Telegrah photo by TOM KING Bishop Guertin's Brooke Paquette (6) gets a big hug from teammate Katie Boudreau after scoring a goal in a tournament game last season. Both players will be Cardinal keys this fall.

Contenders aplenty.

If there’s one thing the area doesn’t lack, it’s talented high school girls soccer players, and that translates into several contending teams in all divisions.

Last year the Bishop Guertin Cardinals and Hollis Brookline Cavaliers took things the furthest, to the Division I and II semis, respectively. Guertin fell to eventual runner-up Londonderry in a downpour at Stellos Stadium, and the Cavs lost to Bow.

The year before, Milford lost in the Division II finals on penalty kick; Souhegan lost in the 2018 title game. Campbell has reached the Division III semis in the past.

Guertin this year has a new coach in Winston Haughton, perhaps a new style but a lot of talent back as the local season has just begun.

Will it make it through teams playing a light eight to 10 game schedule followed by open tournaments? The coaches and players will do their best. As North coach Jacqueline Thompson said, her team having one game under its belt with a second vs. South that was slated for this current weekend, “Tomorrow isn’t promised, especially during these times, but these girls will rise above playing each today as its last.”

Here’s a look at how some area teams shape up:

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DIVISION I

The Cardinals have a returning nucleus of senior defender Grace Kelly, sophomore forwards Katie Boudreau and Brooke Paquette, junior defender Hannah Lord, and junior midfielder Natalie Coutu. They certainly picked up where they left off with a season opening 4-1 win over Merrimack.

“Hopefully we’re trying to win something with BG this year and establish a good program,” Haughton said.

Nashua South and North will be tough, competitive teams, benefitting from two games against each other this past week. The Panthers, who went 11-5 last season before losing to Goffstown in the first round in penalty kicks, are led by key seniors Julianna Martin (midfield), Kendra Santoro (defender) and Haleigh Swabowicz (keeper). Watch junior midfielder Camile Michon and freshman forward Soroya Ross. Ross was a true threat in the opening loss to North.

“We’re excited to be back on the field,” South coach Lauren Keating said. “We have a core group of players with a lot of experience and some new players who can make an impact right away.”

North is hoping for the same thing, and judging from the Titans’ 1-0 opening win over the Panthers, they will be an improved team.

Senior forward Ari Dumaine and fellow senior Emilee Deleo are a big key, along with seniors Lillian Brooks (midfield-defense) and Kaitlyn Laurendi (defender), plus junior midfielder Ashley Goh. Again, familiar names ready to make a nice improvement from an injury-riddled 4-11-1 season last year.

“We’re looking to build off the positives from last season,” Titans coach Jacqueline Thompson said. “We have a determined veteran group with some great new talent that’s ready to compete.”

Merrimack will try to recover from several graduation losses after a 7-9 season.

“This year we will be young,” Tomhawks coach Rick Morgan said. “We graduated a large senior class but are confident that the underclassmen will follow in their footsteps.”

Key seniors are Siobhan McMakin, Mary Vance, Jesse Mayhew, Keir Bike (all midfielders). A couple of important up and comers are sophomores, midfielder Isabella Saxon and defender Lucy Cote.

The ‘Hawks had their hands full in their opener loss vs. Guertin, but they won’t be alone in that sense.

Alvirne, meanwhile, lost nine seniors from a 6-10 team that still gave BG a run for its money in a tight tournament prelim last year.

Keys back are senior midfielder Kelly Perry, junior forwards Maddie Bertrand and Hannah Sellingham, and senior midfielder Caroline Breen.

“We’re going to have a young team,” Broncos coach Jerry Ruigrok said, “with seven sophomores playing key roles.”

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DIVISION II

The Cavaliers looked in mid-season form in their season-opening win over rival Souhegan. Junior forward Rachel Brackett, sophomores Paige Magnuszewski (midfielder), and Renee LeBlanc (forward) will spark the offense while juniors Nicole Heiter and Amanda Robbins are huge defenders in the back.

“We graduated a handful of dominant starters but return with a strong core of experienced players,” Cavs coach Peter Clarke said. “Hopefully we can settle in quickly and play at our familiar pace.”

It looked in the opener like they’ve done just that.

Milford will be an interesting, competitive team again, with key players the offensive duo of senior Rachel Gizzonio and junior Brooke Gizzonio. Rachel led the Spartans with 18 goals last season and Brooke came up big in several key games.

Other keys will be seniors Mikayla Thompson at midfield and defensive anchor Renee Wilson. “She’ll be the key to our success in the backfield,” Spartans coach Russ Matthews said. “And Mikayla is the metronome of our team and we look for her to control the midfield.”

Souhegan has a new coach in Steve Hansberry, and a good group of returnees set to make their mark after eight seniors graduated.

Hunter Stonebreaker, senior keeper, is a true leader in the back, while junior midfielder Jackie Hayden is a key in the attack. Also, many teams are going to do their best to limit offensively skilled sophomore Greta Caulton.

“We’re excited,” Hansberry said. “An awesome group of girls, and I think our potential ceiling is pretty high. I’m excited to see where we go.”

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DIVISION III

Campbell is always able to balance things between youth and experience. For example, the Cougars are young from a team that lost in the first round last year but have 16 players back.

Keys are senior defender Hanna Keane, senior midfielder Karleigh Schultz, junior forward Josie Oberto, and sophomore forward Gabby Kim-Levesque.

“We’re a young team but 16 returning girls,” Cougars coach Kevin Brassard said. “We’re very excited to be playing this season.”

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DIVISION IV

Wilton-Lyndeborough has a new coach, Emily Hall, and the Warriors lost just two seniors from a 10-6 team, and had eligible to return a dynamic player in junior forward Elisabeth Jacob. All she did last year was score 37 goals, including five in a game a whopping three times. Potential junior midfielder Sam Boette had 16 assists a year ago, while senior forward Sophia Sistachs and defender Avery Krug, a potential returning junior, were All-State Honorable Mentions a year ago. Should be a good team if most of the key pieces are on the field.

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