For the first time on NHSportspage, we will be covering girls' soccer. One of the quickest season startups across all sports in the granite state, we talked to nearly every coach across all four divisions to hear their thoughts on their teams and the season ahead. 

 Today we start with a division that as described by one coach has "the best individual talent I have ever seen." That division is Division I. 

 Bishop Guertin was the top seed all of last year and certainly for good reason, as they were crowned the champions of Division I last fall. 

 This did not come without competition, as teams like Bedford, Pinkerton, and Portsmouth, all Final Four teams, were right in the mix from the opening kick-off. 

 Those teams will have their chances this year, but the pool of talent has gotten much deeper. 

 Teams like Timberlane, Exeter, Windham, Londonderry, Concord, and Alvirne could all be in for deep runs this season. The field is open and up for the taking. 

Our preview today is brought to you by our partners at NHTI in Concord!

 

Pre-Season Top 10

1. Bishop Guertin

2. Bedford

3. Timberlane 

4. Portsmouth

5. Exeter

6. Pinkerton

7. Londonderry

8. Concord

9. Alvirne 

10. Windham

 

 The reigning champs Bishop Guertin look primed for another long postseason run. Head coach Winston Haughton has liked how his group has looked and prepared so far this preseason. “The girls are excited and energized to hit the season,” said Haughton. 

 Last year was the second season in the program for Haughton, and the Cardinals were able to finish the job against Bedford 1-0 to take home the state title.

 “We followed a good first season for myself and the team and were able to take it a step further last year,” said Haughton. “We just sailed into a good rhythm. This year we will try and establish the same kind of rhythm as a team.” 

 Brooke Paquette, Martha Lord, Kate Daley, and Alyson Guerette all contributed heavily to the championship run a season ago and Haughton expects more of the same from this group. “They show up well in games,” said Haughton. “They were very much staples of the team last year.” 

 Kate Boudreau will be a dangerous threat up top for the Cardinals once again this season and Alexa Persiridis is primed for a strong season in the backfield.

 “We want to keep working as a team,” said Haughton. “We want to focus on the group as opposed to individuals. Individuals will have stellar seasons but that will only reflect on the rest of the team doing their jobs.” 

 With a championship pedigree and mentality in place, the Cardinals are hungry and ready for another shot at a state title. 

 Bedford returns hungry for more after falling just one game short a season ago. The Bulldogs were dominant last year, scoring 65 goals and allowing just 13 against to go along with 12 shutouts. The Bulldogs are reloaded for another run this fall. 

 Head coach Michelle Winning returns a strong core and that starts on the defensive end. “Defense will be our strong suit,” said Winning. That starts with Zoe Santos, the four-year starter in goal for the Bulldogs. “She is a clutch player for us.” 

 In front of Santos is a strong defensive line that includes Nieve Humphery, Sari Stein, and Araceli Cloutier. Cloutier just joined the team last year, but those three have found great chemistry together already. “They are used to playing together, they’re consistent,” said Winning. 

 The comradery and closeness of this Bedford team is where Winning sees potential success stemming from. “They enjoy being together,” said Winning. “They are a close group of friends playing soccer together.” 

 Freshmen Anna Diaz, Sloane Correa, and Mckenna Snow should all get some time for the Bulldogs this fall. 

 Senior Grace Crowder has been a strong central leader for Bedford and the Morris twins, Kyleigh and Lana, will make their fair share of contributions for the Bulldogs. 

 This is a well-rounded team, with far too many solid and consistent options to turn to. “It comes down to all of them playing and having a role,” said Winning. “We don’t have one or two players you can shut down. There is always going to be another one right behind you.”

 Bedford should find themselves in the mix once again this season. “One day at a time,” said Winning. “My team is tough. Everyone is going to contribute.”  

 Timberlane returns a strong core looking to make some noise this fall. Following a 13-3 season and an appearance in the quarterfinals, head coach Jeff Baumann has high hopes for his group.

 “We had a lot of success last year and are hoping to build on that,” said Baumann. “While the expectations are high, we are hoping to focus on the small progressions. 

