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What will they do for an encore? That is the question.
A year removed from going unbeaten in the Greater Boston League, the Medford High girls soccer team will be gunning for even loftier goals this season.
Coach Rocco Cieri’s club is focused on taking the next step in the team’s development, as they try to push even further in postseason play. And if the team’s mantra is any indication, this confident squad is ready to roll.
“We're focusing on Excellence, Leadership, Integrity, Tenacity and Enthusiasm,” said Cieri. “Being elite.”
Based on last year’s success, the team isn’t that far off. Medford enjoyed an incredible 13-4-1 run, including an impeccable 13-0-1 mark in the GBL standings.
The season came to a sudden conclusion, however, in a first-round ouster to Beverly in the D1 State Tournament. The loss left the returning group only wanting more this season.
Repeating their regular season success won’t be easy. The Mustangs lost a power trio of Bella Hallahan, Cece Colombo and Kaitlyn Alves during the off-season. They will be tough to replace.
“All three set our defensive strength last year,” said Cieri. “So, we are trying to re-establish the defensive line with incoming varsity players. Those gaps have been filled in this year by rising JV players, who have worked hard over the course of last year and through the lead-up to this season to make the team.”
Leading the way for the Mustangs this season are junior tri-captains Siena Fauci, Ruby Todtfeld, and Erin Alves. All three will be essential to the team’s ultimate success.
A center/mid, Fauci is a skilled soccer player with a playmaker mentality and a deadly accurate shot. A mid/defender, Todtfeld’s competitive drive and positivity keep the Mustangs grounded and united. A shutdown defender, Alves is a key center back in the Mustang lineup. She sports endless energy, blazing speed and the veteran knowhow when it comes to shadowing the other team’s top offensive players.
“These three are three-sport athletes at MHS,” said Cieri. “They’re energetic and excited about the team.”
They’ll be bolstered by a strong supporting cast of underclassmen looking to take the next step.
Sophomore Parker Preisner was Medford’s leading goal-scorer last year. She’s already demonstrated a lot of growth over the past year, according to her coach. Nora McCobb and Naomi Nascimento are quick and skilled sophomore wingers, who continue to improve their game.
“Ultimately, it is the depth of the team that really will determine our outcomes this year,” said Cieri. “From bench to starters, we have very few weaknesses. Our opponents will have a difficult time controlling all of the potential scoring threats on the squad.”
The team’s talent level has surprised the coach right from the start of camp, giving him reason for optimism.
“There's a high level of technical skill within the team at pace,” said Cieri. “This will translate to strong passing strings where we'll possess the ball for a significant portion of games.”
Last year’s success helped breed even more competition. Over 50 girls signed up for tryouts, with the coach having to narrow down the roster.
“These were higher numbers than in the past,” said Cieri. “And it indicated an uptick in quality and preparation for the team. We are certainly seeing greater number of players who want to be part of the team and are preparing through participating in sports. We also emphasize multi-sport participation, rather than single-sport specialization. We feel this is the best pathway to increase school spirit and athleticism on the whole. In a lot of ways, our team is made up of young women who are excelling across three-sport seasons in multiple sports. So, we are working with a very cohesive and supportive group that knows how to win and compete.”
Life in the Greater Boston League is always a battle, and this year won’t be an exception. The coach feels the Somerville Highlanders will be among the teams to beat in a very competitive league.
“Each team has a few skilled players, so it will be interesting to see how they are able to combine and compete,” said Cieri. “Somerville is likely the most competitive team along with us in the GBL this year. Top to bottom, both teams have great athletes and skilled soccer players. Somerville has a strong consistent goal-scorer, Camila Plata, and a newer, freshman player that has excellent striking/finishing ability. We'll have to be quite prepared to face them this year.”
If that’s not enough, Medford will also face an even tougher non-league schedule against the likes of Billerica, Waltham, St. Mary's of Lynn and Malden Catholic. He feels those games should keep his team on their toes.
“We also have some great parity games that we are hoping to be competitive in,” said Cieri. “They present some great opportunities to test our team. We also have two really strong Division 1 teams in the mix. Framingham looks really strong. Weymouth is a perennially strong team in a highly competitive south shore area. We are hoping to stay close in those games.”
So where does Medford fit in the mix? Cieri remains confident
“I know our GBL prospects are good to be in the top teams,” said Cieri. “As for the qualification for the post-season, we’re hopeful. We’ll see how well we prepare to make a solid postseason performance. If our ranking is positive, then we might have the opportunity to compete for more than one game.”
And that’s an outlook Medford High fans can get behind as the season unfolds.
