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It's a much different offseason for the Auburn native than the last one. He tore his anterior cruciate ligament in July 2021, so much of last offseason was spent rehabbing his knee. Major League Baseball also locked out the players, which meant that Locastro could not sign with a team for three months. 

This year, he does not have to contend with those issues. His knee is in great shape — he told ÈËÊÞÐÔ½» that he felt 100% by midsummer — and there is no labor strife. 

Locastro's goal after re-signing with the Yankees before the 2022 season was to win a World Series title. He embraced whatever role he was asked to fulfill. The Yankees used him as a pinch-runner — he had eight stolen bases and scored 13 runs in 38 games. He started 10 games as an outfielder and hit a pair of home runs. 

The Yankees won the American League East title and was a contender to win the AL pennant. Locastro was named to the Yankees' playoff roster. He stole a base in the American League Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians. He was also on the roster for the American League Championship Series, which the Yankees lost to the Houston Astros, the eventual World Series champions. 

Locastro observed differences between playoff baseball and the regular season, namely the fan engagement and media presence. But, he said, the most important thing he learned is that once you are on the field, "baseball is baseball." 

"It's the same as it is during the regular season — being able to control yourself, control your breathing and lock in and understand that it's still the same game you've been playing since you were a child," Locastro said. 

He added, "It was definitely an unbelievable experience, especially playing at home in front of the Yankee fans against Cleveland and then going to Cleveland, going to Houston. Those were some experiences that you can play out in your head but you don't understand the true ramifications of it until you are in the moment." 

Now, Locastro is on the market. The Yankees wanted to send him to Triple-A and remove him from the parent club's 40-man roster. He elected to become a free agent. 

He acknowledged that finding a team where he can get more playing time "would be great." He is appreciative of his time with the Yankees and willingly served as the team's go-to pinch-runner, but adds that he doesn't want to limit himself to one role if there is an opportunity to play elsewhere. 

He is taking a patient approach with free agency. One reason for that is he has a wedding to plan. He and his fiancee, Jenn Fox, will get married in January. 

When Locastro isn't preparing for the wedding, he will be working out to get ready for next season. He will monitor MLB depth charts to see which teams may need his services and is hoping to sign with a team by mid-January — about a month before spring training begins. 

"Last year with the lockout, the free agency process was different than it is (this year)," said Locastro, who recalled that he re-signed with the Yankees and then had to quickly head to spring training. "Now, you can take your time and try to figure out where you want to go. It will still be stressful but a little less stressful than last year." 

The 2020 race was conducted virtually, while no race was held in 2021. 

The team of Richard Moore (runner), Dave Heck (cyclist), Steve Bachorik and Joe Allison (canoeists) — nicknamed "4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse" — was the Great Race winner, completing the course in one hour, 19 minutes and 39 seconds. 

The foursome held the lead for almost the entirety of the race. Moore was the first runner to reach the exchange zone, finishing the 4-mile run with a 21:30 split. 

Heck took over the cycling portion (12.4 miles) and was neck-and-neck with Andy Melnychenko of the eventual runner-up "Running for Jill" team for the middle section of the race. 

He handed off the baton to Bachorik and Allison, who finished the 2 1/2-mile trip onto Owasco Lake several lengths in front of the runner-up. 

"Running for Jill", featuring runner Alex Houge, cyclist Melnychenko, and canoeists Ed Wagner and John Potter, was gunning for its third straight Great Race win. Instead the team settled for second, completing the race less than a minute behind the winners. 

This year's version of the Great Race offered a touch of a different flavor. For several years participants had the option of racing in the traditional course or a shot course, but organizers elected to return to the original format that included a single race. 

Competitors were also provided the option of racing as a single member, or "Iron Man," which was a first. In the inaugural solo division, Chip O'Hara was the first to cross the finish line with a time of 1:32.13. 

Moore was a second-time participant, after running and finishing seventh in the 10K run in 2019. The 23-year old Canisius student was filling in for a teacher of his who was unable to participate, and he made the most of it. 

"I had a blast three years ago and really enjoyed it, and was really glad this was happening again," Moore said. "You never put together runners, bikers and canoers. It's just something that doesn't happen in triathlons. 

