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THE SPORTS REPORTS: CORNING'S BANGE TOPS LIST OF ALL-REGION MALE 'NEWCOMERS OF FALL;' TWO FROM WEST HONORED (2021-12-18)

The Sports Reports
There were some incredible performances by male varsity newcomers in the Fall of 2021, but Corning junior Ashton Bange topped them all and is The Sports Reports’ 2021 Male “Newcomer of the Fall.”

It was a close call, however, as Bange edged out Tioga sophomore Caden Bellis, who quarterbacked the Tigers to a Class D state title in his first season as a varsity signal-caller.

Bange had a dominant season after playing soccer in previous years. He won the Section IV championship, he was fourth at States, and he did all this in his first year of cross country.

He was consistently one of the best  runners in the State all season, helped Corning capture the state title, and was a main cog in a team that swept the top five spots at both the STAC Championships and the Section IV Championships.

He recently finished 17th at the Eastbay Regional Meet.

The 2021 “Baker’s Dozen Male Newcomers of the Fall”
Ashton Bange, junior, Corning, cross country:
See above.

Caden Bellis, sophomore, Tioga football: Equipped with a football IQ well beyond his years, Bellis ran for 708 yards and 10 TDs on just 58 carries this season — an average of 12.2 yards per carry. He also completed 37 of 68 passes (54.4 percent) for 1,007 yards and 15 TDs, while being intercepted just once. … In the state championship game, he ran for a 75-yard TD, and completed 5 of 8 passes for 98 yards and one TD.

Defensively, Bellis had 21 tackles, including 12 solo stops, and three tackles-for-losses in limited action. He also had two interceptions.

Tim Freeman, freshman, Cowanesque Valley, football: A rugged competitor, Freeman ran the ball for 1,136 yards and 12 TDs, while pulling down 11 receptions for 92 yards and one TD. Defensively, he had 49 tackles, including 35 solo stops, and one interception.

Gage Tedesco, junior, Waverly football: A physical presence on both sides of the ball, Tedesco rushed for 547 yards and eight TDs, and had five catches for 33 yards. Defensively, he had 90 tackles, including 23 solo stops, and one QB sack.

Creed Dewing, freshman, Northeast Bradford cross country: As a freshman, Dewing earned a state medal, taking 25th at the PIAA, Class A Championships.

Evan Sickler, sophomore Tioga football: A surprisingly physical defender with a nose for the ball, Sickler had 50 tackles for the Tigers, including 37 solo stops. He also had five interceptions. Offensively, he had five catches for 207 yards, and two TDs.

Carter Rosno, sophomore, Corning soccer: Rosno was a force up front for the Hawks. He had seven goals and seven assists this year, including a big play to score the first goal in the Class AA, Section IV final against Elmira, which the Hawks went on to win. He also had one of the goals of the year when he scored on a 43-yard drive against Elmira during a 3-2 win in the regular season.

Amir Williams, freshman, Elmira, football: Williams became a force in the run game after getting his chance against Vestal this year. In a team deep at running back, the freshman waited his turn, and when his number was called he had a 100-plus-yard, two touchdown effort against Vestal. He then became one of the team’s leading rushers down the stretch with more than 300 yards in the final five games.

Matthew Higgins, freshman, Owego soccer: Higgins, a midfielder, stepped in to fill a much-needed graduation void and was a key contributor to the Indians' 12-3-1 record, Section IV Class B championship and a trip to the NYSPHSAA regional final. He scored two goals and dished out eight assists, while playing an integral part of Owego's style of play by getting on the ball and controlling the tempo.

Clayton Smith, sophomore, Troy football: Smith took over at the running back spot for the Trojans, and was on pace for a 1,000 yard season when he suffered a season-ending injury. His highlight was running for more than 300 yards in a win over Loyalsock. (No stats available)

Tevin McLaren, junior, Corning cross country:
McLaren was consistently the fourth runner for a Corning team that won the state title. The Hawks were dominant all season and the first-year cross country runner played a big part in it. He helped the Hawks go one through five at both the  STAC Championships and the Section IV meet.

Karson Dominick, sophomore NP-Mansfield football: An efficient and accurate passer, Dominick completed 60 percent of his throws for 922 yards and nine TDs, while being picked off five times.

Riley Vanderpool, freshman, Towanda football: Athletic and a good all-around player, Vanderpool ran for 248 yards and one TD, and had 244 receiving yards and one TD. Defensively, he recorded 54 tackles and one QB sack.

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IN PHOTO: Corning’s Ashton Bange. … SPORTS REPORT STOCK PHOTO.


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