Eleven local football players have been selected to the All-Greater Cortland team for their performances during the 2024 season.
Thomas Palmer, Moravia’s starting quarterback, was named the All-Greater Cortland Player of the Year for his role in leading the Blue Devils to the state title game.
The players were selected from the 10 local schools and were chosen based on statistics and the way they impacted games. Most players played both offense and defense, but it was not held against a player for only playing one way.
Here are the players selected:
Thomas Palmer
(Moravia senior quarterback, 161-for-290, 2,807 yards, 40 touchdowns, 14 carries, 45 yards)
Palmer earned player of the year honors after leading a Moravia offense that posted 44.5 points per game. The Blue Devils leaned heavily on their aerial attack, with Palmer putting the ball in the air as much as any 8-man quarterback in the state. Palmer knew when to take checkdowns or attack with his weapons on the outside and his playmaking helped the Blue Devils always remain in striking distance, no matter the deficit. In addition to his on the field play, Palmer’s leadership was critical for Moravia’s run to the 8-man regional championship.
Quinn Woodard
(Cortland senior offensive/defensive lineman, 21 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 1 carry, 3 yards, 1 touchdown)
Woodard was a standout lineman on both sides of the ball, using his strong base and quick feet to win battles in the trenches. Cortland ran the ball behind its senior captain a bunch, who moved to center during the middle of the year seamlessly. Woodard was also a one-man wrecking crew on the defensive line, blowing up runs in the backfield and making his defensive backs cover down the field for less time. Woodard will be continuing his career at SUNY Cortland next year.
Iniko Abani
(Cortland junior wide receiver/kick returner, 12 catches, 162 yards, 2 touchdowns, 16 carries, 191 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 kick return touchdown)
Abani missed the first two weeks of the season after suffering a collarbone injury over the summer, but returned the opening kick of his first game for a score and was off from there. The junior was fireworks whenever he got the ball, with Cortland head coach Brett Segala using him as the primary kick returner, a wide receiver, the backup quarterback and even as the punter. Albani used his blazing speed and remarkable agility in space to make plays most high school football players can only dream of.
Alex Votra
(Homer senior running back, 206 carries, 1,406 yards, 21 touchdowns)
Votra was a true bell-cow back, getting the ball as many times as needed every week. He was a bruising back who mostly ran between the tackles and was willing to get three or four yards per carry in the first half to break down a defense and break off bigger runs later. Votra vaulted himself up the Homer rushing yards leaderboard after two strong years as the Trojans’ lead running back.
Jack Brady
(Homer senior wide receiver/defensive back, 23 catches, 384 yards, 6 touchdowns, 12 carries, 82 yards, 17.5 tackles, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble)
Brady broke out as a dynamic playmaker for Homer at a frequently under-utilized position in the offense. Brady made his mark on games down the field, running lots of go routes and deep posts to get open for Max Franco and make big plays down the field. The senior also made lots of big plays at cornerback for Homer, making lots of tackles when collapsing down to defend the run and taking away opposing teams’ top target out wide.
Lane Darling
(Groton sophomore, running back/linebacker, 128 carries, 908 yards, 14 touchdowns, 7 catches, 85 yards)
Darling was Groton’s most important player on both sides of the ball, taking on a large portion of the responsibility. He turned into the quarterback in the last few weeks on offense after becoming a standout runner in a run-dominant offense. Defensively, Darling was Groton’s top tackler, always being aggressive to the ball and making plays sideline to sideline.
Jay Miles
(Dryden junior running back/defensive back, 160 carries, 1,025 yards, 8 touchdowns, 8 catches, 97 yards, 55 tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovery)
Miles was a dynamic two-way player for Dryden, running the ball plenty while still having enough gas in the tank to be a quality defensive player. Miles was second on the Lions in tackles, just behind Carmelo Miles, and recorded a sack, interception and fumble recovery to show off his big-play instincts. The junior is on the All-Greater Cortland football team for the second year in a row mostly thanks to his tremendous running ability, using his overall athleticism and vision to find and hit holes on a consistent basis.
Harper Shaw
(Southern Hills senior running back/linebacker, 181 carries, 1,521 yards, 12 touchdowns, 63 tackles, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble)
Shaw was a hard-nosed football player on both sides, running the ball hard every play and hitting gaps with a purpose defensively. The senior ran the ball between the tackles often and ran through arm tackles with ease. As effective as Shaw was as a runner, his leadership in the middle of the defense kept Southern Hills competitive and in games.
Joe Baylor
(Moravia senior wide receiver/defensive lineman, 50 catches, 1,007 yards, 17 touchdowns, 44 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries)
Baylor was Palmer’s primary big-play option on the outside, using his height, speed and leaping ability to be almost unguardable in 1-on-1 coverage. Baylor made difficult plays routine, with highlight-reel catches becoming a weekly occurrence. Defensively, Baylor was a key versatile piece to Moravia’s front. His athleticism allowed him to set the edge as a pass rusher and run defender or drop into coverage when needed.
Riley Jones
(Moravia senior wide receiver/defensive back, 60 catches, 42 carries, 1,104 total yards, 14 touchdowns, 81 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, 4 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries)
Jones was a swiss army knife and a sometimes overlooked but critical piece for Moravia. He finished first on the team in catches, second in carries and second in tackles. Jones served primarily as an underneath option in the passing game with an elite ability to get yards after the catch. When Baylor missed time, Jones showcased the ability to win downfield and make contested catches. On the back end of the Moravia defense, Jones made open-field tackles with ease and often played in coverage against one of the opposition’s top receiving threats.
Noah Corbett
(Moravia junior running back/offensive lineman/linebacker, 31 carries, 201 yards, 7 touchdowns, 109 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions)
Corbett anchored the Moravia defense, leading the team in tackles. His athleticism allowed him to make the plays in space that are necessary in the 8-man game and his speed allowed him to play coverage when needed. When given the chance as a ballcarrier, Corbett showcased explosive capabilities, scoring on nearly 20% of his offensive touches. Out of necessity, he was called upon to anchor the offensive line this season and helped keep Palmer clean to deliver downfield and open up rushing lanes for his fellow running backs.
