A Cooperstown quarterback, two Unatego offensive players, two Delaware Academy defenders and the leading rusher in Walton program history received top honors Wednesday, Jan. 7, as the six local high school football players were named All-State First Team this week by the New York State Sports Writers Association.
Cooperstown quarterback Brenin Dempsey and Unatego/Franklin/G-MU quarterback Joe Sargent and receiver Xander Johnson were named First Team for eight player football. Delaware Academy’s Adam Cook and Lucas Nealis, and Walton’s Darrin Walley were named First Team for Class D.
The Spartans went 11-2 and won a Section IV title with a high-powered offense led by Sargent, a junior who threw for 1,119 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,047 yards and 14 touchdowns. In addition, Sargent played defensive back.
Johnson, a senior who also recently topped 1,000 varsity points in basketball, played end and receiver, as well as kicker and defensive back. He caught 38 passes for 646 yards and 10 touchdowns.
The Spartans lost in the regional semifinals to Eldred.
Dempsey rewrote the program record book for Cooperstown, despite missing most of his sophomore season because of injury. He passed for 1,614 yards with 16 touchdowns this season, while rushing for 624 yards and 12 touchdowns. He had 2,639 total yards passing. The Hawkeyes went 4-5 last season, losing in the first round of the playoffs to eventual regional champion Morrisville-Eaton.
Walley won honors for Walton as a linebacker, but his stats were equally impressive at running back. He made 112 tackles, 18 for a loss, including five sacks. He also rushed for 1,566 yards and 22 touchdowns. A senior, Walley finished his career as the all-time leading rusher in program history, with 3,339 rushing yards, surpassing Jim O’Donnell who ran for 2,728 yards from 1981-83.
Cook and Nealis were senior defenders for the Bulldogs, and both were honored last year as well. Cook repeated as a First Team honoree, while Nealis was named honorable mention the past two seasons. Cook led the team in tackles with 141. He also rushed for 1,411 yards and 21 touchdowns. Nealis made five interceptions and also kicked 40 extra points and two field goals.
Delaware Academy went 7-3, losing in the section semifinals.
Jaxon Backus from Walton was named Class D Second Team on defense.
Oneonta’s Chase Jervis was named Class C Third Team on defense.
Local players getting honorable mention were:
Eight player: Zack Sousa (U/F/G-MU, Offense, RB); and Derek Jordan (U/F/G-MU, Defense, DL).
Class D: Steve Hillis (Delaware Academy, Offense, OL); Elijah Wright (Sidney, QB); Jayden Deleon (A/H, Offense, QB); Ayden O’Connor (Sidney, Offense, RB); Jacob Rueffer (A/H, Offense, OE); Michael Morrissey (Sidney, Offense, OL).
Class C: James Erickson (Oneonta, Honorable Mention Defense, LB).