Led by Alyssa Welsh, arguably the top player in Middlesex County last season, the Bishop Ahr High School girls soccer team finished the year 15- 2-1 and won the Greater Middlesex Conference Blue Division.
Not only will this season’s Trojan team take the field sans Welsh, but it will also miss the services of eight other starters from last year’s championship lineup.
“Alyssa leaves a big void, but I do have captain Kerriann Cahillane coming back,” Bishop Ahr head coach James Tavormina said. “Kerriann was our seconding leading scorer last season, and she led the team in assists.”
Cahillane tallied 14 goals and 15 assists last season and will be joined at the offensive end of the pitch by sophomores Tonilynn Toranto and Jess Maimone and freshman Alexa Provelaitis.
“I’m looking forward to seeing some of our players step up,” Tavormina said. “We also have a bunch of newcomers that could become impact players. Shannon Mc- Quade, Laura Necci and Kelsey McCartney all had a nice preseason and will need to work with one of my senior captains, Jill Megna, on the back line.”
Senior midfielder Jenn Stolte returns to the lineup after contributing one goal and six assists to last year’s title-winning campaign. Teammates Victoria Robell and Dana Peterson combined for six goals last season and return to the Trojan midfield with Stolte.
“Overall, we’re going to be pretty young this season,” Tavormina said. “I’m hoping our middle will be the strongest part of the team. With two of our senior captains, Jen Stolte and Victoria Robell, working with twoyear starter Dana Peterson, our midfield should be in good shape.”
The team’s journey to defend its Blue Division title opened earlier in the week with a road game against John F. Kennedy High School. The team hits the road again today for a 3:45 p.m. match-up with Mother Seton Regional High School. The Trojans’ first home game is slated for Sept. 21, when they play host to Old Bridge.
“It will be important for us to get off to a good start,” Tavormina said. “Having such a young team makes every game important. With the realignment of the divisions, I feel every game is a big game.”
This season the GMC realigned its divisions, taking the Blue Division from nine to seven teams.
“Our first home game against Old Bridge will give us a look at a Red Division team,” Tavormina said. “It’s always a tough challenge to play up a division. It will be a good experience for the younger players on the team.”
Before the first ball was officially struck this season, the Trojans learned that goalkeeper Ally Furey will miss the entire season due to injury. The loss of yet another player will only make Bishop Ahr’s title defense more difficult.