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Area coaches believe First Colonial, Princess Anne and Kellum are the frontrunners after Hampton Roads lost in the state title race last season. Lafayette's 1-0 loss to Brentsville District in the Class 3 championship game was the closest. After a strong regular season, Kellum lost to eventual state champion Colgan in the opening round of the Class 6 tournament. In Class 5, Princess Anne and First Colonial lost in the state semifinals, while Great Bridge and Smithfield were semifinalists in Class 4. Poquoson and Bruton were represented in the Class 2 tournament, but Poquoson was eliminated in the first round by the eventual state champion. Clark County and Bruton's underdogs ended in the semifinals. In private school play, Norfolk Academy was eliminated in the VISAA Division I state title game.
Top talent comes back
Among the 16 players named to the All-Tidewater First Team last year were Grassfield's Katie Dowd, Kellum's Dylan McEnterfer, First Colonial's Skylar Miller and Sydney Miller, and Great Bridge's Seven players will return this season: Audrey Orlock, Cox's Eva LaSole and Lafayette's Taylor Walker. Five second-team picks return: Cox's Kate Hobbs and Kellam's Madison Hood. Emma Hughes of Kecoughtan, Maddie Kainer of First Colonial and Jayda Sutton of Western Branch.
Last ride to the Wonder Twins
First Colonial's Schuyler and Sydney Miller have been strong since joining as freshmen. Last season, Sydney had 22 goals and 10 assists, earning 54 points on the year. According to MaxPreps, she scored 52 goals in her career at First Colonial. Schuyler scored 16 goals last year and almost surpassed that record in assists, finishing with 14 goals. According to MaxPreps, she has 29 goals and 26 assists in her career.
757 Teams Top 15
Jonathan Gruenke/Daily Press
Kellum's Alisa Chuderewicz (right) shoots the ball past Kempsville's Piper King for a goal during a soccer game Thursday, May 19, 2022.
1. Kellam
After an early exit from last year's Class 6 state tournament, coach Mario Hurdle and Kellum are hoping to dominate again in 2024. Kellum returns a solid roster that includes several players who signed to play in college, including Alyssa and Eva Chuderewicz (UNC Wilmington), Taylor Garofalo (Mary Washington), and Dylan Garofalo (Mary Washington). McEnterfer (Old Dominion), both Avery Spell (Christopher Newport). “The expectations are the same as in previous years. Even after the graduation of several key players, that attitude remains the same. We have the potential to have a successful season,” Hurdle said.
2. First colonial period
The Patriots return a key group of seniors, including three of last year's All-Tidewater selections, for a team that finished 16-3 after losing in the Class 5 state semifinals. Most notably, coach Joe Tusey has talented twin sisters Skyler and Sydney Miller, who combined for 38 goals and 24 assists last season and were named All-Tidewater first team. Thing.
3. Princess Anne
Coach Dwayne James feels this year's team is more explosive and dynamic from top to bottom than the team that went 17-4 and lost in last year's state semifinals. “We have added more athletic players who are hungry to repeat last season’s success and look to build on that tradition for years to come,” he said. Junior Nina Marcy, who finished with 15 goals last year, is a “nightmare” in one-on-one situations, and Princess Anne also returns VCU commit Isabella Cobos, who finished with 13 goals and 15 assists last season.
4. Norfolk Academy
The Bulldogs will be looking to end their two-year state runner-up record, but to do so they will need star Bela Barr, who had 28 goals and 21 assists on her way to becoming a TCIS and state collegiate player. It will have to be achieved without them. Year. Coach Rich Petsch said sophomore Maria Deriannis, who had 26 goals and 15 assists last year, is young but “well prepared” to take on scoring responsibilities in 2024.
5. Lafayette
The Rams (18-3-2) had a strong run in the state playoffs before losing to Brentsville District in the Class 3 state championship game. Lafayette had five different players score 10 or more goals last season, all but one of whom were underclassmen, so the Rams should return plenty of offensive power.
6. Smithfield
Coach Nathan Jones' teams are two-time Bay Rivers District Champions and two-time Region A Champions. Smithfield lost four strong players who led the team to back-to-back state semifinal appearances, but returns senior captains Brianna Curro and Natalie Jones. Lydia Jones is another notable senior who scored 17 goals last year. “This year we brought in some younger players to develop alongside older, more experienced players. They may not be as technically sound, but they really worked hard. We compete and we know how to win,” Jones said.
7. Great Bridge
The Wildcats (13-3-2 overall) were nearly perfect at home, finishing with a 9-1-1 record, but struggled on the road with a 4-3-2 record. Great Bridge made a brief appearance in the Class 4 VHSL state tournament last year, but lost in the semifinals to Western Albemarle. The Wildcats return last year's leading scorer Audrey Orlock. The junior scored 38 goals last season, averaging 2.2 goals per game.
8. Cape Henry University
Coach Tiny Lowry boasts a 25-player roster, the largest since she took over the program 11 years ago. Lowry said the team is made up of 50% veterans and 50% rookies, adding, “It may be difficult to integrate these players, but everything in the preseason showed their preparation. There is,” he added. Cape Henry is led by senior Mary Turner Shipp, senior Sadie Jolly, sophomore Megan Zimmerman and freshman Peyton Peterson.
9. Nansemond River
The Warriors (14-4-2 overall) advanced to the Class 5 state tournament, but were eliminated in the quarterfinals by First Colonial. Nansemond River will bounce back and look to make another run in the playoffs.
10. Grass Field
The Grizzlies are working to fill out a defensive line that lost both center backs, an outside back and a goaltender from last year's team. Captain and senior midfielder Katie Dowd returns with 14 goals last season and is currently seventh on Grassfield's all-time goalscoring list. Senior Sierra Frick will lead Grassfield's defense, and coach Kevin Ellis hopes her younger sister, freshman Addison Frick, will hit the ground running this year and be right beside her on defense. I'm here.
11. Molly
The Commodores graduated “80 percent” of last year's offense and have limited experience, coach Orion Hall said. Other than senior goaltender Lili White and senior center back Shaomari Green, no other player has started more than 16 games for Morey. But Coach Hall said the roster has a lot of young talent that he expects to develop as the season progresses.
12. Norfolk University
Oaks coach John Hall feels the Oaks are headed for a “build year” after a large senior class graduated at the end of last season's 15-3 season. The team will be led by seniors Maya Dixon and Kelly Longacher.
13. Menchi Building
Coach Lorenzo Puentes began his tenure in Menchville last year with a record of 10-6 and 9-0 in the Peninsula District. Puentes said Menchville's impact players this year will be juniors Rory Patchett and Alyssa Ware.
14. Western Branch
The Bruins (12-5-1) fell short in the Class 6 Region A semifinals, losing to eventual champion Cosby.
15. Bethel
Coach William Nicoletti is looking to develop a “very young” Bethel team that went 12-3-1 last season. Offensively, Bethel will be led by junior striker Velma Tihic, who broke the school season record with 46 goals last season. On the other side of the ball, a pair of sophomore center backs, Mariah Spruill and Taylor Pearson, are “controlling” Bethel's defense.
