Chagrin Falls learned a lot from last season’s disappointing finish.
The Tigers, who finished just 5-11-1 overall and 3-1-1 in the Chagrin Valley Conference Chagrin Division, used last season as motivation for their 2024 campaign.
“The potential for our 2024 team is high,” said fourth-year head coach Joe Ciuni. “With all of the changes in Ohio and using the tough times of last season as motivation, we are poised to return back to the success we have had in the past. Many players gained some valuable experience last year despite the tough moments for our team. They should be able to use what they saw as a learning tool for their own games and take the next step as athletes.”
Ciuni’s biggest challenge heading into the 2024 season was replacing the graduated seniors on his back line.
“Many of our seniors from 2023 played defensive positions, so, we will be relying on some talented young players and a few returning seniors to anchor our defense and the base of our midfield,” he said. “We also graduated a couple of our main attacking threats. Fortunately, we bring back a few juniors and seniors who will lead the attack this year.”
The good news for the Tigers is that senior defender Maggie Goss returns after missing most of last season due to an injury. Senior goalkeeper Izzy Pribanic also returns after earning honorable mention All-CVC honors last fall. She recorded 73 saves and four clean sheets.
“Maggie was forced out of the 2023 season very early on due to injury. She was greatly missed on the back line as she has been a starter for us since her freshman year. We are very excited for her return to the field as she brings great toughness and intelligence to our back line. We will rely on her leadership, experience, and awareness to help build us into a great defensive team,” Ciuni said. “Izzy took some great steps last season for us and her improvement has continued into this season. She is a talented shot-stopper who will be called upon to provide great leadership for us in the back. We know we are going to need her to make some important saves for us this year as we face some very talented attacking teams and continue to grow ourselves on the defensive side.”
Up top, senior forward Bella Radomsky returns after scoring eight goals with two assists last fall on the way to earning first-team All-CVC and second-team All-Greater Cleveland honors.
“Bella was one of our most talented attacking players last season but was forced into playing center back due to multiple injuries,” Ciuni said. “She still managed to be our leading scorer for the season despite the change. We are very excited to see what Bella can accomplish returning to her natural attacking position. She is quick, strong, and motivated to maximize her senior season and lead us back to success.”
The Tigers return a pair of starters in the midfield in Brix Niethammer and Allie Stephenson, and senior Abby Coy returns from an injury that robbed her of her junior season.
Niethammer, a senior, scored five goals and earned first-team All-CVC and second-team All-Greater Cleveland honors.
“Brix is one of the best all-around midfielders in the area. She combines a relentless defensive game with a savvy attacking awareness,” Ciuni said. “We will rely on her to help us control the midfield and be a big factor on both offense and defense every game. Her runs out of the midfield will be important for us and she will be called upon to shut down talented attacking opponents as well.”
Stephenson, a junior, scored one goal and one assist last fall. She was named honorable mention All-CVC and All-Greater Cleveland.
“Allie has a well-rounded attacking game as she can beat opponents one-on-one, combine well with teammates, and can play a variety of passes around the field,” Ciuni said. “As a sophomore, we ended up needing her to play more of a deeper role for us, and is another player who will be able to move back into a more natural position up the field. She will provide us with a dangerous attacker who can play a multitude of positions across the front line.”
Coy, a senior, should help the Tigers generate scoring opportunities.
“Abby was poised to have a big role as a junior but an ACL injury meant she had to sit out 2023,” Ciuni said. “We are very much looking forward to her return to the lineup as she is a very technical player who has the chance to be a creative player for us when on the ball.”
The Tigers have the potential to return to their dominant ways of the past. Their success hinges on their seniors providing the leadership to the younger players, and those younger players settling into their roles.
“We will rely on our senior class this season,” Ciuni said. “They will be the backbone of the team and will have to have a big impact at every level of the field for us. As a class, they have experienced every high and low you can as an athlete. We will call on their experience, intelligence, and toughness to lead us through any times of adversity. Allowing some players to return to a more natural position this season will be helpful for us as well.”
As always, Ciuni will look for his squad to exert maximum effort from whistle to whistle.
“We will have to make sure our focus is locked in for 80 minutes each game,” he said. “We will have many moments of great play this season, but we have to try and avoid the periods of letting our guard down and giving our opponents a chance to capitalize.”
