Don't miss these 10 high school girls soccer stars this season
Can anyone stop North Kingstown from creating a girls soccer dynasty?
The Skippers are in something of a golden age with their program at the moment. They’ve captured two straight Division I crowns and still have young talent emerging from a pipeline that, truthfully, should never fully run dry. Past off-field turmoil in its athletic department aside, this remains one of the state’s premier public programs in all sports.
Ellie Bishop and Bella Cambio are twin engines in the North Kingstown wagon. That they’re both juniors is bad news for the rest of the Interscholastic League through at least the end of the 2024-25 academic year. It will take some steel to stop Mark D’Arezzo and his crew once the playoffs roll around in November.
More: Cumberland's Emma Kucal makes history with Gatorade RI Player of the Year honor in girls soccer
Expect the usual powers to be up for the fight. Cumberland, Pilgrim, La Salle and Mt. Hope all should be classed as contenders. Chariho came up from Division II and reached the semifinals at the top level last fall — dismiss the Chargers at your own risk. Ryann Denecour could be the best field player in the state and Emily Brown is more than capable as a secondary scorer.
Moses Brown is up from Division II after an unbeaten regular season, replacing East Providence. Portsmouth, which lost to Burrillville in the final despite its own unbeaten mark into November, remains in the lower division and could finish the job this time. Coventry, Scituate, the Broncos, Lincoln and Mount St. Charles all closed at .500 or better prior to the playoffs.
Just nine teams remain in Division III after Shea dropped from its ranks. Toll Gate defeated Westerly in last year’s final while Narragansett and Lincoln School both made runs at the top spot. It’s been feast or famine for the Titans in recent seasons — three titles in lower divisions since 2015, but a combined five wins from 2016-19.
Providence Country Day made it a pair of first-time Division IV champions in a row by beating Rogers in the final. The Knights followed Blackstone Valley Prep in 2021 as an unexpected side to hoist a title. Anna Shamgochian might be the most unique player in the state for PCD — a future college goalie who roams the midfield for her high school team.
The state’s top returning players include a handful of All-State picks who are far from finished. Underclass talent made its presence felt in the league in 2022 — it should be no different over the next three months.
Here are 10 players to watch entering the upcoming season:
Emily Brown
Chariho, Junior
Brown seems to have a knack for scoring critical goals against tough opponents. Want to clip North Kingstown or Pilgrim in a tense 1-0 match? Need the tying strike against Cumberland or Mt. Hope? She’s probably the player you’d expect to pop up at the vital moment. Let’s see how much further Brown can raise the ceiling in 2023.
Ellie Bishop
North Kingstown, Junior
An absolute nightmare for opposing defenders. Power, pace and the confidence to score goals in the season’s most important matches — that was Bishop in 2022. To think she might still be improving is a sobering thought for any school lining up against the Skippers.
Bella Cambio
North Kingstown, Junior
The most energetic player we’ve seen in the state for quite some time. Just scroll through the photo gallery of last year’s title match with La Salle — Cambio is around the ball in seemingly every image, winning it back quickly when opponents looked to break on the counter and dominating as an attacker.
Amaya Coffie
Pilgrim, Senior
The Patriots have dropped just five regular-season matches since 2017. Their transition to Division I was seamless, and Coffie has helped extend their run at the top of the standings. She’s quick enough to find space against any defender, strong enough to fend off challenges and technical enough to finish any chance.
Ryann Denecour
Chariho, Junior
Forget any local comparisons. Denecour is among the region’s most complete players in her class. She helped ODP 2006 to the Dallas Youth Cup final in the spring and is a two-time All-State selection with the Chargers. Leading the line, attacking from midfield, holding possession and allowing teammates to catch a breather — Denecour can do it all.
Krista Kasbarian
Smithfield, Senior
The Sentinels always seem to feature an elite player or two. Kasbarian certainly qualifies — her late strike dealt North Kingstown a stunning upset loss last October. Any coach would like to build a roster with a veteran like this as the foundation.
Maddie Keegan
Burrillville, Senior
The Broncos were Division III champions in 2021 and Division II champions in 2022. It’s not really a secret how they’ve done it — good players who have shown the ability to produce in big moments. Keegan is part of this side’s glue, a valuable contributor on defense or in the midfield with a powerful right foot.
Emma Kucal
Cumberland, Junior
Health will be the only question with Kucal this fall. A late knee injury in 2022 was just about all that stopped the All-American from scoring in bunches as a sophomore. She’s physical, technical and an absolutely lethal finisher when given even the slightest chance in front of the opposing goal.
Thea Jackson
Mt. Hope, Sophomore
Opposing defenders might want to follow some softball advice when Jackson takes possession and give her a step. Better yet, give her three. The Huskies striker features legitimate track star speed and wasted no time terrorizing rival fullbacks in her 2022 debut.
Camila Leiva
Moses Brown, Junior
The Quakers built a power in Division II. The challenge will be sustaining it at the top level — Chariho was able to do so successfully last season, and deploying a match winner like Leiva is a good start. She can change the mood against any opponent with a well-timed moment of magic.
Oceanna Orlandi
Cranston West, Junior
Texted an opposing coach last fall looking for All-State input. An immediate response: “The Cranston West kid — the goalie. She killed us.” That would be Orlandi, who’s back for more in 2023. She’ll keep the Falcons in every match thanks to a natural mix of athleticism, strength and fearlessness.
On X: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: 10 names to know in RI high school girls soccer this fall