"I hadn't met a single member of my team because they're scattered all around New York, but I'm very happy to be doing it."

Specific to the run, Moore noted the difference in 2022 versus his 10K in 2019. This year's four-plus miles were a simple NASCAR-esque loop that started on Lake Avenue and passed Auburn High School before returning to Route 38A. 

"I had never ran a 10K at that point. It was my first," Moore said, referring to his first Great Race. "The fact that it was all one race makes it more competitive, I think. I'm also sure it's also easier to organize. This course also runs fast. The old 10K had some sharp hills and you ran through the (city of Auburn). I liked it, but I wouldn't mind either way if they went back to the old course."

Moore's teammates entered this year's Great Race with similar experience. This year was Heck's fourth year competing, while it was the second for Bachorik and Allison. 

Bachorik and Allison were the canoeing anchors for the team that finished 17th overall in the last Great Race. Moore's team finished a few spots behind in 20th that year, while Heck's unit came in 29th. All were in the long course. 

It was the first time this foursome had combined and it proved a winning formula. Glad to take home the top team's award, the foursome also appreciated being back at Emerson Park and Owasco Lake after a two-year absence. 

"It was awesome to see everybody out again, after all the COVID stuff. This was great," Bachorik said. 

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate, is due to play a seven-game series in Syracuse this week. The series begins on Tuesday and runs through Sunday, June 12. There is a doubleheader on Wednesday to make up one of the games that was rained out earlier this season. 

Locastro, who re-signed with the Yankees in March, was optioned to Triple-A at the end of spring training. He started the season with the RailRiders and played in two games at Syracuse. He had three hits in two games and an RBI.

Before his injury, Locastro was batting .231 (three hits in 13 at-bats) with one home run, two RBI, eight runs scored and four stolen bases. He was primarily used a pinch-runner, especially in late-inning situations. 

The RailRiders' games at NBT Bank Stadium in Syracuse start at 6:35 p.m., with the exception of the doubleheader on Wednesday (the first game will be played at 4:05 p.m. and the second will be played immediately after the first) and a 1:05 p.m. start on Sunday. 

It helped that Weedsport was able to seize control in the opening quarter, putting together a 17-8 lead after eight minutes. 

Port Byron's deficit was as little as eight points during the second half, but each time the Panthers could string together a pair of baskets, the Warriors were able to match at the other end. 

"We got out to a quick start, knocked down a couple 3s," Weedsport coach Chris Vargason said. "We got a little distance, double digits I think, but Port Byron crawled right back. I thought we got a couple turnovers that led to baskets, and that helped separate us a little more. 

"Port Byron is a young team, but they play really hard."

Weedsport's balanced scoring effort was led by Sarah Carroll, as the senior point guard finished with 16 points. Next was Morgan Flask, who totaled 13, and Mariah Quigley who chipped in 11. 

Carroll and Quigley, both seniors, were members of Weedsport's section finalist team from 2019-20. The continuity they provide has been a boon for a Weedsport team that's putting together another winning season. 

"We have a lot of kids that have a lot of experience. We've got some senior leadership, which is always nice to have. This is a great group to be around," Vargason said. 

Quigley was at her best on Thursday, chasing down loose balls and providing a physical presence underneath the rim. 

"Ninety-five percent of the time, if there's a loose ball she's getting it," Vargason said. "She's got that burst of speed, she's strong and she's been on the weights for a year or two. She's a joy to have."

Trailing by nine at the half, Port Byron posted its best offensive quarter in the third with 15 points. 

Sadie White scored all six of her points during that frame, while Lexi Elliott had a 3. Those contributions were enough to keep Weedsport a touch uneasy. 

Each time Port Byron drained a basket, the Warriors had an answer. Carroll had her most productive quarter of the game in the third, and capped if off with a buzzer-beating floater that banked off the backboard. 

In the fourth while protecting the lead, Weedsport was efficient enough to hold Port Byron at bay. The Warriors went 5-for-7 from the free throw line during the final eight minutes to close it out. 

