Lyons leading Spartans to 2-1 NAC record
Cass Lyons or God? Trick question? According to Matt Murphy, former teammate at North Country High School and Castleton State College roommate, on the soccer field Cass Lyons is God.If you attended any Castleton soccer game last year, you definitely saw Lyons play. Known around campus as, “Bubs,” the then-freshman sweeper played every minute of every game last year.
Lyons played full back in high school, but excelled at his new position and has remained there. Lyons described switching positions as, “a new challenge and way to make myself work harder.”
Lyons was recruited by Spartans head coach John Werner at Vermont Soccer School when Cass was a senior in high school and still living at his home in Derby, Vermont. Werner says he was very lucky to get Lyons here, saying he is extremely coachable.
Werner says he loves having Lyons on his side of the green because of his willingness to do whatever the team needs. Werner believes that Lyons can play 90 minutes a game against any NAC team.
“Cass is very competitive and doesn’t get riled,” said Warner.
Lyons had a superb track record coming out of high school. First team all-county, first team all-metro, first team all-state, Burlington Free Press elite 11, Twin State team, and he led the North Country Falcons to the final four his senior year before falling to Mount Mansfield Union.
A sports administration major, Lyons says his biggest soccer accomplishment was being selected to play on the Twin State game his senior year, where the best high school players from Vermont square off against the best from New Hampshire.
Lyons said the Spartans have a real good shot at winning the NAC championship this season.
“We have a young team, but a lot of talent,” said Lyons.
Even though Lyons has personally been extremely successful in college, he says that he continues to set goals for his team.
“I want to get into the NCAA tournament and advance,” says Lyons.
Lyons statement might be an eye popper for many because of the size of Castleton, but his goal isn’t to far from a reality. The team earned an at-large bid to play in the ECAC New England Regional Tournament where they were defeated in the first round by eventual champion Rhode Island College.
After college, Lyons plans to be an athletic director at a high school in Vermont.
“Before I hang up the cleats I have to leave this program on top,” said Lyons.
The Spartan men currently sport a 4-5 overall record, but with a 2-1 mark in the NAC.
They are coming off a 2-1 win against Thomas College and will play again today against Massachusetts Liberal Arts College.