FROM PRESS ROW: CITY OF CHAMPIONS, CORNING'S AMAZING 18 HOURS OF GOLD MEDALS (2022-03-07)

In a span of 18 hours this weekend the Corning Hawks won more than many schools do in their programs entire history.

Three state titles, another state runner-up finish, and a pair of sectional hoops titles all taking place between Friday and Saturday.

Maybe after this weekend the city should change their nickname from Crystal City to the City of Champions.

Everything started Friday when the Corning girls won their first sectional title in dramatic fashion.

The merged Corning Hawks program had never been to a sectional girls’ basketball final before Friday. They certainly made that first experience a special one.

Not only did Corning win the sectional title, they did it against the four-time defending champions, and they did it after trailing by 10 points in the first half.

Down the stretch it was the Hawks defense that came up big. Elmira had chances in the final minutes, but Corning won 46-44 as the Corning players just would not give up that win. They fought for every loose ball, took charges, and defended like crazy to seal the win.

The Hawks were the definition of a team as one player after another took their turn making big plays, as the Corning girls kicked off what will be remembered as one of the greatest sports weekends any school has ever seen.

As the girls were celebrating their title, the Corning boys were getting ready for their chance to try and capture a sectional crown.

The last time the Corning boys took on Elmira they got beat, being held to 32 points in a loss to the Express. On Friday the Hawks scored more than hat in the first half, beating the Express 76-56.

Isaiah Henderson nearly matched Corning’s scoring output from the last matchup with Elmira by himself on Friday, scoring 27 points in the victory.


Elmira was the only thing that stood between the Hawks and an unbeaten regular season, and on Friday the Hawks showed they learned from that game and were ready for the big stage of a sectional title.

Friday night was amazing for the Corning Hawks program, and it helped lead into one of the most special days any school has ever had as the Hawks captured three state titles in a matter of hours on Saturday.

On Saturday while Ryan McNutt was making history in Ithaca, the same city that the basketball teams won their titles the night before, a pair of other Corning athletes were getting ready to win state titles in Staten Island.

For McNutt the performance on Saturday capped his brilliant career with the Hawks.

McNutt had already brought home a third-place finish earlier in the day in the 200 free when he took to the pool for the 100 free final, his final race as a Hawk.

In one of the tightest races of the day, McNutt would not be denied, holding off challengers in the final 25 yards to bring home his first state gold medal.

The Penn State bound standout not only won the public school title, he touched the wall first, winning the Federation title as the fastest 100 freestyle swimmer in the state, public or Catholic School.

McNutt is the school’s first boys’ state champion in swimming and the schools first federation state swimming champion.

As McNutt was preparing to hit the pool for the 100 free in Ithaca, a pair of other Corning athletes were on the podium across the state celebrating wins.

Elyssa DeRosa started the day for the Hawks by winning state gold in the weight throw.

Over the past two weeks DeRosa has taken a giant leap in distance and on Saturday she became the state champion.

At the state qualifier DeRosa had a three-foot PR to win the title. On Saturday she had a four-foot PR to win the state title.

That’s a seven foot jump in two weeks for the Hawks thrower.

As DeRosa was taking the podium to get her gold medal, Jack Gregorski was hitting the track for his race.

The state champion in cross country in the fall, Gregorski went out on Saturday and had an absolutely dominant race.

He was the first Corning runner ever to go sub-nine minutes in the 3200 as he brought home the public school state title.

Going sub-nine in the 3200 is one of the most exclusive clubs in high school sports. As an example, a Florida runner just went sub nine and was just the 12th runner in the history of that state to hit the milestone.

How fast was Gregorski? He was just six seconds off the state record in the event. And, Gregorski’s day wasn’t done, more on that in a moment.

Gregorski wasn’t the only distance runner to have a huge day for the Hawks as Ashton Bange became a state runner-up in public school in the 1600, going under 4:20 in the 1600.

What made Bange’s performance even more impressive was that he had to lead the pack around the course and set the tone of the race.

Running alone most of the race Bange still managed to achieve a career-best time to bring home a second-place finish.

Bange and Gregors then also teamed up with Matt Gensel and Tevin McLaren in the 4x800 relay to take third among public school teams.

Bange came right off the track in the 1600 and came back a short time later to help the relay team bring home a state medal.

All in all, two days, three state titles, , six top three finishes in the state, two sectional hoops titles for the Hawks.

Not a bad 18 hours in sports, and that’s far from everything the Hawks have accomplished this winter.

Teagan Walsh won the sectional alpine skiing championships and competed at states and the Corning boys and girls bowling teams each won the state qualifier titles and will compete at states this weekend.

Ethan Hart was the lone local state medalist in wrestling, earning a seventh-place finish in the state, while teammate Charles Loucks was just a win from a state medal and Camden McConnell also qualified for states. All three were sectional champions.

Corning qualified a record 39 athletes for the state indoor track and field championships and the Corning boys’ basketball team won a division title.

Let’s not forget, all this comes after one of the best falls anyone has seen when Angie McKane won the state title in swimming and Gregorski won the state cross country title. Corning’s boys cross country team won the state title in the fall and the Corning boys’ soccer team, football team and boys and girls cross country teams all captured sectional crowns in the fall.

Throw in the first STAC golf title for the Hawks, multiple other cross country and swimming and diving state medalist, including another top four finisher in the state in cross country with Bange, and the Fall was about as good as it gets in sports. As good as it gets until we saw what the Hawks had in store for a winter encore.

Now, it’s onto a new weekend, with another busy Sunday with both the Corning basketball teams playing in regional finals at the arena in Binghamton and the bowlers in action in the state competition in Syracuse on the same day.

After that it’s into the spring season with a softball team that’s as good as any in the state, with the MaxPreps pick as the best player in the state, Atalyia Rijo, and dominant lacrosse teams loaded with future D1 players.

The baseball team features Landen Burch, coming off dominant football and basketball seasons, and of course there is track and field, returning Gregorski, DeRosa, Bange and so many of the 39 record state qualifiers.

What’s next for the Hawks in one of the greatest sports seasons in state history? Everyone will just have to get out to games and see.
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IN PHOTO: Corning’s boys and girls basketball teams celebrate their sectional titles with the fans on Friday night. . . PHOTO BY BRIAN FEES