Tioga Central football looks to continue dominance, eyes three-peat
A sixth successive Section 4 Class D championship and state championship three-peat would appear within these Tigers’ reach, given all they return from a team that won its 14th and final game of 2022 by 63-20 for a 27th consecutive victory.
Caden Bellis, QB/SS and last autumn’s Class D state Co-Player of the Year, heads a cast of returning first-team selections also featuring WR/DB Valentino Rossi, OL/DL Tate McCauley, RB/LB Ousmane Duncanson and WR/DB Evan Sickler. Bellis established Tioga Central program records for touchdown passes and passing yardage in 2022.
A few more Tigers certain to be heard from: RB/LB Drew Macumber, TE/DE Karson Sindoni, OT/DT Cameron Rought and OL/DL Garrett Godfrey.
“With many returning players, experience will be our strength early on,” said coach Nick Aiello (122-23). “We have some key matchups early on that will give us a good indication of where we are at as a team. We will know where we stand by the end of September as we gear up for the second half of the regular season.
“The goal remains the same for this team: Put the work in and remain hungry. Senior leadership will determine the success of this year's team.”
That team is to debut on the newly installed synthetic surface of its Haggerty Field home in Week 3 - following a rare 1-2 on Waverly’s field to open - as it targets the program’s 11th sectional title in 12 years.
More: Football: Tioga dominates in Class D state final to repeat as state champ
Record last five seasons
2022: 14-0
2021 (fall): 12-0
2021 (spring): 5-1
2019: 11-1
2018: 9-3
Record in state playoffs: 16-7
More: M-E's Adam DeSantis, Tioga's Caden Bellis head small school all-state football teams
Tioga 2023 schedule
3 p.m. Sept. 2: Burke Catholic (at Waverly)
7 p.m. Sept. 8: at Waverly
7 p.m. Sept. 15: Afton/Harpursville
1:30 p.m. Sept. 23: at Delhi
1:30 p.m. Sept. 30: at Walton
7 p.m. Oct. 6: S-VE/Candor
1:30 p.m. Oct. 14: at Deposit-Hancock
7 p.m. Oct. 20: Bainbridge-Guilford
7 p.m. Oct. 27: Newark Valley
This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Tioga Central football 2023 season preview
