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There are a lot more changes to our statewide MIAA boys' soccer Top 20 poll this week as some of the teams hit rough spots.

At the top is Ludlow, after the Lions made it a perfect 10-0 to start the season. The next three teams are all 8-0-1 and each could be considered the top team as well. Needham moves up a spot to No. 5, while Silver Lake continues to make its way up the rankings to No. 7.

Four teams were dropped from the rankings this week. Dartmouth lost to Brockton for the second time this season and fell below .500 for the year. Worcester North also lost again and fell from the final spot at 3-3-3 for the season. Westborough and Bedford only lasted one week in the Top 20 before tough losses knocked them back into the Last 10 Out.

Nauset is back in the rankings, where they started the season, after the Warriors made it eight games unbeaten. This is the Nauset team that we expected in the preseason. Wachusett and Framingham each enter the rankings for the first time after strong starts to the season. The No. 20 spot is held by Brockton, which has played a very difficult schedule. Its losses came to No. 3 Somerville and No. 13 BC High and the Boxers pulled out a tie against No. 2 New Bedford last week.

For the full poll, click HERE.

In This Week: No. 16 Nauset (7-2-2), No. 18 Wachusett (6-1-0), No. 19 Framingham (7-1-0), No. 20 Brockton (6-2-1)

Out This Week: Dartmouth (3-4-1), Westborough (6-1-1), Bedford (5-2-0), Worcester North (3-3-3).

CONCORD, Mass. – Seven years ago, the Concord-Carlisle soccer team staged a single game to help raise money for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in honor of assistant coach Steve Wells’ mother Lois. The annual Kicks for Cancer was so well received that in 2011 it had grown to six games and twelve teams. In the past seven years, the event has raised more than $100,000 for cancer research.

On Saturday afternoon, the event reached another milestone, as the Lady Patriots donned blue t-shirts for the first time and took the field against league rival Lincoln-Sudbury. It was the first time that the girls’ programs had taken part in the event and it was announced that all the proceeds for this year would support women’s cancer research.

“It’s nice to get them involved, particularly since all the money being raised is earmarked for women’s cancers,” said Concord-Carlisle boys’ head coach Ray Pavlik after his team’s game in the nightcap. “It was something that they’ve wanted to do and we just finally said it’s time to go.”

According to Lincoln-Sudbury head coach Kate Berry, the process started before last year’s event when former Patriots coach Nancy Slocum started lobbying Pavlik to have the girls join in the event. Although there was no room in 2012, and Slocum stepped down as coach following the season, she continued to push for the girls to be included.

“[Nancy Slocum] and I talked about doing it last year and Ray just didn’t have a spot for us…kudos to her for getting us the opportunity,” said Berry. “I’m so thankful that we got the chance to do that. It’s so great for the girls and I think it’s a really wonderful opportunity.”

When asked if L-S would like to be part of next year’s event, she responded, “I guess it’s up to C-C, but we’d love to take part if we can.”

First-year head coach Peter Fischelis was thrilled for his team to be able to experience Kicks for Cancer. He remarked, “It’s great for the kids, it’s great for the families, it’s great for the crowds and it’s just great to have such a nice day. They loved it; they really had a ball. It’s just a superb event all-around.”

Senior captain and goalkeeper Angela DeBruzzi admitted that the girls had heard the boys talking about the event for years and had always wanted to be part of the day. She said, “It was our first time getting to play in this, which is awesome and to come out here and to support breast cancer awareness.”

She added, “It’s really nice to finally be part of it.”

During Kicks for Cancer, teams do not wear their traditional school colors and uniforms. The players don t-shirts that are adorned with the name of someone that they know (i.e., family member, friend, or coach) that has battled cancer. Lincoln-Sudbury boys’ coach David Hosford talked about how the experience teaches the players to understand the importance of things beyond the field of play.

He also added, “One of the things that is really cool is that we had 15 or 20 of our former players back. They all want to come back and see the moment. It’s not a home game, but in a lot of ways it’s their homecoming.”

DeBruzzi was playing for her grandmother and it was her name that was on the back of her black goalie shirt. She may have been the star of the game and earned her a team a draw (more below), but it was the mention of her grandmother that finally brought a smile to her face.

