The prospects for our Chenango County football teams did not look good after two weeks. Four of the six clubs were still looking for a win, and the collective winning percentage was a mere 25 percent.
Funny thing, good teams find a way to turn things around.
After three weeks, three clubs still had not picked up a win, but the overall record the rest of the way was a better-than-.500 clip, and the result was 2 ½ dozen deserving all-stars.
We unveil our 2014 Evening Sun Football All-Stars on today’s sports pages with the knowledge that not only are the final records – thanks to those aforementioned poor starts – deceiving, but perhaps the quality of individual players are underrated.
Sure, we have the stars, returning all-stars Michael Oralls of Norwich and Cody Marango of Sherburne-Earlville – both veterans of this yearly honor – but also plenty of deserving newcomers and players to watch.
Before getting into the individual player summaries, we went to our six area coaches and asked them to talk about their respective seasons. Who better to size up the past, present and future of local clubs?
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*Bainbridge-Guilford head coach Tim Mattingly: “Winning our last two games, we’re hoping the guys coming back and use that going into next season.”
* Greene coach Dave Gorton: “We have 17 of 22 starting spots coming back next year. We’ll have an experienced team, so I’m eager to get back to it.”
* Norwich coach Mike Chrystie: “The senior class laid the foundation for the program, and the underclassmen have all bought in. We made the sectional semifinals last year and the finals this year. We all want to get back there.”
* Oxford coach Jeff Newton: “This was a great first year to get the kids to understand what it takes to win. The last few games, they really stepped up, and now know what it takes to get to the next level.”
* Sherburne-Earlville coach Mike Jasper (Jasper announced his resignation at the close of the season): “My best memories are celebrating the highs and getting to coach my son Austin. We achieved a lot of firsts here over the last six years.”
* Unadilla Valley coach Mark Segina: “We improved on both sides of the ball from last year to this year, but still need to improve on the fundamentals. We have building blocks in place to take the next step.”
So we said at the top, the 2014 season began inauspiciously, but most clubs finished respectably. Perhaps that was a function of younger players finding their footing on the varsity level. Better than half of our contingent -16 players – earned all-star nods as underclassmen. To our knowledge, that is the most underclassmen to earn postseason accolades in this publication over the past 20 seasons.
As has been our wont, the selection of players came from our own observations of players during the season and the recommendation of head coaches.
We hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving feast yesterday, and we hope you devour the summaries of each of our all-star selections.

BAINBRIDGE-
GUILFORD

Ben Bivar, fr. linebacker 5-9, 150 pounds
The only freshman on our all-star team, Bivar made a big splash for the Bobcats on both sides of the ball. As a linebacker, he was a sure tackler with a nose for the football, and from week two forward, he was the team's starting fullback running for 525 yards and two TDs including the game-winning score in an overtime victory over Whitney Point. "Defensively is where he really stood out," Mattingly said. "As a freshman, he played far above his years, and was great as far as being where he needed to be, and making tackles...he's going to be a heck of a player for us."

Bailey Green, sr., receiver, 6-0, 175 pounds
Green didn't start out as the team's go-to receiver, but he sure ended as the team's number one threat on the outside. Green didn't catch a pass until the third game, and averaged nearly two catches a game the rest of the season for the run-dominant Bobcats. "He was our most improved player as far as stepping up to a senior leadership role, and he ran great pass routes for us," Mattingly said. "He was our number one guy when we wanted to throw the ball." Green had three TD receptions and averaged 16.1 yards per catch. He also had a critical pick-six interception return for a score in a victory over Unadilla Valley.

Tyler Hart, jr. defensive tackle, 6-0, 230 pounds
Hart started at fullback, but was quickly moved to offensive tackle to shore up his team's blocking. Hart was integral to the offensive line, but where he really shined was on the defensive line. "He just has that motor that won't quit," Mattingly said. "He did a great job pressuring the quarterback with penetration, and I'm sure he led the team in tackles behind the line of scrimmage."

