A district championship provided Chagrin Falls Girls Soccer with a taste of postseason success last fall.
With nearly its entire lineup back, the Tigers believe they can accomplish even more in 2026.
Sixth-year head coach Joe Ciuni welcomes back nine starters and six additional letterwinners from a team that finished 12-8-1 overall, went 4-0-1 in the Chagrin Valley Conference and advanced to a regional semifinal.
The experience, combined with a talented group of young players who have already produced at the varsity level, has Ciuni optimistic about what lies ahead.
“We have the potential to be a real Division IV contender in 2026,” Ciuni said. “We returned most of our varsity roster from last year and had a lot of younger talent that had a great chance to develop their games in 2025. As long as we can keep the right mindset, it should lead to the chance to have some great success this fall.”
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Tigers reload after district championship season
Chagrin Falls’ 2025 season ended one victory shy of the regional championship game, but the Tigers graduated relatively few pieces from that district championship squad.
The biggest area to address will be the midfield.
“We will have to replace some of our midfield play from last season,” Ciuni said. “Fortunately, we had some talented younger players get significant playing time, and they should be ready to take on more responsibility. We also have a very good freshman group joining the program that should be positive contributors for us.”
Those younger players will join an established core that includes proven scoring threats, experienced defenders and two returning goalkeepers.
Ciuni sees versatility as one of the roster’s greatest assets.
“Our team is filled with very versatile players,” he said. “Just about everyone can play multiple positions, and play them very well. We will try to maximize our skill level and speed by finding a formation that allows players with those abilities to use them.
“Minimizing any weaknesses is done as a group in soccer. While trying to play to our strengths as individual players helps avoid exposing weaknesses, we must be ready to support each other on the field and work as one unit.”
Martin, Fisher headline dangerous Chagrin Falls attack
Opposing defenses won’t have the luxury of focusing on a single Chagrin Falls scorer.
Sophomores Tessa Martin and Felicity Fisher both scored 15 goals as freshmen and combined for 77 points.
Martin recorded 15 goals and 10 assists for a team-high 40 points while earning first-team All-Greater Cleveland and first-team All-CVC honors.
“Tessa is a dynamic player who has an excellent all-around game,” Ciuni said. “She quickly established herself as one of our top attacking threats and became a player that opponents specifically had to game plan for. She will be a main part of our attack again this year, and we want the ball to flow through her as often as we can.”
Fisher added 15 goals and seven assists for 37 points and joined Martin on the All-Greater Cleveland and All-CVC first teams.
“Felicity had a huge impact for us right away as a freshman,” Ciuni said. “She played midfield to start the year, but by the end, she had become one of our main scoring options up top. She never plays any game giving less than 100 percent, and plays with a real aggressiveness that gives opponents problems. She has excellent speed and foot skills to back up her tenacity, making her a tough matchup for people to stop.”
Sophomore Lexi Radomsky gives the Tigers another dangerous option after scoring eight goals with four assists for 20 points as a freshman.
Radomsky wasn’t in the starting lineup when the season began but earned her way into it and delivered in the postseason.
“Lexi uses her speed and creative finishing skills to make an impact for us every time she is on the field,” Ciuni said. “She didn’t start the year in the lineup but worked her way into the starting lineup by the end of the season. She scored important goals in the postseason, and we are very much looking forward to seeing how she can build off her freshman season.”
The three returning sophomore forwards combined for 38 goals, 21 assists and 97 points last season.
Buno leads experienced midfield
Senior Mia Buno returns as one of Chagrin Falls’ most productive and creative players.
Buno totaled 10 goals and nine assists for 29 points last season and earned honorable mention All-Greater Cleveland and second-team All-CVC recognition.
“Mia is super creative on the field and one of the main facilitators of our offense,” Ciuni said. “She has great vision and feel for the game, and often starts our most successful attacks. She is also special when it comes to set-piece service and makes us dangerous with every ball she serves into the box.”
Junior Ava Horvath returns to the starting lineup after contributing one goal and two assists.
“Ava has developed really well as a midfielder and brings a good combination of tough defense and offensive ability,” Ciuni said. “She has a great shot from distance and is one of our better defending center mids.”
Junior Samantha Pantuso, who scored one goal and recorded two assists last season, adds another experienced option despite not being among the Tigers’ returning starters.
“Samantha is a very technical player who has greatly improved her defensive play as well,” Ciuni said. “She has a wide passing range and will be an important player in the midfield for us. We will rely on her offensive abilities to keep our attack dangerous and unpredictable.”
Defense becomes a priority
As dangerous as Chagrin Falls can be offensively, Ciuni believes improvement at the other end of the field could determine how far the Tigers advance.
“We have to be better defensively this year,” Ciuni said. “We were definitely younger on that side of the ball last year, and it showed at times. Through the entire formation, it’s going to be a whole team goal to be stronger defending in our position. We will face some very talented attacking teams, and we will work to improve being able to shut them down.”
Chagrin Falls has plenty of experience available to make that improvement.
Sophomore Piper Chess earned a starting center back position as a freshman and finished the year with an assist while earning honorable mention All-Greater Cleveland and second-team All-CVC honors.
“Piper quickly became one of our starting center backs as a freshman and never looked back,” Ciuni said. “She has a high soccer IQ and combines it with speed, toughness, and good passing skills out of the back. She will be called on to be more of a leader this year and will be tasked with shutting down some of the great attacking players we will face.”
