Girls Soccer

2021 Preview & Schedule

by Staff

Bishop Eustace Crusaders
Players to watch: Bishop Eustace graduated all-South Jersey midfielder Sophia Verrecchia but is happy to welcome back sophomore forward Allie Serlenga, who had five goals and four assists in a promising rookie season. It will be exciting to see her continue to progress in her second high school campaign. Junior midfielder Madi Marbach is another impact player on offense and other key returners in the midfield are seniors Carly Serlenga and Ava Swallow. The defense should keep the Crusaders in most games with seniors Maddie Dunk, Olivia Falloco, Abby Dlug and Megan Morris all returning in front of senior goalie Ava Racobaldo, who recorded 93 saves as a junior. Other returners expected to contribute are seniors Emma Fretz, Clare Heiser and Sophia Schoenborn, junior Justine Moreno and sophomore Jordan Roessler.
Outlook: The Crusaders went 4-6-1 with several close losses last year, including a 2-1 defeat to Paul VI in the first round of the playoffs. If they can develop their offense this fall, a winning season appears likely under new coach Patrick Hitschler.

Camden Catholic
Players to watch: Taylor Gardner, who was responsible for 15 goals last year and 56 over her career, graduated in June, so a new go-to scorer will have to emerge for Camden Catholic. Fortunately, there are several strong candidates, including senior forward Lindsay Bednarek (five goals), junior forward Ebony Arvelo (four goals) and senior midfielder Devon Foster (two goals, six assists). Juniors Bella Miller and Dillon Sorino are other accomplished finishers, while seniors Nicole Douglas and Gia Rebilas and junior Natalie Coyle can also make things happen in the attacking third. Senior Catie Paolini took over as the starting goalie last year and proved capable in the role, finishing with 113 saves, and junior Lily McBride is a top defender in front of her. Other veteran leaders are seniors Emily Kuhn, Katie Driscoll, Carlee Karcher and Nicki Del Re, and seniors Isabella Diaz, Hope Elgart and Riley White also hope to make an impact. Juniors to watch are Olivia Wheeler, Natalie Belz, Carly O’Callaghan and Payton Royal, and sophomore Danielle Leber will look to earn time.
Outlook: The Fighting Irish went 8-7-1 for their second straight winning season and reached the sectional championship game. The program has made huge strides in recent years and hopes to continue on that path in 2021.

Cherokee Chiefs
Players to watch: Cherokee brings back a solid nucleus that includes senior forward/midfielder Katie Fricker, who led the Chiefs with 10 goals last year to go with four assists. She is far from alone when it comes to playmakers, as senior midfielder Aly Mascolo, junior forward Katie Ulmer and junior forward/midfielder Olivia Marrone are all creative in the attacking third. Unfortunately, the Chiefs suffered a huge loss when senior center midfielder Chelsea Evans tore her ACL playing lacrosse. She will miss the season but has a bright future as she is committed to Duquesne for lacrosse. Junior goalie Kailyn Roselli made a name for herself as one of the top keepers in the area and finished with 88 saves as a sophomore. She headlines a stingy defense along with junior Abby Kulinski, senior Nicki Napoli and sophomore Nicole Edelman. Junior midfielder Juliet Morze, sophomore forward Ailyn Rowe and sophomore goalie Jada Branford are other returners to keep an eye on.
Outlook: The Chiefs enjoyed their best season in years, going 9-4-1 and dropping a double-overtime heartbreaker to eventual sectional champion Eastern in the semifinals. Although they have several important positions to fill, this has the makings for another successful season.

Cherry Hill East Cougars
Players to watch: Junior forward/midfielder Elizabeth Sommeling is coming off a breakout season in which she led Cherry Hill East with eight goals and five assists in just 14 games. She will look to pace the offense again with plenty of help from senior forwards Katie Quarry and Carly Drumm. Briana Viscount, Emma Greenberg and Kiley Walsh are other talented senior forwards and veterans in the midfield are seniors Olivia Reganata and Lily Lazarus. Seniors Kaylin Maher and Caroline Perry are standouts on defense and other experienced backs are seniors Sophia Truran and Bella Masino. Senior Laura Eyre will take over as the starting keeper and will be a leader on and off the field.
Outlook: The Cougars have a deep and experienced group returning from a 5-9 season and it would not be surprising to see them improve by a few wins this fall with the seniors leading the way.