Dylan Moffitt, sr., running back, 5-8, 155 pounds
Despite battling injuries all season, Moffitt turned in one gritty performance after another. One of those players who played "bigger than his size," Moffitt racked up 908 yards rushing (101/game) and scored eight touchdowns. As he returned closer to full health the past two weeks, he mounted his best two games rushing for 398 yards and four scores against Candor and Whitney Point respectively. "He just loves the game, and he was a warrior out there," Mattingly said. "A lot of his yardage came on natural ability. He had the talent to elude and break tackles, and ran tougher than his size. We needed to get him the ball, and he created a lot on his own."

Dylan Mondore, jr, linebacker, 6-2, 250 pounds
Mondore was the Bobcats' monster in the middle of the defense. "He did a heck of a job for us at linebacker," Mattingly said. "He stepped up to plug holes and did a great job of pursuing to the ball. We didn't keep tackle totals, but I have to believe he was our leading tackler this season." Mondore was particularly effective late in the season, and made several tackles for losses in a two-point road victory over Unadilla Valley, B-G's first win of the season.

B-G honorable mention: Phil Ives, defensive line; Brandon Sickler, defensive line.
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GREENE

Luke Erickson, so. running back, 5-10, 170 pounds
In an offense that likes to spread the wealth, Erickson was the Trojans' breakout offensive performer leading his team in rushing with 577 yards, and also topping his team in pass receptions with 11. Erickson returned punts and kickoffs as well taking one punt back for a score, and easily surpassed 1,000 all-purpose yards. "He's a hard runner who reads blocks, sets them up, is a good pass receiver, and a good blocker," Gorton said. "He's a very complete player, and the improvements he made from last year to this year were dramatic."

John Hadac, jr. defensive end, 6-4, 195 pounds
Over the second half of the 2014 season, no team played better team defense than Greene, and Hadac was a key component to the Trojans' collective efforts. He led the team with nine sacks, and also likely led his team in drawing penalties. "I've never seen a kid get held as much as (Hadac)," Gorton said. "He can't be blocked by just one kid. You have to double-team him, or hold him." Hadac never came off the field, but his defensive prowess had other teams taking notice. "Other coaches would come up to me after games and talk about what an outstanding player (Hadac) was," Gorton said.

Cole Nelson, sr., fullback/linebacker - 6-0, 195 pounds,
A versatile, unselfish player, Nelson made big plays at big times scoring the winning touchdown in what was considered an upset win over Lansing, recorded sacks, had key interceptions, and returned a punt for Greene that led to the winning score against Lansing. Perhaps Nelson's quintessential play of the season was a run stuff against Sidney from the one-yard line holding the Warriors from building a two-touchdown lead before halftime. "Cole is the kind of kid who is a gutsy player that will give you everything he has, every play," Gorton said. "As our fullback, he's the best blocking fullback I've seen here in my 12 seasons with Greene."

Phil Nelson, jr. offensive tackle/ nose guard jr., 6-0, 245 pounds
As much as anyone on the Trojans, Nelson benefited from his time in the weight room during the offseason showing a dramatic increase in strength. "He was the anchor of our line, and he could hold his own against anybody he played against at nose guard," Gorton said. "He just plugged the middle, and after we moved him to nose guard, our defense as a whole became much better." On the offensive side of the ball, Nelson and Hadac made for a strong one-two combination at tackle and guard. "Once they got together (Hadac and Nelson), we started relying on them and running behind them on offense," Gorton said.

Wyatt Vander Bunt, sr. 6-4, 260 pounds, guard and tackle on offense
The Trojans found out how much they missed Vander Bunt when he missed a game and a half in weeks three and four due to injury. "He was a very difficult hole for us to fill," Gorton said. "In addition to being a great leader, he was one of those kids on defense who was quick, and had speed. It was surprising how fast a kid that big could move." On defense, Vander Bunt helped the Trojans dominate that side of the ball for the last five games. "When he came back from injury, he was just throwing people around on defense," Gorton said. "After his return from injury, we really started to stop the run as a team."

