Here are 19 Seacoast high school girls soccer players to watch in 2023
As Seacoast high school girls soccer teams start the 2023 season, championship hopefuls are abound in the region.
Newmarket is looking for its sixth Division IV championship in the past seven years. St. Thomas and Exeter (Division I) are looking to avenge painful championship-game losses. Portsmouth looks to take the next step toward a Division I championship.
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Dover, Somersworth, Traip and Oyster River all look to continue growing with several young players in the fold.
Spaulding and Winnacunnet look to turn things around and return to the Division I playoffs, while Marshwood and York look to improve on their 2022 playoff runs.
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Each team has players who are expected to lead with their play and/or their leadership on the field. Here's a look at the Seacoast's players to watch for 2023:
Keira Alessi, Traip Academy, junior, forward
Alessi emerged as both a leader beyond her years in 2022 and as a scoring threat. She helped propel the Rangers to the Maine Class C South playoffs, scoring the lone goal as the Rangers knocked off top-seeded Hall-Dale 1-0 in the quarterfinals. She had also scored a hat trick in an 8-0 first-round playoff victory. With another year of experience under her belt, coach Mike Jackson expects big things.
“She just has a knack for getting herself to the right place,” Jackson said. “But she can also create her own shot. She can score in many different ways and is a threat from anywhere.”
Jackson said Alessi will be an important piece of the Traip offense this fall, adding her humility allows her to lead her teammates with no ego.
“She is humble and soft spoken, but she is still a natural leader,” Jackson said. “She takes initiative all the time, knows what needs to be done and does it. She sets that example for the rest of the team and that will lift all of them if they follow her example.”
Alessi will key a Traip offense that is still fairly young, despite returning several starters from last year.
Olivia Blackadar, Newmarket, junior, midfield
Blackadar has been a consistent scoring threat for the Mules the past two seasons, with 10 goals last year, and nine in 2021. Coach Andrew Dawson said she is just getting better.
“Just when you think this kid is playing her top game, she surprises us with another level,” Dawson said. “This season she seems to be playing with renewed energy and enthusiasm.”
Blackadar and the Mules are looking for their third straight championship.
“We picked up right where we left off last year,” Blackadar said. “I’m excited to see how far we can go this season. We’ve obviously had a lot of success the last two years and now we’re out here trying to get that three-peat.”
Dawson said Blackadar’s willingness to put in work during the offseason is evident, and having a player that sets that type of example will be important for a team replacing six players.
“It’s so rewarding to see the payoff when a player puts in the work during the offseason,” Dawson said.
Madison Brogan, Somersworth, senior, forward
As the only returning player who scored a goal last year, Brogan brings a level of experience that will be pivotal for an inexperienced Hilltopper roster. She tallied a pair of goals last year, and will look to set the tone offensively.
Coach David Swallow said Brogan can play any position on the field if needed, and even spent some time as a goalie last year. He said that flexibility, along with her positive attitude, will set the standard for players who are new to the team.
“Maddy is a vocal leader,” Swallow said. “She has great empathy and brings the other players up. She is fast. Her speed is a weapon. Her skills are good, but her speed is blazing.”
He said Brogan's ability to play any position makes her a great mentor for less experienced teammates, regardless of position.
“With injuries and things that can happen, you have to have a player like that,” he said. “That’s the kind of example I want to see for the younger players, because to me, a good soccer player can play anywhere on the field.”
Sara Camargo, Oyster River, senior, forward
Camargo’s combination of experience and leadership will be important for a young Oyster River squad, which finished last year 8-8. As one of just two seniors Camargo will be relied on to help bring along younger teammates.
“Last year we had pretty much all freshmen, a lot in our starting rotation,“ said coach Sabrina Rivers. “This year they are sophomores, so we are still pretty young. My goal this year is to get them to be a team.”
Camargo and fellow senior Maeve Hickock will be relied on to create the culture of confidence Rivers is trying to establish. On the field, Camargo’s offensive prowess will help the Bobcats put pressure on opposing defenses.
“Sara has really good touches on the ball,” Rivers said. “She’s quick, makes good choices and has a vision for the field that not many players do.”
