looking for its second ever sectional title, they're looking to make the New York State Public High School Athletic Association eight-player regional tournament for the third straight year, making the regional championship the last two years.
• 10:22
  SPEAKER_01: The winner of this Section 4 championship will play the Section 9 champion in the regional semifinals at a Section 9 school.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_01: Now for the preview for Unitego, Franklin, Gilbertsville, Mount Upton.
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_01: It's been a special season for the combined eight-player program for Unitego Franklin and Gilbertsville-Mt Upton.
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_01: They entered the sectional title game with a 9-1 record after a 44-6 win over Dryden the semifinals.
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_01: This marks the first sectional finals appearance for Unitegos since 2016 when they competed in Class D of the 11 player class.
• 11:00
  SPEAKER_01: This Unit Eagle Franklin Gilbertsville Mount Upton squad is incredibly well balanced, embracing an everyone eats mentality where you never know who will have the breakout game.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_01: The Spartans have gotten healthy for the stretch run, which should only help their cause.
• 11:16
  SPEAKER_01: A tough and physical Moravia Blue Devils team awaits them in this title game.
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_01: Expect another battle similar to their regular season matchup when Unitico Franklin Gilbertsville Mount Up and pulled out a 32-29 road win with some late game heroics.
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_01: This is a must-see game for any Section 4 football fan.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_01: Now for the Class B game.
• 11:38
  SPEAKER_01: The Owego Riverhawks, currently ranked 14th in the state versus the Waverly Wolverines, currently ranked number 7 in New York State.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_01: That game is at 8 p.m.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_01: at Susquehanna Valley High School.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_01: Class B has provided some very entertaining football this season.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_01: Waverly finished with a divisional record of 4-0 while Owego was 2-2, losing to Waverly 14-7 week 6 and Maine Enwell 8-6, thanks to a Maine Enwell fourth quarter pick 6.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_01: The Riverhawks avenged the Emmy loss last weekend with a 1916 victory, sealed by a fourth quarter pick six of their own by junior John Farrell.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_01: Defensively, Owego and Waverly are a lot alike, both big and physical up front and athletic in a secondary.
• 12:26
  SPEAKER_01: Ouigo is allowing just 9.1 points per game, and the most it's allowed in a game this season is 16.
• 12:35
  SPEAKER_01: Waverly is allowing 14.4 points per game.
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_01: Offensively, it's been a different story this season.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_01: Waverly is scoring 26.4 points per game, while Owigo is averaging only 16.5 points per game.
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_01: The Riverhawks three losses this season to Shenango Forks, Waverly, and Maid Edwell brought by a combined 10 points.
• 12:57
  SPEAKER_01: Ouego has played six games decided by seven points or less and is three-three in those games.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_01: The Wolverines' lone loss was a 31-13 setback against Shenango Forks.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_01: Waverly is 4-0 this season in games decided by 8 points or less, and Waverly's offense has been very balanced this season, with junior quarterback Ben Shaw completing 66% of his passes for 124 yards per game.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_01: He has spread the ball around nicely with senior Dalton Davis hauling in a team high 23 receptions.
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_01: The Waverly ground game is led by senior Cooper Robinson, who is averaging 151.1 yards per game.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_01: Junior wideout John Farrell has become a big weapon in recent weeks, including a 68-yard TD grab against Maine Enwell last week.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_01: Junior Dylan Brace was a workhorse in the backfield for the Riverhawks earlier in the season, but in recent weeks, Stefano Scher and Farrell have gotten more carries and have their production has gone up.
• 14:02
  SPEAKER_01: A little bit of an overview on the game outlook.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_01: For whatever reason, Uigo has had a little bit of trouble getting the ball in the end zone.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_01: And against a defense like Waverley's, that spells trouble.
• 14:12
  SPEAKER_01: Both teams are battle-tested, and Waverley's offense has shown the ability to score on a more consistent basis.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_01: With two defenses like these, it will likely come down to turnovers or mental mistakes, and which defense can make more big plays.
• 14:30
  SPEAKER_01: Due to the possibility of last-minute schedule changes, I recommend you contact your respective school for the latest school and schedule information.
• 14:39
  SPEAKER_01: Best wishes to all those involved with these championships.
• 14:43
  SPEAKER_01: For a positive, safe, injury-free, and memory-creating experience.
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_01: Remember, these are young student athletes and not professionals.
• 14:54
  SPEAKER_01: Also remember the third team on the field, the officials, that are doing the best they can to provide guidance and rule enforcement.
• 15:02
  SPEAKER_01: Without the third team, we would not have these games.
• 15:06
  SPEAKER_01: There is a certain finality to playoff games.
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_01: Each game will be one of these teams' final game, and for the seniors, it could be their last game of organized football.
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_01: I know it's easier said than done right now, but try not to be sad it's over, but be thankful it happened.
• 15:29
  SPEAKER_01: Life is all about relationships and memories.
• 15:33
  SPEAKER_01: Continue to make the best of both.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_00: If you enjoy this episode, be sure to subscribe.
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_00: Tell your friends to visit cover4.com and be the next fan of your inputs are never out of bounds.
• 15:50
  SPEAKER_00: In football and life, it's not where we line up, it's where we wind up.
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for listening to the Cover Four podcast.