Greene honorable mention: Lucian Austin, defense; Zach Orzell, quarterback.
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NORWICH

Cole Brightman, jr. offensive line, 6-0, 240 pounds
A second-year starter at center for Norwich, Brightman has never missed a snap except in late-game blowouts, and takes great pride in initiating the pistol offense that requires a precise snap each time. "He is one of our leaders, and he became a dominant player up front," Chrystie said. "Cole is very strong with good hands, and his feet improved from last year to this year. He's a guy that once he gets his hands on you, you're not going anywhere. The more one-on-ones we have with Cole, the better off we'll be because he'll handle his guy."

Adrian Hoffman, sr. defensive end, 5-11, 190 pounds
Relentless is the word the best described Hoffman's play as a senior. A two-way player, Hoffman made his mark on the defensive side of the ball at defensive end. "He was a little undersized for his position going up against offensive linemen that were 250, 260 pounds," Chrystie said. "But you wouldn't notice that because of the way he plays. There were stretches in the season where he was unblockable. He was always in the backfield hitting backs and the quarterback. He got off the ball, and was a great spark for us on defense." Hoffman was among the team leaders in sacks and tackles behind the line of scrimmage. His quickness at the point of attack set him apart from other defenders at his position.

Jamison Luke, jr. offensive line. 6-2, 215
Chrystie opined on Luke as "the best lineman I've ever coached and the best feet of any lineman I've coached," the NHS coach said. "He's as intelligent as they come up front and he knows all five positions on the line." On-the-fly adjustments? Luke easily adapted, and he completed his blocking assignments with consistency and aplomb. "He's a gifted athlete who finds himself on the football field on the line," Chrystie said. "He's a special player, and his confidence is starting to grow from that. We're looking for big things out of him next year."

Michael Oralls, sr. running back, 6-1, 200 pounds
Oralls' yards were not usually pretty as he ground out real estate gaining the tough yards inside - and many of his yards came after initial contact by the defense. "Every yard he gained, he deserved," Chrystie said. And Oralls gained a lot. He finished his career second all-time among Norwich running backs with 2,780 yards, and after his 1,254-yard season, became just the second documented Norwich back with two 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Oralls finished with 22 touchdowns, the most by a Norwich player in 15 seasons, and had two or more scores in eight of 10 games. "The way he ran the ball forced people to want to block for him because he gave everything he had on every carry," Chrystie said. "He had the ability to run over you, and he had to ability to run by people."

Jacob Perrone, sr. linebacker, 6-1, 200 pounds
Coach Chrystie said that Perrone was perhaps his most improved player from last season as the senior linebacker became one of the Tornado's most valuable players on defense. "We set our expectations for Jacob and gave him a game plan for the offseason, and he fully bought into what we wanted him to do," Chrystie said. "He became a more physical, confident player. He was a leader on both sides of the ball." Perrone intercepted passes in three straight games, none bigger than the momentum-turner in the win over Sus Valley that lifted Norwich to a comeback victory. "Jacob always seemed to be in the right place at the right time," Chrystie said.

Cole Rifanburg, so quarterback. 6-0, 145 pounds
Rifanburg wasn't even in the conversation at quarterback at the start of this past summer. With the untimely injury to older brother Tristan, Cole Rifanburg was given a shot at quarterback based on his part-time duty at the position on the JV level. "We needed a guy at quarterback who was not only physically tough, but who was mentally tough and wouldn't get rattled when things went wrong," Chrystie said. "Cole showed that, and performed far behind our expectations. In week one against Binghamton, he showed no signs of getting rattled, and we knew we found our quarterback." Rifanburg completed 46 percent of his passes throwing for 549 yards, and he ran for 352 yards and six scores. "As successful as he was this season, the sky is the limit for him next season," Chrystie said of his QB.

Tristan Rifanburg, sr. all-purpose, 5-10, 160 pounds
An offseason injury kept Rifanburg out of the Norwich lineup until week three, and he didn't see full-time duty until week four when Norwich started its six-game winning streak. Rifanburg rushed for nearly 400 yards, and led the NHS starters with a 7.6 average per carry, and caught better than one pass out of the backfield. On defense, Rifanburg was usually assigned to cover the opponent's best receiver from his defensive backfield position. "Tristan is as successful an athlete as they come in high school sports, and his leadership brought a spark and energized our team," Mike Chrystie said. "He was our jack-of-all-trades throughout the year. We knew other coaches respected Tristan."

