Photo Courtesy of Centre College Athletics
After a stellar four-year stretch that yielded 8th District titles each season to go with three 2nd-Region crowns and a trip to the KHSAA state semifinals in 2018, it’s no surprise that some of the Tigers’ influential players now ply their trade at the collegiate level.
Starting with the most decorated player in Tiger program history, Ethan Noel, who returns to the field in 2021 after helping the Centre College Colonels to a Mid-South Conference title and a run to the NCAA D3 national semifinals as a sophomore.
Noel welcomed some familiar faces to Danville in the offseason, with former Tigers Ryan Roussel and Mason Rye committing their futures to the Colonels. Roussel was a 1st-Team All-State selection with the Tigers and transferred after a redshirt-freshman season at the University of Evansville. Rye, an All-State Honorable Mention selection as a junior, will also be fighting for a spot on the field when Centre opens play at Spalding University on March 1.
Centre’s trio of Tigers may see another former teammate in the matchup with Spalding. After scoring 15 goals and 16 assists over his four-year career in Hopkinsville, Welby Horn signed with the Eagles and will hope to be on the pitch for his first college game when Centre comes to Louisville.
Another key member of the Tigers’ state semifinal run, Zach Moore returns for his second college season after impressing with 16 appearances and 2 starts in 2019 with Kentucky Wesleyan College. Moore was a 2nd-Team All-State selection after posting 12 goals and 18 assists as a senior at Hopkinsville. Like both Centre and Spalding, the Panthers’ fall 2020 season was wiped out by COVID and their opener vs. Trevecca Nazarene on March 13 will be the team’s first match in over a year.
A two-sport athlete rounds out the Tiger contingent at the next level, with Tyler Greenwell playing soccer and running track this year as a freshman at Lindsey Wilson College. The NAIA powerhouse was picked 1st in the Mid-South Conference but suffered a 2-1 setback in their season-opener at the University of Mobile. Greenwell didn’t appear in the game and is currently listed on the Blue Raiders’ JV roster.