She said, “I took a picture of the shirt and sent it to her just to make sure that she knew I was thinking of her.”

29th minute honored in boys’ game: As the clock ticked past 29:00 in the first half of the game between the Concord-Carlisle and Lincoln-Sudbury boys, the officials blew their whistle to stop play. Both teams went to the sideline and joined the large crowd lining Doug White Memorial Field for a minute of applause.

The planned stoppage paid tribute to Bridget Spence, the wife of Concord-Carlisle High English teacher Alex Spence, who passed away this year at the age of 29. The 2013 event was dedicated to her memory. Spence was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 22, according to Pavlik, and she battled cancer for seven years, while also working diligently to raise money for Dana Farber.

Pavlik, wearing a t-shirt that said Spence on the back with the number 29, explained, “If there is anyone that is a testament to what Dana-Farber can do…she worked up to the last few weeks of her life raising money for Dana-Farber. She was a pretty special woman.”

The idea for the minute of applause came from one of the players and both coaches agreed to the plan.

Pavlik reflected, “That was cool. It was a nice moment to stop…it was a nice touch to do a moment applause.”

No. 4 Lincoln-Sudbury girls 0, No. 16 Concord-Carlisle 0

Maybe it was wearing her grandmother’s name on the back of her jersey, but Angela DeBruzzi was in inspired form for Concord-Carlisle (5-0-2) when they took on Lincoln-Sudbury (4-0-2) in the 3:30 kickoff. Thanks to DeBruzzi’s heroics, which included five incredible saves in the second half alone, the No. 16 Patriots held the No. 4 Warriors to a 0-0 draw.

“Their goalie was lights out; I think that’s the whole story,” raved Berry. “She played a phenomenal game. I don’t even think we were kicking it right at her; I think she played a really good game in goal. She was awesome.”

Three times in the second half DeBruzzi made a spectacular stop to rob junior forward Hannah Rosenblatt of a goal. She also made a diving save on freshman Jenna Barnes and another on a cross by Caroline Kessler. It was a great performance and helped C-C keep its sixth clean sheet in seven games.

“Having a goalie like that gives you a lot of confidence in the back. She was incredible,” said Fischelis. He added, “She’s an incredible athlete. She has an unbelievable sense about where to be and when to go out and when not to. Some of those things you just can’t teach someone; it’s instinct.”

DeBruzzi deflected the praise on her teammates. She said, “I think we’ve exceeded everybody’s expectations and that comes from playing as a team and everybody working their hardest every game. It’s not me that’s having the shutouts; it’s the whole team.”

Lincoln-Sudbury dominated possession and created the lion’s share of the chances, although the best scoring opportunity of the first half fell to the Patriots. Senior captain Allie Barrett had a low shot just tipped wide of the post.

No. 8 Concord-Carlisle boys 1, Lincoln-Sudbury 1

Sophomore goalie Bobby Hurstak saved the game for the Warriors after the teams traded first half goals. Lincoln-Sudbury (3-0-3) held on to salvage a 1-1 draw with No. 8 Concord-Carlisle, who rued missed opportunities throughout the game.

“We had plenty of chances in the first half, plenty of chances in the second half, but their goalie was awesome. He was a huge equalizer tonight,” said Pavlik.

The visitors took the lead in the 25th minute on a short free kick on the edge of the box. Nathan Cohen caught the Patriots unaware by playing a pass on the ground to captain William Hutchinson, who coolly slotted it home.

The hosts kept up high tempo and pressure throughout the first half and hit the crossbar with a header before junior Mitchell Palmer rose highest to nod home a cross by Leo Fondreist with just more than a minute left in the first half.

Concord-Carlisle (6-1-1) would dominate the opening stages of the second half and Hurstak was forced into a brilliant diving save to rob Fondresit from inside the 6-yard box. The home fans were on their feet cheering again with 13 minutes left, but Garrett Leahy’s shot was inches over the bar.

“It was really won or lost in the midfield and I think we dodged some bullets with some of the chances they had,” said Hosford. “They’re a very good team.”

In other action:

Reading 1, Woburn 0 – Dave Sullivan scored the lone goal for the Rockets. Woburn also had a late penalty saved.

