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Tioga County Team's Preview with Tim Birney · Cover IV Podcast

• 0:16
  SPEAKER_01: I'm Coach Smith and I'll be your host.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_01: Buckle up.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_01: Let's go.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_01: Joining us today in the Cover Four podcast studio is Tim Burney, the original TB.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_01: Tim is one of our football analysts covering the Section 4 teams throughout Tioga County.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_01: Today, Tim will share his insight and preview the Tyoga County teams for the upcoming seasons.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome, Tim.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks, Coach.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_00: Nice to talk to you again.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_00: It's going to be a pretty interesting year in Tyoga County this year, I think.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_00: Defending state champion Tyoga, you know, that came a little bit out of the blue last year.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: You know, with a with a lot of new kids, a lot of new faces uh in the backfield.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_00: Now, of course, all those kids are gone this year.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: And their offensive line is back intact.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: Plus, they bring back Derek Mills, who got hurt in a double-zero game, weak double zero game last year against Norwich.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so he moves back into the center spot.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, they've got a couple new faces in the line.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_00: They're deep enough so that they're taking Gavin Kithkart, who was an all-star tight end as a sophomore.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_00: He was forced out of the line, interior line last year because of injuries.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_00: They're moving him back to tight end.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, they're gonna have a 235-pound tight end.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, they're big across the front, they're very athletic.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_00: The Mills kids was all-state as a sophomore, and um he'll be he'll be the best guy on the line when he comes back.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_00: Uh Jackson Bombard's back at quarterback.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_00: They've got uh Max Stodder back at fullback, Shane Platukas back um either at fullback along with Stoddard or at tailback.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_00: He he gained he went from about 195 pounds to about 245 between his sophomore and junior year, and it was mostly muscle.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so he lost some quickness.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_00: They they they wanted him to trim down a little bit.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: He said he would, so we'll see where that sits.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_00: If he comes in at say 225 and in shape, um, they're gonna have a horse at tailback behind a big offensive line.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_00: Um Stodder, who's a pretty good lead blocker.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_00: They've got a couple other kids that could factor in at tailback.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, so one way or another, Tyoga never has to worry about running backs.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: And when you have a line like they've got this year, they're gonna find somebody to run the football.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_00: I think you'll see um uh Jackson Bombard uh running the football as well at quarterback more than he did last year.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_00: But I don't think they'll go crazy with him because he's the one spot on the field they really can't afford to lose because they don't have any experience whatsoever behind him.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_00: Um then you know if you look on the other side of the ball, uh defense, you know, they're gonna be dominant up front.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_00: A lot of times um they'll have at and they'll have athletes behind them.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_00: Uh but again, just like they lost all their skill players, they lost a couple linebackers, their defensive backfield.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_00: So they're gonna have to have uh it's gonna be there's gonna be a little bit of a learning curve uh defensively, I think, uh just like there is um on the offensive side in the in the skill positions.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: But the thing I'll say is when you're dominant up front, it makes it a lot easier to uh to transition and and to get that learning curve straightened out quickly.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_00: And the other thing is, like I said, you know, the even with the big story here, I I didn't, I mean passed right over top of the big story, is uh Nick Nick Aiello's resignation, you know.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_00: But he brings in uh they brought in uh Jay Collins, gonna be the head coach.
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_00: Tyler Spires is uh offensive or defensive coordinator, Connor Hutcheson, who quarterbacked the 2015 state championship team is the offensive coordinator.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_00: John Worthy, who was an all-state, all four of these guys were all-state players when they played for Aiello.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_00: All four of them have been in the system.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and like Jay Collins said when I interviewed him, we're not reinventing the wheel.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_00: You know, what Aiello did work, we're not gonna go in and try to change, transform anything.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_00: So I think you're gonna see a lot of the same things.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I think the one the only thing I want to see is Aiello had a a real knack for calling the right play at the right time.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_00: So we'll see if Connor Hutcheson, um, who was a tremendous quarterback, he was a sophomore when they won that state title in 2015.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_00: Um he's he he's almost unflappable.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_00: He was that way as a player.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_00: You watch him as a coach, he never gets excited.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_00: He's you know, so I I'll be curious to see how how it transitions from ILO to this coaching staff, but I don't think you're gonna see many hiccups.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I will say this.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_00: This I honestly think that they're they're the team to beat in Class D again this year.
