NTL BOYS' SOCCER: TOWANDA LOOKS TO KEEP GOOD MOMENTUM GOING IN 2025 (2025-08-18)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
Towanda boys’ soccer will be looking to reload this year after losing several key seniors from the 2024 campaign that saw them just miss qualifying for districts. They have some big holes to fill but with the way the program has been building the past few years the Knights are confident they’ll continue moving forward.

“It’s always tough losing seniors,” said coach Tom Lambert. “The freshman that we have are really into the game so I think we’re not going to miss much of a beat.”

Tyler Wheaton, Connor Barnes, and Owen Lane were standouts at all three levels for the Knights last year, but they return both key players Mason Harbst and Brayden Spencer, along with last year’s top newcomer in Ben Shrawder.

Herbst will be looking to take over some of the defensive leadership that left with Barnes as he looks to move to the center back spot.

“It’s a lot different because I’ve got to communicate with the other person in the middle,” he explained.

Hudson Stevens will likely be joining Harbst in the middle this year.

It’ll help that they return keeper Blaiz Nichols, who’s excited to get going.

“I like being able to lead the team, and just being able to watch people score goals,” he said. “ Coordinating my defense, which is one thing that all goalies should do, and keeping their spirits up.”

Shrawder came out for soccer as a sophomore and proved to be a key weapon on offense, and, with a year under his belt, he’s looking to do better this season.

“We’ll definitely have more chemistry than we would have last year because we’ve been playing all year,” he said. “We played in an indoor league in the winter, and we’ve just been playing a lot.”

Lambert said they never really stopped after last season, and is starting to see the fruits of their labor as younger players are coming in more developed than in past seasons.

“I have five that are very talented so they can backfill the seniors I lost,” he said. 

The Knights are looking for their first winning season in 20 years this year after just missing districts last year with an 8-10 record. The team can feel a break through coming as their eight juniors make up the backbone of this year’s squad.

“The team looks amazing,” Nichols remarked. “All the players perfect. I feel like we can definitely make districts. We made some mistakes last year that shouldn’t have happened, but we pushed past it, and we’re going to do great this year.”

Shrawder notes the chemistry is different this year after a busy summer with open fields and summer leagues.

“I feel like we’re all focused and locked in this year,” he said. “We’re going to have a good record.”

While they’ve shown improvement the past few seasons Towanda boys’ soccer isn’t usually thought of as in the hunt for the league title - they hope to use that to their advantage this season.

“I think we can catch a few teams off guard,” Harbst remarked.

For Lambert, it’s about his players letting the talent show through and not play tight.

“My main focus this year was letting the kids know, when you have the ball feel comfortable to shoot on goal,” he said. 

He also has an eye towards the future as they work to build a legacy.

“I’m really pushing that we’re a family, and that we have to stick together no matter what.”

SCHEDULE
Aug. 25 vs Sullivan County, 4:30 p.m.
Aug. 27 vs Williamson, 6 p.m.
Sep. 2 at Troy, 4 p.m.
Sep. 4 at Galeton, 4 p.m.
Sep. 6 at Southern Columbia, 11 a.m.
Sep. 9 at NPL, 4 p.m.
Sep. 11 vs NEB, 6 p.m.
Sep. 13 vs Wellsboro, 10 a.m.
Sep. 17 vs Athens, 6 p.m.
Sep. 22 at Montgomery, 4:30 p.m.
Sep. 24 at NEB, 4 p.m.
Sep. 25 vs Galeton, 1 p.m.
Oct. 1 at Athens, 6 p.m.
Oct. 4 at Montrose, 11 a.m.
Oct. 7 vs NPL, 6 p.m.
Oct. 9 vs Troy, 6 p.m.
Oct. 11 vs Meadowbrook, 11 a.m.
Oct. 14 vs Shamokin, 5 p.m.

ROSTER (Grade)
Mason Harbst (12)
Calogero (Charlie) Mignano (12)
Brayden West (12)
Ben Shrawder (11)
Blaiz Nichols (11)
Colt Williams (11)
Hudson Stevens (11)
Brayden Spencer (11)
Braiden Murray (11)
Noah Dalton (11)
John Hemphill (11)
Dalton Johnson (10)
Josh Maye (10)
Brody Hennessy (9)
Blayke Spencer (9)
Andrew Manley (9)
Harper Wells (9)