Lexington 3, Wakefield 1 – Lewis Mustoe, the son of NBC soccer broadcaster Robbie Mustoe, scored a brace and Caleb Stipple added the third for Lexington. Antonio Parrinello had the Wakefield goal.

Brookline 2, Newton North 0 – Ari Karchmer and Toma Beit-Arie scored the goals for Brookline in a battle of Bay State Conference teams.

Acton-Boxborough 1, Wayland 0 – The Colonials earned their first win at Kicks for Cancer on a goal from Julian Stewart.

There was little movement atop our statewide girls' soccer Top 20 poll this week, with Central Catholic maintaining the top spot for a second straight week.

However, Lincoln-Sudbury and Franklin were on the move, each moving up a spot in the Top 10 after Duxbury slipped up.

There was also a new team welcomed in, with Concord-Carlisle making its debut at No. 16.

For the full poll, click HERE.

In This Week: No. 16 Concord-Carlisle (5-0-0).

Out This Week: No. 20 Algonquin (2-1-1).

SOMERVILLE, Mass. – Somerville head coach George Scarpelli could only shake his head as he talked about the turmoil that his team has faced this season. Scarpelli was speaking before his squad faced fellow top five team Masconomet Wednesday at Dilboy Stadium.

From the start of training, the well-publicized allegations against several Highlanders’ J.V. players have placed a cloud over the program. Yet, the team has succeeded on the field. But coming into Wednesday’s game, Somerville was preparing to play against one of the top teams in the state without seven of its starters, who were missing from both injury and internal discipline.

By the end of the game, Scarpelli was shaking his head again after his inexperienced crew held off a formidable challenge from Masco. A strong performance by senior keeper Luis Guerra and a second-half goal by senior Luis Salguero pushed the Highlanders to a 2-1 victory in an entertaining, end-to-end contest.

“It’s been tough…mentally, physically…I’ve said to people that we haven’t even put together two practices as a whole team to actually physically train together as team,” reflected Scarpelli after his team held on for the victory. “One thing that I was nervous about on this team was depth, but the good thing is that we saw some pieces that can now fill in.”

Masco started the game strongly, as Somerville’s inexperience showed in the opening minutes. The Highlanders were forced to scramble away a corner in the opening minute and Masco senior midfielder Adam Grammer forced Guerra into a good save with his legs. After that save, Somerville started to gain control through senior captain Francisco Neto.

In the 15th minute, Neto earned a free kick from 25 yards out that the midfielder then curled towards the top corner. Masco keeper Willie Stewart got across to palm it away for a Highlanders corner. Neto played the ensuing corner into the box where Jonathan Figueroa hit the bouncing ball on the volley to open the scoring.

The Chieftains came right back, but Guerra saved at the feet of Edison Forbes. Guerra was forced into several great saves in the first half as Masco pressed forward and he was quickly off his line to keep Max Craig from getting to a through ball. In the 30th minute, Jeff Panella played in Grammer, who beat the offside trap, and on a two-man breakaway he unselfishly fed Craig, but the senior slid the ball wide of the open net.

It was a moment that could have turned the game and Scarpelli was proud of the way that his team recovered and even created another chance before halftime. Daniel Raphael forced into a sliding block to prevent Salguero doubling the advantage.

“We stuck in there, we hung in there, we didn’t quit, we didn’t lay down and I was nervous after that one play that they missed that we would turtle-up and hang back I give a lot of credit because they pushed forward and kept going,” said Scarpelli.

The second half continued the pattern. Masco would push forward and create chances, but the Chieftains were denied by solid goalkeeping and inability to finish. Stephen Pease missed over the bar from inside the six-yard-box, Grammer had a shot from a corner cleared off the line by Neto and Guerra, and then the captain also had a header saved on a free kick.

Masco head coach David Mitchell rued his team’s missed chances.

“The difference in the game was that they finished their opportunities and we didn’t,” he remarked. “They didn’t get too many looks, I actually think we had more, but we just didn’t have enough composure in the box.”

Scarpelli credited his senior keeper. He noted, “They had the better chances, but Luis came up big with a few huge saves on breakaways and crosses. You can see how he stands out above just about every keeper in the state. He’s so good; it’s impressive. That’s why I’m going to enjoy this last year.”