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_00: Um class section four, you know, we'll get a good look at them.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_00: Week one, they get Delhi.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_00: Um great coaching staff up in Delhi.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_00: I I don't know who's gonna compete with them.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_00: If Del High can't stay on the field with them, and and I I don't know whether that's the case or not, but if Del High can't stay on the field, I don't know who can in section four.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I think you're looking at you know, somebody in the state semifinals or finals are the only are the biggest tests that uh that Tylee gets this year.
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_00: Um but looking, you know, in a nutshell, I think if you know Bombard's got to stay healthy at quarterback, and otherwise I think I think this is the team to beat um in all of New York State, not only just Section 4.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_00: Uh then we moved down the road 10 miles to Waverly.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_00: Some big graduations the last couple years, but Jason Miller has his program in a spot where they just kind of keep reloading.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_00: And um the the transfer portal, so to speak, was kind to him again this offseason.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_00: Um Norwich coach Mike Christie um took a history job in Waverly.
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_00: And so along with him comes his two sons, Cooper and Carter, uh, both really good athletes.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_00: Cooper is going to be the starting quarterback this year.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_00: Ben Shaw is gonna move the tailback.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, plus, it'll allow the all-state linebacker to have more time playing defense, um, which is what he really loves.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_00: I talked to him, you know, I was wondering how that dynamic would go, and he just smiled and said, you wait till you see this kid throw the football.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_00: And uh so Cooper and then Carter Christie, the wide receiver, um, Jason Miller raves about his athleticism.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_00: And Waverly's got some other threats on the outside, too, to go along with him.
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_00: They've got two or three kids that um they're gonna run the football with.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_00: Um, plus Cooper Christie is very dangerous.
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_00: Um, he gave Waverly bits last year in the two times they played him with his athleticism.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_00: Uh the question here, the funny thing about it is the question is Waverly's strength the last four or five years, and the reason they've been able to compete with the main endwells and and Shenango Forks of the world is they've been so good up front.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_00: Well, they've graduated three starting linemen off that line from last year, and um they're they're coming back with a lot of inexperience up front.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_00: So it'll be interesting to see, you know, plus they start out with Port Jervis, who I, you know, was uh scored 50 points a game last year, and I think was nine and two, something like that.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_00: And then they play main end well, Oigo, and Horse Deads right out of the gate.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_00: Um, before they get into their um, because they're back to class B this year, so they or C, excuse me, they're back to Class C.
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_00: So before they get into their conference division schedule, they play four really tough games.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_00: So they're gonna be by the time they get to that conference schedule, if they're healthy, they're gonna be battle tested and ready to go.
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_00: Um, of course, class C has split up this year, so and for whatever reason, Shenango Forks is on the other side.
• 7:53
  SPEAKER_00: So if Waverly and Snango Forks are gonna run into each other, it's probably gonna be either in the section semis or or the finals, most likely the finals.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_00: Because they they look to me as if they're the two best teams in Class C and Section 4.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_00: And I think you know, Horse Ed or excuse me, uh, Shenango Forks is is really good.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_00: Um I I think Waverly's got a potential to be a very explosive offense.
• 8:15
  SPEAKER_00: Um with Carver Christie's out until mid-season, he broke his arm in uh seven on six state seven on seven finals uh in July.
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_00: So he's gonna miss the first probably four games, maybe five games before he's back, but they expect him to be back.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_00: Um so you know, Waverly up front uh is a little sketchy.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_00: I think um if they have it straightened out by week five when they get into their conference schedule, if they can if they can get the number one seed out of their division, yeah, they won't see Stango Forks until section finals.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_00: You know, then we move uh a little bit east to a weego coming off the program's first ever Section Four title.
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_00: Uh Patton Taylor, tremendous job there with his coaching staff.
• 9:01
  SPEAKER_00: You know, not only did they beat Main End well, which is a gigantic hurdle, you know, but they the next they beat them 19-16.
• 9:13
  SPEAKER_00: The next week, uh, you know, Nolan Card, a sophomore time, a junior this year, I think is gonna be a big stud for them.
