Staff photo by TOM KING It was a happy ending to the Bishop Guertin season last June, and the Cardinals will try to repeat that this season with a lot of new faces.

It was a week to remember for local high school softball.

The second week of last June, the area had five teams reach their respective semfinals in all four divisions, culminating in two championships with Bishop Guertin (Division I) winning its first and Milford (Division II) taking its second straight.

Will we see that kind of success again?

“Coming off a championship season, expectations are high,” new Guertin coach Leah Maciejewski, a former Cards assistant, said.

And Milford coach Jim Rines, although he’s lost some talented experience from a year ago, insists the goal will be the same. “I don’t ever have a rebuilding year,” he said of the Spartans’ mindset.

It will be competitive in all four divisions for all the locals. “There are a lot of good teams in Division I, but I feel we can play with any team,” said Alvirne coach Sarah Brisk, whose team won 13 regular season games last year but lost a heartbreaker to BG in the quarters. “I have always told our players how important it is to get hot at the right time.”

It’s also the Year of the New Coach

Besides Maciejewski, there are four other new coaches, as noted ASA coach Kevin Handy has taken over the Nashua South program and former Endicott College standout Meg Donegan, an assistant with Merrimack last year, has taken over the Tomahawks after Jim Peltak retired.

Longtime Souhegan assistant Tony Doucet is now in charge, while another assistant at Hollis Brookline, Brian Bumpus, has been elevated to head coach.

Handy, with a ton of returnees, will try to get the Panthers back to respectability after a couple of seasons of youth and hard times. Donegan has a base to get the ‘Hawks back to the tournament after an early exit last year. Don’t discount Nashua North, either, as the Titans have at least six starters back and are poised to take the next step following a five-win season.

While a lot of the spotlight has been on the Spartans, watch out for the Sabers, led by senior shortstop Maddie Robicheau, one of Division II’s best who is headed to Fairfield University next year. “We anticipate being a top team in Division II,” Doucet said.

Watch out for Campbell in Division III. The Cougars made it as far as the semis last year, but graduated just one. “Offensively we’re expecting big seasons from all,” Campbell coach Eric Gibbons said. “Our pitching, while young, keeps improving and our defense is very strong, in my opinion, the best in Division III.”

In Division IV, Wilton-Lyndeborough lost a couple of key players who moved away but gained a couple of newcomers who should help make up for that. The Warriors got two upset tourney road wins to make the semis, so look for them to try to take the next big step.

Here’s a capsule look at this spring’s local teams and their chances:

ALVIRNE

COACH: Sarah Brisk (seventh year)

2017: 14-6, lost to Bishop Guertin in quarterfinals.

RETURNING STARTERS: Jenna Bradish, sr. of; Liz DeRosa sr. ss; Farra Cestrone, sr. inf-of; Haley Peaslee, jr. c; Alicia Salvalzo, jr. 2b; Alexis Charbonneau, so.1b-p.

OTHER RETURNING LETTER WINNERS: Kiara Chase, jr. p.

PROMISING NEWCOMERS: Megan Fauteux, jr. inf-of; Ellie Fauteux, so.of; Jacey Bryant, so.utility; Kayli Boucher, fr.c-of; Megan Jacques, fr.p-1b.

COACH’S COMMENTS: “Of course it will be hard to replace the talent that graduated, but this is a talented team and we should be competitive,” Brisk said. “We have solid leadership that should be able to help the younger girls on the team.”

BISHOP GUERTIN

COACH: Leah Maciejewski (first year)

2017: 17-4, won state title over Bedford.

RETURNING STARTERS: Bonnie Gillis, sr. utility; Sara Hey, sr. of-p; Taylor Cushion, so.of; Elizabeth Ross, so.inf.

OTHER RETURNING LETTER WINNERS: Meredith Basta, jr. c; Ania Kwiecinski, jr. utility; Becca Benjamin, so.utility; Jenna Carlton, so. of.

PROMISING NEWCOMERS: Petra Bajdek, fr.utility; Stephanie Coulombe, fr.inf.

COACH’S COMMENTS: “We have a lot of players who are new to our program and this level,” Maciejewski said. “If they’re able to adjust, then we should be competitive.”

MERRIMACK

COACH: Meaghan Donegan (first year).

2017: 7-12, lost to Pinkerton in prelims.

RETURNING STARTERS: Liz Scheurich, sr.of; Olivia Tsatsa, sr.of; Brenna Davenport, jr. ss; Jessica Trahan, jr.3b; Ashley Turcotte, jr.2b; Morgan Peffar, so.1b; Kaleigh Blades, so.c; Mandi Delibac, so.p.

OTHER RETURNING LETTER WINNERS: Demetria Gonzalez, so.of; Nadia Hackney, so.inf-of.

PROMISING NEWCOMERS: Lindsey Hui,fr.3b. Erin Knauer, fr. inf; Ally O’Brien, fr. 2b.

COACH’S COMMENTS: “My coaching staff and I are very excited about the upcoming season,” Donegan said. “We have a great group of student athletes who are eager to compete.”

NASHUA NORTH

COACH: Jenna Giannelli (second season).

2017: 5-13, did not qualify for tournament.

RETURNING STARTERS: Jacqueline Dumont, sr.c; Alexis Miranda, so.1b; Thavary Hay, so.ss; Emily Blondin, so.p; Nicole Perault, so.of-2b; Elizabeth Deck, so.of.

OTHER RETURNING LETTER WINNERS: Erin Bourgeois, so. Of-c.

PROMISING NEWCOMERS: Jamie Parker, 3b; Abigail Little, p.

