The faces on the Chardon Boys Soccer team’s schedule will look different this fall, but the expectations inside the Hilltoppers’ program remain the same.
After putting together the most successful season in school history, Chardon enters 2026 with a new challenge as it begins play in the Chagrin Valley Conference. The Hilltoppers leave the Western Reserve Conference after capturing their first league championship and compiling a 14-4-1 record last season.
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For head coach Michael Smith, the move represents an opportunity to test his program against a new group of opponents.
“It’s definitely exciting,” Smith said. “It’s going to be different for us. We see it as a good challenge to face some different opponents than we’re used to playing.”
While Chardon’s style of play won’t change, the preparation leading up to each match certainly will.
For years, the Hilltoppers became familiar with the tendencies of their WRC rivals. That familiarity disappears this season as Chardon adjusts to life in the CVC.
“We’ll definitely be watching a lot more film,” Smith said. “When you play the same teams year after year, you get a good sense of how they’re going to play. Most teams don’t change their style or formation very much, so you know what to expect. Coming into a new conference is different because we’ll have to game-plan more, be prepared for different opponents, and spend more time studying film.”
The move comes on the heels of a historic campaign.
Chardon’s 14 victories established a new program record, and the Hilltoppers celebrated the school’s first conference championship. The success, however, came with a price.
Graduation claimed 13 seniors, including seven or eight starters, leaving Smith with plenty of questions to answer before opening day.
“We’re still figuring out some starting spots,” Smith said. “There are a lot of positional battles right now, but that’s how it was last year, too. We’ll just go with the flow.”
Despite the turnover, Smith likes what he has seen from the players competing for larger roles.
“A lot of the underclassmen have already stepped up and are competing for those spots,” he said. “I’m pretty confident we’re going to have another pretty good year.”
Replacing one of the most accomplished senior classes in program history won’t be easy. Neither will navigating a conference filled with unfamiliar opponents.
But after making history a season ago, the Hilltoppers welcome the challenge.
The names on the schedule may have changed, but Chardon’s goal remains the same: compete for championships and continue building on the momentum created by a record-setting 2025 season.