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_00: Uh steps in front of a pass in the first possession of the game for a six pick six, and uh Owego, you know, held off a little bit of a surge in the second quarter, went on to beat Waverly 27-7 to win their first ever uh Section 4 title.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_00: And then you usually a lot of teams struggle the first time they go to states.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, Ouigo had an incredible game with New Hartford, got ahead big, New Hartford came back, and then Oigo went down and showed their their brass in the final minute by scoring and beat them 36-34.
• 9:53
  SPEAKER_00: That says a lot for that coaching staff.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_00: Um, because usually those the first time the states, you know, those kids see the bright lights, even though they were at home.
• 10:01
  SPEAKER_00: But you know what I mean.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_00: That's uh you know, that was a big win for them.
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_01: Oh absolutely.
• 10:05
  SPEAKER_00: And uh, you know, then the next week they just run into a machine.
• 10:09
  SPEAKER_00: Monroe was just loaded, and uh up at North Syracuse, and that that got pretty ugly.
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, but but um you know that was a big, big year for a Uego.
• 10:20
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, the and the funny thing about that is the year before, you know, they had graduated 20 kids, and there was a lot of question marks around in last year's Riverhawk team.
• 10:29
  SPEAKER_00: You know, this year they graduated another 12 or 13 kids, and that's a lot of kids.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_00: You graduate 30, 30 kids, I don't care what size you are, you know, and they're they're a class uh B school, and you know that's that's a lot of kids.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_00: And this year they come back, they lose a lot off their offensive line, but and defensive line, but you know, Patton Taylor's done a tremendous job in the weight room.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_00: He not only is he head coach, he's the strength and conditioning coach.
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_00: So those kids are held accountable.
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_00: There's no, hey coach, yeah, I was in there, coachy.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_00: You know, they just didn't mark it, you know, whatever.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_00: He's there, so they know um that they have to be in the weight room, and those kids are in the weight room, but they lost a lot off the line this year.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_00: You know, they bring back card, like I said, they bring back Dylan Brace, really good running back, but they lost a couple big backs that were in front of him.
• 11:20
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, they would you know, Brace didn't have to run the ball 25 times a game.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_00: Um, they had some big boys in front of him and um on the line and at fullback.
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_00: Um so you know, they lost their quarterback who, you know, last year came in as a one-year senior and did a really nice Garrett Phelps did a really nice job for him.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I think there's a lot of question marks around this team this year.
• 11:44
  SPEAKER_00: Um that said, uh there's something to be said for building a culture.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_00: And I think uh Patton Taylor's taking that team, that program to the next level.
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_00: Uh so I'm not gonna count them out.
• 12:00
  SPEAKER_00: I just think I just think it's gonna be really difficult for them to repeat what they did last year.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_00: And I think main end well.
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_00: Um I don't think they were there where they were the you know the debt 10 or 15 years before.
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but I still think they're gonna be pretty good.
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_00: They've got quite a bit back.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_00: So um Oigo's gonna be hard pressed to to repeat as section champ.
• 12:23
  SPEAKER_00: But like I said, I would have said the same thing last year that they'd be hard pressed to repeat the year before, and they got even better.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, we'll see.
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, then we move a little bit further out in the county.
• 12:35
  SPEAKER_00: We'll go over to Newark Valley.
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_00: You know, great coaching staff there.
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_00: They've done some great things over the years, but you know, my as my father always said, you're only as good as the horses you got.
• 12:46
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, Newark Valley um small school, class D now, it's tough.
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_00: You know, you're you're losing um enrollment, and sometimes you just don't have the kids, you know, whether it's numbers or talent.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_00: Just sad to say, but it is it's the truth.
• 13:06
  SPEAKER_00: Um, we've seen that all around Section 4.
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_00: Some of these great programs, you know, the the coaching changes, the kids don't come out, they start shrinking size-wise, look at Walton.
• 13:15
  SPEAKER_00: You know, Walton's not anything where it was 20 years ago.
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_00: Um other programs rise up like Tyoga.
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_00: You know, they couldn't beat Walton for years, and now you know they're the team to beat.
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_00: Uh that said, Newark Valley um graduated pretty good class of seniors from a three-and-six team, a lot of question marks around them.
• 13:34
  SPEAKER_00: Um but Ted Hardenstein and that staff will will have them ready to go um when the time comes this weekend.
