SOUTHERN TIER SPORTS REPORT: CORNING'S DINARDO THE ALL-STSR ATHLETE OF THE YEAR (July 7, 2023)

By Brian Fees
Southern Tier Sports Report
It was a dominant year for area sports and we look at a baker’s dozen of the best female athletes of the year. Let’s look at the first athletes, in no particular order, and then count down the second runner-up, runner-up and athlete of the year.

MEGAN WOLF, HORSEHEADS
Soccer, basketball, softball
Wolf was a big force in all three sports she played, earning all-league honors in basketball and softball and guiding her team to division titles in both sports.

She was a second-team all-STSR pick in soccer and a first-team pick in basketball and softball. She was the pitcher for the Blue Raiders as they won the division title and the second-leading scorer on a basketball team that won the division title.

TESS EISNER, HORSEHEADS
Soccer, track and field
After playing a key role in soccer for the Blue Raiders, and earning all-league honors, she dominated in track and field, culminating with a huge spring for the Blue Raiders.

The field athlete of the year on the all-STSR team this spring. Eisner was fourth in the state in D1 and fifth int he federation in the long jump at 17-feet, 6 1/4-inches and she finished seventh at states in the triple jump at 37-feet, 3-inches.

She was an all-region selection in soccer this year.

SARAH LAWSON, CORNING
Cross country/Track and field
A cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field star for the Hawks.

In cross country she was a tate medalist. Took sixth in the state in 18:02.60. Section 4 champion and STAC Champion. Helped Corning tie the best finish in school history with a fourth-place finish at states. Had a top 50 finish at nationals, finishing 41st at Nike Nationals.

This spring she was the co-track athlete of the year for the all-STSR team. A state medalist in the 3000 meters, finishing third in NYSPHSAA Division I in 9:47.87. She was a seventh-place finisher in the 5000 meters at nationals. She was also a state qualifier in the 3200 relay, running the second best time in the area this year in the event (2:22.96).

For the second straight year Lawson was an All-American in the 5K at New Balance Indoor Nationals in the winter. She finished in 17:12, an 11-second personal best to finish sixth at nationals.

VICKY MORDVINOVA, ELMIRA
Cross country/track and field
A star in cross country and track and field.

In cross country she was a state medalist. 16th in the state in 19:23. Sectional runner-up. STAC third place finisher.

This spring she was the the co-track athlete of the year for the all-STSR team. A state medalist in the 1500 and a state-qualifier in the 800 meters. Had the best time in the area in both the 800 (2:11.59) and 1500 (4:32.91).

In the winter the Elmira senior took fifth in the state in public school in the 1000 meters at the NYSPHSAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.

Mordvinova was fifth in the state, and sixth in the federation, in a personal best time of 2:53.70.

The Elmira standout added a 17th place finish in the 1500 meters with a time of 4:53.30.

MCKENNA KEOUGH, ND
Soccer, track and field
A soccer standout for the Crusaders, she then had a big indoor and outdoor track and field season for the Crusaders.

She just missed states in track and field, and was a first-team all-STSR all-star in the sport.

She was a second-team all-STSR pick in soccer and she made states in the indoor track and field season in the 55 hurdles and the triple jump.

GABBY MILAZZO, EDISON
Basketball, volleyball, softball
A three-sport athlete who dominated in softball this spring, leading her team to the state final four.

Edison’s Gabby Milazzo is the softball player of the year for all-STSR. She went 10-2 on the mound with a 1.652 ERA with 116 strikeouts and just 19 walks in 89 innings. She had zero errors on the season and was the 2023 Junker Johnston Softball Player of the Year through the Elmira Kiwanis Club. At the plate she hit .475 with a .536 on base percentage and she had 24 RBI and struck out just twice all year.

She was also a starter and key contributor on the basketball team that had success this year, including their first win over Waverly in decades. She also contributed to the success of the volleyball team this fall.

JAYDA FELKER, CORNING
Flag football, basketball, soccer
After starting the year as a soccer standout for the Hawks, Felker had a big basketball season and a dominant first season in flag football.