Cherry Hill West Lions
Players to watch: Sophomore midfielder Kennedy Erdman, who recorded four goals and six assists in a promising rookie campaign, will look to spark the Cherry Hill West offense, which suffered a crucial loss with a season-ending injury to leading scorer Reilly McGlinn. Junior midfielders Ava Hawk and Jillian Marinelli are also key pieces of the offense and other returners in the midfield are senior Kate Bauerle and juniors Carolyn Kirk and Trinity Schaefer. The defense was dealt a major setback as well with a season-ending injury to junior Maesie Baker. Junior Jillian Shapiro will look to step up as the leader of the back line and senior Ava Leporati is also an important member of the defense. A new starting goalie must emerge to replace all-South Jersey selection Michela Auguadro. Several talented newcomers are expected to make an immediate impact.
Outlook: The Lions got hot toward the end of the 2020 season and notched impressive wins over Cherokee in the regular season and Moorestown in the playoffs before dropping a close game in the sectional semifinals to finish with a 7-6-1 record. Another winning campaign appears likely.

Clearview Pioneers
Players to watch: Senior midfielders Adriana Careless and Kaitlyn Pirrotta have been key players for Clearview since they were sophomores and are poised for big final seasons in green and gold. Careless had four goals and three assists and made the all-conference first team as a junior, while Pirrotta excelled in a defensive role and made the second team. It was the second year in a row both were recognized by coaches in the league. Sophomore Hannah Morgan flashed potential in her rookie campaign, scoring six goals to go with two assists, and junior Payton Foster is another playmaker in the attacking third who had four goals and six assists. Seniors Jessica Buckley, Marissa Ciemny, Paige Nguyen and Lacy Kaufman will all be counted on offensively as well. Seniors Sophia Lutz, Alyssa Curley, Carly Munholland and Natallie Franceschini are important returners on defense in front of sophomore goalie Madison Wessel, who seized the starting job as a freshman and made 74 saves. Other veterans hoping to make an impact are seniors Mary Moraca, Marissa Borrelli and Katie Burns, juniors Gabby Carter and Greta Farestad and sophomore Annabella Ramirez.
Outlook: The Pioneers played well down the stretch last season and notched a playoff win before losing in double OT in the sectional quarterfinals to finish with a 10-5 record. They have a chance to contend in the Tri-County Royal Division this fall.

Eastern Vikings
Players to watch: Eastern said goodbye to a special senior class that went 86-3-3 with three sectional championships and a state title during its four years, and four key returners are out for the season with torn ACLs: senior captains Emily Eustace, Klio Kokolis and Devyn Shapiro and junior Hayley Marsden. But it would not be wise to underestimate the Vikings, who still have a strong veteran core and will welcome in a host of talented players from their undefeated JV and freshman teams. Senior midfielder/forward Cami Silvestro had 14 goals and six assists last year to make the all-state third team. She is committed to West Point and will lead the way with fellow senior captain Alex Clark, who made 61 saves in her first year as the starting keeper. There is also plenty of talent in the junior class, including dynamic forward Sydney Ritter (12 goals, seven assists) and backs Faith Quinn and Emily Stewart. Sophomore forward Kasey Eustace had three goals and an assist as a rookie and should play a big role as well. Other returners expected to see time are senior forward Carly Schulman, junior midfielder Jolie Brancaccio and sophomore back/midfielder Alison Fidler. Newcomers to watch are sophomore forward Remi Cherkas, sophomore defender/forward Eva Sprewell, sophomore midfielder Grace Francesconi and junior back Kylie Yap, along with some promising rookies.
Outlook: Eastern went a perfect 15-0 last year, captured its third consecutive sectional title, finished as the state’s No. 1 team and was ranked sixth in a national poll. The expectations will remain high in 2021 and with the return of state championships, expect the Vikings to be in the mix.

Gloucester Catholic Rams
Players to watch: Senior center back Riley Cannon has been a conference all-star the last two seasons, including a first-team selection last year, and is primed for a big final campaign as the leader of Gloucester Catholic’s defense. She can also aid the offense, as evidenced by her two goals and three assists as a junior. The Rams also bring back senior goalie Molly Clancy, along with senior backs Fara Holland and Natalie Musick. Defense will be crucial since Gloucester Catholic graduated most of its top scoring options. Senior Karley Emery and sophomore Ava Ridinger will be key players in the attacking third. Other returners hoping to contribute are junior Avery Green and sophomores Frankie Fiore, Sarah Clancy and Greta Wolf.
Outlook: The Rams finished 6-4 last year for their third straight winning season. If they can develop some offensive standouts, they should remain competitive in the Tri-County Conference Classic Division.