With the win, Weedsport improves to 11-2 on the season. The Warriors' gaudy record could take some hits in upcoming weeks, however. On tap next week is LaFayette, who should be a contender in Class C this postseason. 

The Warriors also have a pair of out-of-section games against Mynderse and Palmyra-Macedon, and a season-ender against Westhill, that will test the team's mettle. 

All three of those opponents own a Class B classification. Weedsport is only Class C. 

"We've got some challenges as we go along," Vargason said. "We'll be battle-tested down the stretch. If we can play well for the rest of the games we have left and rest when we can, I think we'll be in good shape when sectionals roll around."

First, the Warriors will contend with Fabius-Pompey on Saturday. Port Byron is back in action Friday against Pulaski. 

As noted in the post-tournament story, much has changed since the last time Port Byron held its own annual tournament in January 2020. 

The Panthers, for example, are no longer a singular wrestling program. Port Byron is in its first year of a merger with Jordan-Elbridge and Cato-Meridian. 

Port Byron and Jordan-Elbridge technically began their merger in winter 2020-21, but the Panthers opted out of winter sports due to COVID-19. Cato-Meridian, meanwhile, had been joined with Hannibal. 

It was funny, as I said to Jordan-Elbridge/Port Byron/Cato-Meridian coach Mike Nguyen, that coaches in J-E polos were cheering on wrestlers in Port Byron singlets. 

Such is life, I guess. 

I covered my first Port Byron Mid-Winter Tournament in January 2016. That year, 14 different programs participated and according to only one of them was a merged program (Altmar-Parish-Williamstown and Pulaski). 

In that tournament, the Cayuga County-area was represented with five teams: Auburn, Jordan-Elbridge, Moravia, Port Byron and Skaneateles. 

Fast forward six years later, two of those teams are merged, while another — Skaneateles — no longer exists. And the tournament's format is slightly different too, as several weight classes utilized round robins instead of bracket-style formats. 

ÈËÊÞÐÔ½» has published several stories in recent years regarding declining participation in wrestling. In 2017, Jeremy Houghtaling wrote that participation in wrestling dropped 14.1% in New York from 2011-12 to 2015-16.

That's not necessarily the case country-wide. According to the National Federation of High Schools, in the following years through 2019. 

The sport has also received a major boost from girls wrestlers. Via , , up from only six in 2017. 

New York is not one of those states, however. 

Numbers since 2020 were not readily available, and likely wouldn't be kind to New York state, whose strict COVID-19 rules hampered wrestlers during the 2020-21 school year (most seasons were actually moved from their typical winter slot to Fall II, which took place in the spring months and created unique conflicts with several other sports). 

The argument that wrestling is a "dying sport" though, is a bridge too far. Nationally, according to the aforementioned NFHS report, wrestling remains the country's eighth-most popular sport, between soccer and tennis. 

Is wrestling a niché sport? That's fair to say. Could there be changes to increase interest? That's also absolutely fair. 

Back to that 2017 story: One of the suggestions from former Cato-Meridian coach Dan Butler, who coincidentally now coaches at Auburn, was to decrease the number of weight classes. 

Well, New York did that, cutting the number of weight classes by two, for the purpose of reigniting competition in dual meets. Forfeits, as anyone who has attended a dual meet in recent years would know, is far too prevalent. 

With a couple years of data, we'll see if that decision paid off. 

I also think that wrestling earns a bad reputation for being "too hard." 

This is not to diminish the participants, all of whom are absolute warriors. But aren't all sports hard on the body? Don't all sports require great discipline and focus? 

Maybe injuries are a concern, and a fair one at that. But that's an issue with all sports, from football and hockey's concussion concerns to leg and knee injuries in soccer. All sports inherently carry a degree of risk. 

As long as there are those passionate about wrestling, it'll continue. And based on the competition and intensity I witnessed over the weekend from all participants, passion remains in droves. 

Though the Port Byron school district's turf field was installed over three years ago, it wasn't until this game that the Panthers walked off Alberici Field as winners. 

The team went winless in Section III's independent league last season, and opted against fielding a team in 2020 due to COVID-19. 

While the Panthers did capture a win in 2019 — the first year their new field was available — that victory came at Union Springs High School. 