  Baumann noticed one major difference between his team and Bedford in last year’s quarterfinal matchup. “Their depth throughout the field,” said Baumann. “We are hoping to close that gap this year. We are coming in this year with another group of younger kids who will push for playing time.” 

 Leading that group will be the three-headed monster of twin sisters Isabella and Sophia Keogh and Leah Morrier. “Those three are tough to contain,” said Baumann. 

 Isabella Keogh and Sophia are one of the best one-two punches the division has to offer. “They are hand in hand up front for us,” said Baumann. “They put teams in a tough spot from a defensive standpoint.” 

 Morrier, a central midfielder, is described as being a bit overlooked with all of the attention the Keogh sisters get. “Leah does so much for us,” said Baumann. “Her ability, her skill, her poise, I wouldn’t take anyone else in the state.” 

 Defensively junior Mia Parker and sophomore Emma Norcott will man the backfilled. Three-year starting goalkeeper Arden Ferarri-Henry is back between the posts for another season for the Owls. “Arden is a confident player back there,” said Baumann. 

 The goals and expectations for Timberlane are certainly high but it will be a long process to start. “From a team standpoint, we are no different from any other team,” said Baumann. “We are hoping to be better tomorrow than we were yesterday. Our goals are high, but to get there we will need to push each other and pull the rope in the same direction.” 

 Timberlane is certainly a team to keep an eye on this fall. 

 The Portsmouth Clippers are going to be incorporating a bit of a new roster following a 14-1-1 season that saw head coach Mickey Smith’s team make a run to the Final Four. 

 Clippers lost nine seniors to graduation, but still, return a strong core of players who will make up this year’s roster. “We were led by that senior group,” said Smith. “We still have good younger players who are still with us.” 

 The conversation early on in preseason has been about handling pressure. “I felt like we didn’t handle the pressure of the playoffs well,” said Smith. “We want to use the experience we gained last year and continue to play the top type of soccer we played in the regular season and play like that in the playoffs.” 

 Of the returning players for the Clippers, leading scorer Annie Parker will help lead the way up front. “Annie is a great athlete,” said Smith. “We are expecting big things out of her as a junior.” 

 Annie’s sister Maggie Parker will man the midfield as a senior and will be a captain for Portsmouth this season. “She is a real force in the middle,” said Smith. 

 The Clippers have yet another sister duo on the team, Avery and Morgan Ruhnke. Avery a senior and Morgan a sophomore will both be key contributors for Portsmouth. 

 Avery is a four-year starter for Smith’s team and Morgan came onto the scene last year and was one of the top backs in the state in the eyes of her coach. “I expect big things out of both of them.”  

 Bella Slover returns in the backfield as a captain and key defensive piece for the Clippers in the middle of their defense. “We are expecting them all to be as good this year as we got last year from them,” said Smith. “They should be even better, they matured quite a bit.

 Hailey Coombs will take over the reins in the net, following in the footsteps of first-team all-state goalie Sofia Ranalli. “Hailey has played very well in the preseason,” said Smith. “She has a lot of talent for the position. She had been sitting behind Sofia for the past few years so she does not have a lot of game experience, but she has the potential to be a good keeper. 

 Early on it will be about finding the right pieces and seeing how they fit together for Portsmouth. “We expect to play good team soccer,” said Smith. “Our goal is to get at least one home playoff game and get into the top eight.”

  After graduating 11 seniors from last year's squad, Exeter has 11 seniors once again and returns a strong nucleus of talent. 

 Head coach Megan Young is excited about what her team can accomplish. “We have a core group from last year's team looking to lead the way for us this year,” said Young. “Our seniors are spread out among the field.” 

 Seniors Emma Smith and Taylor Seaman will be in the mix for goals up front while Callie Neals and sophomore Lauren Roeder will lead the Blue Hawks in the midfield. 

 “Lauren played a lot of minutes for us as a freshman,” said Young. “We are hoping she can pick up where she left off.” 

 Nola Fletcher and Avery Allard will help round out the defensive line and Kristen Bickford is back in goal as a junior. “Kristen played well last year,” said Young. “We are looking for a good year out of her with experience under her belt. 

