SUN-GAZETTE FILE PHOTO Hughesville's Elizabeth Fortin and Milton's Lilly Batman jockey for position to control the ball in the first half. Both Fortin and Batman return for their respective teams this year, bringing experience to two squads which reached the playoffs in 2021.

Lynnette Reitz is the third coach within the last few years at Loyalsock, following after Dan Solley and Ben Comfort before him. But Reitz was an assistant under Solley, and she’s been around the program long enough to know where she wants the team to be at.

That’s back to being one of the HAC’s top teams. It’s been a few years since Loyalsock last reached the District 4 playoffs — 2018 in fact — but the Lancers have been building and using experience the last two seasons to improve and get better.

Two years ago, Loyalsock went winless, but played in six very tough double overtime games. Last year, the Lancers saw a six-win improvement. Reitz hopes to keep improving and building in the right direction in her first year as a coach.

“We’re moving in the right direction from a zero-win season. Our schedule is not looking like it has any weaknesses. The girls knew that coming into the summer, so they’ve been putting in the work at each training session over summer,” Reitz said. “They’re ready to dive in, get their feet wet and put work in and we’ve seen that in the first week of preseason. They’re not dwelling on the previous year. They want to build a new culture.”

Reitz sees unity within the team as Loyalsock’s biggest strength in 2022.

“There’s a huge culture shift, everyone’s getting along and pulling for each other,” Reitz said. “They’re helping each other learn the different principals and coach themselves as well as them taking new ideas.”

Loyalsock brings back plenty of experience this year, including Katie Ryder, Julie Ellis, Lauren O’Malley, Adara Whitehead, Emma Strickland and Kina Cominskie.

“She played outside bak primarily last year. One of those girls who went under the radar. Most didn’t even recognize that she was on the field, and because of good reason: she was so solid,” Reitz said of Ellis. “She’s returning and we’re excited about her. She’s showing the same level, if not higher, in preseason.”

Loyalsock has a new defensive player in GiGi Parlante, in addition to a handful of other players Reitz is expecting big things from.

Last year, Warrior Run went 10-9, falling to a tough Lewisburg team in the first round of the District 4 Class AA playoffs, 3-1. Warrior Run has a lot of experience back to build off that 10-win season, including Lindsey Trapani, Maggie Sheets and Kiley Bohart.

“(They) will be the players making an impact on the team in leadership roles,” Warrior Run coach Rob Ryder said. “Also, we have a variety of younger players that could fill in the midfield holes left by Maddy Ross and Leah Grow. Although they are young, every freshman n the roster has a lot to offer the team this season. Not only some starters, but they will also provide depth on our bench.”

Warrior Run also has goalie Addy Ohnmeiss back and Raygan Lust and Amara Bieber in the field.

Another team which saw success last year in reaching the playoffs was Hughesville, which went 10-6-1 and fell to a solid Milton team 3-1 in the District 4 Class AA quarterfinals. Cody Hack is in his first year at the helm for the Spartans, and feels the girls are motivated to get back after that tough loss.

“They definitely feel that they have unfinished business in the district playoffs. By utilizing the experience from last season, we have continued to push the envelope and find new limits within each other,” Hack said.

Hack sees Hughesville’s biggest strength being the team’s heart.

“There is an unrivaled passion with this team, and the motivation and pride to be a better person and student-athlete won’t let us fail,” Hack noted.

Hughesville has six seniors on the roster which bring experience in Kate Fortin, Jadyn McGinley, Madilyn Paulhamus, Hailey Poust, Grace Pysher and Hailey Sherwood. And juniors like Kylie Bieber, Sophia Clark and Makenzie Leitenberger, and sophomore Sadia Ammar-Khodja bring experience as well, adding talent throughout the roster.

Hack is excited about the team and being Hughesville’s latest coach.

“The amount of talent we have with this program is very encouraging. As much as I am excited to be at the helm, the decision was never/will never be about me,” Hack said.”The ladies deserve all the credit. They are the ones doing the work and playing the games. I’m more excited to be able to help build a culture of great soccer players and even greater people at Hughesville High School.”

Milton finished 14-4-1 last year, going 7-2 within the league, before losing to Montoursville in a tough semifinal, 2-1. But the Black Pantehrs return a lot of talent from that team including Ryen Roush, Mackenzie Lopez, Mo Reiner and others. Milton did lose some key pieces, hwoever, in Janae Bergey, Leah Walter, Riley Murray and Lexi Beaver.