Somerville continued to look for the second goal that could put the game away, but Salguero again could not keep his shot down off a Neto cross. From the goal kick, Masco had another chance, but again Grammer was unable to finish a breakaway as Jose Ayala slid in to clear the ball off the line. Two minutes later, the lead was doubled.

Salguero took a feed from Neto and this time planted an unstoppable shot from the edge of the box into the bottom corner to make it 2-0. Instead of sending Somerville to an easy win, however, the Highlanders backed off for a second and Grammer’s flick eluded Elliot Rippe straight into the path of Craig, who finally was able to finish a breakaway and get Masco back within one.

In the end, Masco pressed but could not find the equalizer. Mitchell was pleased with the performance of his team in a state tournament atmosphere, despite the defeat, “Adam created some good stuff, Max Craig played well up top just distributing balls, and Jeff Panella – I don’t think he missed a ball in the air all day. We’re a good team on the attack; I’m just disappointed that we didn’t finish the chances that we created.”

There was relief from the Somerville players with one player commenting that he could not believe that they had won. It was another positive sign for Scarpelli that his team is capable of going all the way.

“We had three J.V. players starting that game and you wouldn’t know where there were, so I’m proud of them,” he remarked. “These are the games we have to see…that prepare you for the state tournament.”

There is a new No. 1 team in the state this week.

New Bedford controls the top spot in this week's edition of the ESPN Boston MIAA boys' soccer Top 20 poll.

Somerville had a minor stumble on the road against Lexington and had to settle for a draw. It may have only been a minor blip, but New Bedford and Ludlow have been perfect, so each moved up one place. The Whalers beat Top 20 team and South Coast rival Dartmouth last week and will have a tough week with a pair of Big 3 games, while the Lions are looking ahead to a Top 10 showdown with Amherst on Oct. 5.

The Highlanders only drop down to No. 3 after the draw and will take on No. 4 Masconomet in the top match-up of the week.

Groton-Dunstable lost a pair of games last week and dropped out of the Top 20, while Worcester North dropped from the Top 10 to No. 20 after a tough start. The other team to drop out of the poll was Acton-Boxborough, which was beaten 3-0 by No. 8 Concord-Carlisle over the weekend.

Westborough moved into the poll for the first time after it beat Wachusett and Groton-Dunstable to improve to 6-0. The Rangers take over at No. 18.

Bedford also moves into the poll at No. 19 behind All-New England midfielder Michael Dushman. The Bucs take on Concord-Carlisle on Wednesday, so they will have the opportunity to prove that they belong right away.

In This Week: No. 18 Westborough (6-0-0); No. 19 Bedford (5-1-0).

Out This Week: Groton-Dunstable (2-2-2); Acton-Boxborough (1-1-2).

Central Catholic makes its first-ever appearance as the No. 1 team in our statewide MIAA girls' soccer Top 20 poll.

The void at the top occurred after Franklin was beaten, 2-1, by Canton on Monday. Meanwhile, Central Catholic has dominated all four teams it has faced this season and moves into the top spot.

Also, Belchertown jumps to No. 2 behind the Moreau twins, who are potential All-New England, if not All-American players.

Franklin lost its 26-game unbeaten streak and falls to No. 6.

To see this week's complete ESPN Boston Top 20 poll, click HERE.

In This Week: Newton North (No. 15), Minnechaug (No. 17).

Out This Week: Marshfield (No. 18), Winchester (No. 12).

With another installment of the ESPN Boston MIAA boys' soccer Top 20 poll, we saw very little movement this week -- virtually none, to be exact.

In one of the few examples in recent memory, there was not a single team jumping in or falling out of our poll this week.

To view this week's poll, click HERE.

The seventh annual Kick for Cancer event will be held next weekend at Concord-Carlisle Regional High School.

Here's a look at the event, per today's press release from Patriots athletic director Barry Haley:

Some of greater Boston’s best high school soccer talent will gather to compete against each other and fight cancer at the 7th Annual Kicks for Cancer, to be held on Saturday, September 28th and hosted by Concord Carlisle High School.