 The Blue Hawks fell just short to Portsmouth in the quarterfinals last year, but the hope is they can get to that point and beyond this fall.

 “I think we have a good core group of girls back who had success last year,” said Young. “Just getting into the playoffs is our main goal. As cliche as it sounds, we take it game by game.”  

 Following a 12-2-2 season and a trip to the Final Four, the Pinkerton Astros will look a bit different this year after graduating a strong core of 12 seniors. “They are a good group of girls,” said head coach Danielle Rappa. “We are taking a big team season and looking to have a winning record.” 

 The Astros will take 4 freshmen this year, the most Rappa has taken in five years. “That is something I am excited about,” said Rappa.  

 Of that freshmen group is Jailynn Avant-Gagnon and Bella Sippel, both of who may be likely starters for Pinkerton this season. 

 Bella will be joining her sister Hannah Sippel, a senior on the team, up top. “They are both super fast,” said Rappa. “They will do well together.” 

 Starting center midfielder Emily Hood was the leading scorer for Pinkerton last season and looks primed to do so once again this year. Hood will also be a captain for the Astros this fall. 

 The other two captains are Jordan Wheaton and Libby Williams who are both seniors and goalkeepers. Both will be impact players for Pinkerton this season. 

 While the roster is a bit younger than in years past, the aspirations remain the same for Pinkerton. “I am looking forward to working with a new younger group of girls,” said Rappa. “They have the potential to go far.” 

 Londonderry returns six players from last year’s roster and the rest of the roster is a mostly new look for the Lancers. 

 Head coach Erin Dallas looks forward to what is to come for her team. “With it being a bit of a rebuilding year we are looking to be organized,” said Dallas. “We are working hard on communication and having a good defensive shape. Already there is so much cohesion with the girls.” 

 Mia Stowell is a returning captain following an all-state season last fall. Kate Sloper will be a center back for the Lancers and Reagan Anderson returns to the forward position after a standout season as a freshman. 

 Senior Olivia MacDonnell, who recently committed to play at Quinnipiac, will contribute greatly in the midfield. 

 Defensively is where things will start for the Lancers, and they will look to work things up from there. “We are looking to possess extremely well,” said Dallas. “Their passing ability is fantastic. They are here to put in the work. Each of them is committed.” 

 Londonderry has some experience that they are hoping to lean on early. A good foundation is in place, it will be about executing down the stretch. “Each of the girls is going to bring something different to the team and I am looking forward to seeing how that unfolds,” said Dallas. 

  The Concord Crimson Tide are hopeful to build off of a 13-3 regular season they put together last year. Despite falling short in the playoffs, head coach Andrew Mattarazzo is ready for his team to respond in his second season at the helm. 

 “We had a very successful season overall last year,” said Mattarazzo. “We need to replace some leadership, but we have 13 seniors who have risen to the occasion and know their turn is now. We haven’t had to remind them much this year, they are seasoned.” 

 Abby Dickson and Sarah Potter will fill the center midfield spots for the Crimson Tide this year while Avery Fitcher and Caroline Quirk will do most of their work up front and on the wings. 

 A player with lots of potential coming into the season is Whitney Vaillant. “We are looking for big things out of her,” said Mattarazzo. 

  Sophomore Maddie Brown will make the move from outside back to center back this year and look to man the Concord defense in the middle. “Maddie is a player who is ready to rise to the occasion,” said Mattarazzo. 

 The Crimson Tide feel they have the pieces to fill in nicely around the strong group that returns for Concord. “My biggest thing is everyone has a role in the whole program,” said Mattarazzo. “Whether you play 80, 20, or no minutes, you have something to do every day. 

 If this team can buy in, they have the pieces to find themselves atop the standings once again. “I am trying to get them to understand you have to be ready to go every day,” said Mattarazzo. “We have the talent and ability to do it, it all comes down to if they want to. 

 Alvirne Broncos head coach Jerry Ruigrok is excited to build off his program's recent success over the past two seasons. Two consecutive trips to the quarterfinals were a first for the Broncos program that is looking to take things a step further this year. 

