While Northwestern didn’t win a state title again last season, the Tigers were once again a force winning league and district championships.

Nate Hunsicker’s club is expected to be strong again, despite the loss of TN/LVHN Player of the Year Matt Johnson.

Pleasant Valley, meanwhile, is also hoping to make some noise in the postseason in 2024. The Bears had a strong season a year ago and return a number of starters from the squad.

JIM THORPE

Head coach - Michael Dudak

League - Colonial League

Key returnees - Ehren Hassler (Sr., Mid), Noah Geiser (Sr., Mid), Henry Snyder (Sr., Mid), Jack Sanwirja (Sr., Def.), Hayden Meckes (Sr., Def.), Devon Frantz (Jr., Def.), Connor Holland (Jr.)

Top newcomers - Kayden Spence (Fr., Striker), Liam Off (Jr., GK)

Season outlook - The Olympians posted a 14-6 overall record a year ago, which was the program’s last season in the Schuylkill League. Olympians’ mentor Michael Dudak prepares to lead his team into their first season of action as members of the Colonial League. The Olympians are all about to “break into the CL and made a good first impression.”

Quotable - “We see our first year in the Colonial (League) as a challenge ... but we are up for a challenge.”

LEHIGHTON

Head coach - Dave Yob (15th year, 117-140-10)

League - Colonial League

Key losses - Jake Hall, Avery Hosler

Key returnees - Jacib Anthony (Sr., tri-captain, MF), Bryce Miller (Sr., cri-captain, GK), Jaxson Strauss (Sr., tri-captain, MF/Def.), Lucas Nichols (Sr., Def.), Shawn Tomsic (Sr., Def.), Gabe Reed (Sr., MF), Jesse Waksmunski (Sr., F/MF), Phillip Ebbert (Jr., MF/Def.), Carlin West (So., MF), Sawyer Hoffman (So., Def.), Nolan Strauss (So., Def.), Kai Salles (Sr., Def.)

Top newcomers - Chase Lobasso (Fr., MF/F), Peyton Ginder (Fr., MF/F), Austin Brooks (Fr., MF/F), Ezra Berros (Fr., MF), Noah Glaush (Fr., Def.), Aaron Strohl (Fr., GK/Def.), Kaeden Hernandez (Fr., MF)

Season outlook - The Indians are a veteran team returning 10 of 11 starters from last season and 13 of its 14 on the field. With a 9-9-1 overall record and a 5-7 mark in its last season in the Schuylkill League, the Indians’ mentor knows they have their work cut out for them in their first season in the Colonial League, as he mentioned, “No disrespect to the (Schuylkill League) but from top to bottom, the CL is a better league. We’ll need to adjust to a different style of play in the new league and a more possession-oriented attack by the CL teams.”

Quotable - “The goal every year is to make the league playoffs as well as districts. We have our work cut out for us this year and cannot afford any key injuries or losses.”

MARIAN

Head coach - Joe Tracy (3rd year)

League - Schuylkill League

Key losses - Nathaniel Rosario, along with a total of seven seniors who have graduated.

Key returnees - Jake Tom (Jr., Striker), Edison Mitchell (Jr., LW), Nuredin Gjoca (Sr., C)

Top newcomers - Chase Haubner (Fr., RW), Coal Romanchik (Jr., D/MF).

Season outlook - Joe Tracy enters his third season with the Colts, and this will be the first season the locals will be a member of Schuylkill League Division 2. The Colts lost plenty of numbers to graduation, but their head coach feels the team’s strength will lie in his players’ ball movement and a more well-rounded defensive attack. Once again, however, numbers haven’t been on the Colts’ side this season.

Quotable - “This is our first year moving up a division for the league, so this is the first year we will be facing those bigger schools, who have had their programs for years. We have the talent, and this season I think with the hard work these kids are putting in, we may be able to fit the pieces of this puzzle together the right way and really turn some heads.”

NORTHERN LEHIGH

Head coach - Tristan Moore (1st year)

League - Colonial League

Key losses - James Stock (GK), Jackson Hunsicker

Key returnees - Logan Berfield (Sr., captain, MF), Michael Wilk (Sr., captain, MF), Matthew McCarty (Sr., captain, Def.), Ethan Moore (Jr., captain, MF), Kellen Bauer (So., Center Attack), Chayce LoPinto (Jr., Right Attack)

Top newcomers - Kyle O’Connell (So., GK/Def.)

Season outlook - The Bulldogs would love to make it three straight years qualifying for the district playoffs. However, after making it the last two in the single-A classifications, the Bulldogs move up a class to 2A. With that, first-year Bulldog coach Tristan Moore knows the importance of improving their conference win percentage after last year’s 3-8-1 mark in the Colonial League. Moore plans to initiate several new formations that will complement a very strong and skilled midfield with Berfield, Moore and Wilk back on the turf.

Quotable - “One of our main goals this season is to improve as a unit and win the games we tied or lost by a single goal.”

NORTHWESTERN

Head coach - Nate Hunsicker (14th season)

League - Colonial League

Key losses - Isaac Frey, Zach Grim, Matt Johnson, Nick Krum, Tim Zellner

Key returnees - Nate Kinzel (Sr.), Brandon Krapf (Sr.), Jack Mauro (Sr.), Logan Mesics (Jr.), Caelan Stangil (Jr.), Jake Van Lierop (Sr.)

