2018 Girls Soccer Preview

 

 

PATROON CONFERENCE

CAIRO-DURHAM MUSTANGS

Coach: Sam Spohler

2017 Record: 13-1-2

In her first season at the helm, Sam Spohler brought the Cairo-Durham Lady Mustangs to the Section II, Class C quarterfinals and captured a share of the Patroon Conference title with Catskill, both teams finishing 10-1-2.

This season, Spohler will have a very young team with just two seniors after graduating nine from last season.

The Lady Mustangs enter 2018 with a new keeper in net, now that reigning Patroon MVP and Section II Keeper of the Year Keegan Deyo will be lacing them up for Herkimer Community College this fall. They will also be without First Team All-Star Mikaela Phillips, leading-scorer Meghan Rohan, and defenders Morgan Skiff and Katie Feeney.

Despite the losses, Spohler is bringing back First-Team All-Star and top defender Lily Makely along with starters Aurora Gomez, Laney Bruck and two-year varsity starter, 10th grader Xxaria Makely.

“Looking for her to really control the middle of the field, [she] has great vision, contributed last year with many assists, and I’m hoping she contributes in scoring as well this year,” Spohler said of Makely.

Despite the loss of seven starters from last season, Spohler is quite confident her Lady Mustangs can be a contender once again in the Patroon Conference.

“I am optimistic once again this year in the league and will be looking to my returning players to really step up into a leadership role for the new young players,” Spohler said.

 

CATSKILL CATS

Coach: Caty Dodig

2017 Record: 11-2-2

Fresh off appearing in Sectionals and capturing a share of the Patroon Conference title with a young team, coach Caty Dodig and the Lady Cats are back with the same group of talent that carried them last season.

Leading the returnees for the Lady Cats is two-time First Team Patroon Conference All-Star Maci Mosher. The junior midfielder has dominated opponents the last two seasons with her playmaking ability. Mosher led the team in goals (10), assists (11) and points. She was also the conference leader in assists and points.

Surrounding Mosher is a litany of talented midfielders and strikers, with first-team All-Stars Jenna Quick and Anna and Katie Bulich along with the Murray sisters, Jillian and Jenna.

Quick, a first-team All-Star, finished the season with 10 goals and four assists. Bulich, also a first-team All-Star, scored seven goals and added four assists, and the Murray sisters combined for eight goals and five assists.

“Our biggest strength is our cohesiveness,” Dodig said. “The majority of our team has been playing together at the varsity level for a number of years.”

Dodig’s biggest goal for the Lady Cats this seaosn is to play consistently good soccer each and every game.

“The girls are hungry and have been working very hard to follow up last year’s success,” she said.

 

GREENVILLE SPARTANS

Coach: Eileen Kiefer

2017 Record: 12-4-1

The Greenville Lady Spartans return to the pitch in 2018 looking to avenge their loss of the Patroon Conference title and second consecutive early exit in Sectionals.

The Lady Spartans were on the cusp of a second consecutive league title, but dropped it in the final day of the regular season to Cairo-Durham and upstart coaching standout Sam Spohler.

Entering 2018, the Lady Spartans return several key players and are primarily a veteran-laden team, however, they’ve lost some talent on the field.

Kiefer lost standout striker Madalyn Krasney, first-team Patroon midfielder Danielle Misuraca, midfielder Kaitlin McGuinness and Callie Pfleging.

The Lady Spartans are returning the leading goal-scorer in the Patroon Conference last season in Alexis Caprio. After a 13-goal, one-assist season that led to second team honors, the senior forward will look to replicate that outing.

Joining Caprio on the pitch this season will be midfielders Meghan Misuraca and Natalie Krasney, along with second-team All-Star defenders Amelia Baumann and Brooke O’Keefe.

“With all of our injuries last year, the younger players gained a great deal of experience playing on the varsity level, this factor should help us with having a much stronger second string,” said coach Eileen Kiefer.

Kiefer’s goal for the Lady Spartans is simple this year: improve in sectional play. After back-to-back first round exits, Kiefer will not allow it to happen three times in a row.

 

MAPLE HILL WILDCATS

Coach: Sheila Golden

2017 Record: N/A

After a tough 2017 season that saw the Maple Hill Lady Wildcats finish below .500 and in the middle of the pack in the Patroon Conference, coach Sheila Golden is hoping with a solid infusion of veteran upper classmen and experienced young players that Maple Hill can rebound this season.

The Maple Hill Wildcats will be without their MVP last season, keeper Arianna Papas. The Lady Wildcats will have a new face in net this year with sophomore Hannah Brewer taking Papas’ place, but it will be a difficult time replacing the former first-team Patroon All-Star.

