There were bound to be growing pains with the Greenfield girls soccer team last fall, as over one-third of the roster was comprised of middle school athletes.

Despite that, the Green Wave were able to win seven games including their final two of the season to gain some momentum heading into this fall’s campaign. 

Greenfield will be young again this year — Anna Bucala is the lone senior on the roster — as just two seniors graduated from last year, meaning the Wave are bringing back a team full of varsity experience that is looking to make a run at the Bi-County League this fall and steal the title away from Athol. 

“We want to win the league title,” Greenfield junior Elderina Cecunjanin said. “We have to keep working to do it. We’ve definitely improved from last year from what we’re seeing in practice. Everyone looks like they want to win. We just need to stay focused.” 

After being low on numbers a season ago with just 13 players in the entire program, the Green Wave added reinforcements this fall. 

Greenfield co-oped with Mohawk Trail last year, but did not get any players to join. This year, four Warriors — Addie Loomis, Jalila Smith, Valerie Bzomowski and Zephyr Jetzon — joined the Green Wave squad, with Greenfield now up to 27 total players in its program. 

“It’s going well so far,” Bucala said. “We’ve had a lot of girls show up this year. We have high hopes for this season.” 

Cecunjanin and sophomore Tayler Bergeron will lead the attack, with Green Wave coach Ben Johnson noting they’ve both had strong showings in the preseason. 

Sarah McCloud and Natalia Cody were thrown into the fire as eighth graders a season ago but now a year older, Johnson said they look much more comfortable and confident on the pitch as freshmen. As does Annie Cobileanschi, another player put in the lineup as an eighth grader a year ago but has now found a home in goal for the Wave, with Johnson expecting a big year from her. 

Bucala and Loomis will lead the back line for Greenfield, Johnson saying he has a lot of trust his center back duo. Holly Babineau, Jetzon and Suhani Patel are some others who have looked good at practice going into the season. 

“We were such a young team last year but they’ve really grown and matured this year,” Johnson said. “They’re much more confident and much more aggressive out there. The five eighth graders we had out there last year are much stronger and more confident. The team is connecting together. The Mohawk girls fit right in. They’ve been having captains’ practices since July and I was told everyone was showing up and going hard in those. That’s encouraging.”

Here’s how each local team is shaping up going into the season:  

Athol

COACH: Tim Cleveland

LEAGUE/DIVISION: Bi-County/5

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 12-4-3, lost in Div. 5 Preliminary Round

ROSTER: Lillian Cleveland, Abigail McNamara, Emily Abram, Avalyn Adams, Aliyah Choquette, Alauna Choquette, Ariana Lopez-Hippler, Serena Nkengae, Hannah Cardoso, Skyla Williams, Maddisyn David, Marrissa WAlker, Gracie Lichtenberger, Olivia Horrigan, Aubrielle Brockney, Allison Robertson, Emily King, Kylah Blundon

OUTLOOK: It was a tremendous season for the Bears, which took home the Bi-County League title.

With five seniors and two juniors returning, Athol has the talent to win a second league championship.

Cordosa and Williams, both sophomores, are players Cleveland is expecting big years from while Brockney and King have provided senior leadership.

“Coming off a successful season is always a big task,” Cleveland said, “but I have a team that can certainly step up and get things done.”

Franklin Tech

COACH: Jason Butynski

LEAGUE/DIVISION: Bi-County/5

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 11-6-3, lost in Div. 5 Preliminary Round

ROSTER: Mia Marigliano, Sofia Moreno, Laken Woodard, Elise Wolfe, Kylee Gamache, Kailey James, Pam Gomez, Maddy Lynde, Samantha Duncan, Ariel Peters, Alyssa Peters, Molly Howe, Shayly Martin, Zoey Duda, Layla Hammond, Kaelyn Mclean, Cayleigh Aldrich, Brayleigh Burgh, Carly Walsh, Kyra Goodwin, Isabella Liebenow 

OUTLOOK: After graduating Anne Kolodziej, Ella Kolodziej and Kyra Goodell, the Eagles lost nearly all their goal scoring production from a season ago.

Finding goal-scoring production will be the key to success this fall.

“We have girls who have the ability to score but they need to learn to finish,” Butynski said. “They need to learn to not be as passive. We’d get the ball in the offensive zone and look for one of those three [now graduated players]. They need to take it upon themselves to get it done offensively. If we do that, we’ll be competitive.” 

