The Sports ReportsCorning senior Cella McLaughlin won a pair of state track & field medals, setting records in the process. She is The Sports Reports' "Girls Athlete of the Spring."
McLaughlin won a state title in the 100-meter hurdles in a time of 13.92 seconds. She also took home a silver medal in the long jump with a leap of 19-feet, 8 3/4-inches. Both were school and Section IV records.
McLaughlin posted sprint times of 12.22 seconds in the 100-meter dash, and 25.15 seconds in the 200-meter dash this year."
She was The Sports Reports’ "Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year."
(NOTE: There were so many incredible performances this spring that there's an honorable mentions list.)
The All-Region "Girls Athletes of the Spring"
Cella McLaughlin, senior, Corning. See above.
Piper Hoprich, Wellsboro track & field: Hoprich had an improved sophomore year after a strong freshman season. She repeated as District IV 100 and 200-meter dash champion, but also moved up two spots at the PIAA Championships, taking second in the 100, and third in the 200.
Hoprich had personal-bests of 11.98 (100) and 24.55 (200) in the sprints this season, while she also helped her 4-by-100 relay team qualify for states. She was named The Sports Reports' "Girls Track Athlete of the Year."
Delaney Abel, Corning golf: Abel was a state third-place finisher, had a scoring average of 36.4 for nine holes and shot a round of 72 at the sectional meet to win the Section IV title for the second time in three years.
She was under-par after day one of the state championship and tied for the lead after one round. Abel finished 21st at the New York State Women’s Amateur Golf Championship.
Abel was more than five shots better than any other girl in the section, and had the best scoring average of any local golfer — boy or girl. And, she was The Sports Reports' "Girls Golfer of the Year."
Matti Johnston, Corning softball: Johnston hit .364 with a .568 on-base percentage. She had three home runs, six triples, and scored 36 runs. On the mound, she was 14-5 on the year, had a 1.58 ERA with 143 strikeouts. She led her team to a Section IV title and the state semifinals. She was The Sports Reports' "Softball Co-Player of the Year."
Megan Wolf, Horseheads softball: Wolf hit .534 with a .590 on-base. Had five triples, four home runs and 19 RBI as a leadoff hitter. True utility player, who was a top defender wherever she played. Went 3-1 on the mound with 30 strikeouts and a 1.90 ERA in 29 innings, with most of her work coming in the playoffs. She pitched team to wins in the sectional final, regional game, state semifinals and pitched in the state final. She was The Sports Reports' "Softball Co-Player of the Year."
Gretchan Hiley, Athens softball: Hiley was simply dominant in the pitcher's circle, posting a 19-2 record with a 1.11 ERA, a 0.81 WHIP, 266 strikeouts and just 43 walks in 133 innings. She allowed 65 hits, and opposing batters hit .127 against her on the season.
Hiley tossed six shutouts, including three in a row, and a pair of combined shutouts (both with her sister, junior Maddie Hiley). She threw five complete-game one-hitters, including a 1-0 loss to North Penn-Liberty, and five two-hitters.
Offensively, Hiley hit .400 (28 hits in 70 ABs) with nine doubles, one triple, 13 RBI, 28 runs scored, and six stolen bases. She drew nine walks, and was hit by two pitches for a .470 on-base percentage. She also had a .557 slugging percentage for an OPS of 1.027.
Olivia Dodge, Owego flag football: Dodge shined on both sides of the football for the River Hawks. She recorded 87 receptions for a school-record 929 yards and a school-record 22 TDs. She also rushed for 329 yards and seven TDs on 38 carries.
Defensively, Dodge had a school-record 119 tackles, a school-record 13 interceptions, 266 returns yards, and three pick-6s.
She also had 16 punt returns for 249 yards, and three TDs. In all, Dodge scored a school-record 34 touchdowns on the season. She was The Sports Reports' "Flag Football Player of the Year."
Abby Burgess, junior, Athens: At the District 4, Class AAA Championships, Burgess hit the state standards in the 100- and 200-meter sprints to earn a trip to States. She finished second in the 100 in 12.26 seconds (state standard 12.5), and third in the 200 at 25.18 (25.6 state standard). She also finished fourth in the 400-meter dash.