Haddonfield Bulldawgs
Players to watch: A memorable group of seniors graduated in 2020 so Haddonfield certainly has some important spots to fill. One of the key returners is senior midfielder Sara Smith, who scored the game-tying goal in last year’s sectional final and finished with three goals and three assists on her way to all-conference first-team recognition. Junior forward Allison Tighe had nine goals and five assists as a sophomore and could emerge as the team’s go-to scorer, and junior midfielder Allison Baxter (seven goals) is another offensive standout. Senior Juliet Walls and junior Libby DeMichele contribute in the midfield and junior Lilah Jacovini is a veteran forward. Juniors Sammie Gallo and Ciara Smith are key defenders and junior Grace Malcarney returns as the starting keeper. Junior Ava Keenan is also expected to play a bigger role.
Outlook: The Bulldawgs went 12-1-2 and claimed their second straight sectional title and third in five seasons in 2020. Even though some of the names will be different this fall, this consistent program will likely find a way to contend again.

Kingsway Dragons
Players to watch: Senior forward/midfielder Lianna SanFelice has been an all-conference first-team selection the last two years and is looking forward to ending her career on a high note. She tied for the team lead with six goals and assisted on five others as a junior. Senior forward/midfielder McKenna Williams is another playmaker who had three goals and six assists to make the all-conference second team. Other offensive standouts are senior forwards Madison Burlingame (three goals, four assists) and Lauren SanFelice (three goals, two assists), senior midfielder Victoria Natale (three goals) and sophomore forward Hannah Ferris, who burst onto the scene with six goals and two assists as a rookie. Senior Marissa Masano is a key player in the midfield and Samantha Ruwet paces a defense that includes fellow seniors Samantha Lerario, Molly Fitzpatrick and Julia Campagna along with junior Megan Lewin. Seniors Arya Patel and Hannah Rowe are candidates to take over as the starting goalie.
Outlook: The Dragons went 9-3 during a shortened 2020 season and have a host of talented returners hungry to compete in the Tri-County Royal Division and South Jersey Group IV.

Lenape Indians
Players to watch: Senior midfielder Cierra Penny has been a leader for Lenape the past two years and will once again be a key player at both ends of the field. She scored a pair of goals as a junior. The Indians will need seniors Kiana Siegal, Kat Pappas and Kylie McNamara to step up and create scoring opportunities as well. Junior Ryann Foley will look to emerge as the starting goalie and lead the defense and senior Shannon DeFeo is an important returner on the back line. Jodie Lee is another senior expected to have an impact, and other contributors are juniors Kiera Quinn, Sydnie Wright, Ryan Hart, Siena Meyer and Sloane Ginsberg and sophomore Kaelyn Phillips.
Outlook: Last year was a rebuilding one for the Indians but they were competitive in almost every game. With a year of experience under their belts, they hope to turn some of those close losses into victories this fall.

Moorestown Quakers
Players to watch: A host of young players gained valuable experience last year and that will start to pay off this fall. Included in that group are junior forward Zoe Lam and sophomore midfielder Madison Miceli, who each scored three goals. Sophomore forwards Sydney Parks, Zoey Yurkewicz and Taylor Krott and junior forwards Sara Bonavita and Allison Szawlewicz also earned time as underclassmen and will contribute offensively. Senior leadership comes from midfielders Caroline Tone, Katie Buck, Caroline Pierson and Jordan Swafford and forwards Emily Broker and Caroline Button. Moorestown also has veterans on defense in senior backs Emma Dengler and Sofia Della Rosa and senior goalie Julia Kellerman, who became the starter as a junior and notched 35 saves.
Outlook: The Quakers had some ups and downs on their way to a 5-9-1 record with an inexperienced roster in 2020, but with so many promising players returning, progress appears likely.

