Eagles poised to rise in Class C this season

Binghamton (WBNG) – Whitney Point football has been an independent for the past two seasons, but this season they are excited to return to Class C in Section IV. Head coach Michael Hakes is fully aware of the challenge the Eagles face, but says they are ready for it.

“We have Waverly, the reigning state champion in our division. And we have a couple of teams that we know, Lansing and Dryden, that have been very competitive. Have dominated the last few years. Schuyler’s excellent playoff team last year. I mean, there are no weeks in Section Four football, but that’s an opportunity and we’re proud to be a part of Section Four football because to me, we’re the best section in the state of New York,” Coach Hakes said.

Seniors Mason Baxter and Mason Armagno are confident in this year’s squad and share what they need to do to compete in Class C.

“This is the best team I’ve ever played on personally, so I’m really looking forward to it. I think we can do some good things in this league,” Baxter said.

Armagno added: “This school is known for playing hard, I mean, it doesn’t take much more than that, just play hard and give everything we have and the results should be good.”

Change doesn’t happen overnight. These two Freemasons just want to see small steps in the right direction, so that those behind them can build on them for years to come.

“If we can win a couple of games, last year we won four, so if we can come here and win five, six, that’s perfect for me. I mean, I don’t want to go undefeated, if we can do that, that’s the best case scenario, but you know what. Get a good season off and let these guys go into next year with some confidence,” Armagno said.

“We’re trying to push these younger guys to have a good year so they can continue it and take Whitney Point football up, you know. It’s been in the dust for a while, but I think we can make it better,” Baxter added.

For Coach Hakes, the goal is simple: “To be the best soccer team we can be, that’s the goal. And to play the best kind of soccer. When our fans, our families, and the student body comes out, we want to represent ourselves well,” Hakes said.

The Eagles will get their first chance to represent Whitney Point on September 6 against Deposit-Hancock.

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