Maitri Clifford, Winnacunnet, junior, forward
Clifford came on strong for the Warriors in the 2022 season, and enters 2023 as a leader for a team that is trying to take a leap forward this year after a 5-11 campaign. After putting up nine goals and six assists last season, Clifford will be relied upon even more.
“Maitri is an attacking threat with solid speed and the ability to take on defenders one on one,” said Winnacunnet coach Nick O’Brien. “She really emerged for us last year, and we will be counting on her this year.”
Clifford looks to be the sparkplug for a Winnacunnet offense that O’Brien said will need to improve steadily as the season progresses. He said having a player like Clifford to set the tone will help that progression.
“Stepping into her junior year, as an upperclassman, we expect her to progress and to be more consistent this season,” he said.
Haley Coombs, Portsmouth, senior, goalie
After seeing getting some experience in net as a freshman, Coombs took over the goalkeeper role last year. She looks to provide a wall at the back of the Clippers defense in 2023. Portsmouth coach Mickey Smith said he thinks she is up to the task.
“Haley has worked really hard over the offseason to improve herself as a goalkeeper,” Smith said. “You can already see that hard work paying off. She has looked great in the preseason.”
Last season Coombs earned Division I all-state honorable mention, leading the Clippers to a 16-2 record and only allowing three goals, while stopping 69 shots in 13 games.
Smith said Coombs played club soccer and put in time and work to continue improving, and he expects her to be one of the strengths of the Clippers defense.
“In addition to getting better as a goalie, she has also become a more vocal leader,” Smith said. “You need somebody back there who is confident, and gets people where they need to be, and that is something that she is very good at. That type of leadership goes a long way when you have a less experienced team like we will this year.”
Aoife Coomey, Marshwood, senior, midfield
Coach Meg Martinson said she feels like Coomey’s toughness can set the tone for her team, and it will be important if the Hawks want to make a deep playoff run. Coomey netted three goals and tallied three assists last year, and she is an important force at both ends of the field.
“She is a tough player who helps us in every corner of the field,” Martinson said. “She is a defensive powerhouse and also an adept and creative dribbler.”
Martinson said Coomey’s ball handling skills, along with her quick, strong decision making maker her an invaluable asset in transition.
Last season, Coomey recorded three goals and had three assists.
“She is our playmaker,” Martinson added. “Her vision and soccer IQ are very high, and she tends to make the right decisions on where to go with the ball, or whether to take a shot herself.”
Peyton Denning, Dover, senior, midfielder
Denning enters the 2023 season as one of the captains for the Green Wave, and coach Rick Pelletier said her effort during the offseason shows how committed she is to the sport and the team.
“Her ability to strike from distance and consistently get the ball on net is impressive,” Pelletier said. “As good as she is at scoring goals, she is also a willing passer, and she sees the field well. She’s the kind of player you want in the middle of your team.”
Denning and fellow captain Megan Healy are tasked with leading a young team that is trying to find a winning edge after dtopping several games by just one goal last season. Pelletier said he likes the leadership he is seeing from Denning.
“She has led with her effort and energy, and she is getting more vocal as the preseason goes on,” Pelletier said. “I think she will be a very good leader on the team this year.”
Lilli Hammond, Marshwood, senior, forward
Hammond led Marshwood in 2022 with 21 goals and five assists, and she will be relied on as a top scorer once again this season. Coach Meg Martinson said part of what makes Hammond so successful is her thoughtful approach to the game.
“She is a tough and tactical player with a great long-distance shot,” Martinson said. “She has great vision and will look to connect with the other strikers and the midfielders while also putting our opponents defense under a lot of pressure.”
Hammond and her teammates look to improve on last year’s 12-3 season, which came to a disappointing end in the Maine Class A South quarterfinals with a loss to Cheverus in penalty kicks.
Megan Healy, Dover, senior, striker
Healy’s knack for knowing where she and her teammates are on the field make her a dangerous weapon for Dover. The senior captain can pass and score, and coach Rick Pelletier said she tends to make the right choice in the moment.
“She is very field aware,” Pelletier said. “She sees the field well and is very methodical and technically sound. She can find her own shot, and she can just as effectively create an opportunity for her teammates.”
