Mustangs return good nucleus

Photo By Mike Wertman – VETERAN BOOTERS: Leading Medina/Lyndonville into the upcoming soccer season is this group of Mustang veterans. In front are Adam Hoot, left, and Anthony Pane. In back are Scott Barber, Barry Rogenmoser, Brennen O’Connor, James Ianni and Ben Howell.

Anchored by a good core of seven returning regulars, Medina/Lyndonville is looking to bounce back from last fall’s 5-6-1 Niagara-Orleans League season.

The Mustangs are led by senior midfielders Anthony Pane, Scott Barber, Ben Howell and Brennen O’Connor along with junior forward James Ianni, senior defender Barry Rogenmoser and senior goalie Adam Hoot.

Barber earned first team N-O All-League honors last year while Pane and Ianni were both honorable mention selections.

“Midfield is our strength”, Coach Steve Luksch said. “And we’ve got good speed.”

The Medina/Lyndonville line-up also includes senior defenders Alex Murphy, Evan Milleville, Hayden Allis and Ben Martin, junior goalies Lawson Fenton and Austin Owens, senior midfielders Josh White and Cedric Griffin, senior forward Cooper Hardiman, junior forward Steven Anderson, junior midfielders Aaron Feltz and Colin Dunn, sophomore midfielders Greg Husung and Colim Cooper and junior defenders Max Owens and Austin Brown.

“It’s a big squad but we still had to make cuts again this year. But that big participation and level of interest in the program is a good thing,” Luksch said. “Our goal this season is to be more of a possession team. We want to play to our strengths of ball control and passing and get more balanced scoring.”

Key losses for the Mustangs to graduation include Thomas Goetze, a first team All-League honoree who scored a team leading 15 goals, Drew McMurray, Jessie Fergen, Troy Fidanza and Chris Horgan.

The Mustangs open the N-O season at Newfane on Sept. 4.

The Medina/Lyndonville schedule is as follows:
Sept. 4 – at Newfane, 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 9 – at Albion, 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 12 – CSAT, 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 14 – Park, 1 p.m.
Sept. 16 – at Wilson, 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 21 – Akron, 10 a.m.
Sept. 24 – at Roy-Hart, 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 25 – at Kendall, 5 p.m.
Sept. 27 – Newfane, 4:30 p.m.
Oct. 3 – Albion, 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 5 – at Attica, 4 p.m.
Oct. 9 – at CSAT, 4:30 p.m.
Oct. 11 – Holley, 4:30 p.m.
Oct. 15 – at Akron, 4:30 p.m.
Oct. 17 – Roy-Hart, 6:30 p.m.