ATHENS WELL-REPRESENTED ON NTL ALL-STAR TEAM
By: Tim Birney / November 10, 2020 / Photo: David Alliger
Athens had nine players recognized by NTL coaches as league all-stars, including two first-team selections, and four second-team honorees.
Sayre junior Mason Hughey was voted the league's "Co-Offensive Player of the Year." Hughey, who tallied 29 goals and four assists, was one of the best finishers in the league in 2020.
Wellsboro
senior Will Poirier scored 24 goals and doled out 29 assists, and was
named the NTL “Most Valuable Player of the Year,” and his teammate —
senior Kaeden Mann — scored 19 goals and dished out eight assists and
was the other “Co-Offensive MVP.”
Wellsboro’s Zach Singer and Towanda’s Daniel Wright shared the “Co-Defensive MVP” honors.
FIRST TEAM
Goalkeeper Ethan Ryan, Wellsboro.
DefendersZach Singer, Wellsboro;
Daniel Wright, Towanda;
Landon Lantz, Athens; Zach Rowland, Wellsboro.
MidfieldWill Poirier, Wellsboro;
Mason Hughey, Sayre;Wyatt Hodlofski, Troy;
Taylor Nelson, NP-L.
Forward / StrikerJack Poirier, Wellsboro;
Joe Grab, Wellsboro;
Nathan Quinn, Athens;.Kaden Mann, Wellsboro;
SECOND TEAM
Goalkeeper
Asher Ellis, Athens.DefenderJon Wetzel, Wellsboro ;
Jason Gao, Athens;Connor Faust, Troy;
Jia Yang Huang, Sayre;Zach Hoffman, NP-L.
Midfield
Travis Reynard, Athens;
Brayden Post, Sayre;Nick Place, Towanda;
Caleb Morgan, Williamson;
Tyler Chambers, Athens.Forward / Striker
Cody VanBenthuysen, Sayre;Caiden Alexander, NP-L;
Logan Lambert, Towanda;
Brandon Kuhn, NEB.
Honorable MentionGoalkeeperCole Gelbutis, Sayre.DefenderJames Benninger Jones, Athens;
Colby Blakeman, Athens;Jacob Case, Troy;
Jared Jones, Towanda.
MidfieldOwen Richardson,Wellsboro;
Isias Watkins, Troy;
Dustin Benedict, Wellsboro;
Brady Sparling, Troy.
Forward / StrikerDerek Litzelman, NP-L;
Daniel Horton, Athens;Jackson Brion, NP-L;
Sam Rudy, Wellsboro.
Tim Birney is the founder / owner of River Road Media Group. He was born and raised in the Valley, graduating from Waverly High School in 1984.
Birney earned an Associate's Degree in Journalism from SUNY Morrisville in 1986 and a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism / Public Relations from Utica College of Syracuse University in 1988. He began his newspaper career at The Daily Review in Towanda in 1989, before moving on to The Evening Times in 1995. He spent more than 10 years at the Times, the last four as Managing Editor.
River Road Media Group includes five sites in "The Sports Reports" family that cover 24 school districts in five counties: Valley Sports Report (launched Aug. 10, 2009), Tioga County (NY) Sports Report (Aug. 13, 2018), and Northern Tier Sports Report (Aug. 31, 2020); Northern Tier West Sports Report (March 15, 2021) Southern Tier Sports Report (Aug. 16, 2021).