Healy is expected to be an important sparkplug in the Green Wave offense this season, and Pelletier said he looks forward to seeing her continue to grow throughout the season.
Ella Hickey, York, senior, goalkeeper
Hickey served as the backstop to a stout York defense in 2022, collecting five shutout victories, and coach Nick Hanlon said he she has improved.
“Ella heads into her second season as our starting goalkeeper,” Hanlon said. “She excelled in the playoffs last year, coming up with big saves against talented attacking players from Cape Elizabeth and Yarmouth.”
He said Hickey reads plays well and rarely gets out of position, making opponents work hard for scoring opportunities, and the will be a key this season, as the Wildcats look to focus on defense with a team that is somewhat in transition.
As her successes have grown, so too has Hickey’s confidence, according to Hanlon, who said he has seen her emerge as a leader as well as a player between last season and this season. In that leadership role, she is working to help elevate her teammates.
“Her communication and experience in net will give our backs confidence,” Hanlon added. “And (it will) help us to maintain our defensive organization.”
Maddie Karsonovich, St. Thomas Aquinas, senior, striker
After leading the Saints to their second straight Division III runner-up finish in 2022, Karsonovich has her sights on winning one more game this year. A two-time first team All-state selection, Karsonovich led the Saints with 27 goals and 14 assists last year, following up a sophomore year with 25 goals and nine assists.
“Maddie will be the engine to our train, for sure,” said St. Thomas coach Patrick Hureau. “She is an exceptional athlete. She works hard at practice and encourages the younger kids. She just loves soccer, and she is one of the top couple players in Division III, if not in the state.”
Hureau said Karsonovich knows how much she wants to close her senior year with a championship, and she has the tools to not only score, but to lift up the players around her.
“She has been our leading scorer the past two years, but she also assists,” he said. “She has also gotten others involved. And she will play an even bigger role for us this year, as one of the leaders of the team.”
He said he knows other teams will be game planning around Karsonovich, but he is confident in her ability, and her intelligence to react to whatever defense is thrown at her.
Peyton Keeler, Oyster River, junior, defense
The Bobcats are a young, but experienced team. Keeler's play on defense will be one of the key to improving on last year’s 8-8 record, according to coach Sabrina Rivers.
“She’s one of our center backs, and she is pretty much our rock back there,” Rivers said. “She is incredible with 1-on-1 situations, and does a lot of good stuff.”
Rivers said Keeler emerged as a leader last year as a sophomore, and will be a defensive leader for the team this year with her toughness, and ability to move the ball in transition.
“She trusts her gut,” Rivers said. “She’s smart, intelligent, steady on the ball and knows how to tackle without fouling. She’s pretty much everything you could want in a center back.”
Shakeila Miller, Somersworth, senior, defense
Miller’s skill on the field is only half the story for Somersworth this year, according to coach David Swallow, who said her leadership will be important for a young team, which had to bring up four eighth-graders, and has several players who are playing soccer for the first time.
“(Miller) is a lead by example player,” Swallow said. “She’s not a big talker on the field, but she gives 110% every play, every practice. She is the example of how to handle yourself as a player.”
The only problem with Miller, according to Swallow, is that she is so good at so many things, he may have to move her around to different positions.
“Shakeila is a great defender — super strong,” he said. “But she also has one of the best strikes on the team. I think she’s going to have to be, at times, a striker for us. She’s the most aggressive on the ball, she’s very fast and she’s probably got the best shot on the team. But she’s also the best defender on the team and she’s our anchor back there, so we have to balance that.”
In a year that is likely to have some growing pains for the inexperienced Hilltoppers, Swallow said Miller’s calm, steady presence will be important to help keep her teammates centered through the ups and downs of a rebuilding season.
AJ Mulligan, Newmarket, sophomore, midfield
Mulligan was part of a championship team as a freshman in 2022, and coach Andrew Dawson said her tenacity is evident every time she takes the field.
“AJ has no quit in her,” he said. “She runs right up to her last breath. We’ve been challenging her to tap into her creative streak, which we know is in there, as we have seen glimpses.”
He said if Mulligan, who had six goals, including a memorable steal, followed by an unassisted goal in their final home game against Sunapee, can channel that creativity, along with the skills she already possesses, she could be an even greater weapon.
