Section IV announces Hall of Fame inductees
BINGHAMTON – Oxford Academy graduate, Mike Chrystie, and former Norwich High School athletes Jason James, Joe Downey, and Katie Almeter, were all named to the Section IV Athletics Hall of Fame in a release this week from Section IV Interscholastic Sports Coordinator, Ben Nelson.
Chrystie lettered in five varsity sports in six seasons for the Blackhawks. Chrystie first gained acclaim for his exploits on the football field helping Oxford to three Section IV Class D titles in four seasons. He finished as the school’s all-time leading rusher (3,341 yards) and passer (3,048 yards), and became Section IV’s all-time leader scorer and all-time leader in points on kicks with 203.
As a senior, Chrystie switched from baseball to track and field, and had a memorable campaign in which he established a new sectional record in the 100-meter dash (10.4 seconds) in sweeping the 100- and 200-meter Section IV titles. Chrystie went on to win a state title in the 100 meters, and added the Federation title in the same event earning the honor as the fastest high school boy in 2001. Chrystie went 18-for-18 in 100-meter races, and was 17-for-18 in the 200-meter dash.
Chrystie went on to play four years at Colgate University excelling on special teams and at wide receiver. Chrystie was part of the 2003-2004 Colgate team that advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA national championship game where it fell to the Delaware.
James, part of the Norwich class of 1994, earned 10 varsity letters during his athletics career at Norwich. He was a four-year performer on the baseball team, and played three years apiece in football and basketball.
James, Norwich’s starting catcher, earned STAC all-star honors each of his four years on the baseball team. He was all-division his first two years, and STAC all-conference after his junior and senior seasons.
James started at fullback and linebacker for Norwich teams that were a combined 27-4-1 over his three seasons. He rushed for 1,600 yards and finished with 353 tackles, better than 11 per game. After his senior season, James was named first team all-state, all-Metro by the Binghamton Press and Sun Bulletin, all-Section IV at linebacker, and was the Most Valuable Player of the Class B championship game.
James also played guard for Norwich’s back-to-back Class B state championship teams in 1993 and 1994. A consummate team player, James was an excellent three-pointer shooter and on-the-ball defender.
Downey, from Norwich’s class of 1999, opened wrestling fans’ eyes as an eighth-grader when he advanced to the 167-pound section finals losing to senior Justin Bowers of Johnson City in overtime. Bowers would ultimately advance to the state finals that season finishing second.
After that loss, Downey never lost again in sectional tournament action winning four straight sectional titles from 1996-1999 in an era when all participants competed in the same division. He placed fourth, third, and second in the state after his freshman, sophomore, and junior years respectively. He was unbeaten through his senior year and was the top-seeded wrestler for that year’s state tournament at the Onondaga War Memorial Arena in Syracuse. Just days before the tournament, Downey suffered an unfortunate knee injury that prevented him from competing in the tournament.
Downey went on to wrestle for the University of Buffalo, and qualified for the NCAA Tournament after his freshman year before a litany of injuries conspired to eventually end his collegiate wrestling career.
Downey returned to Norwich’s varsity wrestling program two years ago as its new head varsity wrestling coach, and guided seventh-grader Tristan Rifanburg to Norwich’s first state wrestling title.
Almeter, who tragically passed in a motor vehicle accident just months after her 2000 graduation from Norwich, ran to successes never achieved by a Norwich girls athlete.
Almeter qualified for the New York State track and field meet in all four of her varsity seasons, and nine events in all. She reached the pinnacle of her career as a senior when she captured the Class B state title in the 400-meter dash winning in a school-record 58.21 seconds. One day earlier, she had taken the silver medal in the 100-meter dash, and was also the anchor on Norwich’s record-breaking relays.
As a junior, Almeter placed second in the state in the 200-meter dash and third in the 100 meters. She also placed sixth as a sophomore in the 400 meters and eighth in the 100.
In four years of Section IV Class B qualifiers, she won all seven of her individual events. In the Southern Tier Athletic Conference championships, she won the 100- and 200-meter races as a junior, both in school-record times. A year later, she won the STAC title in the 100- and 400-meter races, and anchored the 1,600-meter victory, among five Norwich school records she still holds.