Senior Katie Rosner returns for her fourth season as a varsity defender. She recorded an assist and earned honorable mention All-CVC honors last fall.
“Katie has been a three-year defender for us who has made good strides each year,” Ciuni said. “She is a strong tackler who plays with a good aggressiveness. She has greatly improved her technical skills, and she is often asked to individually mark the stronger attacking players.”
Senior Abby Kay, an honorable mention All-Greater Cleveland selection, provides additional experience at outside back.
“Abby has been a starting outside back for us for the last few years,” Ciuni said. “She is a very strong 1v1 defender who has become very good at making forward runs and contributing to our offensive attack. She will be an important piece to our defensive game plan and will rely on her leadership this season.”
Junior Olivia Horvath also returns after recording an assist last season.
“Olivia has become a super impactful outside defender for us,” Ciuni said. “She has a great knowledge of the game and is very good at reading plays and shutting them down. She is also very dangerous moving up the field offensively and uses her excellent technical skills to make our offense more dangerous.”
Stewart, Ryan give Tigers experience in goal
Chagrin Falls also has the luxury of returning both members of its goalkeeping tandem.
Senior Harper Stewart gives the Tigers an experienced presence in the back.
“Harper has become an excellent goalie for us and has really improved her skills,” Ciuni said. “She is a very good shot stopper, excellent at coming out on 1v1s, and has been working hard at becoming a reliable player with her feet for us. We will look to her excellent leadership skills to help us reach our goals this year.”
Junior Kennedy Ryan provides Chagrin Falls with another proven option in goal.
“Kennedy is the other half of our goalkeeping tandem,” Ciuni said. “She works very hard to improve her abilities and it shows through the improvements she has made every season. She is aggressive, a great communicator, and a very good shot stopper. We are very fortunate to have both her and Harper manning the goal for us.”
Chagrin Falls enters 2026 with championship expectations
With nine starters returning from a district championship team, Chagrin Falls doesn’t have to wonder whether its young players can handle postseason pressure. Many of them already have.
Martin, Fisher, Radomsky and Chess all played major roles as freshmen, while veterans such as Buno, Rosner, Kay and Stewart provide an experienced senior foundation.
The Tigers also have six returning letterwinners beyond their nine returning starters, giving Ciuni depth and flexibility as Chagrin Falls attempts to defend its CVC success and make another postseason run.
After reaching the regional semifinal last fall, the next challenge is turning all that returning experience into another step forward.
For Ciuni, that will require the Tigers’ individual talent to function as one unit.
The pieces are there for Chagrin Falls to make another run.
Now the Tigers have an opportunity to see just how far they can take it.
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CHAGRIN FALLS TIGERS Girls Soccer
2026-2027 Chagrin Falls Tigers Girls Soccer Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Result | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 14, 2026 Friday | T 3-3 | 7:00 PM | Harris Stadium | |
| Aug. 19, 2026 Wednesday | L 0-4 | 7:00 PM | Twinsburg Tiger Stadium | |
| Aug. 24, 2026 Monday | W 3-0 | 7:30 PM | Kenston Bomber Stadium | |
| Aug. 27, 2026 Thursday | W 8-1 | 6:00 PM | Lutheran West | |
| Aug. 31, 2026 Monday | @  Avon | L 1-2 | 7:00 PM | Avon |
| Sep. 3, 2026 Thursday | 6:00 PM | Chagrin Falls | ||
| Sep. 9, 2026 Wednesday | L 1-7 | 7:00 PM | Weber Stadium | |
| Sep. 14, 2026 Monday | W 3-1 | 7:00 PM | Howell Field Watch | |
| Sep. 17, 2026 Thursday | T 1-1 | 6:00 PM | Rocky River High School Watch | |
| Sep. 22, 2026 Tuesday | W 6-0 | 6:30 PM | Chagrin Falls Watch | |
| Sep. 24, 2026 Thursday | TBA | Wickliffe | ||
| Sep. 26, 2026 Saturday | W 8-0 | 10:00 AM | Berkshire | |
| Sep. 28, 2026 Monday | vs  NDCL Lions | W 8-1 | 7:00 PM | Harris Stadium Watch |
| Oct. 1, 2026 Thursday | W 2-0 | 7:00 PM | Chagrin Falls Watch | |
| Oct. 6, 2026 Tuesday | vs WWRA | L 5-7 | 7:00 PM | Harris Stadium Watch |
| Oct. 8, 2026 Thursday | TBA | Chagrin Falls Watch | ||
| Oct. 10, 2026 Saturday | W 11-0 | 1:00 PM | Crestwood | |
| Oct. 13, 2026 Tuesday | vs  Magnificat | L 0-5 | 7:00 PM | Harris Stadium |
| Oct. 15, 2026 Thursday | T 0-0 | 7:00 PM | Harris Stadium Watch | |
| Oct. 22, 2026 Thursday | vs  VASJ Vikings | GAME CENTER | 7:00 PM | Chagrin Falls Watch |
Mentor Cardinals
Twinsburg
Kenston Bombers
Lutheran West Longhorns
Rootstown Rovers
Gilmour Academy Lancers
West Geauga Wolverines
Rocky River
Wickliffe Blue Devils
Berkshire Badgers
Kirtland Hornets
Crestwood Red Devils
Aurora Greenmen
