NEB boys soccer has some big shoes to fill coming into this season, but the Panthers aren't calling it a rebuild - instead it's more of a reload.

"This is not my first rodeo," NEB coach Scott Merritt said about replacing outgoing seniors. "Every year you graduate seniors, you always miss them. The best thing you can do is understand you might be different, but that's not bad, it's just different."

With over 20 players on the roster the Panthers certainly have the numbers to replace the production, but ultimately it comes down to the returnees stepping up.

"It's different," Dan Barrett said about his new role. "You've just got to adjust, and figure it out as it goes."

He'll be going from defense to striker this year, though last year Merritt moved him around like a Knight on the chessboard.

"He's played outside back for me for quite some time," said Merritt. "He's really transitioned into what I consider a more high level back, where the outside back should be involved in some offense along the way. If you control the ball you don't have to play defense, so you don't need to stand back there if you don't have anybody to guard. He's got some natural attributes that really lend to moving up top."

Barrett had a more attacking role in his youth, while Merritt was the one who put him on defense.

"He's been a superstar there," he said. "But he's tall, he's fast, and he's starting to put his body on the line. His radius of what he's considering his ball is growing, which you need to do anywhere in the final third of the field, so I think it's going to be great for him."

Joining him on offense will be Anthony Pousen, who plans on playing center attacking midfield. He'll be taking the spot of All-stater Tyler Kuhn, some of those big shoes that need filled.

"I think just working with him really developed my ability to be able to fill in that role," said Pousen. "I just want to be a cohesive unit as a team as best as possible, that's my main goal."

The senior is expecting to get every team's focus this season.

"It's definitely a step to take," Pousen said. "It's going to be difficult, and I hope that I can fill in that new role as best I can."

On the wing will be senior Brody Allen, a position he played some last year.

"It's going to be good," he said about taking on the sideline role. "We have a lot of new talent coming up for me to work with."

For Merritt, though, it's last year's junior class - now seniors - that goes seven deep that will make the difference.

"You try not to replace Tyler or Eli (Stanton)," he said. "You try to adjust and get everybody playing a little bit bigger along the way. They're better now than they were at the end of the season."

Defense is one area that thy'll definitely have some new faces. Three of their four back linesmen are gone - two to graduation, with Barrett up front - along with a new goalie to break in.

"I've lost goal keepers almost every other year, and the longest I've ever seemed to have one is two years," Merritt said. "We've always found some goalies to take the position, because it's a whole different breed to play goal, and the pressures that can come during and throughout the game. I'm really, really pleased with what I'm seeing out of a couple people that were potentially looking to be goalies."

He also hopes they can continue to control the ball, much like they did last year, which takes the pressure off the keeper. 

Others to watch will be Lyric Hillard and Brayden Kovacs, along with a freshman class that Merritt is pleased with.

"This group of freshmen is very talented across the board," he said. "That bodes well for our future. Some of them are going to make it to where I have to make it bode well for our presents which is a beautiful problem to have."

The Panthers competed for the league title a year ago, with a close loss to Athens early in the season being the difference.

This year they'd like to get over that hump, though they know the competition is stiff at the top.

"I strongly believe that we'll be in contention for a league title," said Merritt. "Last year we were pretty dominant in general. I think we'll make noise in the league, and we'll make noise at districts. I think the match-up us and other strong teams around in the area is going to be pretty good, and I don't think any of them are looking forward to it as an easy game."

NEB will have a bullseye on their back this year, though, after scoring 66 goals in 2025.

"We're just trying to work on ourselves, and what we're doing," said Barrett. 

Still, they'd like to finally get that banner.

"I definitely think we're capable of doing it," added Allen.

ROSTER

Malachi Taylor (12)

Xavier Castro (12)

Brody Allen (12)

Anthony Pousen (12)

Ka-ron Carr (12)

Dan Barrett (12)

Papa Puza (12)

Landon Knowles (11)

Lyric Hillard (11)

Maddox Rooker (11)

Brayden Kovacs (11)

Elliot Murray (10)

Will Chappell (10)

Landon Chapman (10)

Steven Berger (10)

Dylon Symonds (10)

Wes Alderfer (10)

Kennel Aguilar-Maldonado (100

Chris Rought (9)

Marcelo Ramires (9)

Caleb Eastabrook (9)

Gerry Eastman (9)

Layton Vargo

SCHEDULE

Sep 1 at Williamson, 4 p.m.

Sep 3 at Troy, 4 p.m.

Sep 10 at NPL, 4 p.m.

Sep 14 at Montgomery, 4:30 p.m.

Sep 15 vs Wyalusing, 4 p.m.

Sep 17 at Galeton, 7 p.m.

Sep 19 at Blue Ridge, 12:30 p.m.

Sep 21 vs Towanda, 4 p.m.

Sep 23 vs Wellsboro, 4 p.m.

Sep 26 at Athens, 11 a.m.

Sep 28 vs Williamson, 4 p.m.

Sep 30 vs Troy, 4 p.m.

Oct 1 vs Athens, 4 p.m.

Oct 7 vs NPL, 4 p.m.

Oct 9 at Wyalusing, 4 p.m.

Oct 13 vs Galeton, 4 p.m.

Oct 15 at Towanda, 6:30 p.m.

Oct 17 at Wellsboro, 11 a.m.