At the conclusion of this milestone win, PB/US players doused coach Collin Dillabough with a Gatorade bath. And while he had to conduct his postgame responsibilities with a soaked sweater and slacks, Dillabough was pleased with his team's efforts. 

"The kids were excited," Dillabough said. "Our offensive line held up. They have some big boys at Jordan-Elbridge, but we gave our quarterback time and he had his best throwing performance of the season. We were able to air the ball out and our receivers ran good routes."

PB/US and J-E looked set on a back-and-forth thriller in the first half. 

The Eagles opened the scoring with three minutes left in the opening quarter on Nixon Karcz's 18-yard run. PB/US answered only seconds into the second frame on Jru White's touchdown pass to Dominic Laframboise. 

The 6-6 score lasted five minutes, until Nicolas Loperfido passed to Tobie Woods for a 20-yard scoring strike. 

Then the fireworks started. The teams combined for four touchdowns in a span of two minutes, three seconds toward the end of the half.

Three of those scores belonged to PB/US, as White connected on touchdown passes to Matthew Laird (74 yards), Bryce Rigby (50 yards) and Laframboise again (32 yards). The other was from J-E's Kuchaunheavense Gorman, who retired a kick 75 yards to the end zone. 

The result was a 27-18 halftime edge for PB/US. While the Panthers continued to move the ball effectively in the second half, the Eagles could not. White added his lone rushing score (7 yards) and Kaeden Bond added a 1-yard plunge to put the game out of reach. 

White finished with five total touchdowns — four passing and one rushing. 

"He's a stud," Dillabough said. "He's an 11th grader. He's 240 pounds but runs a sub-5 time. He can throw the ball. He can really do anything. He's gonna be good for us for the rest of this year and next year and win us some games."

Port Byron/Union Springs has been mired by losing seasons for several years, and the program (along with J-E) has been competing in Section III's independent league. 

Coincidentally, it has fallen upon a graduate from rival Weedsport — Dillabough graduated in 2011 — to help turn the program around. 

"I love it. I have history here even though I wasn't here," Dillabough said. "I remember Class D football, coming here to play Port Byron and having 3,000 people here crowding the fences. I miss that for this area. A lot of teams are going 8-man and small ball isn't doing too well. So to come here to Port Byron which is right next to my home, it's nice."

PB/US (3-1) travels to Hannibal next Saturday. Jordan-Elbridge (0-4) seeks its first win on Friday at home against Pulaski. 

Moravia was taken down by Groton 48-14 on Saturday in Section IV's 8-man championship game at Dryden High School. 

Both of the Blue Devils' losses this season came via the Indians, who beat Moravia on its own field back in October in a dramatic fourth quarter comeback. The rematch was much more one-sided. 

"Overall, I'm super proud of this team," Moravia coach Fred Ott said. "It's a lot of hard workers. A lot of them play multiple sports so they're constantly busy, but they bought in from Day 1. I think I had 12 kids who didn't miss a day, and in today's world that's big. The kids wanted to be here and wanted to practice hard.

"Hats off to Groton. Hopefully they do well in the state tournament and represent Section IV."

Groton established itself early with the game's first two touchdowns to take a 12-0 lead. 

Moravia answered with the game's next two scores to take a 14-12 lead. The first was an 80-yard kickoff return by Kyler Proper, followed by a 30-yard pass from quarterback Luke Landis to Riley Jones, during which Jones wrestled the ball away from the Groton defensive back in the end zone. 

The remainder of the game was a slog for the typically-prolific Moravia offense. 

Groton entered halftime with a 26-14 lead, far from insurmountable based on the Blue Devils' previous games. But Moravia opened the third quarter with back-to-back three-and-outs, then turned the ball over on the next possession. 

Making matters worse, do-it-all tailback Proper was injured on a hand-off in that third quarter and did not return. 

Moravia's gaffes proved too plentiful against Groton, which leaned on its balanced offense to pull away in the second half and clinch the 8-man title. 

"I go back to our youth. I've got two sophomores starting on the offensive line and a junior," Ott said. "Their kids were physical, athletic and big, and we just couldn't get the ball rolling. Obviously 14 points is the least we've scored. (Groton) did well against our throws today. That's just the way it happens sometimes."

