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NTL CROSS-COUNTRY: TROY WRAPS UP ANOTHER STRONG SEASON (2021-11-18)

Northern Tier Sports Report
It was another strong season for the Troy cross-country squads, though, one that saw the girls’ team come up just short of one goal. 

The Lady Trojans won the NTL Division-I title again, along with the NTL Coaches’ Invitational Championship, while the two teams sent a combined three runners to states. However, the girls’ team came up short of the District IV title and state berth they were shooting for.


The Lady Trojans opened the season with a big dual meet win over Wyalusing. They would lose to NEB in a race that was nip and tuck the entire way, but swept the rest of the dual meets to claim the NTL Large School title, their fifth straight crown.


At leagues Troy won with 57 points, just ahead of second place Wyalusing, who had 62.


However, at districts they were shorthanded, and came up third behind Wyalusing and NEB.


“We beat two really good teams this year during the season in NEB and the Rams,” said Troy coach Gary Ward. “We could not overcome the loss of Julia Colton at the District IV Championships. The league is better right now - NEB, Rams, Troy and Athens are all fielding solid teams.”


The girls did see freshman Alyssa Parks qualify for states with a silver medal at districts, and saw another young runner, sophomore Katie Lackey, miss a state spot by two runners. Isis Lyon and Rachel Kingsley also had strong seasons.


The boys’ team finished in the middle of the pack league wise, and at the NTL Coaches’ Invitational and districts.


They saved their best races for districts, though, as Lance Heasley and Seth Seymour both made states.


Looking forward, the girls bring back four of their top six - including three NTL All-Stars - and will look to mix in incoming junior high runners.


On the boys’ side their junior high team won the NTL Coaches’ Invitational, with the Troy coaches excited to mix them in with the returnees, including Heasley. 


“As coaches we need to challenge this group to ‘race’ and not just run,” said Ward. “All returning varsity boys need to drop a minute or more off their 5K time.”


He expects the competition from the NTL to only grow.


“NEB girls are young, and getting better in leaps and bounds,” Ward said. “Junior high NEB has some quality runners in both girls and boys. Athens, Wyalusing, and Troy also have a lot coming back, with CV being the dark horse of the league in 2022.”



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