Tioga Downs hosted a celebratory banquet on Dec. 21 for the Tioga Central High School’s football team, coaches and staff and family and friends, in honor of the school’s first Class D State football championship last month. More than 240 guests attended the free event. (Photo by JoAnn R. Walter)
From left, Tioga Central School District Superintendent Scot Taylor speaks with CEO of American Racing and Entertainment and owner of Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs, Jeff Gural, at a banquet for the Tioga Central Tigers’ at Tioga Downs on Dec. 21. (Photo by JoAnn R. Walter)
Pictured is the Tioga Tigers’ football team who earned the Class D state title against Ticonderoga at the Carrier Dome, 33-26. (Provided photo)
Tioga Downs hosted a celebratory banquet on Dec. 21 for the Tioga Central High School’s football team, coaches and staff and family and friends, in honor of the school’s first Class D State football championship last month.
More than 240 guests attended the free event, which included CEO of American Racing and Entertainment and owner of Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs, Jeff Gural, along with Tom Osiecki, American Racing and Entertainment president and COO for Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs, and Jay Dinga, regional director at Tioga Downs. Also attending were Scot Taylor, Tioga Central School District superintendent and Tioga Tigers’ head coach, Nick Aiello, among others.
The Tioga Tigers made school history when they earned the Class D New York State title after a 33-26 win versus Ticonderoga at the Carrier Dome and ended the season with a record of 12-1, a significant accomplishment and milestone.
Following the win, the team was welcomed back home in true Tiger spirit, which included participation in a motorcade that paraded through the Tioga Downs property and served as a thank you to Jeff Gural for helping secure after-school and athletic programs earlier this year. Another thank you was shared by way of a spectacular float during the lighted holiday parade at Tioga Downs on Dec. 19.
“I’m so glad we were able to host this event tonight,” Gural shared on Monday.
A framed photo hangs inside the lobby at Tioga Downs, in honor of the Tioga Central Tigers’ football team who won the Class D state football championship last month. (Photo by JoAnn R. Walter)
Regarding the donation Gural made earlier this year in support of programs at the Tioga Central school district, he explained, “It’s so enjoyable to see how a community comes together and how important it was. For me, it was the right thing to do. I will continue to fund it and hope they will win another championship or stay in the hunt for one.”
A donation from Gural of nearly $300,000 helped reduce the tax levy earlier this year and supports several co-curricular and extra-curricular programs.
Gural shared, “I am committed to this community, and I also hope everyone remembers the right thing to do is to give back.”
