THE LIST (NUMBER 1): TITLE TOWN TROY, THE SEQUEL (2025-07-16)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
Here it is, the top storyline of the 2024-2025 sports year, and, for many, it’s deja-vu from the prior year this season became Title Town Troy, The Sequel.

Seven of the 13 sports that the Trojans offer claimed NTL titles this season, with two getting district titles, and, of course, Troy football bringing home the state championship.


The football team had one of the best years in NTL athletic history, joining the rare few squads in the league to be able to claim best in the state.


Also in the fall the girls’ soccer team earned their fifth straight league title, while volleyball and boys’ cross-country won titles after long layovers.


In the winter boys and girls basketball repeated as league champions, with the boys adding a district title.


In the spring the boys’ track and field team also repeated as an NTL champion.


Friday Night was the place to be throughout the fall as Troy football dominated the competition most weeks, kicking things off with a huge 84-12 win over Sayre at home.


It was their week two win over Dover (8-3) in a defensive battle of wills that really set them loose. Beating a team the size of Williamsport and with Division-I bound players on it gave them the confidence they needed going forward.


That was followed by three straight home triumphs - South Williamsport (43-7), Athens (55-0), and Towanda (56-13) - while Wyalusing provided a tough first half challenge in a 41-6 win.


The Trojans then rolled through the rest of their slate - Wellsboro (50-20), NPM (56-13), Central Mountain (62-10), and Canton (61-20) - to claim their second straight NTL Large School title.


They opened the playoffs with another drubbing of South Williamsport (63-27), setting themselves up with a match-up against the defending state champions, Southern Columbia.


Right from the get go Troy set the tone as Lincoln Chimics returned the opening kick-off 84 yards to pay dirt for a 7-0 lead 12 seconds in. Southern didn’t even score until Troy was up 25-0.


The Trojans went on to win 69-28, running for just short of 300-yards in the game as they scored on offense, defense, and special teams.


They kept things rolling into the next weekend as they beat Warrior Run 59-14 for their first district title in 11 years.


The Trojans rushed for 525 yards in the win, as Evan Woodward had 197 on the ground, and Brendan Gilliland added 188, with five touchdowns between them.


In the state quarters Troy shook off a slow start to roll past Bedford (42-16), holding the District V champions scoreless until the fourth quarter.


Troy ran for 327 yards behind Gilliland’s 112-yards, two touchdown effort, while Woodward ran for 99-yards and two scores, while also going 5-for-5 for 56 yards through the air.


In the state semifinals Troy used two late fourth quarter touchdowns to pull away from Riverside (35-21).


The game was tied after one, but two touchdowns from Gilliland - one from the ground, the other from the air - saw Troy take a 21-7 lead at the half.


Riverside made it a one score game going into the fourth when Gilliland uncorked a 29-yard run to pay dirt, followed by Woodward following Micah Pesesky into the end zone from five yards out to seal the win.


It was a defensive battle as Troy got picks from Frye, Chimics, and Woodward.


That set up one for the ages in the state title game as Troy rallied late to beat Central Clarion (25-24).


After giving up an early field goal Troy scored two touchdowns to take a 12-3 lead at the half. Central would come back to take a 16-12 lead going into the fourth.


A 28-yard Gilliland run put Troy back on top 18-16, but Central came back with a touchdown with 6:37 to go for a 24-18 lead.


Troy orchestrated a game winning drive, ending with a Mason Smith leap into the endzone to tie the game. Gavin Lykon-Leffler added the point after for the game winner, and the rest was history.


“We knew that, when these kids grew up, we’d have a chance,” Troy coach Jim Smith said. “We sort of set our goals high after watching them succeed like that, and so to be able to do this, and finish it, it just shows the rest of the league that things like this are possible, and to dream big, and not be afraid to set your goals high.”


They weren’t the only success story in the fall as the Lady Trojans dominated the pitch, going undefeated in NTL play as they had 15 shutouts on the season.


Big wins outside the league included Montoursville (1-0), Loyalsock (3-2), and Shikellamy (1-0), while inside the NTL close wins over Williamson (1-0) and Athens (2-1) decided the league.


In the win over Williamson Alexis McRoberts scored with 17:28 on the clock in the first half, and their defense made it stick the rest of the way.


Their home win over Athens was even wilder as Athens struck first less than 10 minutes in. Troy rallied with goals from Giana Renzi and Kylee Roy to take a 2-1 lead at the half.


The story of the second half was a penalty kick stop by Madelyn Seeley to preserve the win for the Trojans.


They also made the district semifinals, beating Williamson 4-0 in the quarterfinals for their first district win in 15 years.


“This season was special for so many reasons,” said Troy coach Wayne Pratt.


For the Troy boys’ cross-country team 2024 was a chance at redemption. In 2023 they lost to Towanda in a tight dual that decided the Large School title, and this past fall they got the rematch they wanted back at home.


They edged out Towanda (28-31) this time around, with both teams losing to Small School champion NEB.


