The Mahar girls soccer team is ready to step up to the challenge of an uptick in competition this season.
Following years of success, the Senators have been realigned into the Grieve League this season which features Palmer, Central, Mount Greylock, Ware and Hoosac Valley. A lot can change in two years, but based on the 2019 tournament, all five opponents were postseason squads and should provide a challenging schedule.
“We know we’re going to be in a tough league,” Mahar coach Chad Softic said. “There’s some really talented teams we’ll be playing but we think we can compete.”
Not only is the schedule full of tough opponents, but the Senators will have to face them without prolific goal scorers Delaney Parker and Micalyn Mailloux. Both players graduated last year.
Parker closed out her Mahar career with 200 points while Mailloux was a constant offensive spark. It’ll take a true group effort to replicate their production, but the Senators have the returning talent to once again be a tough out each game.
“Both Delaney and Micalyn really had noses for the net,” Softic said. “We’re going to have to find ways to put the ball in the net without them. We’ll once again be a defensive first team and we’ll be looking to develop our offense as the season goes on.”
Where Mahar is strong is up the middle. Sienna Moore and Natalie Belloli will shift between striker and center midfielder while Gracie Rich and Mackinley Drew will center the defense. Maddie Lloyd once again will occupy the goalie duties, and Kendrah Doane will be a key cog in the lineup.
Like Mahar, Frontier will face a tough schedule in the Pioneer North going up against the likes of Easthampton, Sabis, Amherst, Renaissance and Holyoke, but the Redhawks believe they have the talent to compete with anyone.
Makayla Santos returns and will again be one to watch on the offensive end with her fancy footwork and big leg, while Isabel Marrapese and Hannah Mackin will look to control the game in the midfield for Frontier.
Sam Scanlon will play on the outside and Kaitlyn Mackin and Anna Petrin will anchor the defense. Jillian Worden, Alena Maes-Polan, Caroline Crocker, Kylie Laford, Sophia Leoni, Molly Gates, Claire McFarland and Josie Fosnot could all play multiple spots in the lineup. CC Green and Cadince Wells-Robinson are the two Redhawk goalies.
“We’re looking forward to the season,” Frontier coach Phil Pittelli said. “We feel there isn’t a game we can’t win and that we can be competitive in all our games. Our number one goal is to make the statewide tournament, the next goal is to be one of the top eight teams in the Western Mass. tournament. I think that’s doable with the way they broke it up by division.”
Former Recorder sports editor Jason Butynski now gets to see what life is like on the other side of the equation, as he takes over as coach of a young Franklin Tech squad.
Emily Merritt is the lone senior on the roster, with Kylee Gamache and Abe Stumpo vying for time in net. Sophomore Skylar Alamed and freshman Christiana Dunn have shown promise up front while sophomore twins Anne and Ella Kolodziej have impressed with their speed and aggression in the midfield.
Laken Woodard, Gamache, Jocelyn Wyman, Kailey James-Putnam and Emma Elliott will slot in on the wings or midfield while Jill Crowningshield, Kailin McClure and Sofia Moreno will head the defense.
Elyssa Higgins, Brooke Bartak, Starrli Bell, Norah Drowski and Elise Wolfe will also factor into the lineup.
“We’re a very young team,” Butynski said. “I’m very excited about them. They’re coachable and they have great attitudes and are skilled soccer players. They’re working hard and we’re all in this together. We have a long way to go but I’m seeing improvements every day and that’s all I can ask of them.”
Greenfield is another senior-led unit that should be a strong team in the Bi-County League.
Kaitlin Lavoine and Samantha Santos will be the Green Wave captains, as both seniors are expected to be key players in the lineup. Fellow seniors Emma Savoy and Hannah Poirier will factor in up front while Elizabeth Trudeau slots in as a defensive midfielder.
Azemina Cecunjanin will be an asset for Greenfield, Makayla Valente returns in goal and sophomore Carly Blanchard brings some quickness up front.
While Pioneer has more middle school students than high school players on the roster, the goal doesn’t change for coach Nikki Pullen.
“Our goal is always to make it to the tournament,” Pullen said. “I’d like to see us win half our games and be competitive.”
Lucia Saviano will be a big player in the midfield, Annie Browning and Al Unaitis are key cogs in the lineup, and Hailey Ring will factor in as a goal scorer.
Athol — which graduated just three seniors last year — will be hoping the experience its younger players received during the Fall II season will pay dividends this year. The Bears had seven eighth graders and six freshman on last year’s squad, and with another year they should take a step forward.