High School Soccer Preview

Titans ready to contend in Division II

Posted 9/2/14

There was a time when the Toll Gate girls’ soccer team wasn’t out of place in Division I, but the last few years the Titans certainly were, highlighted by a two-win campaign a year ago.

This …

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High School Soccer Preview

Titans ready to contend in Division II

Posted

There was a time when the Toll Gate girls’ soccer team wasn’t out of place in Division I, but the last few years the Titans certainly were, highlighted by a two-win campaign a year ago.

This season, the Titans should be much more at home.

Now playing in Division II, thanks to Interscholastic League realignment, along with city rivals Warwick Vets and Pilgrim, Toll Gate is as optimistic as it’s been in years in terms of competing on a game-by-game basis and finding a way into the postseason.

D-II is certainly no cakewalk, but it should give the Titans a much more level playing field.

“I’ve been part of this program for a long time, and we’ve gone a few years where we haven’t made the playoffs, and that’s discouraging for them,” said head coach Lonna Razza. “That makes it discouraging for me. I think this is a good move for us.”

So far, there have been mixed results. The Titans beat Johnston 3-2 in a scrimmage before dropping a pair of games to Pilgrim and Vets on Wednesday in the Warwick Vets Fall Soccer Tournament.

That said, even though it hasn’t been perfect, Toll Gate is ready to get the season underway and really see how it stacks up in its new division.

“There’s a lot of excitement right now,” Razza said.

The Titans will be replacing some key players from the last few years, including sweeper Laura McGuire, who currently plays at Assumption College.

On top of that, Toll Gate will be breaking in a new formation, which is essentially a 4-2-3-1, with designations for offensive and defensive-minded midfielders. A number of the players learned it while at camp at Keene State University over the summer, and they brought it back to their high school team.

Razza is already impressed with the way her squad is running it.

“We’re always, always, always guilty of losing the ball in the middle of the field, and this is going to help with that,” Razza said. “With the talent that we have this year and the kids that have worked so hard, it’s paying off.”

Perhaps the team’s top player is sophomore Hannah McNulty, who burst onto the scene to lead Toll Gate in scoring last year as a freshman.

She’ll play in the forward position, and should once again be the Titans’ go-to option for goals.

“She’s definitely shown during the preseason and even with the scrimmages that it’s going to be pretty exciting to watch,” Razza said. “I advise people to come to our games this year.”

Playing behind McNulty in the attacking midfield is sophomore Lily Fortin, senior Haley Rouleau, senior Grace McGrath and sophomores Marisa Giard and Madison Gothberg. Junior Sarah Lavallee is also in the running for time there.

The defensive midfield will feature senior Jordan Inkley – who projects as one of the team’s top players – as well as senior Nicole Patricio and junior Libby Costello. Junior Abi Given can also lend a hand there.

Defensively, junior Heather Allstrom and Kyleigh Zelano are back there, with junior Nicole Krause, senior April Wolstenholme, junior Morgan Candon and sophomore Karla Wolstenholme. Courtney Jacobsen, a junior, is swinging and will help with defensive depth.

“This is a really good, skilled group of girls,” Razza said. “This is the first time in a long time that I don’t have a freshman, because I don’t have a spot. But there are good freshmen.”

In net, seniors Katie Niles and Amber Francois are splitting time at the moment.

“The jury is still out on that,” Razza said.

Inkley, McGrath and Patricio are serving as captains.

It’s a team with a lot of versatility. There are also a few freshmen waiting in the wings on the junior varsity team who could make their way onto the varsity roster before the season is out.

For the first time in a little while, Toll Gate thinks it will all add up to some wins.

“I want to see them have a winning season,” Razza said. “I want to be on the .500-plus side, especially for the seniors.”

Toll Gate hasn’t had a winning year since 2009.

“Making the playoffs is not a far cry,” Razza said. “I think we should make the playoffs, and then we go from there.”

The Titans open up their regular season today at Chariho at 6 p.m. They also play Thursday against Coventry at 7 p.m. at Bend Street.

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