In addition to boasting high school soccer action at its finest, the event includes food, raffles, souvenirs, and more, all to benefit cancer research. In what’s become a tradition, teams participating at Kicks for Cancer will wear special pink or blue jerseys with the names of loved ones that have suffered from the disease emblazoned on the back.

This year’s event has been expanded to include some of the area’s top girls’ teams. In one of the games, Lincoln-Sudbury’s boys varsity will face-off against Concord-Carlisle, with the two teams leading the Dual County League’s Large and Small groupings, respectively.

Games start at the adjacent turf fields at CCHS at 1 p.m., and will finish under the lights at roughly 8 p.m. Tickets to see all games are $5 for children and $10 for adults.

Kicks for Cancer has raised close to $100,000 since its inception – including over $25,000 last year despite poor weather conditions – with all proceeds going to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. The event began in 2007, after Lois Wells, mother Concord Carlisle assistant coach Steve Wells, succumbed to cancer.

“Kicks for Cancer is a true grass roots event that began when the kids just wanted to do something for Coach Wells – but its grown into an important benefit. The soccer is always great, but obviously, it’s about so much more than that,” says Ray Pavlik, head coach of the CCHS boys team and the founder of the event.

Below is the schedule of Kicks for Cancer games on Saturday, September 28:

1:00 p.m., CCHS Turf Field 1, Reading vs. Woburn
1:00 p.m., CCHS Turf Field 2, Lexington vs. Wakefield

3:30 p.m., CCHS Turf Field 1, Lincoln Sudbury Girls (#3) vs. Concord Carlisle Girls (#12)
3:30 p.m., CCHS Turf Field 2, Brookline vs. Newton North

6:00 p.m., CCHS Turf Field 1, Lincoln-Sudbury Boys (#10) vs. Concord-Carlisle Boys (#12)
6:00 p.m., CCHS Turf Field 2, Acton-Boxborough (#13) vs. Wayland

Concod Carlisle High School is located at 500 Walden Street in Concord, MA.

For those who are unable to attend the event, but still wish to make a donation to Kicks for Cancer, may do one of the following:

Concord-Carlisle Kicks for Cancer web site, including directions to the fields: http://cchsmenssoccer.com/kfc.html
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kicks-for-Cancer-Concord-Carlisle/146077038820061?sk=info

Dana Farber donation page: www.dana-farber.kintera.org/kicksforcancer .

If you’re even remotely curious and you’ve met Miracle Trimble, you’ve probably wondered what the story is behind her first name.

As many times as she’s answered the question, Miracle still thinks her mother tells the story better.

“When I was five months pregnant with Miracle, they found a cancerous tumor,” Emily Trimble said. “They took out my whole womb with her in it. They took the tumor out and put her back in, and she finished cooking.

“She had a 50 percent chance of living. Actually, she saved my life, because if I hadn’t been pregnant, I wouldn’t have known anything was wrong.”

In some ways, Miracle was still fighting the odds until last year, when she scored 32 goals as a sophomore for Morse High School, and made the all-state girls soccer team.

“Miracle is a soccer coach’s dream,” Morse coach Steve Boyce said. “She loves the sport, and as a result, she’ll do anything to be a positive influence on the field. She’ll track the ball, and if she loses it, she’ll track back and get it. You don’t often get someone who loves the game, and is also pretty good at it.”

“I’m in love with soccer,” Trimble said. “It’s like food for me, too. I mean, I love food, but soccer’s the best. I always strive to do better and show people wrong from when I was younger.”

Trimble said she began playing soccer in rec leagues in Bath, and immediately fell in love with the sport. She kept playing, kept trying to get better, but wasn’t sure the sport loved her back.

“I was thinking about quitting soccer when I was younger, because no one really believed in me, except for my family,” she said.

For Trimble, that came to a head when she was on the eighth grade varsity team. As Trimble tells the story, she rarely got playing time, and went to see her coach after getting in only for the final minute or so of a game.

“I asked her what I needed to do to be a better player,” Trimble said. “She said, ‘Well, you’re not up to par for the varsity.’”

A short time later, Trimble and her family were online, searching for a field she could play on by herself to get more practice. During this search, they found out about the Seacoast United team.