“She, along with a slew of other talented underclassmen, represent the future of our program,” he said.
Mulligan said she was happy to be back with the team, but even early in the season, she said, they need to have their sights set on the goal of another championship.
“I’m excited to get back on the field, and see how far we can get,” she said. “We just need to work as a team and I think we can go a long way.”
Annie Parker, Portsmouth, senior, striker
Portsmouth coach Mickey Smith said he is optimistic for this season, despite losing nine seniors from last year’s team that went 16-2, because he knows his team is strong at either end of the field, with Coombs in net, and Packer at striker.
The second team all-state selection netted 18 goals to go with two assists in 2022 and the Clippers will rely on her scoring touch as they transition into the new season.
“Annie is such a competitor,” he said. “She hates to lose, and she loves to win. She is one of the best athletes in the state, if not the best, and she is one of the hardest workers that you will see on game day.”
Parker will be stepping into the leadership role. Smith expects it to come naturally to Parker, who earned second team all-state honors last year.
“She wants to succeed, but not just for herself,” Smith said. “She wants everyone to succeed, and that is part of what makes her a great leader.”
Lauren Roeder, Exeter, junior, forward
After earning a first team all-state nod as a sophomore, Roeder is one of only five returning starters for the Blue Hawks this season. She will be relied on for both scoring and leadership, according to coach Megan Young.
“I am expecting big things from Lauren this year,” Young said. “She did a ton of scoring for us last year, and I am looking for her to be one of our key scorers this year as well.”
Roeder finished 2022 with six goals and nine assists, and Young will rely on that scoring touch as the team tries to compete for the Division I title.
“In addition to her speed, she is very skilled with the ball at her feet,” Young said. “She has great skills combined with speed that can’t be matched. She gives us a strong counter attack and creates offensive opportunities.”
Young also said Roeder has a diversity of skills that make her a great weapon for the Blue Hawks offense.
“She can take players one on one, but also has a dangerous outside shot, making her tough to defend.”
Lilly Stuart, Traip Academy, senior, goalie
Stuart had back-to-back playoff shutouts in 2022, including a 9-save performance when the Rangers took out top seed Hall-Dale in the Class C South quarterfinals. Although Traip couldn’t get past Waynflete in the semifinals, Stuart and her team served notice they could be contenders in 2023.
“Lilly is our more outspoken leader,” said coach Mike Jackson. “That’s a good thing. That’s what you want in your goalie. She is the one to direct traffic and make sure everyone is where they are supposed to be, and Lilly is very good at that.”
He said he could see Stuart’s confidence continue to grow throughout the season last year, and he believes that with the work she put in during the offseason, she has only gotten better and more confident.
“Her instincts for being a goalkeeper stood out right away,” Jackson said. “When she first came in here I saw her and said, ‘Whoa! This kid is going to be good.’ Then once she got into the rhythm of playing and the challenge of playing varsity she met that challenge and became an even better goalkeeper.”
Stuart had seven shutouts last year, six in the second half of the season.
Madi Trogler, Spaulding, senior, forward
Trogler’s attitude and athleticism have helped her earn the trust of her teammates. Coach Chris Schoon said her natural leadership is setting the tone for his team in 2023.
“She does everything that is asked of her, and does a lot of things that aren’t asked of her,” Schoon said. “She does things to get the girls together (away from the field). She’s a great kid. She does all the dirty work that everybody else isn't doing.”
He said her Trogler’s leads both verbally, and by example, and that will be important as the team hopes to make it into the Division I playoffs.
“She knows the things that need to be done,” he said. “Not just what she has to do, but she knows what everyone else has to do too. It’s the Larry Bird effect. Larry Bird was a great player who made the players around him better. She makes the players around her better.”
Schoon said Trogler brings both speed and competitiveness to the forward position, and is expected to be a conduit through which the team's offense succeeds.
“On the field she’s quick,” he said. “She’s got a nice little cutback move. She’s aggressive. She’s incredibly competitive. Whether it’s soccer or rock, paper, scissors, she wants to beat you.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: 19 Seacoast NH ME high school girls soccer players to watch in 2023
