HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: HORSEHEADS' LANEY BECOMES THIRD STRAIGHT BLUE RAIDER TO WIN ERNIE DAVIS AWARD; ELMIRA'S CONKLIN, EDISON'S SCHILLER ALSO WERE FINALISTS (24 PHOTOS) (December 18, 2025)

BY BRIAN FEES
Southern Tier Sports Reporter
It’s been a special year, and career, for Horseheads senior Patrick Laney. 

On Thursday the Blue Raiders standout got the cherry on top of his career, winning the Ernie Davis Award. 

“It’s like the cherry on top,” Laney said. “It would be a little empty and disappointing to not walk away with this. But, to be nominated I’d still be extremely grateful for. To really bring it home and have all those years of hard work, and everything that went into it, have it pay off. I’m proud to have all the work pay off the way it has.”

For Laney, who watched teammates Lucas Mosher (last year) and Braddock Salisbury win the Ernie Davis award the past two years, it was something that he was really hoping to win this year. 

“It speaks volumes to the Horseheads program as a total,” Laney said. “The countless kids who are nominated and win it. Next year we have another good guy coming up — Bryce Thomas — I’m looking forward to being here next year for him. The Horseheads program really does make well-rounded athletes in the classroom and on the field. It’s a big focus.

“It’s not just what you do on the field, but also what you do off the field and trying to get us involved in volunteer services and community events to really be a part of the community and the constant reminders we get about doing good in the classroom. They want all the athletes to be well rounded in the class room and the community.”

Watching some of his former teammates win the award just made this even more special for Laney.

“Lucas Mosher, Bradock Salisbury, Ryan Scott, Riley Loomis, all those guys who have won in the past it motivated me and really showed me it is possible and really showed me I have to get this one.

“They (Mosher and Salisbury) have fought it up once or twice in conversation, asking me if I was going to win it. Asking me how I thought it was going to go. I kept saying I guess, we’ll see, but deep down I knew I had to get this.”

Laney is now the seventh Blue Raiders player in the past eight years to win the award. The two other nominees for the award were Jace Schiller of Edison and Zach Conklin of Elmira. 

When Laney hear his name as the winner it was a special moment.

“My first reaction I was shocked,” he said. “I was overjoyed with the emotion of hearing my name called as the winner. I immediately thought to my coaches and my family who helped me get to this point. I was just overjoyed.”

The award is very special for the Horseheads senior.

‘To win the award is very inspiring to me,” Laney said. “It’s like a dream come true. I have worked for this for a lot of years. For four years I have worked toward this. This is the end goal. Just to be compared to him in the slightest way possible is on the better side of things. It’s a straight honor to be nominated, let alone win. I’m still in shock.”

The past calendar year for Laney has included a state baseball title and the Ernie Davis award. While that’s all been special for Laney, he also knows it took a lot of work to get to this point.

“Some people say that I am very fortunate, and I agree with that,” Laney said. “I don’t think they see all the hard work I put in and all the failures I have had in the past. To get to this point right here, it’s not all success. You don’t win everything. We didn’t win a sectional title this year (for football). The hard work in the offseason, the countless hours of film and talking to coaches and talking to teammates. I don’t think everyone sees all that. But, for me personally, to have a state title and the Ernie Davis award and everything I have been fortunate to obtain this year, I’m beyond blessed and thankful for it.”
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PHOTOS BY BRIAN FEES

PHOTO GALLERY FROM THE ERNIE DAVIS PRESENTATION

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