Mount St. Joe seniors (from left) Allie Prue, Molly Kate McDonough, and Rachel Shields are the varsity soccer team captains for the 2018 campaign. (Photo by Tom Utescher)

by Tom Utescher

As usual, there was a high turnout when pre-season soccer practice began last Monday at Mount St. Joseph Academy, and later in the week third-year head coach Bill Naydan was able to settle on a group of 19 players to make up the full-time varsity squad.

That’s not to say there won’t be any effect from graduation losses from 2017, as half of last year’s eight seniors had been three-year varsity players.

The three senior team captains for 2018 are Molly Kate McDonough, Allie Prue and Rachel Shields, and the other seniors are Ryan Good, Brigid O’Neill and Libby Patton.

The junior class is led by forward Madison Hornig, who’s been put out of action for the early pre-season with what is hoped to be a minor foot ailment. She was a first-team pick for All-AACA (Athletic Association of Catholic Academies) squad and was second overall in the balloting for league MVP.

She is joined by 11th-grade varsity veterans Gina Sassane (the returning starting goalie), Angelina Alcaro and Kate Taulane. Moving into full-time varsity roles this fall are fellow juniors Caroline Kelly, Kasey McMahon and Grace Thompson, and Hannah Phelan is the reserve goalie for the varsity and the starter for the JV team.

Tara Boyd, Emily Friel and Cayla Higginson were regular varsity competitors as freshmen last season, and this year their classmates Emily Jones, Ava Picofazzi and Alex Ritter round out the sophomore contingent.

Coach Naydan, who’s also a member of the academic faculty at the Mount, is rejoined by returning assistant coaches Kerriann Kane and Lisa Roman (MSJ ’13). Bill Naydan Sr. will once again pilot the junior varsity squad.