For David Bodamer, a football coach is a stabilizing force. He’s a teacher, mentor and familiar face. It’s why, after more than a decade as an assistant for Clymer/Sherman/Panama, he’s back on the sidelines as its coach to give the team what it needs after a change.
The offseason for CSP was anything but ordinary. It began with celebrating its New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class D state championship, a victory capping off a near-perfect season. Almost a month after the win, Ty Harper, the only coach in the program’s history during its first decade of existence, resigned and accepted a job coaching Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton because Chautauqua Lake is closer to his residence.
Enter Bodamer. A fixture for several seasons as an assistant and with experience leading a program, as he did with Clymer before the merger. He knows the players, families and communities and wants his presence to be more than X’s and O’s. He is a familiar face amid uncertainty.
“The biggest thing for me is the stability, giving stability to the boys,” Bodamer said. “They got turned upside down. My big thing was to keep stability with someone they knew and trying to keep things rolling as best we could. I wanted to make sure they had someone they trusted and a face they knew was the biggest thing and keeping it about them.”
It’s a new era for the program. It has a new coach but lost 21 players from the state title team due to graduation. So far, Bodamer’s led a new group to a 2-0 start with wins over Franklinville/Ellicottville and Falconer/CV/MG. The offense, according to Bodamer, is already “quicker from week one to week two.” The defense, despite giving up some points, is “doing pretty decent,” he said. The team is a work in progress, but the foundation is solid.
The offense has been flourishing under new leadership. Sophomore running back Sawyer Whitney has shown he’s ready for a bigger load, racking up 61 carries for 364 yards and four touchdowns.
“It’s been pretty fun,” Whitney said. “It’s a lot better getting more carries this year and it’s fun showing what I can do and proving myself.”
At quarterback, senior Carson White has stepped into the shoes left by Tate Catanese. After spending three years in his shadow, White has embraced being the team’s signal caller.
“It’s been a big change after being behind Tate Catanese for three years,” White admitted. “Coming up and being the starting quarterback this year is a huge responsibility to take on. Being mentally and physically prepared takes a lot to be able to do that.”
White has been up to the task, going 32 of 48 passing for 355 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions. He’s appreciative of the trust Bodamer has instilled in him.
“It’s amazing,” White said. “I’ve known coach Bodamer for a few years now. We trust him and everything he does is great for us.”
Championship clash
On Friday, CSP will have its biggest test yet when it travels to Salamanca to face the Warriors, a team fresh off a state Class C final appearance. It’s a significant matchup for both teams, serving as a barometer test for where both teams stand. Despite being the defending Class D state champions, CSP was moved up to Class C this season and is in Section VI C South, the same division as Salamanca.
“They present some challenges up front and with their skill players,” Bodamer said. “We’ve had to do some game planning on both sides of the ball for them, which is expected with a well-coached team. They’re disciplined. They’re not giving away yards to you. They’re very good at keeping control of the football. To go up there with what they did last year, if we can come out of there with a W, it’ll be a big thing for us.”
For the players, the feeling is one of anticipation and desire to prove themselves. As reigning state champions, this group feels like it has been waiting for its moment.
“This group has been in the shadows for two or three years,” White said. “We’re just ready to take our opportunity and see what we can do with it.”
Beyond the Salamanca game, the team is preparing for a showdown with their former coach on Sept. 27. It’s a game Bodamer wants to handle with class and focus, making it about the players and not the coaching change.
“It has to be about the boys and not the adults,” Bodamer said.
St. Mary’s soccer
St. Mary’s senior Michaela Panella isn’t dwelling on the past, but she’s certainly learned from it. As the soccer team starts the season with a flawless 9-0 record, every win is a building block toward a different outcome than last year.
“Starting the season 9-0 has been so enjoyable as a team to keep celebrating and building upon these wins game after game,” Panella said. “I would credit the success to the togetherness of our team. We are playing high-level, possession-based soccer and our ability to break lines all over the field and advance into the attack has been incredible to be a part of. We also have an elite talent and elite competitiveness flowing through this team from our goalkeeper all the way through to our front line.”
Last season’s run to the state final was a thrill, but the loss that followed was a gut punch. It’s a moment that has defined the team’s focus heading into this year.
“Making the state final last year was awesome and truly exciting to be able to play in such a meaningful game,” Panella said. “Falling short in that game was devastating, so looking back on it now as an individual and as a team, trying to figure out what we need to do tactically and physically to be on the winning side of the game has been our focus this season.”
The team’s early success is more impressive considering it is playing without a key piece of its championship-caliber defense. University at Buffalo verbal commit Lily Iozzia, the reigning Monsignor Martin Player of the Year, hasn’t played due to a torn ACL. However, the season’s start has shown those questions have been answered.
“Losing Lily this season left a lot of questions unanswered during preseason, but as we have begun playing games, people have stepped up to the challenge and exceeded expectations,” Panella said. “There were big shoes to fill, but our backline has certainly done a great job filling them. Senior Lyla Thomson and freshman Ryan Filbert have been exceptional on the backline, allowing minimal goals so far this season.”
As Panella plays out her final season, her future is already secured and she will continue her career at the University of Wisconsin.
“I decided to commit to the University of Wisconsin the summer before my junior year because it felt like I belonged there when I was on my recruitment visit,” she said. “I could truly put myself in the shoes of the athletes on the team already and see myself living it out. The university itself is a top academic institution, which was important to me. The coaching staff is incredible, and the team culture is truly something special and something that I feel I will fit very well into, and the town of Madison, Wisconsin, is one of the top college towns in the United States.”
While she’s excited for what’s to come, Panella’s favorite memories from her high school career aren’t always about the wins or goals. They’re about the unique bond the team has built over the years.
“Some of my favorite moments from my high school career have been off the field,” Panella said. “We have so many traditions embedded in this program that I have got the honor of being a part of and carrying on. I’m going to miss all of these traditions and more and can’t wait to see them continue to grow and be carried on by the younger generations.”
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Clevis Murray
Sports Reporter
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