Fall Sports Previews: Boys and Girl’s Soccer

Boys soccer wants to regain MVL title

Boys Soccer Preview

Their MVL streak is over, and the Tippecanoe boys soccer team is looking not only to begin a new streak in the conference but also to regain the league championship that Butler took from them last season.

With the start of the new soccer season, coach Joel Slyman is ready for his young team to grow up quickly and get the Red Devils back to what they have enjoyed in the past.

“We have a young core of guys here. We have 25 freshmen and sophomores and a lot of underclassmen getting some varsity time,” Slyman said. “Guys are hungry here and doing things outside of normal practice hours to be ready. The guys have been disappointed in the tournament for the last two years. So, if they want to get back to winning a district title, we have a lot to work on, but you can’t ask for more here at the start of the season.”

“The work rate is impressive; these guys don’t stop,” he added when asked about some early positives from this group. “You don’t have to question the effort. They get along well, but when adversity hits, and we lose some games, we will see what these guys are made of.”

Tipp will have some quality seniors to lead the way, led by Eli Kettel and Griffin Federle.

“They are just leaders, and we expect a lot from them,” Slyman said. “The players elect those guys as their captains, so we expect the world from them.”

“Maddox is a three-year guy, and I don’t know if I have coached a guy with a better work ethic than him,” Slyman added about senior Maddox Robinson. Slyman also noted Logan McEntrye is a senior expected to be a contributor.

“We are going to rely on him in the middle, and he wants to take that next step to be an all-league guy,” the Tipp coach said.

“Brayden Kocher has been tremendous so far in the preseason. The guy has a motor that is unbelievable. He has produced and is a guy you can’t take off the field.”

Slyman also praised seniors Dan McCormick as a key role player, along with Landon Morgan, who wants to work hard and get better. Wes Tipton is another senior being counted on after a productive preseason. Landon Rhoades is also coming off of an injury and is getting ready to help in multiple spots.

Juniors to keep an eye on include Mason Lopez, who has been a key player in the middle, along with fellow juniors Zane Hoover, Ridley Brenner, and Gabe Morgan.

Mason Mader will contribute as a sophomore this season, along with Sam Schwieterman and Owen Vonderheide, while Tipp has two freshmen also being counted on, including Wesley Mayer, who has scored goals in the preseason, along with Parker Demange, who is coming back from injury.

Handling the goalkeeping duties this year are two guys competing for time: juniors Lucas Stout and Cole Venters.

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Girls soccer have eyes for elusive MVL title

Girls Soccer preview

Not since 2022 have the Tippecanoe girls soccer captured the Miami Valley League championship outright. They have shared the title, and have fallen short of bringing home the hardware. This year, coach Brent Palmer and his team are focused on turning things around and reclaiming the gold.

“Our eyes are fixed first on the outright MVL title,” Palmer said. “The last time we won the title in 2022 was my first year, and ever since then we have had a share of it at best. This year, we want to take it back for ourselves. We want to be playing our best in October and into November. We have a group capable of doing big things and making big runs, and we are shooting for the moon.”

“We are really excited and are bringing back a really strong core of players from last year,” Palmer said. “We have a sour taste still in our mouth from last year, so we are excited to get back after it this season.”

Tipp brings back 26 players, and they all remember what happened last season. Palmer hopes it turns into motivation to reach those mentioned goals.

“I think it has added a little bit of motivation, and our potential is to actually accomplish a lot more than we did. This year, we are looking to leave nothing on the table. If that gives us a little bit of extra fire, we will take it.”

“We are a really athletic group this year from the back line all the way to the forwards, we have girls who are physically capable of competing at a high level.”

Five seniors reside on the Tipp roster this season, including Mady Turner, Julia Burgbacher, Paige Royse, Isabelle Mahl and Macie Taylor.

“They all bring good experience and bring varsity time, and they do a great job just making it a great culture.”

The juniors are another group of players who Palmer is excited about. He mentioned some good ones to keep an eye on, including Mady Hook, Lily Fine, Kenzie Curry, Marin Dakin, Grace Fultz, Addison Simons, Kelsey Zeh, and Lily Strawser.

Palmer is excited about the underclass group this season, including a nucleus of freshmen he is counting on big things from.

“We have a good group of freshmen coming in and competing right away,” he said. “We have smaller numbers this year with 33 players so everyone will get an opportunity so there will be a lot of minutes to play and they have stepped in and gotten after it.”

“The sophomore group has a lot of returning varsity kids in that group and have high expectations for themselves also.”

Maryn Perrault, Ali Turner, Reagan Kettel and Ellie Lukacs are key sophomores he mentioned to watch this season, while freshman Addi Blair has landed a spot on the roster and big things are expected from her.

Tipp opened their season Wednesday night at Greenville.