STAC BOYS SOCCER: WAVERLY'S RANKIN HOPING HARD WORK LEADS TO IMPROVEMENT IN 2025 (2025-08-25)

Valley Sports Report
WAVERLY — Second-year Waverly boys soccer coach Jon Rankin is hoping hard work in the offseason can help deliver the Wolverines an improved season on the pitch in 2025.

The Wolverines finished 2024 with a 3-13 overall record, and a 1-10 mark in the STAC's Central Division.

"This year's team has a nice mix of experience and youth," said Rankin. "The boys have been working extremely hard in the offseason to get into a better place for this coming season.

"I'm excited to see what's possible for this group of kids, they want to make sectional play, and we as a staff know it's possible," he added.

Aiden Doherty will start at keeper for the Wolverines, with James Cole, Logan Roskow, Aiden Molarzo, and Dakota French set to start on defense.

Hayden Roskow, Jess Lantz, Peyton Robinson, Andrew Larrabee, and Trent VanDyke will start in the midfield, and Cohen Kraft will get the nod at forward.

Ian Johnston, Sawyer Nierstedt, Braiden Robbins, and Jerrod Brown are newcomers, and will also vie for action this season.

Rankin says Cole, Kraft, Johnston, Molarzo and Nierstedt are newcomers to keep an eye on in 2025.

Rankin believes his team's work ethic is its biggest strength heading into the season.

"These boys have put in a ton of work during the offseason as a squad," he said. "They've all shown a new level of dedication to the game, each other, and themselves to achieve their goals."

Injuries have nagged the Wolverines in the preseason, and Rankin says that's his biggest concern in 2025.

"We are dealing with a few nagging injuries that will either leave us alone, or will force us to have a thin bench," he said. 

"Health is always one of my biggest worries as a coach, especially with the level of physicality and grit it takes to be on the field," Rankin added.

Rankin said his team has set the bar high in 2025.

"Our goal as a team is to keep moving forward and improving our game," he said. "We are looking to improve upon our record from last season and qualify for Sectional play."

The top four teams in the Central Division — Owego, Chenango Forks, Seton Catholic and Chenango Valley — all qualified for the Section IV playoffs in 2024.

"We have a tough division," said Rankin. "They are historically strong programs that produce good players."

Waverly opens the 2025 season Tuesday night with a non-divisional game against Elmira. Game time is 7 p.m at Memorial Stadium.

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IN PHOTO: Waverly's Jesse Lantz. ... VSR STOCK PHOTO.

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