“You can never really replace them, just learn who the new talent are quickly and how we as a team will work together wtih the new crew,” Milton coach Rod Harris said.

Reiner, however, was an outstanding goalie and is a huge boost for Milton defensively.

“Mo Reiner is a beast. It is huge for us to have a senior leader like Mo and arguably the best keeper in the league in the cage for us, especially with such a young team this year,” Harris said.

HUGHESVILLE

Coach: Cody Hack

Assistants: Kati Wyland, Caitlin McClintock, Melinda Temple

Last year: 10-6-1 (4-4 HAC-II) (lost to Milton 3-1 in District 4 Class AA quarterfinals)

League: HAC-II

Roster: Seniors: Kate Fortin, Jadyn McGinley, Madilyn Paulhamus, Hailey Poust, Grace Pysher, Hailey Sherwood. Juniors: Kylie Bieber, Sophia Clark, Bailey Derrick, Bryn Derrick, Kayla Fabiano, Elizabeth Fortin, Kaelynn Frick, Paige Kepner, Makenna Koser, Lilli Krause, Makenzi Leitenberger, Lindsey McDonald, Abigail Michael, Cameron Williams. Sophomores: Sadia Ammar-Khodja, Allison Anstadt, Abbi Bowman, Tiana Campbell, Lillie Caputo, Tessa Chilson-Sheets, Bailey Gavitt, Aubrey Hamm, Alaina Hicks, Reese Kirk, Alexis Kurzawa, Sarah Pidcoe, Maya Poust, Abby Tripoli. Freshmen: Taylor Bunce, Carly Converse, Allyssa King, Caradyn McGinley, Avery Puderbach, Ava Snyder, Alyson Taggart, Kylie Temple, Elizabeth Wolfe.

LOYALSOCK

Coach: Lynette Reitz

Assistants: Kayt Coppola

Last year: 6-11-1 (1-6 HAC-II)

League: HAC-II

Roster: Seniors: Alexis Whitehead, Elaina Bartley, Emma Strickland, Kina Cominskie, Natalie Bognaski, Mackenzie Dincher. Juniors: Katie Ryder, GiGi Parlante, Kinjal Bhagat, Emily Clark. Sophomores: McKenna Daniels, Kinley Rodarmel, Caidence Smith, Briana Helmrich, Kendall Cohick, Lauren O’Malley, Julie Ellis, Morgan Temple, Jordyn Buffington, Adara Whitehead. Freshmen: Reese Temple, Elaina Burkins, Molly Savidge, Colby Bower, Zowie Rinehart, Addie Bastian.

MILTON

Coach: Rod Harris

Assistants: (not available)

Last year: 14-4-1 (7-2 HAC-II) (def. Hughesville 3-1 in District 4 Class AA quarterfinals; lost to Montoursville 2-1 in semifinals)

League: HAC-II

Roster: Seniors: Chloe Russell, Ryen Roush, Alaura Foust, Mo Reiner, Carly Neidig, Justianna Leach, Alexis Sanders, Brittany Verdinelli. Juniors: Mackenzie Lopez, Leah Willow, Madi Snyder, Violet Bell, Alayna Chappell, Talya Bardole, Abigail Saber, Zoe Letteer. Sophomores: Lilly Batman, Camron Roush, Lauryn Aunkst, Addyson Murray, Madison Zeiber, Amelia Gainer, Kiera Nickles, Carlie Dauberman. Freshmen: Zoey Majors, Samantha Roarty, Addison Zettlemoyer, Claire Souder, Makayla Loreman, Kiley Long, Adelyn Bush, Rylie Anspach, Emma King, Elizabeth Schrock. Matt Lopez, Elsa Mincemoyer.

WARRIOR RUN

Coach: Rob Ryder

Assistants: (not available)

Last year: 10-9 (3-5 HAC-II) (lost to Lewisburg 3-1 in first round of District 4 Class AA playoffs)

League: HAC-II

Roster: Seniors: Jaine R. Hanford, Maggie SHeets, Kiley Bohart, Lindsey Trapani. Juniors: Amara Bieber, Alexis Hudson. Sophomores: Mallory Stover, Raygan Lust, Serenity Little, Amaya Bower, Addisyn Ohnmeiss, Abigail Loesser, Kayleann Marie Musser. Freshmen: Chloe Burden, Katie Zaktansky, Maura Woland, Callie Ulmer, Andreanna Bohart, Mya Grace Evans, Arleigh Marie Laidacker, Brooke Ryder.