Critics of pay-to-play programs will say that they prey on kids just like Trimble; they’ll tell Player X that even though she can’t play for her middle school team, they can make him a star if Player X's parents shell out some money and stay committed to the program. But in this case, Trimble really was that good, and playing for Seacoast United made her even better. Trimble still plays for Seacoast United, as well as in an Olympic Developmental Program.

“My parents cart me all over the United States for me to play soccer, because it’s what I love,” Trimble said.

Trimble made the varsity at Morse as a freshman, but there weren’t many opportunities to show her increased skills. She played behind Tori Field, who scored 44 goals as a senior that year and now plays at the University of New England.

“I played right bench,” said Trimble, who scored four goals that year. “I never subbed in, basically.”

Trimble became a starter last year, and quickly started scoring goals. She stands about 5-3 or 5-4, but her speed and tenaciousness allow her to find the ball and get it past defenders.

“She is probably one of the shorter people on the field, and she had five header goals last year that were just phenomenal,” Boyce said. “She shoots well with both feet, and she’s surprisingly quick. You might think she’s not going to get by you, but if she’s determined, she’ll do it.”

Then there’s Trimble’s shot. If you don’t think someone Trimble’s size can move so fast, you’d really be stunned by her power.

“My goalie doesn’t like doing shooting drills with her,” Boyce said, remembering a recent practice. “Her shots were typical turf field shots – low and hard. When my keeper went down for it, it would hurt her wrist. Or if she had to blunt it with her foot, it would hurt her foot. So she wouldn’t make an extra-special effort to make a spectacular save on those shots.”

Morse went all the way to the Western B final before losing to Falmouth. As the Shipbuilders kept winning, more and more teams designed their defenses around the girl who scored 32 goals, sometimes assigning two or three people to keep Trimble from doing her thing.

“It’s hard,” Trimble said. “It makes things harder, but it makes me better as a player. It’s not just a ‘me’ sport, it’s a team sport. It makes me a stronger player, and a better person.”

(Read full post)

Franklin holds strong as the No. 1 side in our statewide ESPN Boston MIAA girls' soccer Top 20 poll, but there was movement to the back side after the first week of the season.

Oliver Ames slid into the rankings this week, while Acton-Boxborough made its introduction, after taking down a Top 20 opponent in No. 19 Peabody.

For this week's full poll, CLICK HERE.

In This Week: No. 16 Oliver Ames (1-0), No. 17 Acton-Boxborough (1-0)

Out This Week: No. 11 East Longmeadow (0-3), No. 19 North Andover (1-1)

No. 1 Somerville boys' soccer opened the season with a 3-1 win over Brockton and stays atop the ESPN Boston MIAA Top 20 poll for the second week in a row.

New Bedford is close behind after a perfect 3-0 start. This week also featured the first Top 10 match-up as Masconomet and St. John's Prep drew, 1-1, in Danvers. Max Craig had the equalizer for Masco; he is a former Prep player, who transferred back for his junior year.

There were a few upsets of note in the opening week as No. 7 Concord-Carlisle drops six places after a loss to Cambridge and Nauset drops out of the Top 20 after defeats to Martha's Vineyard and No. 2 New Bedford. Dartmouth also suffered a tough loss to unranked Brockton in a rivalry game, but rebounded with a big victory over Falmouth.

Belchertown, which moved to Division 1 in the West sectional this year, beat No. 5 Amherst in the season opener and moves into the top 20 for the first time in the history of the poll. The win over the Hurricanes was the marquee victory that the Orioles needed to show that they are ready to make the jump from D3 to D1. Belchertown joins the Hurricanes and perennial power Ludlow to make it three teams from the West in our top 12.

There is a lot of parity around the state and many teams have only played one or two games, so there will most likely be a lot of movement in the rankings as teams manage difficult league campaigns. As the first week has shown, this is going to be a very interesting season.

In This Week: No. 12 Belchertown (3-0), first time in the rankings.

Out This Week: No. 14 Nauset (1-2), in Last 10 Out.

Acton-Boxborough girls' soccer opened its season Saturday and earned a 1-0 win over No. 18 Peabody.

Not only did the Colonials earn a Top 20-quality win, they did it in style.

Check out the game-winning goal by Kaylee Sye during the second half in this clip submitted by parent Mike Ford. After a nice build-up, Alex Spangler plays a perfect ball into the box and Sye delivers with a perfectly directed header into the goal.