Moorestown Friends Foxes
Players to watch: A promising freshman class debuted at Moorestown Friends last fall and it will be interesting to see how those players develop after gaining varsity experience. One of those returners, forward Foluke Balogun, tied for the team lead with six goals as she made a smooth transition to high school soccer. Midfielder Remi Cooke also contributed offensively and Chelsea Mohammad played well in goal. Mohammad and another sophomore, Sophia Rutherford, are two of the candidates to be the starting keeper this season. There are key returners among the upperclassmen as well, such as senior midfielder Angelia Larluz, who shines at setting up her teammates. Senior Janiah McRae, junior Macey Wilkins and sophomore Avani Verman are other top players in the midfield. Senior Roni Kennedy is the leader of the back line and senior Emma Nei is an important part of the defense as well.
Outlook: The Foxes were limited to six games in 2020 and finished with a 2-4 record with a young lineup. The future looks bright and they figure to be much improved this fall.

Paul VI Eagles
Players to watch: Senior forward Sophia Errichetti has been a dangerous playmaker for Paul VI the last two years and is looking forward to a big final season. She had four goals and four assists as a junior and led the Eagles to a playoff win over Bishop Eustace by netting one goal and setting up another. Junior forward Olivia Brocious also had four goals and four assists and is a key part of the offense. Junior forward Brooke Coco is also expected to aid the cause offensively. The defense is stacked with veterans, as seniors Makenna Foder, Elizabeth Beck and Katie Redfearn are all back in the mix. Their leadership will be crucial as the Eagles break in a new starting goalie.
Outlook: Paul VI held its own against a challenging schedule in 2020 and finished with a 6-7-1 record after reaching the sectional semifinals. Several top players have graduated but there is enough talent on the roster to make this another competitive season.

Seneca Golden Eagles
Players to watch: Seneca brings back a solid core led by senior Abbey Johnson and sophomore Ava Palladino. Johnson is a standout center back who can also move up to forward and find the net. She scored five goals last year, including the game-winner in overtime in a playoff win over Northern Burlington. Palladino, a forward, had an impact right away in her rookie season as she scored five goals of her own. Other difference-makers on offense are senior midfielders Olivia Forchic (coming back from a torn ACL) and Elizabeth Heinemann, junior forward Sophia Cooper and sophomore midfielder Gabby Miller. Key players on defense are seniors Elle Megaw, Hannah Robbins and Kylee Shontz, and junior Julia Rath will attempt to earn the starting goalie job. Junior Gianna Tirico adds depth in the midfield.
Outlook: The Golden Eagles got off to a slow start in 2020 but played much better down the stretch and reached the sectional quarterfinals before finishing with a 5-10 record. They expect to contend for a winning record this fall.

Shawnee Renegades
Players to watch: Shawnee graduated a deep and talented senior class and will look to rebuild around a new core. One of the promising returners is sophomore forward Mackenzie McCready, who registered two goals and four assists as a rookie and should be even better in her second season. Junior Annelese Ribiero will also be counted on offensively and senior Mackayla Agosto is a key veteran in the midfield. Forward/midfielder Nikki Dedes and back/midfielder Kylie Kenig are other top seniors; both are trying to return from serious injuries and will give the Renegades a major boost if they are able to play. Senior Ava Rieger, who split time in goal as a junior and finished with 39 saves, will look to become the full-time starting keeper. Junior Mia Perfield and sophomore Amanda Mozier will also play important roles.
Outlook: The Renegades dropped a 1-0 game in the sectional semifinals to finish with a 9-3-1 record in 2020. There is no replacing last year’s seniors but this program always seems to churn out new standouts.

Washington Township Minutemaids
Players to watch: There is no replacing Amanda Attanasi, one of the premier finishers in the state over the past four years who graduated as Washington Township's all-time leading scorer. But the Minutemaids will still be dangerous offensively as they likely will rely more on a balanced attack. Senior Jessica Kane is a playmaker at forward and difference-makers in the midfield are seniors Alexis Castorina and Gianna Garozzo and junior Jess Castorina. More depth in the midfield is provided by seniors Samantha O'Shaughnessy, Alanna Linden, Maura Smith and Kayla Kulikowski along with sophomore Kayla D'Ottaviano. Senior goalie Kelsey Newton has established herself as one of the top keepers in the area and the defense in front of her includes seniors Jasmine Rodgers and Abigail Kulikowski. Senior Emily Guthier is another experienced goalie.
Outlook: The Minutemaids posted an impressive 8-2 record last year with both losses coming to Eastern, the No. 1 team in the state, including a 3-0 defeat in the sectional final. It will be strange not seeing Attanasi in a Washington Township uniform but the 'Maids will still be fun to watch.

Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Family Magazine, Volume 12, Issue 4 (July 2021).
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