 “A lot of the success we have seen is because of our senior class,” said Ruigrok. That starts with Paige Boudreau, a first-team all-state forward who has led the team in scoring the past few seasons. “She is very solid in the middle and I expect her to have another good season for us.” 

 Boudreau shared the team MVP award with the defensive-minded midfielder and Southern New Hampshire University Soccer commit Lyla Davis. “We started Lyla on defense and have moved her up the field more each year,” said Ruigrok. Both will play a crucial part in the success of the Broncos. 

 Jamie O’Connor returns as the sweeper for the Broncos. “We are looking for her to have a big year,” said Ruigrok. “She does a good job of seeing the whole field. Jamie will be an important player for us.” 

 Joining O’Connor in the middle of the defense is Alyssa Scharn. “She is the backbone of the team,” said Ruigrok. “Alyssa is another senior and good athlete for us who is a good man-to-man marker.” 

 Paige McKinley has been the goalkeeper for Alvirne since she was a sophomore. “She is a reliable player back there and has good hands and quickness,” said Ruigrok. 

 You can find most of the girls above making an impact on the basketball court for Alvirne, which shows the athleticism Coach Ruigrok has to work with. 

 “We would like to try and get past the quarterfinals,” said Ruigrok. “If we can have a healthy season, grow as the season goes on, and get some signature wins against some of the better teams, I expect us to be near the top of the table.”  

 Windham returns a good mix of upperclassmen with hopes of making a strong push in Division I this season. “Our seniors will run spine down the middle of the field for us,” said head coach Michael Lanza. 

 Lanza is new to the Windham program, but the transition has been very smooth with a strong senior class returning. “They have been good players to look up to for guidance for our younger players,” said Lanza. “I have been trying to make them more rounded as players. I have moved them into different positions and they have responded well.”

 Abby Irwin has the deepest resume in the eyes of her head coach, but her status for the season is up in the air due to injury. Irwin would certainly be a boost on the field, but her leadership will still be felt on the sidelines. 

 Chloe Weeks and Katie Durkin will be attacking forwards up top while Lily Chhun is described as an “extraordinary technical” midfielder who will play alongside Emily Manning. 

 Emma Demarco and Shayne Schackelman will hold down the backline as center backs. “They have fantastic work ethic,” said Lanza. “They have really stepped up to the plate.” 

 Sophomores Addy Armstrong and Vanessa Deveau have looked like potential building blocks for the future and freshman Iida Sehulster could be a breakout player for Windham this year. “She is going to open some eyes,” said Lanza. 

 The chemistry has been there early on for Windham, and Lanza sees that continuing to grow throughout the fall. “This is a great group,” said Lanza. “They have taken that whole family concept to heart. We have been going forward with a theme that things can be contagious. The harder you work for your teammates the harder they will work for you.” 

 The Jaguars will be a tough out every time they step out onto the field. “If we take care of the small things, the big things will come,” said Lanza

 As head coach Jason Wisniewski puts it, last year was a dream season for Dover. The Green Wave upset Concord in the first round and took Pinkerton right to the end. “We had some great moments last year,” said Wisniewski. 

 This group is made up of a lot of athletes, which certainly has its pros and cons. “By midseason, they are finally solid and start playing like they should,” said Wisniewski. That change in pace and play had Dover in the perfect position last season. 

 Dover returns a strong defensive nucleus in Zoey Wisniewski, Joci Faasen, Abbie Kozlowski, and Allie Galante. “Defense is the first priority,” said Wisniewski. 

 Behind a strong defensive line will be freshman goalkeeper Alexa Garcia. “She is the best keeper I have ever had, said Wisniewski. “Initially it will be about her getting over her nerves. She has been in high intense games already. We are excited to have her. We want to develop a defense and see what we can do for an attack.” 

 If the offense comes along for the Green Wave, they could find themselves in a similar position they were in last season.

 Goffstown is ready to show the strides they have made this fall. Head coach Nick D’Agostino is excited for his second year with the program. “We return 13 varsity players but we will be young again this year,” said D’Agostino. 

 The Grizzlies put a lot of work in over the offseason and are hoping that can pay off this season. “You can see how much better they play the game this year compared to last year,” said D’Agostino. “It is fun to be a part of a program that everyone is buying into.” 

