Twenty-six local soccer players, 13 boys and 13 girls, have been selected to the All-Greater Cortland teams for their performances during the 2024 season. Each team consists of three forwards, four midfielders, four backs and two goalkeepers. There is also a player of the year selected on both sides.
The 2024 boys player of the year is Tully’s Ryan Rauber and the girls player of the year is Cincinnatus’ Cassia Schuyler.
The players were selected from the 10 local schools and were chosen based on statistics and the way they impacted winning.
Here are the players selected:
BOYS TEAM
Ryan Rauber
(Tully senior forward/midfielder, 24 goals, 13 assists)
Rauber earned the player of the year honors while leading Tully to the Class C state semifinals. He was a terror for opposing defenses this year with his blazing speed and incredible skill. Rauber’s first touch allowed him to control the situation when multiple defenders closed in on him, then he had the foot speed to make one move to beat them. Rauber was one of the most explosive players in the state and was an entertaining player to watch the last four seasons.
John Schuyler
(Cincinnatus senior forward/midfielder, 16 goals, 15 assists)
Schuyler was a steady contributor for a talented Cincinnatus team. The senior had a propensity to track down through balls and finish with just one or two touches and also did well getting to the end line to play balls back to the center of the box. Schuyler could drop to the midfield to help defensively when needed, but he made his hay sticking to defenders and capitalizing on mistakes.
Paul Busby
(Dryden senior forward, 22 goals, 5 assists)
Busby used his immense talent and drive to wear defenses down and score time and time again. Busby could get a head of steam and beat defenders downhill like very few in the state and was always looking to get his shot off. He and fellow senior Luke Eshelman formed a dynamic duo up top for the Lions, but Busby was more capable of going for a hat trick and icing a game quickly.
Camdyn Kashuba
(Marathon junior midfielder/back, 6 goals, 4 assists)
Kashuba wasn’t the flashiest player, but a very important one for a strong Marathon side. He was a key to the Olympians’ back line early on while dealing with a few injuries, then slid back into the midfield when everyone was healthy to bolster that group. Kashuba also was an ace on free kick duty, with his ability to put balls in opportune places in the box a big part of Marathon’s offense.
Colton Oram
(Marathon sophomore midfielder, 17 goals, 13 assists)
Oram broke out in his sophomore season for Marathon. Oram became a high-level distributor in the center of the field and was a big playmaker. He also was able to hold his own in a very physical IAC despite his smaller stature. After making a huge leap in his sophomore season, Oram looks poised to make an even bigger one in 2025.
Logan Moffitt
(McGraw junior midfielder/forward, 17 goals, 5 assists)
Moffitt was McGraw’s biggest offensive threat this season and commanded lots of attention from opposing defenses. Moffitt upped his aggression this season and it showed in the goal column. He will continue to be the Eagles’ top dog next year and will have to keep developing to find better ways to beat multiple defenders.
Jack Stafford
(Cincinnatus senior midfielder, 11 goals, 14 assists)
Stafford was Schuyler’s right-hand man for Cincinnatus, assisting on plenty of those tallies. Stafford himself was a weapon in the midfield and was a key cog to the Lions’ possession-based offensive game. He was great at playing the ball into space and knowing when to carry and when to dish to a teammate, making him one of the elite distributors in the area.
Robbie Anderson
(Marathon senior back, 0 goals, 0 assists)
Anderson provided Marathon with a rock-solid defender in back that helped it play its hard-nosed style. Anderson was a leader on and off the field and made sure everyone was always in the correct spots. He was physical, aggressive going to the ball and calm under pressure, which helped keep goalkeeper Daniel Merihew clean most games.
Koda Temple
(Cincinnatus junior back, 6 goals, 2 assists)
Temple was a stalwart for Cincinnatus as he shared center back responsibilities with TJ Walker this year. That allowed the junior to be more offensive, resulting in a career-high six goals and plenty of opportunities to create chances for himself and his teammates. Temple’s best qualities are his timing and booming right foot, allowing for easy clearances to relieve pressure on the Lions’ back line.
Danny Byrne
(Tully senior back, 0 goals, 3 assists)
Byrne’s steady presence helped keep Tully’s back line strong and give it one of the best goals allowed per game averages in Section III. Byrne was always in the right position and never took a chance he didn’t feel confident would pay off. His communication with goalkeeper Oscar Breitzka kept everything in order and his composure allowed him to begin building up possessions from the back.
Cody Nellenback
(DeRuyter senior back, 2 goals, 1 assist)
Nellenback was usually the toughest player on the field and was always willing to challenge an offensive player. His speed allowed him to make up for slight mistakes whenever they happened. Nellenback liked to force the issue on offensive players, making them make a play instead of them letting him falter. The senior anchored a DeRuyter defense that needed him and he epitomized the Rockets’ gritty group.
Liam Burns
(Cortland senior goalkeeper, 158 saves, 79.4% save percentage, 4 shutouts)
Burns wasn’t the most technical goalkeeper, but he was a tremendous shot stopper who was under pressure a lot at points this season. Burns had many night where he was under siege, as evidence by his 10 games with double digit saves and nine games with three or more goals allowed. Cortland wouldn’t have been a 7-10-1 team without Burns’ ability to turn away shots and turn the field around.
