Sophomores Isabella Dessoye and Camryn Karp are expected to lead the way for the Pittston Area girls soccer team while it reorganizes after being hit hard by graduation losses.
The Lady Patriots had 10 seniors who started last season when they were healthy. They helped Pittston Area reach the District 2 Class 4A playoffs and finish 8-10-1, including 4-8 to place fifth of seven teams in Division 1 of the Wyoming Valley Conference.
Dessoye makes the move from defense to midfield this season.
Karp is the only player returning to the same role as last season, remaining as a starting forward.
“We have a very new team this year,” Lady Patriots coach Elena Falcone said.
Junior Juliana Menendez, a key part of the rotation last season, is expected to move into the lineup at midfield.
The rest of the lineup remains unsettled heading into the final week of the preseason.
“We are excited to see how our scrimmages pan out next week,” Falcone said. “We have multiple underclassmen working really hard and fighting for starting positions.”
Forward Kelcey Podwika and defender Isabella Pisano are the freshmen most likely to crack the lineup.
“We have a lot of fresh energy and the team camaraderie is something every coach dreams of,” Falcone said. “They are all ears and eager to learn and grow.
“I’m most excited for the foundation being built and the future of the team as a whole. We are going into this season hoping to continue to expand upon those ideals and get better each game.”