COACH’S COMMENTS: “The team is really starting to fall together,” Giannelli said. “Last year, almost all of us were new. Now we have a year of experience under our belt, and we know what to expect. I think a lot of teams are going to underestimate our ability.”

NASHUA SOUTH

COACH: Kevin Handy (first year).

2017: 1-17, did not qualify for tournament.

RETURNING STARTERS: Delia Callery, sr. 3b-p; Rylee Marchand, sr. c-of; Jasmine Sylvester, jr. of-2b; Eric Frothingham, so.ss-p; Chloe Kelble-Goforth, so.c-ss.

OTHER RETURNING LETTER WINNERS: Molly Richard, sr. of-2b; Amber Dube, jr. of-3b; Sarah Picars, so.1b; Catherine Covert, so.of.

PROMISING NEWCOMERS: Bryanna DiPaolo, sr. 2b-ss; Annabella Lividoti, sr. of-1b; Courtney Olsen, sr. c-3b; Natalie Ward, fr.p.

COACH’S COMMENTS: “This is a hungry team with great kids on it,” Handy said. “The players are all excited for a fresh start and eager to help put South softball back on the map.”

DIVISION II

HOLLIS BROOKLINE

COACH: Brian Bumpus (first year)

2017: 4-12, did not qualify for tournament.

RETURNING STARTERS: Savanna Bent, sr. of; Isabel Keefe, sr. of; Avery Webb, sr. c; Alyssa Hall, jr. inf; Delayni Kovalchek, jr.inf; Kara Lukovits, sr.inf; Gabby Paquin, jr.inf-p; Cassidy Pigott, jr.inf.

OTHER RETURNING LETTER WINNERS: Skylar Mack, jr.inf; Abi Blasi, so.inf.

PROMISING NEWCOMERS: Megan McLaughlin, sr.inf-of; Krystle Plumadore, jr. inf; Jess Hubert, so.inf-p; Kylie Krivis, so.inf-p.

COACH’S COMMENTS: “We hope to build our team from last year,” Bumpus said, “and will be looking for our newcomers and younger players to fill in to positions left by our senior class from last year.”

MILFORD

COACH: Jim Rines (fifth year).

2017: 17-3, beat Pembroke for state title.

RETURNING STARTERS: Stephanie Bishop, sr. c; Paige Delier, sr. 1b; Jenna De’Angelis, so.p-ss; Amanda Atkinson, p-ss.

OTHER RETURNING LETTER WINNERS: Abby Sites, jr. 3b; Brennan Parker, so.of; Cora Holtshouser, so. 2B-of.

PROMISING NEWCOMERS: Raven Comtois, jr. of-inf-c; Abby Stillwagon, so.of-p; Shannon Harbison, so. p-1b.

COACH’S COMMENTS: “I don’t ever have a rebuilding year,” Rines said. “I expect our team to compete on every pitch and work harder than our competition each and every day.”

SOUHEGAN

COACH: Tony Doucet (first year)

2017: 15-3, lost to Milford in semis.

RETURNING STARTERS: Maddie Robicheau, sr.ss; Megan Tupaj, so.1b; Lucy Stover, jr.2b; Cameron Whitney, so.p; Carrie Speer, jr.of; Mary Rotthoff, so.c.

OTHER RETURNING LETTER WINNERS: Rheanna Wilson, jr.of; Callie McBride so.of-inf; Margot Redway, jr.of.

PROMISING NEWCOMERS: Jenna Speer, so.3b-p; Ava Van Ballegooyen, fr.of; Maddie Lamar, fr.inf; Julia Kalinowski, jr.inf-of.

COACH’S COMMENTS: “We lost three seniors from last year, and only have one senior,” Doucet said, “but we still anticipate being a top team in Division II.”

DIVISION III

CAMPBELL

COACH: Eric Gibbons (second year).

2017: 17-4, lost to Mascenic in semis.

RETURNING PLAYERS: Mary Kuczowski, sr.; Emma Rousseau, sr.; Cassidy Gibbons, sr.; Lauren McInerney, sr.; Camryn Wirbal, sr.; Abi Grey, jr. c; Meghan Gibbons, jr. c; Liv Garand, jr.; Marissa Carigian, jr. p; Olivia Carlson jr.; Stephanie Daigle, so.; Olivia Byers, so.p; Emily Gamache, so.; Lorelei Brown, so.

PROMISING NEWCOMERS: Riley Gamache, fr.; Maddie Davis, fr. p; Emily Copper, fr.

COACH’S COMMENTS: “We’re very excited,” Gibbons said. “We lost only one senior (from 2017) and our returnees along with talented freshmen players gives us great flexibility in all positions in the field, as well as at the plate.”

DIVISION IV

WILTON-LYNEBOROUGH

COACH: Denny Claire (31st year).

2017: 11-8, lost in semifinals.

RETURNING STARTERS: Janel Bachand, jr. c-inf; Lexi Balam, jr.p; Rachel Christino, jr. inf; Abby Leblanc, jr. inf; Brooke Lane, eighth grade, inf; Emma Skelly, jr. of; Kaitlin Loverme, so. of.

OTHER RETURNING LETTER WINNERS: Sophia Sistachs, fr. of.

PROMISING NEWCOMERS: Lily Foisie, sr. inf-of; Sam Yurcak, inf-of.

COACH’S COMMENTS: “This team overachieved last year with no seniors or juniors on the roster and peaked at the right time,” Claire said. “We need to work hard and improve over last year and I feel if we can stay healthy we can make a run at getting back to Plymouth.”

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