NTL BOYS' SOCCER: TROY LOOKS TO TURN THE PAGE IN 2024 (2024-08-19)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
The Troy boys’ soccer team will be looking to turn the page in their program for 2024. They have a new coach and new team leaders as they look to improve upon their 2023 season.

“We have lower numbers this year so we’ve been working on conditioning,” said first year coach Dane Seeley. “Conditioning, the fundamentals, and working on a quick counter attack from the defense. If we can increase the conditioning and get them as strong as they physically can be that’ll mitigate that as much as we can, and having quick counter attacks is going to allow us to not have to spend 5-10 minutes on that side of the field trying to just hit every single ball that we can.”

They’ll putting the offense in the hands of sophomore Gavin Lykon-Leffler, who had a strong freshman season.

“I’m looking for many assists, and a lot of long shots that I know he can make,” said Seeley.

With lower numbers Lykon-Leffler will be taking on a leadership role, as well.

“It’s a challenge, but it’s pretty fun just to know that I can make that impact,” he said. 

He got the memo about needing to be fit, too.

“I’ve been doing a lot of conditioning,” Lykon-Leffler remarked. “That’s a huge thing.”

No longer a newcomer, Lykon-Leffler has a good idea of he needs to do this year to improve upon his freshman season in the center-mid spot.

“Just not getting ahead of myself is a big thing,” he said. “That’s my natural spot.”

Seeley is also looking to get some help from Ethan Hoffman, Landon Lee, and Timmy Hornung in the goal.

“We’re going to work on team morale building,” said Seeley. “I coached several of these kids, actually three-quarters of the team here, at junior high, and they know how much morale is indicative of how they can come out that second half. I think if we can really boost morale, keep it high, and show the kids how to talk themselves up, even if the other teammates on the field aren’t doing it for them.”

Hoffman plans on being the sweeper this year, running the defense and helping to protect his keeper, Hornung.

“Being the last line of defense down there before the goalie, it’s definitely nerve racking sometimes,” he said. “Especially when your right back or your left back gets beat, and then it’s just you, but it’s kind of fun.”

The team has set a goal of being .500 and making districts this year, something they haven’t done since 2020. But Seeley has a bigger goal of rebuilding the program.

“The numbers are certainly the biggest thing,” he said. “But really it’s fine tuning, who works well where, and not having two or three people to send in and relieve them from the bench. Making sure that every single touch that we do make count, and keeping control of the ball as much as possible. I’d really like to control the ball as much as we can so the other team doesn’t get a chance to do what they want to do.”

SCHEDULE

Aug. 24 at Hughesville Tournament, 10 a.m.

Aug. 26 at Muncy, 4:30 p.m.

Aug. 28 at NPL, 4 p.m.

Aug. 31 at Loyalsock, 10 a.m.

Sep. 3 at Towanda, 6 p.m.

Sep. 5 vs NEB, 4 p.m.

Sep. 9 vs Sullivan County, 4 p.m.

Sep. 10 vs Athens, 4 p.m.

Sep. 12 vs Wellsboro, 4 p.m.

Sep. 14 vs Williamson, 4 p.m.

Sep. 18 at Galeton, 5:30 p.m.

Sep. 25 vs Galeton, 4 p.m.

Sep. 27 at NEB, 4 p.m.

Oct. 2 vs NPL, 4 p.m.

Oct. 5 at Jersey Shore, 11 a.m.

Oct. 8 at Williamson, 4 p.m.

Oct. 10 vs Towanda, 4 p.m.

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