While Moravia's promising season ends without a Section IV banner, the fall 2022 season was one of major growth for the program. 

This was only the Blue Devils' third season as an 8-man program, as well as their second calendar year playing this style. Moravia committed to the 8-man game in the summer of 2020, had its inaugural season pushed back to the spring, and didn't complete its first normal season until last fall. 

Ott noted that his team loses only two seniors, and one starter, to graduation. In his eyes, there's no reason the Blue Devils can't return to the section championship game and win it next year. 

"Most of what we've seen is the running attacks. I think Moravia, we have more of a balanced attack and that's gonna pay dividends down the road," Ott said. "We can go both ways. Overall, I'm excited about this group of kids. We're gonna miss our seniors, but very excited that we're bringing all these kids back."

The result of a dominant 12-strikeout performance was a 5-0 victory for Port Byron at Weedsport High School, the Panthers' second victory over their rivals this season. 

Jones knocked on the door of a no-hitter. Through six innings only three Weedsport batters reached base: two via walks and another on a ground ball toward third base by the Warriors' Mallory Brown that was listed as an error.

The veteran pitcher's pursuit of that milestone ended with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning. Brown drove a no-doubt single through the hole between first and second base. Jones was still able to preserve the shutout, though, with a pair of ground outs to end the game. 

"She had command of her pitches today," Port Byron coach Bill DeAngelis said. "Her change-up was spot on. I had her throw that quite a bit today and we kept them off balance."

The game was a far cry from the last meeting between Port Byron and Weedsport in April, a 10-9 slugfest that the Panthers came out on top of. 

Defense was the way of the day this time around. While Jones was often untouchable, the Panthers' defense rose to the task when needed. Protecting the potential no-hitter, Port Byron first baseman Jordan Cook recorded a pair of putouts in the sixth and seventh innings that were far from routine.

That defense supported a ho-hum effort from the Panthers' offense, which scattered eight hits against Weedsport hurler Christina Jackson (seven strikeouts, two walks). 

Three of those hits came from the pitcher Jones, while Cook, Nikki Namisniak and Sadie White also recorded multi-hit games. 

"We work our defense really hard and it just shows when we play like this," DeAngelis said. "That defense means a lot, not only to me but to them."

DeAngelis called the season sweep over Weedsport "bittersweet," as both victories came against his former player Alison York, who now coaches the Warriors. York played for the Panthers during the 2000s during DeAngelis' previous tenure, starting her varsity career as a seventh-grader.

York, via email, referred to the first meeting between the two programs "a great reunion." That appreciation was reciprocated following the second game.

"We have a long history and I think the world of Alison," DeAngelis said. "She's a great girl and played very well for me. She came on as a seventh-grader and started as a centerfielder for me and was probably my best player at that time. She's a great person.

"I didn't want to take the loss, but if we did it wouldn't be against anybody better."

The Panthers are off until Thursday when they host Fabius-Pompey. Weedsport returns to action Wednesday at home against Onondaga. 

Union Springs was ahead 21-11 at halftime as its defense fed off a raucous home crowd. 

Southern Cayuga didn't go out quietly in the second half against the state-ranked Wolves. Held to single digits in the first and second quarters, the Chiefs found their game to the tune of 20 points in the third. 

Then in the fourth, as the game slowed to a crawl in the final minutes with fouls and free throws, made enough plays to win it. 

"We talked about handling the pressure because we knew it was gonna come," said Wolves coach Andy Kalet. "We didn't want to turn the ball over. We had to be strong with it and make good decisions, and think about how much time was on the clock. 

Kailey Kalet led the Wolves in scoring with 13 points, despite missing much of the second half after taking a hard fall on a drive to the hoop. Danielle Waldron was next on the score sheet with 10 points, while Ella Johnson had nine and Payton Gilbert chipped in seven. 

Charli Bennett scored 19 for Southern Cayuga and Ellie Brozon figured in with 17. 

With the junior Kalet unavailable for portions of the game, Union Springs was forced to play irregular lineups and a different style. 