Somerville takes over the No. 1 spot in the first ESPNBoston.com boys’ soccer Top 20 poll of the 2013 season (CLICK HERE).

The Highlanders were ranked No. 2 at the end of last season, after losing to state champion Needham in the semifinal, and bring back senior forward Thayrone Miranda, one of the most dynamic players in the state.

The defending champion Rockets drop down to no. 9 in the poll after losing 9 of 11 starters from last year’s team, including the program’s all-time leading scorer and ESPNBoston.com Mr. Soccer Mac Steeves. As many coaches have pointed out this preseason, with legendary head coach Don Brock prowling the sidelines it is impossible to count out Needham.

New Bedford and star midfielder Klisman Souza jump into the No. 2 slot on the advice of just about every coach and player that was spoken to this preseason. The Whalers have the potential and depth to be a great team, as long as they stay focused and avoid getting frustrated against teams that are going to be physical and try to kick them out of games.

FRANKLIN STILL ON TOP
On the girls’ side, defending D1 champion Franklin holds on to the No. 1 ranking that it claimed at the end of 2012 (CLICK HERE FOR POLL). Although the Panthers will not have prolific, All-American forward Kristi Kirshe, Franklin brings back 8 of 11 starters and will expect junior Taylor Cogliano to provide the team with offensive punch.

As one coach put it, “The road to the D1 title still runs through Franklin.”

A number of the teams that held on to top spots last year have dropped because of the graduation of superstars (more on that below), including No. 9 Medfield, which went unbeaten in winning the D2 title. The Warriors could very well be at the top of the poll at the end of the year but, with five freshmen on the roster and a host of players taking on more responsibility, it may be a while before Medfield reaches its potential.

Needham is a team to watch out for this season with junior midfielder Kayla Steeves and sophomore forward Rachel Kingston, among others. The Rockets could make a run similar to the one that the Needham boys went on last season. Other teams making preseason noise are Winchester and North Andover, which each drew praise from opposing coaches over the past two weeks.

With MIAA soccer matches kicking off this week, here are four storylines to watch for the new season:

1. Realignment changes dynamic of postseason.

The MIAA realigns this season and a number of teams will be competing in different divisions this year. The biggest change is that Division 2 now only exists in Eastern Mass. This means a shift for several teams out West, including Belchertown, which now has its girls playing in Div. 1 while the boys are expected to dominate in Div. 3. Two-time defending D2 state champion Groton-Dunstable also faces a jump up to D1 in Central Mass.

In the boys’ South sectionals, these changes have suddenly created a D2 tournament that will be as difficult as just about any sectional in the state. Division 1 South semifinalists Dartmouth and Oliver Ames, along with fellow playoff teams Nauset, Walpole, and Catholic Memorial will all be dropped down. The teams combined for seven wins in the 2012 D1 playoffs and, when added to D2 mainstays like Canton, Medfield, and Hingham, will provide a deep bracket filled with potential state champs. One team not included in that list is last season’s D2 South winner, Medway, which will now compete for the D3 title.

All of the movement will add some spice come October and November as many of the teams (for example the Dedham girls, who have been moved to D3) compete in leagues with teams in higher division or schedule those opponents to prepare for the playoffs.

2. What happens when the face of the program leaves?

The Needham boys will be without their all-time leading scorer, Mac Steeves, this season and on the girls’ side there are a number of programs that have lost not only good players, but among their best ever.

Franklin’s Kristi Kirshe, Peabody’s Hayley Dowd, Oliver Ames’ Kendall Andrew, Canton’s Lauren Berman, Nashoba’s Kim Slade, and Concord-Carlisle’s Andrea O’Brien are just a few of the graduates that have left question marks around entire programs. (Apologies to anyone not mentioned - it’s a very big list.)

Many of these teams are familiar faces in the rankings and will find a way to be successful even without the big name (Franklin for instance is still considered the team to beat in D1), but that is an amazing amount of talent moving on and it has changed the whole perspective on how successful these teams can be. It has opened the door for new league and sectional champions.