Top newcomers - Ben Bachman (Sr.), Austin Bittenbender (Jr.), Isaiah Lynch (Jr.)

Season outlook - The 2022 state champions were not able to repeat but made a strong run in states after winning both league and district championships. The team loses one of the best ever at Northwestern in Matt Johnson, but with a number of potential scorers to watch, teams will not be able to key on just one player. The defensive unit will have a couple of new faces to fit into the defensive scheme in front of returning goalie Brandon Krapf. Nate Kinzel returns as the defensive leader and has worked with younger players to get them up to speed on defense.

Quotable - “Developing chemistry is going to be big because we didn’t play one whole match this summer at full strength and to get our entire unit out there and gel together and plan on what we were going to be looking at coming into the fall season. Hopefully, we will be at full strength. We have a couple injuries, but we hope to get them back for the season.” – Nate Hunsicker

PALMERTON

Head coach - Antonio Orlando (5th year)

League - Colonial League

Key losses - Noah Sell

Key returnees - Trevor Anthony (Sr.), Dillon Lombardi (Sr.), Colton Ruzicka (Jr.)

Season outlook - The Bombers return after only losing one player – Noah Sell – to graduation after posting a 5-12 overall mark (3-9 in the CL) a year ago. Leading the Bombers in flight toward a new season are a duo of upperclassmen – Trevor Anthony and Dillon Lombardi – with the intent to making it to the postseason. Before they focus too far ahead, the Bombers will rely on its depth and experience of the older players and a deep bench with players who can perform on the pitch. Meanwhile, fifth-year coach Orlando wants to see progress in his team’s communication skills on the field.

Quotable - “We have set a goal of trying to qualify for playoffs and districts.”

PLEASANT VALLEY

Head coach - Isaac Blagogee (3rd year)

League - Eastern Pennsylvania Conference

Key losses - Nicolas Arevalo Serrano, Ryan Denninger, Raymond Slobodzian, Zachary Pandolfo

Key returnees - David Chamera (Jr., CB), Christian Pinhiero (So., CDM), Royce Thompson (So., CAM), Andrew Espitia (Jr., CDM), Dominic Balzano (Sr., F), James Morton (Jr., LB), Zachary Prator (Sr., GK), David Halla (Sr., LF).

Top newcomers - Lennox Granda (So., RM), Michael Powell (Fr., CDM)

Season outlook - Last year, the Bears posted a 12-7 overall record (11-6 in the EPC), which helped PV qualify for both the EPC and district playoffs – the only team in Monroe County to do so. But that was last year, and now third-year coach Isaac Blagogee hopes the combination of varsity experience and the strong team chemistry can keep PV on the right track back to the postseason.

Quotable - “This season isn’t like any other season; I have seen so much excitement from all the boys and we are looking to go far in EPC and districts, (posting) a better record from the previous season and looking to be a threat.”

TAMAQUA

Head coach - Jim McCabe (3rd year)

League - Schuylkill League

Key losses - Twelve seniors graduated (all were an integral part of the team); Cooper Ansbach

Key returnees - Nick Barron (Sr., GK), Mason MacMillan (Sr., Def.), Aiden Schlier (Sr., Mid./For.), Chase Behr (Jr., Mid.), Larson Hudak (Jr., Def.), Evan Temarantz (So., Mid.)

Top newcomers - Aidan Elston (Fr., Mid./For.), Brody Schlier (So., Mid./For.), Jakin Tamagini (So., GK), Will Behun (Jr., Def.), Tyler MacMillan (So., Def.)

Season outlook - The Blue Raiders took a hit on the roster — and varsity experience — as 12 players from last year’s 6-13 (2-10 Schuylkill League) squad have graduated. McCabe has a young team as there are 11 freshmen on the roster. However, he sees firsthand that they’re all “working hard and want to learn to progress” as time goes on. The third-year coach sees a lot of his Blue Raiders have “natural tendencies” that may lead to scoring opportunities throughout the season.

Quotable - “Our goal is to learn to ‘trust the process,’ which I can guarantee that if the athletes trust the coaches, work to change bad habits and build on their strength, then we will be a better team at the end of the season.”

WEATHERLY

Head coach - Kevin Kennedy (8th year)

League - Schuylkill League

Key returnees - Trent Higgins (Sr.), Alex Rosenlund (Sr.), Vincent Paisely (Sr.), John Puzzetti (Sr.), Michael Davies (Sr.)

Top newcomers - Corbin Wagner (Jr.)

Season outlook - The Wreckers may have struggled a season ago, but they return with plenty of recognition. Weatherly brings back five all-stars, including four multi-year all-stars. While the team’s strength will be experience, the Wreckers enter the season with a concern about their depth, something small school programs always deal with among those bigger Schuylkill League varsity programs.

Quotable - “Our goal every year is simple: better than the last. Should we get at least one draw, we’re going to the hibachi Steakhouse.”

Capsules by TJ Engle and Chuck Hixson.