IAC BOYS' SOCCER: FOR FIRST TIME IN 95 YEARS EDISON KICKS OFF A SEASON (24 PHOTOS) (August 27, 2025)

By Brian Fees
Southern Tier Sports Report
ELMIRA HEIGHTS — After 95 years without the sport soccer was back at Thomas A. Edison High School on Wednesday night as the Spartans fell to Trumansburg.

Al Northrop coached Edison boys’ soccer for two seasons 95 years ago in 1929 and 1930. That’s the last time the school played the sport, and the first time at the current school location and field.

The Spartans fell to Trumansburg, a traditional IAC power, 12-0 on Wednesday. Duncan Gattine had four goals to lead Trumansburg.

“It’s been 95 years since we had soccer here,” Edison coach Shawn Nugent said, before mentioning that it’s the first time on the current field. “We started with two modified seasons and we’ve made the jump to varsity this year. Super young and we are going to continue to improve.”

Nugent knows there is a lot the team can learn from each game.

“Super excited. Super young. We’ve got lots of improvement and we are going to learn a lot from this match. We will be ready to play on Friday as well. We are home on Friday as well.”

The Spartans kept the game at 3-0 until the final 10 minutes of the first half, but Trumansburg was relentless on the attack in the game.

“Trumansburg’s a tough team, so that was a big opponent to start off with,” Nugent said. “We’re going to learn from it.”

The Spartans had a winning record in modified last year, and they have a young team, with two eighth graders, six freshmen, three sophomores and two seniors. Many of the kids played in modified last year.

Nate Perez had 13 saves in goal for the Spartans, including a number of spectacular diving stops.

“We have a big range,” Nugent said. “We have kids that play travel and then we have kids that have played, but not necessarily organized ball. We’re closing the gap and working together as a team to move forward.”

There are things the Spartans are working on in games, and that they need to get used to the pace of play at the varsity level.

“We have to mark, defend and step to the ball instead of waiting for it to come to us,” Nugent said.

Northrop started the football program in 1931 after the two years coaching soccer. He remained coach until 1965 and only five others have coached football since that time.

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PHOTOS BY BRIAN FEES

PHOTO GALLERY FROM THE GAME

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