Padua is coming off one of its best seasons, which ended with an overtime loss to eventual champion Cape Henlopen, and the Pandas want even more. They return a solid foundation from that 13-2 squad that could deliver.
Senior Abigail Boudart, who scored six goals and added an assist, returns, as do classmate abiutail McGowan and sophomore Ashlee Brentlinger, among others. Danielle Clerval, now a junior, is the goalkeeper. She had 70 saves last year.
Padua, which plays its home games at Forbes Field, begins its stiff schedule on Friday at Middletown. All games begin at 3:45 p.m. except where noted.
Schedule
Friday, Sept. 11: at Middletown
Monday, Sept. 21: Tatnall
Wednesday, Sept. 23: Delaware Military
Saturday, Sept. 26: vs. Ursuline, 1 p.m., at Rullo Stadium (Turf Bowl)
Tuesday, Sept. 29: St. Elizabeth
Friday, Oct. 2: at Charter
Tuesday, Oct. 6: St. Mark’s
Thursday, Oct. 8: at Caravel, 7:15 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 14: Newark Charter
Tuesday, Oct. 20: at Sanford, 4 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 22: at St. Mark’s
Friday, Oct. 23: at Concord
Tuesday, Oct. 27: St. Thomas More
Thursday, Oct. 29: at St. Elizabeth
Tuesday, Nov. 3: at Ursuline
St. Mark’s went 7-7-1 last season against a tough schedule, including some wins against ranked opponents. The Spartans graduated 13 seniors, but they do return juniors Anna Yacucci (three goals) and Megan Burlew (two goals). On defense, Kendra Schweizer returns; she also scored once last year. The goalkeeper is senior Gillian Bruce, who had 159 saves in 2014, including 32 against Tower Hill. She also posted four shutouts among the seven wins.
This season, St. Mark’s has six games against playoff teams from last year. All games begin at 3:45 p.m. except where noted.
Schedule
Saturday, Sept. 12: at Caesar Rodney, 11 a.m.
Friday, Sept. 18: Wilmington Friends
Tuesday, Sept. 22: Tower Hill
Thursday, Sept. 24: Caravel
Sunday, Sept. 27: vs. Charter, 2 p.m., at Rullo Stadium (Turf Bowl)
Wednesday, Sept. 30: Ursuline
Friday, Oct. 2: Tatnall
Tuesday, Oct. 6: at Padua
Tuesday, Oct. 13: at Conrad
Friday, Oct. 16: at St. Elizabeth
Friday, Oct. 23: Padua
Monday, Oct. 26: St. Elizabeth
Tuesday, Oct. 27: at Archmere
Thursday, Oct. 29: at Ursuline
Wednesday, Nov. 4: Wilmington Christian
Fourteen players from last season’s 5-8-2 squad return for St. Elizabeth, including junior Gabriella Saggese (three goals, one assist), junior Juliana Owens (two goals, three assists) and sophomore Claudia Rancone, who also had two goals and three assists. Defensively, look for Alanna Speaks, who is also an offensive threat (six goals, two assists), and Jill Aranilla, the sophomore goalkeeper who denied 96 shots last year.
The Vikings will spend a lot of time on the road this season, but their first two games are at home. All games begin at 3:45 p.m. except where noted.
Schedule
Tuesday, Sept. 15: Archmere
Thursday, Sept. 17: St. Georges
Monday, Sept. 21: at Conrad
Sunday, Sept. 27: vs. Brandywine, 8 p.m., at Rullo Stadium (Turf Bowl)
Tuesday, Sept. 29: at Padua
Thursday, Oct. 1: at Newark.
Thursday, Oct. 8: at William Penn
Tuesday, Oct. 13: at Dickinson
Thursday, Oct. 15: Ursuline
Friday, Oct. 16: St. Mark’s
Monday, Oct. 19: at Delcastle
Wednesday, Oct. 21: at Hodgson, 4 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 23: at Ursuline
Monday, Oct. 26: at St Mark’s.
