Boys soccer opens season next week

As the boys soccer season gets underway next week, Tippecanoe coach Joel Slyman knows it will be a much different look this season when the Red Devils take the field for the start of the 2025 campaign. 

Only five seniors make up the leadership roles for the Red Devils, as Tipp will have a young team with numerous freshmen in the program. He used the summer to get the guys on the same page and get the returning players ready for new roles with plenty of chances to get on the field this season. 

“We have had a good preseason and a good July, but regular season and league titles aren’t won in July,” Slyman said. “Building the camaraderie and culture definitely happens in the summer and I think we succeeded in that so far.” “We are excited and guys are hungry from losing eight starters last year, I think guys want to take on a bigger role on this year’s team. We have an excitement building and guys are coming together and there is a tremendous amount of optimism.” It all starts with the league title and progresses from there for the Red Devils, as they have dominated the league over the years, and have made some deep tournament runs in previous years. 

“We always want to compete for the league title, and we want to aim for a district title, and those are goals we look for in this program every year,” Slyman said. “This will be the first time in a while that we have a small senior class. We had one in 2022 and this year we have five seniors who bring a unique aspect to the team which I love.”

“They know what it takes to be a part of a state championship team and I think they will bring that to the program, not just the varsity team but the entire program. We have 15 freshmen also ready to go.” Tipp is led by the five seniors including Cameron Smith and Collin Turner who were both all-league players who were key parts of their last state championship team. Slyman also touted Caleb Logan, another senior who he said was kind of the Comeback Player of the Year last year. “I have so much love for the senior class,” Slyman said. Two more seniors are being counted on are Preston Harding and Brayden Lowrey.

Key juniors this season, Slyman stated Maddox Robinson and Eli Kettle will be players who will contribute this season. “Maddox is a transfer in from last year as a sophomore and this year, he played club for us in the spring, so he has a full year of coaching under us, we expect big things from him” Slyman said. “Eli will be one of our guys who starts for us and we will lean on him defensively.” A key sophomore being counted on will be sweeper Mason Lopez along with some key freshmen Mason Mader and Owen Vonderheide. 

Slyman considers everyone in the MVL competitors for the league title, but their toughest two historical opponents will both be road games this season. 

“You have to give respect to everyone in the league and we open this season with a league game hosting Greenville,” Slyman said. “We also go to Troy and to Butler, and while you give respect to everyone in the league, that rivalry hits different.”