Norwich honorable mention: Nick Murphy, linebacker; Zan Stewart, kicker.
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OXFORD

Angelo Gonzalez, jr. quarterback, 6-1, 200 pounds
A strong-armed signal-caller, Gonzalez excelled throwing the deep ball to teammates Nick Neer and Kevin Davis. Gonzalez threw for 1,030 yards, the top total in the county, and he did so on just 46 completions. That works out to better than 22 yards per completion. "He's a big kid who throws the ball well, and the more we work on his fundamentals, he's going to be dynamite," Newton said. "We relied on him to throw it down the field, and he did a great job." Gonzalez threw for at least 120 yards in five of the last six games finishing with a career-high 237 yards passing against Harpursville/Afton.

Mike Martin, sr. offensive line..sr. 5-10, 220
In a season where the Oxford offensive line was decimated due to injury, Martin was one of just two regulars to play through the entire season without missing a game. A tough player on both sides of the ball, Martin became a team leader as the season wore on. "He got a lot better through the season, and the last few games, he was the guy we ran behind," Newton said. "He was a great lineman and really anchored the offensive line all year." Defensively, Newton said, Martin was force who made several plays in the opponent's backfield.

Nick Neer, junior/receiver, running back., 5-9, 175
Neer is the prototypical "slash" player who contributed a little bit of everything to the Blackhawks. As a running back, he ran for nearly 400 yards and averaged 7.2 yards per carry, but it was at receiver where he truly shined. Neer led the area with 29 receptions - many of the spectacular variety – finishing with 606 receiving yards and four TD receptions. Neer made the nearly impossible catch look routine, and he did so despite never leaving the field. Not only did he start on both sides of the ball, but he was the team's placekicker, punter, and prime kick returner. Neer even threw a TD pass "You can put that kid anywhere you want, and he'll make plays," Newton said. "He's just an athlete. Once he realizes how good he can be, he'll be scary (for defenses)."

Bryan Simpson, running back 5-11, 190 pounds
Simpson went from barely used the past two seasons on the varsity level to the workhorse running back finishing just shy of 1,000 yards. His 944 yards came at a 5.6-yard per clip, and he scored 10 touchdowns. "When it got down to it and we were in a tight spot, we always gave him the ball," Newton said. "He's one of the harder runners I've seen. He's very north and south, and even looks to hit people with the ball in his hands." On the defensive side, Simpson was a big-play linebacker who made several tackles per game at or behind the line of scrimmage. "He was a weapon on both sides of the ball," Newton said.

Garett Sylstra, jr., linebacker. 5-9, 175
One of the unsung heroes for the Oxford defense, Sylstra quietly went about doing his job, and that was making tackles. 'He really came on strong on the defensive side, and he really stepped up as an inside linebacker," Newton said. "He didn't get all of the credit, but he was always making plays. He was probably our most consistent, steady guy on defense. Not too many guys got away from him, and I would think he led our team in tackles." Sylstra's best moments came in a win over Unadilla Valley when he returned a fumble for a touchdown, and also added a TD run on the offensive side of the ball.

Oxford honorable mention: Kevin Davis, receiver; Jon Heggie, linebacker.
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SHERBURNE-EARLVILLE

Gavin Giroux, jr. tight end, 6-4, 215 pounds
For the second straight season, Giroux was a steady receiver and blocker for the Marauders, and his size made for a friendly target in passing situations. Giroux reached double figures receptions for the second straight season finishing with 12 catches and one touchdown, and caught at least one pass in seven of eight games. "He made some good catches for us and has good hands, but what goes unnoticed is how good a job he does blocking and taking care of the edge," Jasper said. "He took care of that unsung part of the job, but he was a big target and a weapon for us on offense."

Matt Hull, so., slotback 6-foot, 170 pounds
Hull barely saw time on the field as a freshman call-up to varsity, but made a huge leap and literally came out of nowhere. Hull led the Marauders in rushing with 602 yards, seven rushing TDs, and 9.1 yards per carry. He also caught 12 passes scoring three times, and he returned a kickoff for a touchdown in a victory over General Brown. Hull had well over 1,000 all-purpose yards, and he has two more varsity seasons ahead of him. "He just exploded with big plays, and did everything we asked of him," Jasper said. "He's a quiet kid who goes about his business, and was a pleasure to coach."