The Lady Wildcats will also be without second team All-Star Tori Whimple along with strikers Bridget Bennett and Taylor Gerrain.

Despite some key departures, Golden has several key players at her disposal, including ninth-grader Alayna Fletcher who led the team in goals (3) last season. The Lady Wildcats also have veterans Paige Bleau, Mariella Hirschoff, Emma Pearsall, Lydia Chittenden and Skylar Householder returning.

“Our goal for the season is to be a contender for the league title,” Golden said. “We are working on playing together and establishing a solid passing game.”

 

CHATHAM PANTHERS

Coach: Shawn Willis

2017 Record: 6-10-2

Entering his second season at the helm for the Chatham Lady Panthers, coach Shawn Willis expects to compete for the Patroon title this season with 8 of 11 starters returning to the pitch.

The Lady Panthers return top goal scorers Caroline Paolucci and Abby Hoag. The former netted 11 goals with five assists and the latter had four goals and four assists.

Chatham is also returning senior midfielder Grace Doyle, one of the leaders of the team, along with second-team Patroon All-Star Julia Rose, Hannah Taylor, Alyssa Rippel, Lexi Mickle and Adeline Potter.

Despite the multiple returnees, the Lady Panthers will be inserting a new goalie in the net this season with the departure of Jess Behn. Willis will also be with out top defenders Megan Gilligan and Sam Sitzer.

“We are looking to improve all aspects of last year’s squad, but especially our ability to put the ball into the back of the net so our defense and goalkeeper aren’t under so much pressure,” Willis said.

Seven of the Lady Panthers’ 10 losses came by one goal.

One of the strengths of the 2018 team Willis has noticed is their fitness level and their cohesivness.

The goal for Willis and the Lady Panthers this season are simple: win the Patroon Conference and be a top-five team in the Section II, Class C come playoff time.

 

COXSACKIE-ATHENS INDIANS

Coach: Jacki Cashin

2017 Record: 4-11

After a year away from the team, Jacki Cashin returns to the sideline to coach the Coxsackie-Athens Lady Indians soccer program and hopes to turn things around after a four-win season.

Coxsackie-Athens enters the 2018 season without dynamic playmaker and former Patroon MVP Kelley Hair, who was the key to the offense. The Lady Indians will also be without midfielder Kacy Kiefer.

The Lady Indians are returning the core of their team, with seven starters returning including Allison Wallace.

Heading into the season, Cashin notes that the team has a solid foundation of soccer knowledge, but they need to have the drive to continue to build off of that.

“Our players understand the expectations I have for our team and program, and have demonstrated that they are willing to give everything I ask of them,” Cashin said. “I am very excited and happy to be back coaching and look forward to helping our players train. I believe that they can play at a higher potential.”

The goals Cashin has set in place for the Lady Indians this season are having players ready to play a full game, practicing at a high level of energy and effort, and playing one touch at a time.

 

TACONIC HILLS TITANS

Coach: Patrick McDonald

2017 Record: 2-13-1

After a win-less 2017 season, coach Patrick McDonald and the Taconic Hills Lady Titans enter the 2018 season with hopes of improving from last year and making a statement in a competitive Patroon Conference.

The Lady Titans enter the season with a new keeper in net with second team Patroon All-Star Catie Shadic graduating. Taconic Hills will also be without Lexi Schiable, Karalyn Prack, Nicole Kernan and Ella Wolfe.

Some of the key returners for McDonald this season will be second team Patroon All-Star Chandler Hoose and offensive threats Clare Howard, Marleah Perry and Amanda Rustick.

Manning the backline for the Lady Titans is senior Alexandra Skabowski and speedy sweeper Macayla Sparacino.

“[The] team has good varsity experience at important positions,” McDonald said. “Our team speed is going to be hard to keep pace with, our possession and movement off the ball has improved dramatically and continues to improve daily.”

McDonald’s goal for the Lady Titans this season is to hold possession while spreading the field and to use their speed to score in bunches.

 

HUDSON BLUEHAWKS

Coach: Kyle Roberts

2017: N/A

After not having a soccer program for 2017, the Hudson Lady Bluehawks are returning to the pitch with new faces and new coach, with first-year manager Kyle Roberts leading the program into the future.

The Lady Bluehawks will have a young squad on the pitch this season, but are led by three senior holdovers from the 2016 season in midfielder Lynette Dellavechia, defender Gabriella Cozzolino and former captain and center midfielder Caitlin Keil. In total, the Lady Bluehawks include six seniors.