At States, Burgess qualified for the finals — by .01 seconds — with the eighth-fastest time of 12.43 seconds. In the finals, Burgess ran a personal-best time of 12.12 seconds to bring home a fourth-place medal. ... She finished 23rd in the 200 in 26.14 seconds.
Lauren Kozemko, Horseheads lacrosse: The Sports Reports' "Lacrosse Player of the Year," Kozemko had 59 goals and 10 assists, ranking among the top scorers in Section IV this year.
Madison McEvoy, senior, Owego: McEvoy was a two-sport standout this spring.
The senior helped captain the OFA lacrosse team to the Class C State semifinals. She was second on the squad in goals with 56, while also leading Owego in assists with 23. McEvoy topped the milestone of 200 career goals.
Also a top performer in track & field, McEvoy was a big contributor in the mid-distance events, running her team's fastest 400-meter time of the season, while also being a member of their highly-ranked 3,200-meter relay.
Lexi Herceg, senior, Owego: Herceg pulled double duty for the River Hawks this spring, contributing in a big way for two different runs to the New York State Final Four — in lacrosse and flag football.
Herceg finished the lacrosse season with 57 goals to lead the team.
Herceg was also a shutdown corner for the flag football team's defense and a top-notch receiving threat on offense. She finished with nine receiving scores, five rushing tds, and one pick-six for 15 total touchdowns.
Alyssa Parks, Troy track & field: Parks could do it all for Troy. Parks was a sixth-place finisher at the PIAA Championships in the 300 hurdles, and ran a personal-best time of 46.52 at States. She was also a district medalist in the pole vault, and a district qualifier in the high jump.
Brynn Woodruff, Towanda track & field: In the throws, few had as good of a season as Woodruff. She set a new school record on her first javelin throw of the year, and later earned a District IV title in the event.
Woodruff would ultimately take home silver from the PIAA Championships, and finished with a personal best of 140-feet, 5-inches. She was named The Sports Reports' "Girls Field Athlete of the Year."
Gracelyn Laudermilch, Northeast Bradford, track & field: Laudermilch was a three-time state qualifier in 2025, earning a medal in the 3,200-meter run with a time of 11:00.43 (seventh). She also qualified for States in the 1,600 (5:03.21 PR) and the 800 (2:19.69 PR).
Lauren Kosek, Wellsboro track & field: Kosek was a state medalist in the 3,200 (10:45.51), taking home bronze, while also earning a state berth in the 1,600 (5:09.04).
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HONORABLE MENTION
RaeAnne Feeko, junior, Tioga: Feeko hit .647, with 43 hits in 67 at-bats, including 13 doubles, two triples, and seven home runs. She also had 37 RBI, 40 runs scored, and 15 stolen bases.
Feeko walked six times and hit by pitches five times for an on-base percentage of .692. She had a slugging percentage of 1.209 for an OPS of 1.901.
Feeko was also one of the best defensive shortstops in the area and went 1-0 in the pitcher's circle as well, with 10 strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings pitched.
Haley Litzelman, North Penn-Liberty softball: One of only two returning starters for the Lady Mounties, Litzelman collected 26 base hits, including eight doubles and a triple, while batting .413 with a .464 on-base-percentage, 15 RBI, 16 runs scored and six stolen bases.
She also proved to be a versatile asset defensively, playing numerous positions in the field and posting a 2-0 record in the circle.
Madi Jones, Elmira flag football: A defensive whiz (see above), Jones had 90 catches for 1,190 yards and 11 TDs — averaging 92 yards per game and 13 yards per reception. She had two touchdowns and three interceptions in the section title game.
Lindsey Morse, junior, Candor: Morse placed fourth in the 100-meter hurdles (15.99 seconds) at the New York State Track & Field Championships.
Addison Westbrook, senior, Waverly: Westbrook shined on both sides of the ball for the Wolverines.
On offense, Westbrook also had 65 receptions for 980 yards, and 15 TDs — all school records. She rushed for more than 100 yards, and two TDs. In Waverly's two playoff games, she has 11 catches for 157 yards and two TDs, and ran the ball three times for 75 yards, and one score.
Westbrook also recorded a school-record 12 interceptions, including a school-record six pick-6s.
