It’s been about a year since I moved to the Twin Tiers from my hometown of Romney, W. Va., and I found myself reflecting on that year during a drive to work this week.
When I first applied for my job, I was unsure of what to expect. I had played some Pennsylvania teams in baseball and track during my high school years, but they were always from around Johnstown or Altoona. They also typically beat the teams I played on to a pulp, so I tried to forget them quickly.
In fact, I’ll openly admit that prior to joining The Era, I didn’t realize how much further north Pennsylvania stretched past Interstate 80. That is, until I arrived in mid-April of 2019.
Now, a year later, I can say I’ve gotten fully acquainted with the area, and I’m glad to have made the move, even as we face uncertain times together right now.
Since coming on board here, I’ve covered some of the wildest games I’ve ever witnessed in just about every sport, and they stand out as some of my favorite memories as a sportswriter.
About this time a year ago, I was getting my first taste of local baseball. My first-ever live coverage assignment here was a Bradford High game at Oswayo Valley that the Owls won 26-1. It remains the most runs I’ve ever seen in a high school baseball game and was a great first impression of BAHS athletics.
Later in the year, in the District 9 Class AA championship held at Showers Field in DuBois, I sat through a game between Coudersport and Moniteau that began at 4:25 (later than the original 4 p.m. first pitch) and featured three rain delays, a lightning delay and a power outage. The power outage was a first for me, and may end up being the only time I ever see that at a game.
After a relatively calm summer, I was able to experience my first Big 30 Charities Classic, and it was only then that I realized how big football is up here. In one of the stranger all-star games in series history (or so I’ve been told), Pennsylvania racked up a 27-6 lead going into the fourth quarter, and it seemed all but over after Cole Secco’s 65-yard touchdown run gave PA its 21-point cushion.
And then New York quarterback Nick Rinker circled the Empire State wagons, as that 21-point gap was erased with 4:31 to play after the signal-caller scored three touchdowns, two through the air and one on the ground. The game ended in a 27-27 deadlock, and marked just the third tie in series history.
It was quite an introduction to football here, and made for a great entrance into the fall season. My first local football assignment between high schools was Port Allegany’s thrilling 14-12 upset of Otto-Eldred in Week 0, and that was the perfect introduction to local teams. Gator running back Josh Rees came up huge that night, and the game came down to a final O-E Hail Mary that ended up being picked off by Montgomery Tanner.
I was also able to cover Ridgway’s fourth consecutive D9 championship as well as some other phenomenal moments, but my favorite memory from this past football season happened at Parkway Field in Bradford High’s season finale.
As the final curtain was falling on the Owls’ season, quarterback Caleb Nuzzo threw a pair of touchdown passes late in the game. After the second, his sister, Abbie Nuzzo, knocked through the extra point to become the first female in BAHS history to score in a varsity football game. The Owl bench erupted.
The bond those two — and really the whole team — showed that night was something I’ll never forget.
Then came basketball. My first local hoops assignment was Ridgway at Cameron County — a battle between two of the area’s better programs. Little did I know I’d be following Cameron County to the PIAA Class A Sweet 16 months later, while our sports editor, Anthony, covered Ridgway to the same point in Class AA.
Along the way, the Red Raiders provided plenty of thrills, but none were as exciting as Caden Beldin’s last-second 3-pointer that lifted Cameron County past Clarion-Limestone and into the D9 championship game.
I was also able to catch Tyler Gigliotti and the Owls a few times, including a triple-OT win over Punxsutawney on Senior Night that I thought would never conclude in time for the Era’s deadline.
In addition, getting to cover the Coudersport girls’ historic run to the Elite 8 was fun, especially Sarah Chambers’ and-1 to lift her squad to a D9 title over previously undefeated North Clarion, though the way things ended was certainly unfortunate and a tough way for the Lady Falcons to see their efforts culminate.
Now, here we are with no sports at all, and those memories are what I get to reflect on right now instead of a typical start to year two on the job. It certainly hasn’t been easy — for any of us.
But, I know once this all ends, more fun times are to be had. I’m eager to see some of our local standouts go on to their college careers, and I’m even more eager to see how things shake out for local schools once we get rolling again, hopefully this fall.
For now, though, the memories will suffice as we get through this. Stay safe and healthy out there, and hopefully soon we can get back to having those moments together.
(Joel Whetzel, a Bradford Era sportswriter, can be reached at jwhetzel@bradfordera.com.)
