By TIM TAYLORTioga County Sports Report
OWEGO — It’s a rebuilding year at Owego, but the River Hawks will be able to do so with good numbers on the roster.
Owego has 33 players between the varsity and JV squads, and is one of just three schools in Section IV to field a JV team. Greene and Vestal are the others.
It was Vestal, state champions in 2022 and 2023, who ended the River Hawks’ 2024 season in sectionals. Owego was 6-10.
Sisters Carsten, a senior, and freshman Eva Crawford are returning all-stars, both named to the Section IV Division II second team.
Among the team’s seniors are RaeAnn Craft, Madison Webb, Gianna Yaichuk, Mikayla Wilbur, Gabriella Boehme, and Amelia and Eleanor Sherman.
Also back are junior Finn Higgins, sophomores Ella Binford, Lillie Kneller and Natalee Silvanic, and freshman Aubrey Schmidt.
Coach Ashlee Marsh, entering her sixth season as the varsity coach, is looking to get some help from 8th-grade newcomer Aurelia Kneller as well.
“(We) lost a big class due to graduation; definitely going to be a rebuilding year for us, but excited for our program and the numbers keep growing,” she said.
Among the team’s half-dozen grads were Lexi Cheeseman, Ashleigh Steele and Kaelyn Troxel, all Division II first team picks.
Top teams this season?
“A lot since our schedule is now play everyone once," Marsh said. “Hoping to be competitive with everyone from the section, but closely watching Vestal and Afton/ Harpursville, who are in our class again.”
Owego opens the season with a trio of road games, the first being Thursday at Maine-Endwell.
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IN PHOTO 1: Coach Ashlee Marsh will be doing some rebuilding this fall. IN TOP PHOTO: Owego has drawn some big numbers to the turf this season. IN PHOTO 3: Owego took a half-dozen graduation hits, but will have a handful of veteran players.
