Girls soccer players Kama Westhelle, Kaya Rosen and Vivian Kubany speak at the CHS Media Day on Aug. 21.
MAPLEWOOD — The Columbia High School girls soccer team has come a long way since Mateo Green took over as the head coach a few years ago.
The Cougars saw a strong turnout this year, which bodes well for their goal of winning the Super Essex Conference–Colonial Division title.
“The attitude is good,” Green said. “Since June 15 from our summer practice, we had 56 girls come out. My first year, we had 11 on that first day. There is strong interest.”
That strong interest has paid early dividends, as the Cougars are off to a 2-0 start, defeating Irvington 8-0 on Wednesday, Sept. 2, and Science Park 10-0 on Friday, Sept. 4.
Kaya Rosen had two goals and two assists, and fellow senior midfielder Safi Griffiths had two goals in the win over Irvington. Senior midfielder Olivia Roskin had one goal and one assist, and sophomore forward Shae Nelson and senior outside back/winger Stevie Markovic each had one goal.
Rosen and Nelson each had two goals and one assist in the victory over Science Park. Freshman forward Zareen Alban, senior forward Vivian Kubany, junior midfielder Lyla Bernhard and freshman forward Maggie Dowd each had a goal.
The top returning players are sophomore winger Jacinda Howard, Kubany, Rosen and senior center back Kama Westhelle. The returning players are senior goalie Naomi Swanson, senior right back Charlotte Zimmerman, senior center back Finley Friedman, senior center/outside back Sahana Lynch, Roskin, Rosen, Bernhard, Griffiths, Markovic, Kubany, Howard and senior Talia Blint Midrony.
The rest of the team includes freshman goalie Lena Squilla; junior center back Esme Levy, sophomore center back Lila Clammer, freshman winger/center back Ivy Weinstein, freshman center back Alexandra Corliss; freshman defensive midfielder Josephine Doble, freshman midfielder Violet Hanson and senior striker Shayna Campbell.
Photo by Joe Ragozzino
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