In the spring Felker was a huge threat on offense all season, hauling in 18 touchdown catches on the season. She was also a huge factor on the defensive side of the ball with eight interceptions. She was the all-STSR flag football player of the year.

She was an all-league pick during the basketball season averaging in double figures for the Hawks.

ANGIE MCKANE CORNING
Swimming, unified basketball
McKane had a fall to remember for the Hawks.

What hasn’t McKane done this year, and in her career?

There is almost no pool in Section 4 that doesn’t have her name atop the pool record list. In fact at the state meet in the 100 fly she was almost a full second under the old pool record, though the Federation champion was also below the time and is the new pool record holder.

McKane won the 50 free federation title at states. She won her second straight 100 fly public school championship.

The rest of her school year? She plays on the unified basketball team for the Hawks, giving her time to that program.

TIERNEY KRAWCZYK, ELMIRA
Soccer, flag football
A soccer all-state pick and a standout in flag football this spring for the Express.

She was a first-team all-STSR pick in flag football where she an for 747 yards and 15 scores and had 13 catches for 203 yards and four scores.

EMILY HUNTLEY, HORSEHEADS
Bowling, softball
The athlete of the winter then joined the softball team this year and had a solid year on the mound for the Blue Raiders.

In bowling she led Section 4 with a 212.11 average this year. Then, she went to states and average 221 over 6 games, shooting 1,326 to finish second in the state. She also had the second best game of the day at states with a 266. How good was Huntley? She would have placed 14th out of everyone at states all weekend, boys and girls in all divisions.

Huntley was this year’s All-STSR bowler of the year. And, this year we are doing an overall bowler of the year, between the boys and girls, and that’s Huntley as well as she was absolutely dominant all season long, not only among the girls, but her scores would have had her as one of the highest averages on the boys side this year.

SECOND RUNNER-UP:
PAYTON ROSS, ELMIRA
Cross Country, Basketball, softball, flag football
A four-sport athlete for the Express this year.

This spring she played two sports, with softball and being on the first flag football team. Ross threw for 1,462 yards and 17 scores, completing 56% of her passes, and she also ran for 968 yards and 12 touchdowns in flag football. She was the flag football co-offensive player of the year.

She was also an all-STSR first-team softball all-star. In softball she hit .419 and had two home runs, two doubles and as a pitcher had a 2.84 ERA with 70 strikeouts in 56 2/3 innings.

RUNNER-UP:
SHANNON MALONEY, ND
Soccer/basketball/softball
An all-state selection in all three sports she played this school year.

She was a first-team all-STSR and All-Region softball player, dominating in center field, with over a .400 average and dominant defense. She led the Crusaders to a sectional final.

In soccer she was coming off a first-team all-state season as a junior and made all-state again and was an all-STSR pick and a first-team all-Region pick. She was the all-STSR goalie of the year for a second straight year.

This winter she was the only girls’ player in the area to average a double-double this season.

Scored 18.4 points a game with 14.3 rebounds a contest. Also put up 3.1 steals and recored 4.1 deflections a game.

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR:
JENNA DINARDO, CORNING
Basketball/lacrosse/volleyball
A three-sport start for the Hawks, who was the all-STSR volleyball and girls’ lacrosse players of the year, and an all-STSR pick in basketball.

She was an All-American in lacrosse, where she set records for the Hawks this year. She led the volleyball team to the state final four, and was an all-state pick, and she was a star in basketball, where she led the team junior year to state final four.

DiNardo shared last year’s athlete of the year honors with Maloney.

In volleyball she was a 2nd team all-state pick. All-STSR volleyball player of the year. DiNardo was the setter for the Hawks and had 503 assists on the year. She also had 284 digs and 117 points. She also could be a force at the net at times, getting eight kills in the sub-regional game as she tipped over on two catching the defense off guard.

This spring she was the all-STSR girls’ lacrosse player of the year. She had an offensive season never seen in the area before. DiNardo had 98 goals and 44 assists for 142 points as the Hawks won a sectional title. The Virginia bound player did all of that in 17 games this season. DiNardo went over 200 career goals and 300 career points this year.
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IN PHOTO: Corning’s Jenna DiNardo. . .