Thursday, Oct. 29: Padua (Senior Day)
Archmere finished last season 2-10-3 with a young team that included five freshmen and five sophomores. They managed ties against two state tournament teams. There will be a new goalkeeper, but much of the Auks’ offense returns, led by senior Presley Conaty (five goals, two assists) and juniors Leah DaCosta (six goals, one assist) and Lorin Donovan (five goals, one assist).
Six of the Auks’ foes this year made the state tournament last season. All games begin at 3:45 p.m. except where noted.
Schedule
Friday, Sept. 11: Concord
Tuesday, Sept. 15: at St. Elizabeth
Thursday, Sept. 17: Delaware Military
Tuesday, Sept. 22: at Newark Charter
Thursday, Sept. 24: at Wilmington Friends
Wednesday, Sept. 30: Tatnall
Tuesday, Oct. 6: Red Lion
Friday, Oct. 9: Mount Pleasant
Tuesday, Oct. 13: Sanford
Friday, Oct. 16: Conrad
Tuesday, Oct. 20: at Wilmington Christian
Saturday, Oct. 24: Caravel, noon (Homecoming)
Tuesday, Oct. 27: St. Mark’s
Friday, Oct. 30: at Charter
Tuesday, Nov. 3: at Tower Hill, 3 p.m.
At Ursuline, senior Madelyn Jablonski leads the returning Raiders, who were 9-5-1 in 2014. Jablonski scored 11 goals last year. She is joined up front by seniors Katie Hosey (four goals, four assists), Anna Clare Desch (three goals, four assists) and Nina Budischak (four goals, two assists). Katherine Casey is the keeper; she posted 100 saves last season. A veteran defense that includes Caroline Steele, Delaney Vorwick, Bailey Garrison and Alyssa Irons will be in front of her.
Five tournament teams await the Raiders, who begin the journey toward the postseason on Friday against St. Georges. All games begin at 3:45 p.m. except where noted.
Schedule
Friday, Sept. 11: St. Georges
Tuesday, Sept. 15: St. Andrews
Monday, Sept. 21: at Appoquinimink
Wednesday, Sept. 23: at Middletown, 6:15 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 26: vs. Padua, 1 p.m., at Rullo Stadium (Turf Bowl)
Monday, Sept. 28: Caravel
Wednesday, Sept. 30: at St. Mark’s
Tuesday, Oct. 6: at Wilmington Friends
Thursday, Oct. 8: at Tatnall
Thursday, Oct. 15: at St. Elizabeth
Saturday, Oct. 17: Newark Charter, 11 a.m. (Homecoming)
Friday, Oct. 23: St. Elizabeth
Wednesday, Oct. 28: Wilmington Charter
Thursday, Oct. 29: St. Mark’s
Tuesday, Nov. 3: Padua
St. Thomas More will try to parlay last season’s 8-5-2 record into a state tournament appearance this season. The Ravens graduated seven seniors from that squad and feature just four seniors this season, including goalkeeper Sarah Hayes and high-scoring Joanna Petrosky. Other offensive threats for the Ravens include juniors Therese Sadusky and Alexis Swinford.
Now an independent, St. Thomas More plays primarily downstate teams, but the Ravens open Friday at Ss. Peter and Paul in Easton, Md., and finish the season Oct. 27 vs. Padua at Forbes Field in Wilmington. All games begin at 4 p.m. except where noted.
Schedule
Friday, Sept. 11: at Ss. Peter and Paul (Md.)
Monday, Sept. 14: Red Lion
Wednesday, Sept. 16: at Gunston Day (Md.)
Saturday, Sept. 19: Indian River, 11 a.m.
Thursday, Sept. 24: Woodbridge
Saturday, Sept. 26: vs. Sussex Central, 4 p.m., at Rullo Stadium (Turf Bowl)
Monday, Sept. 28: at Newark Charter
Friday, Oct. 2: at Milford
Monday, Oct. 5: Delaware Military, 3:45 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 7:at Delmarva Christian
Tuesday, Oct. 13: at Red Lion
Saturday, Oct. 17: Delmarva Christian, 11 a.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 20: at St. Andrews, 3:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 27: at Padua, 3:45 p.m.