• 13:43
  SPEAKER_00: Um you know, I I just time will tell.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_00: But I I think they're gonna be hard pressed to uh make the playoffs.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_00: But you know, with actually I should I I'll take that back.
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_00: There's 12 teams in class D, and eight of them are gonna make the playoffs this year because they've got a three-week, you know, playoff system.
• 14:02
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, they they they've got a good shot at making the playoffs, and once you get in, who knows?
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_00: Anything can happen.
• 14:07
  SPEAKER_00: You know, then we'll go over to over to Spencer Vanett and Kander, as I love to call them Speck.
• 14:13
  SPEAKER_00: And uh they lost a couple studs in Logan Eyman and um Jacoby Foster, uh, as well as a couple linemen up front.
• 14:22
  SPEAKER_00: Uh they were five and three last year.
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_00: Again, you know, that's a that's another program that over the years has had some good years and followed by some bad years.
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm not saying this is gonna be a bad year for them.
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_00: I just know that they've got a lot of talent to replace, you know, some very skilled runners.
• 14:40
  SPEAKER_00: They had they had three kids that could hurt you, and they all graduated.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so we're gonna have to wait and see who they fill in those spots with.
• 14:49
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but overall, Tyoga County, I think um, you know, go over real quick.
• 14:54
  SPEAKER_00: I think Tyoga um wins another state title.
• 14:59
  SPEAKER_00: Now that said, this group of seniors, after this, there might be a couple lean years for Tyoga.
• 15:07
  SPEAKER_00: They they've got uh lower numbers, they didn't have a JV team last year or this year.
• 15:12
  SPEAKER_00: Um they graduate a big class of seniors that are gonna have most of them three years of RC experience by the time they're done this year, some of them four.
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_00: Um the mills kid, Derek Mills, came up at the end of his eighth grade year and played on that team.
• 15:26
  SPEAKER_00: Um so they'll want to state title.
• 15:29
  SPEAKER_00: So uh I think Tyoga's might have a couple down years after this year.
• 15:34
  SPEAKER_00: You know, Waverly, they got to go through Shenango Forks, and I think that's gonna be an uphill battle for them.
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_00: But I think uh people I've talked to said Shenango Forks is weak spot this year might be on their offensive line as well.
• 15:47
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, Waverly, whoever puts together a better interior line, you know, probably wins that football game.
• 15:54
  SPEAKER_00: Uh Oigo, like I said, main end well.
• 15:57
  SPEAKER_00: You got to beat main end well.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_00: That always is the case in class B.
• 16:00
  SPEAKER_00: They did it last year.
• 16:02
  SPEAKER_00: Lose a lot to graduation again.
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not sure if they can do it this year.
• 16:06
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I think the goal for Norton Valley and Spec in Class D this year, both just to make the playoffs, you know, play 500, make the playoffs, build your numbers, uh, see what you can do as a step towards the future.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_01: Yep.
• 16:20
  SPEAKER_01: All right, Tim.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_01: Uh that sounds like a wrap.
• 16:23
  SPEAKER_01: And again, you did a great job with a preseason preview.
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_01: And I know our listeners are uh gonna be waiting to uh to hear what you had to say.
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_01: And it's funny because you're not funny, it's it's very interesting, I should say.
• 16:36
  SPEAKER_01: You're usually either spot on or you're not far off.
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_01: I look at a bullseye, and you're usually right around that centerpiece, or you're just off it, just a little bit.
• 16:46
  SPEAKER_01: Uh what I'm trying to say is you know your stuff.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_00: I appreciate that.
• 16:51
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and you're our original TB, and appreciate you guys part of the uh the team here on Cover Four Podcast.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_01: So thanks again, Tim, and you uh you take care.
• 17:00
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks, coach.
• 17:01
  SPEAKER_01: Appreciate it.
• 17:03
  SPEAKER_01: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe.
• 17:06
  SPEAKER_01: Tell your friends to visit cover4.com and be the next fan up.
• 17:12
  SPEAKER_01: Your inputs are never out of bounds.
• 17:16
  SPEAKER_01: In football and life, it's not where we line up, it's where we wind up.
• 17:22
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you for listening to the Cover Four podcast.