2026 Soccer Season Previews
Girls Soccer Previews Highlight Regional Coaching Changes and Contenders for 2026
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Key Points
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Pittsfield lost eight players to graduation, including goalkeeper Castillo and defenders Summers and Ellerbee, while leading scorer Conyers transferred to a prep school after recording 10 goals and 21 points in 2025.
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Pittsfield’s returning players include midfielder Pope, who led the team with 10 assists last season, along with Abbey Wong; both earned All-Western Massachusetts second-team honors, while sophomore defender Hannah Dalton received honorable mention.
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Perryville’s returning first-team all-county players produced substantial numbers last season: Ashlyn Anderson scored a county-high 16 goals, Sadie Tome recorded 14 assists and six goals, and Carsyn Hulbert contributed five assists and four goals from defense.
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Perryville coach Chris Tome said the program’s immediate objective is to win the county title, while developing its freshmen well enough to make another deep playoff run and potentially return to the state tournament.
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Pittsfield coach Molly West identified increasing goal production and improving the team’s pace of play as two specific priorities for the 2026 season.
Girls soccer programs across multiple regions are entering the 2026 season with new coaching leadership and high expectations. Berkshire Eagle reports that Berkshire County has welcomed three new head coaches, while teams like Pittsfield and Perryville are banking on strong returning cores to build on recent postseason success. Pittsfield seeks consecutive improvement under coach Molly West with seven returning seniors, while Perryville aims to extend its five-year run of regional titles.
In early-season action, Concord Monitor reported that Coe-Brown defeated Kennett 2-1, scoring twice in the opening 29 minutes despite Kennett controlling stretches of the match. The victory came after Coe-Brown's goalkeeper navigated a late corner-kick scramble to preserve the win.
Pittsfield Rebuilds Around Seven Returning Seniors
Pittsfield faces the challenge of replacing eight key graduates, including goalkeeper Castillo and defenders Summers and Ellerbee. Leading scorer Conyers, who recorded 10 goals and 21 points in 2025, transferred to prep school. Coach Molly West is relying on returning talent to offset these losses.
The Eagles' core includes midfielder Pope, who led the team with 10 assists last season and earned All-Western Massachusetts second-team honors. Abbey Wong also made All-WMass second team, while sophomore defender Hannah Dalton received honorable mention. Berkshire Eagle noted that increasing goal production and improving pace of play are West's stated priorities for 2026.
Perryville's Star Trio Aims for State Tournament Return
Perryville returns three first-team all-county players from its regional-title squad. Ashlyn Anderson led the county with 16 goals last season. Sadie Tome recorded 14 assists and six goals, while Carsyn Hulbert added five assists and four goals from defense. These veterans anchor a program seeking to extend its five consecutive regional championships.
Coach Chris Tome told Cecil Daily that the program's immediate goal is winning the county title while developing eight freshmen to make another deep playoff run. The Tigers last reached the state tournament after capturing a Class 1A East Region I title, and Tome believes this year's blend of experience and youth positions them for similar success.
Regional Success Stories Fuel Optimism Across Coverage Area
The Recorder reports that teams across its coverage area are riding momentum from notable postseason achievements. Greenfield and Franklin Tech both won state tournament games, while Frontier Regional secured a tournament berth. These victories provide confidence and experience heading into a new season with several regional contenders expecting playoff runs.
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