MONTAGUE — 2025 was a magical year for Montague girls soccer, as the program finally achieved a longtime goal by winning its first ever district championship.
As the Wildcats assemble for an encore, they know it might not be easy. After all, 11 seniors, including several stars such as Ava Pelton, Adilynn Peterson and Addison Pranger, have graduated. But they're hardly waving the white flag.
"We're not in a rebuilding season. We're in a reloading season," Montague coach Chris Aebig said. "We have plenty of talent to fill. Obviously, we lost a ton of talent, but...it's going to be a season of growth. It's getting them familiar in their skin, getting them to be where their feet are. They need to embrace the challenge. I think we have the skill."
Many experienced players return, including senior Lilly Rice, the likely offensive engine of the team. Rice was part of a three-headed scoring monster with Pelton and Peterson a year ago and will now be looked to for leadership and likely more production.
"Last year we had a lot of seniors, so it was easy to blend in, but I think between Elle (Moran) and I, being one of few seniors, we're just going to really have to step up and try and build this team as much as we can," Rice said.
Moran, a dynamic defensive player, tore her ACL last season and is not yet ready to return to action, but she's expected back soon. In the meantime, Marguerite O'Connell and Callie Peterson, who each emerged as strong defenders as freshmen a year ago, plan to hold down that side of the field for a new keeper.
The Wildcats started senior Sara Zorrilla in net in their opener; she was one of several players who tried out for the position. It's hard to step into the shoes of Pranger, a three-year star at the position, but with a strong defense, Montague hopes to be similarly effective limiting opposing scoring. Aebig drew comparisons with Robby Smith, the 2024 keeper for the boys team who emerged to deliver outstanding results after the graduation of a star keeper, Eli Bunton, the previous season.
"We're not going to sit here and say that that's going to be an insurmountable task to try to get a keeper," Aebig said. "We'll see what happens. We've got good coaches that'll help develop that skill. Our defense is going to be strong and if the keeper doesn't have any shots on goal, they don't have to make any big saves."
That's where O'Connell and Peterson come in. O'Connell, a three-sport athlete, certainly has the talent to play the position well, and Peterson is the third Wildcat sister to star on the pitch after Emma and Adilynn, so her bona fides are obvious.
"We definitely want to be leaders on the field," O'Connell said. "We're going to have to trust our teammates and move forward no matter what."
Moving forward is something of a credo for Montague soccer this season, as the team doesn't want to rest on its laurels. This is a new group, even if several of the faces are familiar, and it wants to stay just as hungry to succeed.
There will be several big-time matchups during the season. Obviously the cross-river game with Whitehall is a highlight, but the Wildcats and Fremont have developed a healthy rivalry over the past two seasons due to their clashes in the district finals, so that game should be fun again too.
No matter what happens, Montague, aware it's now the hunted, will focus on being its best self in tournament time, as it was in 2025.
"Because we're so young, we're just going to have to take it day by day and not have any expectations," Rice said. "Obviously we'll set the bar high and try and work really hard, but I don't think we can expect anything right off the gate. We're going to try and leave last year, as awesome as it was, and just build from what we have this year and keep going throughout the season."