“Since the soccer team is starting over our goals for the season are to create a cohesive, confident and well-rounded team,” Roberts said. “We are focusing on building a program for girls soccer.”

As for being the head of the rebuild, Roberts is ecstatic about the opportunity and is excited to be working with the group of girls that came out to play on the team this season and into the future.

COLONIAL COUNCIL

ICHABOD CRANE RIDERS

Coach: Sean Dugan

2017 Record: 3-14

In his second year at the helm, coach Sean Dugan is hoping that the Ichabod Crane Riders can improve on their 3-14 showing in 2017 and compete for a Colonial Council crown.

The Lady Riders enter the 2018 season without first team Colonial Council forward Gabbie Cox, who led the team in goals last season.

Despite several key departures, the Lady Riders are bringing back three defenders in Shannon Verbraska, Sarah Dugan and Camryn Hebert. Ichabod Crane will also have three returning midfielders in Lauryn Hefner, Bella Sakolish and Riley Paul.

“We will have the same never give up attitude and we’ll always work hard,” Dugan said. “Last year we were competitive in several of the matches that we lost and I’m hoping this year those close games will be wins.”

Dugan noted that the strength of the team is its work ethic and attitude.

Heading into this season, Dugan does not have a win/loss expectation for the lady Riders, but rather wants to see continuous improvement, teamwork and representing Ichabod Crane and the community well.

CHVL

GERMANTOWN CLIPPERS

Coach: Michael Pudney

2017 Record:6-10

In the inaugural season of Germantown girls varsity soccer, the Lady Clippers reached Sectionals and advanced to the quarterfinals, falling to Fort Ann 1-0. Heading into year two, coach Michael Pudney, with a strong core of veteran players back, expects to be even more competitive in the CHVL and Class D.

“We really look to improve on team chemistry,” Pudney said. “We are still a young team by grade, but we play bigger than our age. Now that we have a year of playing varsity soccer against some quality teams, we look to improve on that knowing what we are up against.”

The Lady Clippers are returning their two leading goal scorers in Riley Gibbons, a first team CHVL All-Star with eight goals, and Julia Howard, a second team CHVL All-Star with nine goals. Tagging alongside Howard and Gibbons are returning All-Stars Megan Dunn (2nd Team) and Emma Howard (1st Team).

Pudney notes that the strengths of the team are that they are a very coachable, hard working group of players that are just beginning to gel on the field.

“The expectations of the team are to contend for a league championship and to make an even deeper run in sectionals,” Pudney said.

DELAWARE LEAGUE

WINDHAM-ASHLAND-JEWETT WARRIORS

Coach: Emily Lacombe (First Year)

2017 Record: 12-3-3

After advancing to the Section IV, Class D semifinals, the Windham Lady Warriors are back looking to build off an excellent 2017 season.

In order for the Lady Warriors to advance deep into the postseason again this season, they’ll have to do it without leading-scorer Abby Terrill.

Despite the loss, the Windham Lady Warriors are returning three-year varsity starting keeper Sam Aplin, along with forward Kim Gonzalez and midfielder Sam Kornbrek.

Leading the Lady Warriors this season is first-year head coach Emily Lacombe.

“I am extremely excited to coach soccer this year. I got a taste of it being an assistant coach last year, however, it is a little intimidating to have to make all the decisions and changes, especially with losing so many girls,” she said.

Through several practices so far, Lacombe has noted that the strength of her team is the offense, however, the defense took a bit of a setback with all of the losses and will have to gradually improve as the season goes on.

“The goals for us and our team this year is to make it to Sectionals and to avoid any extensive injuries,” Lacombe said.

 

HUNTER-TANNERSVILLE WILDCATS

Coach: Julia France

2017 Record: 6-8

Coach Julia France entered the 2017 season with a young, promising core. Having graduated only one senior and returning their leading scorer from last season, the Hunter-Tannersville Lady Wildcats are primed to be competitive in the Delaware League this season.

The lone senior Hunter-Tannersville graduated was Shian Ferguson, but back to lead the Wilcats is senior Logan Ianelli, the team’s leading scorer, along with second-leading scorer, junior Peyton Legg.

Alongside Ianelli and Legg, sweeper Ashley Petrocca, midfielder Maggie Ryan, defender Maycie Reich and keeper Paige Haines are all back.

France noted that the strengths of her team are the large group of seniors she has leading the way and the cohesiveness they have on the field after playing together for several years.

The goals France has in place for Hunter-Tannersville this season is to have every player improve at all positions, along with improving their passing.