Ben Khoury, sr., receiver, 6-1, 175 pounds.
Khoury was primarily a big-play receiver a year ago, and this season he became a primary target for Marango catching a team-high 16 passes at 21 yards a reception for 334 yards. Khoury was equally adept covering receivers from his defensive back spot, and usually guarded the opponent's best wideout. "He has shown a lot of athleticism and is a real gritty kid," Jasper said. "He really sticks his nose in there, and it shows with the plays that he made."

Cody Marango, sr. quarterback/LB, 6-1, 215 pounds
A returning all-state defender, Marango moved to linebacker to fill a void due to graduation, and became a key stopper. On the offensive side of the ball, once again Marango finished with more TD passes than interceptions, and threw for 700 yards in eight games. Marango was also a threat to run the ball running for five scores and averaging seven yards per carry. "He was a physical presence on defense and made a lot of plays for us," said S-E coach Mike Jasper. "He was probably our most valuable defensive player, and on offense he was disciplined and did what we asked him to do."

Jonah Piatti, sr., offensive line, 5-8, 215 pounds
A three-year starter on the line, Piatti consistently overcame injuries to become a top two-way player on the line for the Marauders. A leader on the offensive line, Piatti often used a cerebral approach to the game to get the job down. He was also physical and quick off the ball. "His dad is a coach, and Jonah knows the game," Jasper said. "He was a key person up front keeping schemes and linemen together. He has the toughness and tenacity, and liked to get after people. He surprised people with his quickness on defense; he was able to read plays fast."

S-E honorable mention: Hunter Owen, linebacker; Brodie Roebuck, running back.
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UNADILLA VALLEY

Richie Conklin, sr., defensive line, 6-2, 280 pounds
A three-year starter on both sides of the ball for UV, Conklin proved nearly unblockable on the defensive side of the ball. “Every film I watched, I don’t there was a time where he wasn’t dominating his guy,” said UV coach Mark Segina. “He just destroyed kids.”
The better the team, the better Conklin played, Segina said, especially against traditional Section IV power Walton. “He blocked punts; he just blew up plays,” Segina said. “He was a huge force for us, and will be tough to replace.”

Hank deGlee, sr., tight end, 6-5, 245 pounds.
The big UV tight end brought protoypical size to his position, and was always a receiving threat, while also serving as a fine blocker on the edge. “He’s a guy defenses had to account for, and sometimes he would draw two defenders,” Segina said. “That’s another reason why we were able to open up the running game.” deGlee’s best game was his last in which he caught five balls against Mt. Markham, and he had his most productive varsity season with 14 catches, among the leaders in the area. “He’s another kid that will play on the next level,” Segina said. “He’s such a hard worker, and he’ll put in the hard work to get better. I certainly saw it over the past two seasons.”

Ryan Postma, jr., receiver, 6-foot, 165 pounds
Halfway through the season, Postma was on pace for over 1,000 yards receiving highlighted by a 250-plus yard opening game against Class D playoff team Moravia. He finished with an area high 824 yards receiving, 10 TDs, and 34 yards per reception. His yardage total is the best by a Chenango County athlete in 16 seasons. “He knows the game and knows how to find a seam,” Segina said of Postma, who was playing his first full varsity season at receiver. “The harder the catch, the better his hands were.”

Nick Stirone, jr., defensive back, 5-6, 135 pounds
Fearless for his size, Stirone was a ball hawk on defense intercepting three passes against Oxford, and he was unafraid to come up to make the tackle against bigger players. “He’s one of the toughest kids, and I’d take a 100 of him for his heart,” Segina said. “He takes a beating and keeps coming.”
Stirone was also a dual threat on offense as a running back and receiver. He was second on the Marauders in rushing, and had two touchdown receptions. “He works hard, never complains, and has that raw toughness. He’s the type of kid you want around,” Segina said.

UV honorable mention: Mike Patrick, defensive back; Brett Hanslmaier, receiver.