Oscar Breitzka
(Tully senior goalkeeper, 124 saves, 82.7% save percentage, 8 shutouts)
Breitzka was yet again the best goalkeeper in the area with his perfect positioning, incredible IQ and booming right foot. Breitzka always knew where every player on the field was and who was a threat to shoot from deep. He used his long, slender frame to make diving saves most goalkeepers can’t and was always patient with the ball in his hands. Breitzka was one of the most technically sound goalkeepers in Section III and was a big reason Tully made the Class C state semifinals.
GIRLS TEAM
Cassia Schuyler
(Cincinnatus senior forward, 43 goals, 27 assists)
Schuyler was the most dominant player in the area on either side and was always the most skilled player on the field. She has incredible body control and can start and stop on a dime, which pairs perfectly with her deep bag of on-ball moves. Schuyler was also one of the vocal leaders on a Cincinnatus team that reached its third consecutive state semifinal. Schuyler ended her career with a staggering 147 goals and 77 assists, proving her offensive prowess over a four-year career.
Emily Petrella
(Homer freshman forward, 16 goals, 4 assists)
Petrella broke out as a freshman for a young Homer squad in desperate need of goal-scoring. The youngster didn’t often make moves on the ball to beat defenders and score, but positioned herself well to receive crosses and hustled through the whistle to find success. Petrella scored in 11 of the Trojans’ final 13 games and appears to be a big player for Homer going forward.
Molly Amidon
(DeRuyter junior forward, 17 goals, 9 assists)
Amidon emerged as a No. 2 option for DeRuyter this season after recording just one assist in 2023. The junior constantly poked and prodded at opposing defenses until she could find a crease and get at the goal. Amidon provided Rhya Richardson with some much-needed relief this season and her breakout helped the Rockets finish second in the CCL.
Devyn Blasz
(Groton junior midfielder, 17 goals, 9 assists)
Blasz is the leader of a young and emerging Groton squad that won an IAC championship this year. Blasz was always willing to take a shot from deep to test an opposing goalkeeper. She also had a great sense of spacing and knew when to play the ball to the corner and when to move the ball up the field. Blasz and the Red Hawks have one more season with this core of players to win a Section IV title.
Ava Larrabee
(Cincinnatus senior midfielder, 13 goals, 19 assists)
Larrabee was another senior leader for Cincinnatus and was a major playmaker in the midfield. She has a herky-jerky style, but always keeps the ball safe and frequently swings it back and forth to stretch the field. Larrabee was also a major player taking free kicks and corner kicks, scoring on multiple set pieces during the Lions’ postseason run.
Jocelyn Turshman
(Cincinnatus sophomore midfielder, 24 goals, 24 assists)
Turshman was the most under-the-radar star on Cincinnatus’ team thanks to her ability to defend in the midfield and toughness. Turshman excels at winning 50/50 balls and shooting from distance, providing the forwards with plenty of space to operate. She will be the leading returning scorer next year and appears poised to become the next elite Cincinnatus scorer.
Rhya Richardson
(DeRuyter junior midfielder, 18 goals, 9 assists)
Richardson was more defensively-minded this season, but still found time to put away a team-high 18 goals. She took on a lot of the offensive workload in 2023, but had a bit more help this year that provided her with more space to show off her well-rounded offensive game. Richardson works hard on the defensive end too, making her an important two-way player for the Rockets.
Bella Cicioni
(Homer sophomore back, 0 goals, 3 assists)
Cicioni led an important and hard-nosed Homer back line that kept the team in low-scoring games all season. Cicioni has great instincts to get to the ball and clear it as the last line of defense. Homer has had quality defenses for a few years and Cicioni has stepped up as the sweeper and leader of the Trojans for the next few years.
Jelsie Stafford
(Cincinnatus sophomore back, 3 goals, 4 assists)
Stafford moved from the outside to the inside this season and was able to be a bit more offensive as a result. Playing in a stopper role, Stafford was able to use her on-ball skill to make plays offensively and provide the first line of defense behind the midfielders. She also improved as a leader and communicator on the field and appears to be ready to take on an even bigger role in 2025.
Makayla Mills
(Cincinnatus sophomore back, 0 goals, 0 assists)
Mills transferred to Cincinnatus from Otselic Valley, where she scored 10 goals and added four assists as a freshman. Mills made the move to sweeper and was as solid as it gets. She stopped nearly all opposing offensive attacks before they got to the goal and provided a much-needed presence following the departure of two defenders from the 2023 team.
Mari Woodcock
(Tully sophomore back/midfielder, 7 goals, 4 assists)
Woodcock gave Tully a true stopper with IQ and physicality in the center of its backfield, something the young side needed. She has the ability to push forward and make a play, but is best at taking free kicks and clearing the ball with her booming right foot. Woodcock will be relied on even heavier moving forward and will be the Black Knights’ top player for the next few seasons.
Kennadie Taylor
(Homer sophomore goalkeeper, 138 saves, 85.2% save percentage, 4 shutouts)
Taylor appears to be the next standout Homer goalkeeper, immediately following Catherine Apker and Alex Kellaway. Taylor stepped up in her first varsity season in goal by using her athleticism to be an elite shot stopper. She was behind a solid defense and able to scoop up the easy shots she was forced to face. Taylor will only get better as she and the rest of the Homer team continues to develop.
Stella Holl
(Groton junior goalkeeper, 35 saves, 1 goal)
Holl was an incredibly aggressive and effective goalkeeper for Groton. She played very high and acted as a de facto sweeper when the ball was in the Red Hawks’ offensive end and was a great communicator when the defense was pressed back. Holl always gave it her all to stop a shot and was willing and able to sacrifice her body to save a goal.