The Trojans defeated Wyalusing (20-53), Sullivan County (15-49), Athens (22-37), Canton (20-43), Wellsboro (23-37), NPM (20-42), and CV (18-45).


Frank Harper took third to break up Towanda’s goal of going 1-2-3, as the Trojans packed seven runners between the Knights’ third and fourth finishers to pull out the win.


And they celebrated with a dip in Stephen Foster Lake.


“Their goal from day one was to win an NTL Championship,” Troy coach Curtis Miller said. “Looking back, it’s an amazing feeling to know that our boys won the program’s first Large School Championships in 24 years.”


Indoors the Troy volleyball team had been building over the past couple seasons, and it finally came to fruition in 2024 by raising their first banner in 10 years.


They went 18-2 overall, their only losses the season opener to Williamson (3-0), and a tough one at the Class A District IV champions, NEB (3-1).


They went undefeated at home, and swept Wellsboro (3-0, 3-0), NP-Liberty (3-1, 3-0), Athens (3-0, 3-0), and Towanda (3-0, 3-0).


Ironically, the title clinching win came at home with a sweep of NEB.


Kali Ayres and Brenna Jackson had double-doubles, with Ayres getting 12 kills and 11 digs, while Jackson had 28 assists, and 13 digs. Aryanna Andrus finished with 13 kills to lead the attack at the net.


Both Andrus (500 kills) and Jackson (750 assists) hit milestones during the game.


The district playoffs were bittersweet as they got a revenge win over Williamson, but lost to Wellsboro (3-2) in the district finals.


Still, it was a season to remember for the Trojans.


“This year the girls came in ready for whatever I asked of them,” said coach Abby Herman. “I could tell from the first practice the girls were hungry to win, and would do everything I asked to get their team where we needed to be.”


Moving into winter the Troy boys’ basketball team was nearly as dominant as the football team.


The Trojans went undefeated in league play for the second year in a row, finishing the season with 39 straight NTL victories.


They opened the year with a win at NEB (74-49) two weeks into the season due to football going late. They never looked back in league play, with NP-Mansfield (57-40, 63-47) giving them their toughest competition during the league season.


After the regular season Troy went on to claim the NTL Showdown title, as well.


They opened districts with a 68-55 win over Bloomsburg, led by JB Burbage’s big night of 30 points and 14 rebounds.


That set up a semifinal win over Southern Columbia (64-46) as Burbage (23 points, 13 rebounds) and Lincoln Chimics (23 points) combined for 46 on the night.


That set up their 44-41 win over Warrior Run to claim the District IV, Class AAA title. The Defenders were able to slow them down, but in the fourth Troy was able to get downhill at the rim.


Warrior Run led 41-40 with just under a minute to go, but a Chimics lay-up with 30 seconds left to put the Trojans up 42-41. They got some help as the Defenders missed a pair of freebies with 19 seconds left, while at the other end Joseph Frye made his free throws for the 3-point lead.


Troy’s defense held, and they raised the district plaque for the second time in three years.


“What a season that will never be forgotten,” said Troy coach Bob Woodward.


The girls’ team had a strong season themselves, turning things on mid-season to pull away from the rest of the league.


Their lone league loss was against Wyalusing (43-40) in early January. After that they went on a 13-game win streak, sweeping Towanda (77-54, 68-27), Athens (52-27, 50-39), and getting revenge over the Rams at home (62-27).


Earlier in the season they topped the Small School champions NEB (53-43), and later beat the Panthers in the NTL Showdown.


Kailyn Sterling was a force inside at 15.4 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 3.1 SPG, and 2.7 APG, while fellow senior Alyssa Parks had a strong all-around game at 11.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 3.6 APG, and 2.4 SPG.


Giana Renzi (10.4 PPG, 2.8 APG) provided ball-handling, defense, and shooting, as Gloria Andrew (57 3-pointers) was the team’s floor spacer.


“I give all the credit to our senior leaders who led by example every single night, and really took it upon themselves to make the most of their season, and to guide our underclassmen all at the same time,” said Troy coach Curtis Miller.


In the spring Troy boys’ track and field battled through the rain and cold to claim a second straight NTL title. They finished with 137 points, easily out pacing second place Athens (114).


Ben Warburton won three events to lead the way, with Cameron Morey, Evan Geer, Rylan Breidt, Jasper Miller, Avery Sens, Joseph Frye, Mason Wulff, and Hart Houseknecht all stepping up to score points.


“The resiliency of the guys was amazing,” Troy coach Matt Geer said. “It was a total team effort.”


They weren’t the only success stories this year, with baseball and softball coming up just short of league titles.


In a league with as many schools as the NTL it’s tough to have success like this year one year, but two showed how talented the athletes at Troy have been the past two years.


Now, though, a very talented senior class leaves for boys and girls, meaning many of these teams will look very different in 2025-2026. Some teams are well built to stay on top, others are in reloading mode.


Whether or not this becomes a trilogy, it’ll certainly be an exciting watch.