 Senior Mia Thomas was an all-state defender last season for Goffstown and will look to carry over that same success into this season. 

 Ava Vaughn returns for her senior season in between the posts and sophomore Ari Grizone is primed to take a leap up front as a forward. 

 With a good foundation returning, D’Agostino feels good about his team's chances at improvement. “We will be much better than we were last year, more of a challenge for teams,” said D’Agostino. “We will surprise some people for sure.” 

 Hanover is ready for year two at the Division I level. “Last year was a learning experience,” said head coach Doug Kennedy. “But, we felt like we belonged where we were.” 

 This season will be about showing improvement and growth for the Bears. A good starting point will be senior Riley McGuire who will be up top for Hanover.

 “She is a good strong scoring threat,” said Kennedy. “Riley is strong and quick and knows the game. She can even play some center back if needed.” 

 Mia Madden is a strong and aggressive midfielder and Mila Torisone, is a good wide forward that will be in the mix up front. “We will lean on them,” said Kennedy. 

 The focus early on will be developing the defense. Elena Mirke has been an early standout on that end while Jess Lobb and Sadie Ross both provide stability in the net for Hanover. 

 With a year of Division I soccer under their belts, Hanover is ready to show more this season. “We are going in with the hope and expectation that we can improve on last year's performance,” said Kennedy. 

 Manchester Central is motivated to get back to the postseason this fall and head coach Josh Bouthot is confident his team can do just that. “We are well on our way so far,” said Bouthot. 

 The Green Wave found success in 2020, but that did not translate over into last season. “Injuries to key players really put a hold on our season for half of the year,” said Bouthot. “We finished strong last year but just didn’t make it in.” 

 Central returns 15 players with varsity experience which should be a great boost to get off to a good start.

 “We are pretty comfortable with the athletes we have this year,” said Bouthot. “We know where they are at and know where they need to be to get to the next level.” 

 Of that bunch is senior Mckenna Schneiderman, who was a second-team all-state defender last year. Schneiderman will be making the move to midfield and be involved in a lot of the action for the Green Wave. 

 Providing speed and spark on the outside is newcomer Inesse Masumbuko who will see some time for Central this season. 

 Experience will be the key for this group early on, and they will look to use that as a weapon. “I expect an uphill battle for us,” said Bouthot. “They would really like to be a playoff team and hopefully put us in a position to get there. Wearing a Central uniform will never surprise anyone. It doesn’t matter where our team falls, teams want to beat Central.” 

 The Green Wave will certainly be ready for the challenge. 

 Manchester Memorial is ready for a bounce-back season this fall. “We are ready to build and learn from last season,” said head coach Nick Gardner. “We want to work our way back up.” 

 The returning group has been some of the brightest spots for the Crusaders the last few seasons and will be good building blocks for what they hope to accomplish.

 Senior Jenna LaBerge has been a consistent player for Memorial the last few years and brings a good defensive repertoire to the table. 

 LaBerge was joined on the backline last season by Payton Moran, and the two found much success together defensively, 

 Kayleigh Brunette is a crafty midfielder who does a good job of creating chances for others. 

 “They know what it takes to win at this level,” said Gardner. “They are instilling that into the younger ones. Every day is a hard work day, no days off. We want to be a hard-working team this year that creates chances for themselves. 

 It will be a one-day-at-a-time approach for the Crusaders, not looking ahead or back. “We are going to look to the next game and that’s it,” said Gardner. 

  Youth was the word to describe Nashua South last season, and head coach Lauren Keating is excited to build on the experience her team gained last year.” On any given day we were starting seven freshman or girls new to varsity soccer,” said Keating. “We are still relatively young this year, but as a team, we want to show more maturity.” 

 The Panthers got into the playoffs last year where they met a strong force in Bedford. “The girls who played last year remember that Bedford loss,” said Keating. “We don’t want to feel that way again.”

 Soraya Ross brings pure athleticism to Nashua South on the pitch. The junior was named the New Hampshire Gatorade Player of the Year in track and field last year as a sophomore. “She is a phenomenal athlete and person,” said Keating. 