Marigliano is the top returning goal scorer and is in line for a big senior year while Hammond, Duda and James will provide production up top.

Woodard and Lynde will run the midfield, Moreno will start at stopper while Walsh will also see time there.

Wolfe, Mclean, Ariel Peters, Alyssa Peters and Duncan will also see time on the back line while Gamache returns for her third year in goal.

Frontier

COACH: Lauren Sullivan

LEAGUE/DIVISION: Pioneer North/4

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 8-9-1

ROSTER: Josie Fosnot, Claire McFarland, Madelyn Fagan, Teagan Hale, Ashley Rivard, Addison Morrey, Adelaide Ehle, Skyler Steele, Jazlynn Hayes, Payton Rup, Carly Robertson, Natalie Wells, Aylen Shaw, Mara Allium, Calli Gifford, Sadie Nichols, Maggie Nichols, Faythe Sobieski

OUTLOOK: Sullivan takes over for Andy Rup but is plenty familiar with the program, having been the Redhawks JV coach the last two years.

Frontier will be led by its two senior captains, Fosnot, a midfielder, and McFarland, a center back.

Robertson and Fagan were the Redhawks’ leading scorers last fall and should lead a potent Frontier attack up top.

Morrey is another to watch on defense while Hayes returns in goal.

With five eighth graders on the roster, the future of the program, not just the present, is bright.

“We’re a very young team,” Sullivan said. “There’s a lot of talent in this eighth grade class: Maggie and Sadie Nichols (twins), Mara Allium, Faythe Sobieski, Calli Gifford. As this group plays together over the next few years, I think we can expect big things from them.”

Greenfield

COACH: Ben Johnson

LEAGUE/DIVISION: Bi-County/5

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 7-10-1

ROSTER: Anna Bucala, Holly Babineau, Elderina Cecunjanin, Addie Loomis, Suhani Patel, Juliette Potee, Tayler Bergeron, Valerie Bzomowski, Lauren Helie, Miel Snir Alvarado, Annie Cobileanschi, Natalia Cody, Zephyr Jetzon, Sarah McCloud, Jalila Smith, Zee Torres, Ella Rotkowicz, Arya Snir

Mahar

COACH: Jim Cleveland

LEAGUE/DIVISION: Pioneer North/5

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 4-12-1

ROSTER: Nevaeh Scribner, Thea Whitmore, Bella Malo, Autumn Cleveland, Stellina Moore, Erin Parse, Mackenzie Matthews, Alexis Murcell, Lindsey Woodbury, Lexi Ares, Jenna Nolette, Lilah Paluk, Aubrey Johnson, Makayla Butler, Jaya McBroom, Adalyn Proctor, Adalynn Almeida, Bronwyn Whitney

OUTLOOK: Cleveland takes over from longtime coach Chad Softic this fall and is inheriting a young team with potential.

Scribner is a returning senior who can play up top or in the midfield, while Cleveland, a junior, can play on defense or in goal. Moore, a sophomore, can help all over the pitch while Ares, an eighth grader, has shown promise as a striker.

“I feel we have a very strong, skilled team,” Jim Cleveland said, “but, will we be able to score? Our goaltending is very young. There will be a lot of growing pains and time to have this team meld together.”

Pioneer

COACH: Matt Killeen

LEAGUE/DIVISION: Bi-County/5

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 7-8-1

ROSTER: Dani Teaca, Kyler McClelland, Leah Potter, Natalie Rios, Maddie Keefe, Esme Moran, Mystic Glenn, Jaelyn Boliski, Hayden Brechenser, Lily LaPrade, Maya LaPrade, Zeevah Andrews, Ahnna Berthiaume, Charley Harrington, Deveney Pillsbury, Amy VanDoren, Brooke Welcome, Dzelila Cecunjanin

OUTLOOK: After reaching the state tournament last fall, Killeen feels a new era of soccer is being started in Northfield, with a very young team returning.

Teaca is a senior captain and will control the game in the midfield, Potter is the heart and soul of the defense as a sophomore, Rios is a sophomore who scored 11 goals and dished four assists as a freshman while Keefe scored 11 goals and distributed seven assists as an eighth grader last fall.

“We have five strong returning high school players that have distinguished themselves in the league,” Killeen said. “We’ll start a combination of six middle schoolers. The seventh and eighth graders have the potential to be impact contributors this year and potentially a very special group in the future.”