Troy's two cross-country teams are in different spots this season. The boys are looking for one more push for a league title that they captured two years ago, while the girls team is on the upswing after adding quite a few newcomers to the roster.

"We've got some good senior leaders coming back, a good mix of juniors on the boys' side, and we've got some exciting freshmen coming up," said Troy coach Curtis Miller. "We're really just looking to improve on what we've done the past couple of years, and getting ready for the season."

Two years ago they nipped Towanda at home on the way to a league title, while the Knights got them back last year. Troy is hoping to return the favor this year, but know its a tall task, especially since they get them so early in the season.

"I think that what this program has done the past couple of years has really reinvigorated it," said Miller. "It's motivated the kids, and they're reaching for the stars, which is what any coach asks for."

Senior Draden Keltz echoes that assessment. 

"I'm excited to see what this team can do," he said. "We have a very solid foundation for where we're at. A lot of people have been putting a lot of work in over the summer, and I've been seeing a lot of hard work and dedication. I believe that we can get another title."

They've been a pack team the past couple years, but that pack's been dwindling a bit by bit, but they believe they can replace the losses with younger talent.

"We're having more and more talent move up, and working hard," Keltz said. "I'm not too worried about losing a lot of the faster members, because we're just going to keep growing."

Coach Miller will be looking for Keltz, Isaac Gates, Garrett Parks, and a few freshmen, including last year's junior high standout Kyle Kibbe, to fill in those gaps.

And he believes junior RJ Bellinger is set to take the next step this year.

Keltz is looking to get to the 18:30 mark this season.

"I've been running miles upon miles, and I've been putting down all the things I need to work on to chop down my time," he said. "I'm already past my PR, and I've been working hard for these past three months."

On the girls side Sheridan Wilcox will be the senior leader for a young girls squad.

"It's been very emotional looking at the last six years of my life, and it's all about to be over," she said. 

Wilcox is excited to have that team aspect that has been missing from Troy girls for much of her career.

"It's amazing, honestly," she said. "Not having to worry about it now that there's going to be eight of us. It's fun having a big team, I haven't had that in years."

She's been farming it most of the summer, and hopes that added strength will help her on the trails.

"I'm going to try my best, and hope that the season works out the way we want it to," said Wilcox.

Five of those eight girls are freshmen, and they've done pretty well for themselves over the past two years in junior high.

"They came in in seventh grade, and they really impressed us," Miller said. "We've just been really looking forward to getting them up to the varsity level. Now that they're here, it's just all about getting them accustomed to the 5K instead of the one and a half. I'm just really excited to see what they can do."

ROSTER

BOYS

Draden Keltz (12)

Jasper Koch (12)

RJ Bellinger (11)

Garrett Parks (11)

Isaac Gates (11)

Nolan Osgood (11)

Kyle Kibbe (9)

Asa Kibbe (9)

Levi Scott (9)

Camden Mitstifer (9)

Bryson Jerzak (9)

GIRLS

Sheridan Wilcox (12)

Kalynn Keltz (12)

Sara Van Noy (10)

Annika White (9)

Christine Ward (9)

Zoey Mann (9)

Petra Miller (9)

Addy Hall (9)

SCHEDULE

Sep. 1 at Athens w/Canton, Towanda, 4:30 p.m.

Sep. 8 vs Sullivan County, CV, 4:30 p.m.

Sep. 15 vs NPM, 4:30 p.m.

Sep. 22 at Wyalusing w/NEB, 4:30 p.m.

Sep. 25 at Owego Invitational

Sep. 29 at Sayre w/Wellsboro, 4:30 p.m.

Oct. 3 at McQuaid Invitational

Oct. 7 at Chenango Valley Invitational