NTL CROSS-COUNTRY: TROY BOYS LOOKING TO BE REPEAT LEAGUE CHAMPS (2025-08-21)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
The Troy boys cross-country team claimed their first title in a generation last year, and with plenty of returnees they hope to do it again in 2025.

“We’ve really got to be prepared for the season in trying to defend the title,” said Ben Osgood. “Maybe run it back and get a second NTL title in a row, we’re just going to try our hardest to do that.”

They lose a couple seniors, but they bring back most of the pack from last year.

“It definitely helps,” coach Curtis Miller said about them being a pack team. “They push each other every day at practice to try and be better. I’m just hoping we can drop our times a little bit this year and be competitive throughout the season.”

Wulff noted that they’ve been running over the summer together, and he hopes that’ll help them make the pack a little faster.

“I think we’re going to be a pack team, but I think a bunch of our top runners are going to be out there,” he said.

The team expects last year’s freshmen class to step up more.

“We’ve got a good group of freshmen last year so we’re training those guys up,” Osgood said. “RJ (Bellinger) is really good for that, he came in last year as a freshman and was one of our top five runners. We have two other freshmen who are part of our top seven throughout the whole season.”

As for districts, being the top two in Class AA for District IV is quite a feat with two of the top programs in the state (Danville and Lewisburg) trading off the top two state qualifying spots year in and year out.

“It’s really hard,” Wulff said. “I know we lost a whole bunch of seniors out of our district, so I feel like this year we should see a lot more NTL individuals go.”

On the girls’ side they say good-bye to state medalist Alyssa Parks, but should field a full team this year.

“Losing Alyssa definitely hurts but for these girls, it’s exciting for them to be able to go into a meet, and know that they can come out and win,” Miller said. “Just to have our girls numbers growing is a really big deal for us.”

Sheridan Wilcox will take over the leadership roles on the team this year.

“It’s big shoes to fill,” said Wilcox. “I’ve always looked up to Alyssa, she’s been my mentor for so long, and now I’m kind of stepping into those shoes looking at all these younger girls coming up, and they’re looking up to me.”

Wilcox worked throughout the summer to get ready for the season.

“It was rough this summer,” she said. “I didn’t make it to a whole lot of summer practices, but I tried the best I could, and that was the main thing.

ROSTER (Grade)
BOYS
Frank Harper (12)
Brody Campbell (12)
Lucas Loxley (12)
Mason Wulff (12)
Ben Osgood (12)
Draden Keltz (11)
Jasper Koch (11)
Nolan Osgood (10)
Isaac Gates (10)
RJ Bellinger (10)
Cooper Kellogg (10)
Owen Campbell (10)
GIRLS
Sheridan Wilcox (11)
Kalynn Keltz (11)
Alyssa Rinebold (10)
Sara VanNoy (9)
Charlotte Kafka (9)

SCHEDULE
Aug. 30 at Bear Mountain River Run, 10 a.m.
Sep. 2 at Wellsboro w/Sayre, 4 p.m.
Sep. 9 vs NEB, Wyalusing, 4 p.m.
Sep. 16 at NPM, 4 p.m.
Sep. 19 at Owego Invitational
Sep. 23 vs Sullivan County, CV, 4 p.m.
Sep. 27 at McQuaid
Sep. 30 at Towanda w/ Athens, Canton, 4 p.m.
Oct. 4 at Chenango Valley Invitational, 10 a.m.
Oct. 11 at NTL Championships
Oct. 23 at District IV Championships

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