STAC BOYS SOCCER: SEVERAL NEW FACES TAKE THE PITCH IN OWEGO (2025-08-27)
By TIM TAYLOR
Tioga County Sports Report
OWEGO — Several new faces will take the pitch for the Owego boys soccer team this season as the River Hawks attempt to reach the state playoffs for a fifth straight season.
The River Hawks graduated 15 seniors from a team that went 18-1 last season, won STAC and Section IV Class A championships, and made their fourth consecutive trip to the state playoffs.
The grads included four STAC all-stars — Vasil Brich, recognized by
The Sports Reports and
Tioga County Sports Reportas the “Player of the Year,” Jaxson Belokur, Matt Higgins and Zayir VanScoy. Belokur, Higgins and VanScoy were also named to the
The Sports Reports and
Tioga County Sports Report all-star teams.
Owego also had two starters switch sports, including Connor Kotski, who was the
The Sports Reports All-Region “Goaltender of the Year” and also earned that honor from
Tioga County Sports Report.
Alessio DeMichele, the All-Region and TCSR "Coach of the Year," has 20 players on this year’s roster, only four of whom are returning players. They are senior defender Samuel Beyer, senior midfielder Chris Ward, senior forward Mason Wold and junior midfielder Owen Hallenbeck.
Among the key newcomers on this year’s team are Fin Duffy, a junior midfielder, and junior defenders Ravi Kobziewicz and Cooper Fain.
Hallenbeck and Duffy are also members of the 2025 New York West state cup champion Greater Binghamton Football Club.
“We will have a new look team compared to recent years, but still one that looks to control games and carry on Owego’s soccer philosophy,” DeMichele said.
The coach expects Chenango Forks and Seton Catholic to be the top competitors in the STAC Central Division, and Maine-Endwell to pose a challenge at sectional time.
Owego opens the season today at Susquehanna Valley at 11 a.m.
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IN PHOTO 1: Coach Alessio DeMichele. IN TOP PHOTO: Samuel Beyer. IN PHOTO 3: Chris Ward. IN PHOTO 4: Owen Hallenbeck. … PHOTOS BY TIM TAYLOR.
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