Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018: Wellsville coach, AD Miles announces retirement

   Leading off today: Veteran Wellsville athletic director and baseball coach Dennie Miles will retire on Sept. 1, ending a 42-year run at the Section 5 school.

   Miles, 70, coached the baseball team to 718 victories and 12 sectional championships in 42 years -- with just one losing season -- and held the AD position for 35 years. He also coached the Wellsville boys soccer team to two sectional crowns.

   "I look forward to spending more time with my family and friends," he said in a statement announcing the decision. "I walk away knowing I have given everything I possibly could to the Wellsville School District. It has been my privilege to work with all of you to make our athletic program the best in the area. Thank you for all you do."

   End of the line: Two-time New York State Sportswriters Association player of the year Jake Zembiec is taking a medical scholarship from Penn State, ending the quarterback's college career.

   Zembiec, who has wrestled with shoulder injuries since his senior season at Aquinas in 2015, posted on social media on Tuesday that he will remain at Penn State and continue to participate in the program in an undetermined role. He did not take a live snap in his two seasons with the Nittany Lions.

   "I want to thank my family as well as my Penn State brothers and coaches for supporting my decision," he wrote. "I look forward to having a new role and perspective on the team, offering my knowledge of our offense and leadership as a third-year student-athlete."

    • Former Fayetteville-Manlius and Canisius star Tyrone Wheatley Jr. has transferred from Michigan to Stony Brook for the 2018 season.

   Wheatley was the state player of the year in Class AA in 2014 between Zembiec's state championship seasons. The tight end appeared in 24 games at Michigan, making six catches.

   He will have two seasons of eligibility at Stony Brook.

   More football: We're just over three weeks away from the start of the football regular season, which means it's time for me to start making the annual updates to the RoadToSyracuse.com website. NYSSWA historian Paul Hutzler has delivered his updates to the massive record book for single-game, season and career performances, and I'll start work on those pages in the next few days.

   In the meantime, here are some links to additional material to get you started on the 2018 season:

• The week-by-week schedule for NYSPHSAA, CHSFL, PSAL and NYSAIS schools.
• Returning NYSSWA all-state players from 2017 (.docx file)
• Breakdown of 2018 classes for teams (.docx file)
• Teams changing class or status in 2018 (.docx file)

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   Campaign ends: Yonkers Saunders boys basketball coach Anthony Nicodemo has ended his bid for a New York State Assembly seat after some of the signatures on his nominating petition for next month's primary were successfully challenged, dropping him below the necessary 500 names.

   "I would like to thank all of those who believed in our campaign and supported us over the past three months,"

RoadToSyracuse.com football site

Nicodemo said in a statement. "My inter- actions with the people of Yonkers have been so special and the experience has been invaluable."

   On the move: Rising 6-foot-11 junior John Orogun of The Park School has transferred to New Jersey basketball power St. Benedict's.

   Park is the defending Federation champion in Class A.

   Heads Up Football training: The New York State Public High School Athletic Association announced a partnership with the New York Schools Insurance Reciprocal in which the NYSIR will cover the costs for up to six coaches per school to complete training offered by USA Football in the Heads Up Football program.

   The course includes training in concussion recognition and response, heat preparedness and hydration, sudden cardiac arrest, proper equipment fitting and techniques for shoulder tackling and blocking.

   According to the NYSPHSAA, New York New York leads the country in the number of schools utilizing the USA Football Heads Up program.

   A difficult anniversary: Friday will mark the first anniversary of the death of Sachem East football player Joshua Mileto in a mishap during an offseason conditioning camp. Newsday spoke to the teen's parents recently.

   "I still wait for his bedroom door to open and for him to just come out," said Sayyida Mileto, his mother. "There are days when I cry all day."

   The Miletos and sons Nichalas, Andrew and Jacob have made it through the year in part by sharing favorite memories about Joshua.

   "I just look at them and say, 'I'm so so sorry you're hurting,'" Sayyida said. "If I could do anything to take that away I would.'"

   The family has filed a $15 million negligence lawsuit against both the Sachem Central School District and the Sachem East Touchdown Club, which was running the camp on school grounds. Mileto died after a log that he and a handful of teammates were carrying as part of a relay race fell and struck his head.