 Midfielder Alex Kapopoulos returns to the team a year more poised and experienced. “We are counting on her to make a huge impact and lead the team,” said Keating. 

 Sophomore Ava Kopicko is also another player to watch for the Panthers this season. “Ava is one of our most skilled players and made a huge impact last year,” said Keating. “She is only getting better.” 

 A few freshmen may find themselves in the mix this year as well for playing time and that is the formula Nashua South will be going with this season.

 “Every person knows what it is like to be a young player on varsity,” said Keating. “The class year doesn't matter, when you step on the field we have to get our job done.” 

 The strides made last season should translate into more success this fall. “The big goal is to come together as a team and build from where we left off last year,” said Keating. “I’m excited to see what we can accomplish.” 

  Following a 9-6-1 season, the Salem Blue Devils and head coach Kendrick Whittle are hopeful they can find themselves in the mix this fall. Following a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to Alvirne in the first round last season, Salem is ready to get back on the field. 

 “We graduated some impactful seniors but we have a healthy amount of the team back,” said Whittle. “We are excited about the freshman coming up and have some kids who have really developed.” 

 Junior Charlotte Hinchey has been a scoring threat ever since she joined the Blue Devils as a freshman, and is looking to have a bounce-back season after dealing with nagging injuries last year. “She looks good and back to her old form,” said Whittle. 

 Midfielder Lily Carrerio has been a sound force for Salem the past two seasons and is looking to do more of the same this year. “She has a good amount of soccer experience, especially on the club side,” said Whittle. “Lily has been showing a terrific amount of confidence early on.” 

 Transfer Abby Gates will add a good boost to the Blue Devils this fall and has shown a good defensive mindset in the preseason. 

 The backbone of the Salem defense will be goalkeeper Rachel Carr who Whittle describes as one of the best keepers in the state. 

 While Carr is a strong force in the net, she saw most of her time last season in the field where she was a strong scoring force up front. It was not until a late-season injury to the starting keeper last year that Carr took over for the rest of the season. 

 “Rachel was fantastic in the net last season,” said Whittle. “She may even play the field sometimes as we have another goalkeeper who has shown improvement.” 

 Carr is a strong athlete who could make an impact in more than one area of the field when called upon. 

 Noel West is another strong player returning for Salem who saw time at center-mid and center-back last season. Throw in Faith Hoover and Emma Powers into the mix defensively and that rounds out a strong nucleus that returns for the Blue Devils. 

 “Our biggest strength last year was discipline and not making mistakes,” said Whittle. “We were able to capitalize early and maintain leads. We really want to focus on limiting mistakes and be the more disciplined and smart team.”  

 The Winnacunnet Warriors have a strong-knit group looking to get back into playoff contention come late October.

 Head coach Nick O’Brien has been impressed early on with his team who are looking to bounce back this fall. “This year we are in a better place,” said O’Brien. “We have a good mix of veteran leadership with some solid youth.” 

 The goal remains simple for the Warriors, compete in every game and get in the playoff mix. That all starts with Kate Gagne in between the posts. 

 Gagne has been a four-year starter in net and is a co-captain for Winnacunnet this season. “She has amazing hands and does a great job directing the defense in front of her,” said O’Brien. “Kate is everything you could ask for in a captain. She collectively brings the team together.”

 Defense will be key for Winnacunnet, and senior Amanda Longo and junior Ava Sebeny will hold down the backfield for the Warriors. “Amanda has a great first touch and directs traffic well for us,” said O’Brien. “She has seen a lot as a senior and we will rely on her experience in the back. The same goes for Ava, we will rely on her heavily. 

 The youth of Winnacunnet will be something to watch for as the season progresses for O’Brien’s team. “They are really gelling well which is always positive when you have an influx of underclassmen and seniors.” 

 If this team can stay on a good track and grow as the season progresses, good things can happen for Winnacunnet. “We really want to possess the ball and play it on the ground,” said O’Brien. “We don’t want to play a lot of boot and run and try and incorporate our center mids to switch play. If we can do that and get into the mix come late October, or early November, anything can happen.”