Another year is in the books, wild to think we’re flipping the calendar over to 2022. While it seems like 2021 just got going yesterday, we had a lot happen this year in local sports. While last year’s review timeline featured a lot of cancellations, this year thankfully featured the return of many sporting events.  

-After roughly 11 months without really any sports here in greater Binghamton, things got rolling in February of 2021 with high school sports. February 12th things really took off as we had our first full slate of high school basketball since the sports world shut down in March of 2020.  

-On May 11th after uncertainty about whether the Binghamton Rumble Ponies would ever return, the team had their home opener for the 2021 season at Mirabito Stadium.  

-The next day on May 12th, after the New Jersey Devils AHL affiliate left Binghamton for Utica, residents were assured there would still be professional hockey in Binghamton. The Black Bears were announced as the newest expansion franchise in the Federal Prospects Hockey League.  

-On May 30th Harpursville native Amanda Frayer made history as a pit crew member for the first female race team to compete at the Indy 500. Frayer served as the rear tire changer for Paretta Autosports driver Simona De Silvestro. 

-On June 12th Binghamton University runner and Union-Endicott High School graduate Emily Mackay finished 7th in the 5,000-meter event at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. This gave her All-American honors for the second time in 2021 as she was earned All-American honors at the cross-country Championships in March as well.  

-After a lost year in 2020 the 2021 Dick’s Open teed off on July 2nd with a loaded field featuring Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, John Daly and many more PGA Legends. On July 4th the event capped off with Cameron Beckman being crowned the champion, his first PGA Champions Tour victory.  

-After 609 days without a professional hockey game in the area, the Binghamton Black Bears made their home debut at the Visions Veteran Memorial arena on November 6th. The Black Bears downed Delaware 5-4 in front of a sold-out crowd.  

-November 9th saw the return of Division I college basketball to the Events Center with a season opening double header as the Bearcats Men’s team fell to Cornell and the Women topped Siena.  

-On November 14th the Whitney Point Field Hockey team won their 7th New York State Title in program history as they beat Hoosic Falls 6-1. The Eagles finished the season a perfect 18-0.  

-November 22nd was a great day for local baseball fans as the City of Binghamton and the Rumble Ponies announced that they had agreed to a lease extension at Mirabito Stadium that runs through 2045.  

-And the first weekend of December we saw history as for the first time ever three Section IV Football Teams claimed State Titles in the same season. On December third Tioga won the Class D Championship the second in program history while Chenango Fork’s Class C triumph was its second straight and 7th in program history. On December 4th Maine-Endwell won the Class B crown, it’s 6th in program history.  

That is a wrap on an incredible 2021 in local sports, here's to an even more memorable 2022.