The result might not have been as pretty as some other games this season, but coach Kalet isn't concerned with style points as the team prepares for the postseason. 

"We haven't had too many opportunities like that this year," coach Kalet said. "This was a great game for us to be in. I think we got a lot more out of this game than a lot of games we've played in. We did some different things that we haven't tried before, (lone senior Anna Salls) got a lot of minutes. I'm really proud of the kids because they handled it well and kept their composure for the most part."

The Wolves will next play at Tompkins-Cortland Community College Friday, Feb. 18 in the IAC small school championship. North division champion Union Springs will face small division winner Spencer Van Etten. 

The two teams met earlier this season, with the Wolves earning a win. 

Southern Cayuga awaits its sectional standing, which will be revealed next week. 

Instead, the Blue Devils begin the grieving process, left to wonder why such a promising season came to such a sudden halt following a 55-45 loss to Newfield in the section championship Saturday at SUNY Cortland. 

"It takes awhile to get over, it really does," Moravia coach Todd Mulvaney said. "It takes a lot out of you because you invest so much into the season. When it stops abruptly, it stings.

"You beat yourself up a little bit, but you regroup and find the positive that'll make you stronger moving forward."

Before moving on, Mulvaney plans to look back at what went wrong against the Trojans. Moravia was ahead, though only by a basket or two, for the entire first half. 

That lead increased to nine, 30-21, with a minute expired in the second half after junior point guard Kyler Proper (13 points) drained consecutive 3s. 

From then on, though, offense was a slog for the Blue Devils. Typically able to spin around defenses with Globetrotter-esque passing, Moravia had no such luck against Newfield's athletic, lanky defense. 

After Proper's 3 at the seven-minute mark of the third quarter, Moravia was held to three made field goals the rest of the game.

The Blue Devils' only constant on offense came from the free-throw line, where they finished 8-for-17 in the second half (and 11-for-21 overall). Adding insult to injury, Moravia's typically-proficient long-range shooting went 6-for-31. 

The offensive struggles came only two weeks and a day after Moravia pummeled Newfield 80-61 in the IAC championship. 

"I think they got to our shooters and made them uncomfortable," Mulvaney said. "We weren't attacking with the same mindset that we had two weeks ago. Part of that is them and part of that is us, not making shots we're accustomed to making."

In the third quarter as Moravia's offense began to sink, Newfield's started to surge. Successful 3s by the Trojans' Jalen Hardison and Zachary Taylor dissipated the Blue Devils' edge, and a runaway layup by Taylor put Newfield in front 33-32 midway through the third. 

Despite falling behind by multiple scores, the Blue Devils were on the brink of tying the game several times in the final 10 minutes. Abram Wasileski (game-high 21 points) completed a three-point play with 17 seconds remaining in the third quarter to cut the deficit to two; Aiden Kelly went 1-for-2 at the line with five minutes left in the fourth that brought the difference to one. 

In the final two minutes, Newfield offered several opportunities for the Blue Devils to overtake the lead. On consecutive possessions, the Trojans threw the ball out of bounds twice and stepped over the boundary once. 

Refreshing the ballgame proved elusive. Each Moravia shot in the final minutes was seemingly rejected by an invisible lid on the hoop. 

"It's frustrating," Mulvaney said. "You want them to relax and not feel the pressure that we need to score. It's that blend you have to get them to realize. I think the longer we went without scoring, the more pressure that put on our guys."

Moravia's last gasp came with 27 seconds left. Newfield missed the first free-throw try of a one-and-one, and Drew Nye banked in a transition 3 to make it 50-45 Trojans. That's as close as the Blue Devils came to evening the score.

Now the wait begins for next season, when Moravia will return its entire roster that was without a senior in 2021-22. 

With young players left to stew on the first sectional disappointment of their varsity careers, Mulvaney had a message: Be proud.

"They showed so much growth this year and the coaching staff is extremely proud of everything they accomplished," Mulvaney said. "We were honest with them that it's gonna hurt for a couple days. But we also made the point that they didn't let anyone down, not their teammates, not the coaches and not the community.

"We still support them 100% and they need to keep those chins high as we learn from this experience."