FROM PRESS ROW: GREGORSKI, MCNUTT, DEROSA NAMED ATHLETES OF THE WEEK, UNSUNG HEROES, BREAKOUT STARS, SIX TO WATCH NAMED (2022-03-10)

As we wrap up the winter sports season there have been some amazing performances.

Picking athletes of the week becomes awfully tough when one school has three state champions, a state runner-up and two sectional title hoops teams on the same day, while another school has an athlete earn four state medals in one swim meet.

With a pair of state champions for boys this week, we have a shared boys’ athlete of the week, and all three of the athletes of the week, for boys and girls combined, are state champions.

We also name the unsung heroes, breakout stars and six to watch for the week.

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
JACK GREGORSKI, CORNING, T&F:
The Corning senior couldn’t have been much more dominant at the state meet, going under win 9 minutes to win the public school state title in the 3200 meters.

How impressive is it going under nine minutes? Not only is Gregorski the first Corning runner to ever reach the feat, he’s the first Section 4 athlete to ever accomplish the feat, breaking the indoor sectional record.

A state champion in the fall in cross country as both an individual, and as a member of the Hawks team, Gregorski now has his second individual state title this year, and third overall title on the year.

Gregorski did more than just the state title to, he also joined his teammates in taking third in public schools in the 3200 relay.

RYAN MCNUTT, CORNING, SWIMMING:
The Hawks senior made sure that his final high school races was the best one of his career.

The Penn State bound senior capped his career by winning the state title in the 100 free at states.

Not only did McNutt win the public school title, but he touched first overalll to win both the public school and federation titles in the race.

McNutt already had brought home a third-place finish in the 200 free, giving him two top three finishes at the state meet.

ELLIE DEROSA, CORNING, T&F:
The Hawks senior has had one of the most amazing runs over the past two weeks.

Heading into the sectional meet she was throwing highs of around 43 feet. She hit 46 feet at the sectional meet, and then hit nearly 50 feet at the state meet to improve seven feet in a two week span to capture the state title.

DeRosa was dominant throughout the state meet, leading through most of the competition, which allowed her to go for, and connect on, the big throw on her final throw to cap a dominant meet with the state title.

BREAKOUT STARS
CULLIN COLE, HORSEHEADS, SWIMMING:
Just a junior, Cole showed that he’s one of the best freestyle swimmers not only in Section 4, but in the state.

Cole brought home state medals in the 50 and 100 free, and also helped his team earn medals in the 200 and 400 free relays.

The junior had a perfect 4-for-4 day at states, winning medals in the maximum number of events you can swim at the meet.

What he did at states should put the state on notice for what’s to come next year

KATHRYN DUYANA, CORNING, GIRLS’ HOOPS:
Guyana hasn’t scored a ton of points this year, but she sure did pick the perfect time to have one of her best games.

Coming off the bench for the Hawks she hit back-to-back threes late in the first half against Elmira in the Section 4 final.

Down 10, the Hawks needed a spark to rally and Duyana’s threes were a big part of the team’s comeback to help them win their first sectional crown.

UNSUNG HEROES
ALYSSA DOBSON, CORNING, GIRLS’ HOOPS:
She had 16 points to help lead the Hawks to their first sectional title with a win over Elmira.

Corning doesn’t have one player who steals the spotlight every night, they play as a team each time out. In the sectional final it was Dobson’s time to shine and she came up big with 16 points in the victory.

Dobson came up biggest in one of the biggest moments, scoring 14 points in the second half of the win.

KEAGEN WINKKY, HORSEHEADS, SWIMMING:
While he wasn’t one of the Blue Raiders to stand on a podium with a state medal, he had his best races at the state meet.

In the preliminaries at states he broke the school record in the 100 breaststroke, a record that had stood since 1991 when he swam a time of 1:01.40.

He finished 24th overall in the state in the breaststroke and he helped the 200 medley relay team finish 16th overall.

SIX TO WATCH
EMMETT HANSON, HORSEHEADS, SWIMMING:
Had a big day for the Blue Raiders at the state meet, bringing home three state medals on the day.

Hanson earned a state medal in the 100 free, despite swimming in the B final. In the B final Hanson had a big race to take 11th overall, which was good enough to move up to eighth overall in public school, giving him a state medal.

Hanson also was part of the 200 and 400 free relays that both won state medals. The 400 free relay broke a school record that had stood since 1986, when coach Eric Winkky was on the relay team.

ASHTON BANGE, CORNING, T&F:
The Hawks junior had a huge goal going into the state meet, he wanted to get under 4:20 in the 1600.

That goal became awfully tough when no one else wanted to take the lead in the race, forcing Bange to adjust his strategy and set the pace of the race.

In the end Bange reached his goal time wise, and also took second in the public school race for the Hawks.

MATT GENSEL, CORNING, T&F:
The Corning senior had a strong race at the state meet finishing 18th in the 3200 at states with a dominant race.

Gensel ran a 9:31.16, a big PR for the senior at the state meet.

TYLER SIMPSON, ND, T&F:
The Notre Dame senior had a strong race at states for the Crusaders.

Running the 600 meters at states Simpson had a personal best time with a 1:27.02.

Simpson’s time was good enough for 21st overall in the race.

ISAIAH HENDERSON, CORNING, BOYS’ HOOPS:
Had one of his biggest games in the biggest moment for the Hawks in the sectional final.

Henderson had 27 points for the Hawks in the win, hitting six three pointers to help Corning cruise to their first sectional title since 2017.

Henderson was aggressive all night, got to the basket, drew fouls and was dominant from long range.

ANA MORDVINOVA, ELMIRA, T&F:
The Elmira standout had a big day at the state meet, finishing ninth in the 1000 meters for the Express.

Mordvinova also teamed up with three other runners, two from Notre Dame, in the Intersectional relay at states.

The ninth-place finish for Mordvinova was the fourth-highest finish of any any individual local athlete at the state meet.