BY CHRIS MANNINGNorthern Tier Sports Report
Last year was a banner raising season for the Troy boys’ track and field team as they’re the defending NTL champs, while the girls’ return a state qualifier.
“It feels good,” Troy coach Matt Geer said about being the defending champions. “It’s a new year, so we’ve got to start it all over again, I think we’ll be competitive.”
They return state qualifiers Ben Warburton, and Avery Sens, with Sens reaching the podium in the shot put last season.
“I’m looking forward to see what he can do again this year,” Geer said. “He’s been working on his throws all off season. Ben Warburton I think will be another exciting one to watch. Then distance wise I think Evan (Geer) is looking to have a good year, along with Mason Wulff.”
Sens is excited to see how high he go on the podium this year after taking seventh in 2024.
“It feels amazing, it gives me so much more confidence to go out, do what I do, and try to go above, and beyond what I did last year,” he said. “I’m focusing on footwork, that is the main key. I’m trying out the spin versus the glide last year, that’s a big change into my rhythm for shot put. I’m just working on all the fundamentals - that is the key to getting to that 55-56 feet throw.”
He’ll have plenty of competition within the NTL as Towanda’s Varrius Farrell was ninth at states in the shot put a year ago.
“We were always up there on the podium together, and I can imagine this year is going to be quite the same, with both of us battling it out,” said Sens.
He’s also hoping to get his discus up to state caliber, too.
“The goal is to get around 150-feet,” Sens said. “The spin from discus is to shot put is going to be much better for getting all the key points down.”
As for newcomers, Geer is excited to see what a fresh batch of athletes can do.
“We have a lot of freshmen,” he said. “I think RJ Bellinger, Jasper Miller, Marcus Frisbie, Lucas Norton - they’re al going to fill in some holes for us, and they all look to be pretty talented.”
They also return a strong girls’ squad.
“I look forward to seeing what Alyssa Parks can do again this year,” Geer said. “She’s just kind of a baseball five tool player, we can plug and play her into anything. I think Kylee Roy is looking to break out this year in the sprints. I think Madelyn Seeley, as a senior on the throwing looks to kind of step up, and we’ll run a 4x800 relay team. Then, younger kids like Haley Davies-Grove, as a sophomore, she looks to have a good year, too.”
Parks qualified for states in the 300 hurdles last season.
“It was very exciting, but also nerve racking at the same time,” she said.
Parks will be working on her form this year to get a couple more seconds so she can get on that state podium.
“Matt got this new contraption where you have to stay bent or you’re going to break a strap, so that’s really nice to have,” she remarked.
Parks will also be doing the high jump, the pole vault, and even the steeplechase.
“It keeps my mind in different places,” she said. “It doesn’t keep my mind on the same even every day.”
She was close to states in the high jump, so that’s another event she’ll be focusing on.
“I am very hopeful for that,” said Parks. “As of right now I am seeing a big future with that.”
ROSTER
RJ Bellinger
Colin Cavanaugh
Marcus Frisbie
Isaac Gates
Cooper Kellogg
Joseph Kinney
Jasper Miller
Lucas Norton
Nolan Osgood
Evan Barbour
Alex Breidt
Kalvin Bristol
Draden Keltz
Jasper Koch
Kendrick Ross
Brody Campbell
Emmit Cole
Jason Hojer
Timothy Hornung
Cameron Morey
Ben Osgood
Jordan Rockwell
Noam Sonnema
Mason Wulff
Rylan Breidt
Ben Cook
Joseph Frye
Evan Geer
Hart Houseknecht
Charles Oldroyd
Avery Sens
Ben Warburton
Cooper Watkins
Calli Connery
Maeleigh Deitrick
Sophia Din
Adrianna Fitzpatrick
Lilly Schaffer
Eleah Tedesco
Kyla Woleslagle
Kendra Bell
Hailey Cummings
Haylie Davies-Grove
Alexis Hartford
Rachel Hinkle
Cheyenne Kneller
Parker Lee
Isabella Preito
Ellie Spalding
Bella Wood
Madison Dietrick
Katie Graham
Madelyn Keeney
Kylee Roy
Caitlyn Thrush
Madison Vail
Amber White
Gloria Andrews
Isabella Cummings
Ella Lawton
Gabby Oliver
Alyssa Parks
Chelsey Parks
Elaina Preito
Madelyn Seeley
Madeline Spalding
Ella-Mae Tedesco
Ryleigh Voorhees
Danae Madigan
SCHEDULE
Mar 25 at Wellsboro, w/Williamson, 4 p.m.
April 1 vs NEB, Sayre, 4 p.m.
April 4 at Kirby Classics
April 8 at Canton, 4 p.m.
April 15 vs Wellsboro, 4 p.m.
April 18 at Lock Haven University
April 22 at Athens, 4 p.m.
April 25 at Lasagna Invitational
April 29 vs NP-Mansfield, 4 p.m.
May 2 at Blue Jay Classic
May 5 vs Towanda, 4 p.m.
May 9 at NTL Championships
May 15 at District IV Championships
May 17 at District IV Championships