In many cases these players were not only the best player and the talent that produced wins on the field, but also the foundation on which the team formulated its game plan. Now, coaches may have to adjust to lesser talents that are not able to decide games on their own and players will have to step up and take responsibility where before they could simply pass to the star. It’s a challenge that will be interesting to watch this season.

3. A true rivalry out West.

Ludlow, boasting 17 state titles, has long been the dominant force in the West region, but last year Amherst earned its first ever sectional title and showed that it could compete with the best. This season, Ludlow is considered the team to beat but, with seniors Brandon Vazquez and Eric Gooden, Amherst believes that it has closed the gap. Both teams are ranked in the preseason Top 10 and now there are two teams that people out East have to ask about at the start of every year.

If the fans of Belchertown had their way, there would be a third team to add to the rivalry. The Orioles put up numbers last year that would make Barcelona jealous, but it is hard to determine the caliber of teams that they are competing against. With the drop into D3 this season, the gap between Belchertown and the top teams in the West is even larger, making it even more difficult to rate them.

4. Mr. Soccer and Miss Soccer races heat up.

Going into the season, there are a number of players to watch out for and the race for the second annual ESPNBoston.com Mr. and Miss Soccer awards (won last year by Mac Steeves of Needham and Kristi Kirshe of Franklin) has the potential to be very close.

Here are preliminary lists of some of the male and female players to watch heading into 2013:

Boys – Thayrone Miranda (Sr., F, Somerville); Dave Stapleton (Sr., M/F, Oliver Ames); Klisman Souza (Sr., M, New Bedford); Brandon Vazquez (Sr., M, Amherst); Noah Martins (Sr., M, Dartmouth); Aram Ouligian (Jr., D/M, Needham); Michael Dushman (Sr., M, Bedford); Paul Beatty (Sr., F, Silver Lake); Bobby Ivatts (Jr., M, Walpole); Lucas Resende-Verge (Sr., K, Weymouth).

Girls – Caitlin Harty (Sr., F, Beverly); Taylor Cogliano (Jr., F, Franklin); Kate Holleran (Sr., M, Oliver Ames); Lauren Petit (Sr., M, Medfield); Kayla Steeves (Jr., M, Needham); Breanne Moreau (Sr., M, Belchertown); Brooke Murphy (Sr., F, Monson); Maddie Jolin (Jr., F, Bishop Feehan); Alexis Fruzetti (So., F, Whitman-Hanson).

Four Massachusetts soccer players are part of an elite group of 64 soccer players, aged 15 to 17 years old, being called into U.S. Soccer's National Combine this week.

Goalkeeper Austin Aviza (Medway), forward Mohamed Kenawy (Boston), Rivers midfielder Declan McCabe (Weston) and defender Miles Robinson (Arlington) will attend the camp held Aug. 9-13 at Nike's World Headquarters in Oregon.

Aviza and McCabe both play for the New England Revolution's youth academy.

Here's more on the event from today's release from the Revolution communication staff:

As part of U.S. Soccer’s expanded Training Center program – launched in partnership with Nike in 2013 – the five-day camp is designed to evaluate and build the core for the U.S. Under-18 Men’s National Team pool. Youth National Team staff will run the sessions under guidance of U.S. Soccer Director of Scouting Tony Lepore.

The player pool was selected by U.S. Soccer scouts through assessment at Training Centers and Local Combines, Development Academy events and other youth soccer programs over the past year. This National Combine is a premier opportunity for the nation's top high school-aged boys to be evaluated by National Team staff and scouts from around the country.

Aviza earned his first call-up to U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team camp in March, training with the squad from March 23-31 in Carson, Calif. The Medway resident had previously participated in four U.S. Soccer Training Centers, held locally in January 2012, June 2012, November 2012 and January 2013.

McCabe was previously enrolled in U.S. Soccer’s Under-17 Residency Program in Bradenton, Fla., and was named to Under-17 squad for the 2011 Albir Garden Sports Cup, held in L’Aflas Del Pi, Spain from Oct. 15-20. The midfielder attended a U.S. Soccer Under-14 National Team camp in 2009 and Under-15 National Team camps in 2010 and 2011, held in Carson, Calif. McCabe also participated in U.S. Club Soccer’s ID2 program in 2007, 2008 and 2009, and was selected for a trip to Germany and the Netherlands in 2010.