Almeter was also part of the Norwich High School Sports Hall of Fame’s inaugural class of inductees last June.
Chrystie lettered in five varsity sports in six seasons for the Blackhawks. Chrystie first gained acclaim for his exploits on the football field helping Oxford to three Section IV Class D titles in four seasons. He finished as the school’s all-time leading rusher (3,341 yards) and passer (3,048 yards), and became Section IV’s all-time leader scorer and all-time leader in points on kicks with 203.
As a senior, Chrystie switched from baseball to track and field, and had a memorable campaign in which he established a new sectional record in the 100-meter dash (10.4 seconds) in sweeping the 100- and 200-meter Section IV titles. Chrystie went on to win a state title in the 100 meters, and added the Federation title in the same event earning the honor as the fastest high school boy in 2001. Chrystie went 18-for-18 in 100-meter races, and was 17-for-18 in the 200-meter dash.
Chrystie went on to play four years at Colgate University excelling on special teams and at wide receiver. Chrystie was part of the 2003-2004 Colgate team that advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA national championship game where it fell to the Delaware.
James, part of the Norwich class of 1994, earned 10 varsity letters during his athletics career at Norwich. He was a four-year performer on the baseball team, and played three years apiece in football and basketball.
James, Norwich’s starting catcher, earned STAC all-star honors each of his four years on the baseball team. He was all-division his first two years, and STAC all-conference after his junior and senior seasons.
James started at fullback and linebacker for Norwich teams that were a combined 27-4-1 over his three seasons. He rushed for 1,600 yards and finished with 353 tackles, better than 11 per game. After his senior season, James was named first team all-state, all-Metro by the Binghamton Press and Sun Bulletin, all-Section IV at linebacker, and was the Most Valuable Player of the Class B championship game.
James also played guard for Norwich’s back-to-back Class B state championship teams in 1993 and 1994. A consummate team player, James was an excellent three-pointer shooter and on-the-ball defender.
Downey, from Norwich’s class of 1999, opened wrestling fans’ eyes as an eighth-grader when he advanced to the 167-pound section finals losing to senior Justin Bowers of Johnson City in overtime. Bowers would ultimately advance to the state finals that season finishing second.
After that loss, Downey never lost again in sectional tournament action winning four straight sectional titles from 1996-1999 in an era when all participants competed in the same division. He placed fourth, third, and second in the state after his freshman, sophomore, and junior years respectively. He was unbeaten through his senior year and was the top-seeded wrestler for that year’s state tournament at the Onondaga War Memorial Arena in Syracuse. Just days before the tournament, Downey suffered an unfortunate knee injury that prevented him from competing in the tournament.
Downey went on to wrestle for the University of Buffalo, and qualified for the NCAA Tournament after his freshman year before a litany of injuries conspired to eventually end his collegiate wrestling career.
Downey returned to Norwich’s varsity wrestling program two years ago as its new head varsity wrestling coach, and guided seventh-grader Tristan Rifanburg to Norwich’s first state wrestling title.
Almeter, who tragically passed in a motor vehicle accident just months after her 2000 graduation from Norwich, ran to successes never achieved by a Norwich girls athlete.
Almeter qualified for the New York State track and field meet in all four of her varsity seasons, and nine events in all. She reached the pinnacle of her career as a senior when she captured the Class B state title in the 400-meter dash winning in a school-record 58.21 seconds. One day earlier, she had taken the silver medal in the 100-meter dash, and was also the anchor on Norwich’s record-breaking relays.
As a junior, Almeter placed second in the state in the 200-meter dash and third in the 100 meters. She also placed sixth as a sophomore in the 400 meters and eighth in the 100.
In four years of Section IV Class B qualifiers, she won all seven of her individual events. In the Southern Tier Athletic Conference championships, she won the 100- and 200-meter races as a junior, both in school-record times. A year later, she won the STAC title in the 100- and 400-meter races, and anchored the 1,600-meter victory, among five Norwich school records she still holds.
Almeter was also part of the Norwich High School Sports Hall of Fame’s inaugural class of inductees last June.
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