IN CONTROL: Hun School girls’ soccer player Jess -Johnson controls the ball in action last fall. Senior defender -Johnson’s skilled play and calming presence on the back line will be critical as Hun looks to defend its state Prep A crown. The Raiders open their 2015 season by playing at Episcopal Academy (Pa.) on September 10 and at Princeton Day School on September 15. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Catching fire down the stretch last year, the Hun School girls’ soccer team emerged as one of the pleasant surprises of the fall season.

Featuring a pair of senior stars, Ashley Maziarz and Jess Sacco, along with a number of talented young players, the Raiders peaked with a riveting 2-0 victory over Pennington in the state Prep A championship game, ending its 11-year title streak.

While Hun has a bull’s eye on its back coming into the upcoming season, Raider head coach Joanna Hallac believes her squad can produce an encore performance.

“I think there definitely is both confidence and an understanding that it is not going to be easy,” said Hallac, who guided the team to a 14-4-1 record in 2014.

“I think we know that if we are doing the little things the way we need to do them, we can not only equal last year but maybe improve on it. At the same time, there is no more flying under the radar.”

After getting off to a flying start last fall in her high school debut, talented forward Kara Borden is poised for a big sophomore campaign.

“Kara is looking good, she has even grown a little bit more; her size and speed make her a huge threat up top,” said Hallac, who plans to utilize speedy senior Marleigh Nociti to join Borden up top and also provide punch in the midfield.

“She has been finishing really nicely during preseason. I am hoping that she can take her freshman year and build on it even more this year. She is the kind of player that even if we are not playing that well, all of a sudden we get the ball on her feet and she makes things happen and finds the back of the net and changes the whole dynamic of the game. It is so great to have a player like that on the field.”

Hun features another dynamic player at attacking center mid in sophomore Nicole Apuzzi.

“She is looking dangerous offensively and she just really sees that game well,” said Hallac. “The offense runs through her up to Kara. We are relying on her heavily to help generate some offense for us.”

The Raiders are relying on a pair of veterans, senior Sophia Sauma and junior Abby Gray, to shore up the midfield.

“Sophia Sauma is one of our co-captains and seniors,” said Hallac. “Soph has been great, she has been a good leader. She is more of defensive central midfielder but she has been playing so well in the preseason. I am really looking to her for some strength in the midfield and leadership on and off the field. Abby Gray will play center mid as well as outside mid for us. She works so hard all year long to improve her game and it has paid off because she is playing really well. She is doing some really nice things, whether she is in the middle or she is outside. She really understands the game well.”

Junior Shannon Dudeck and sophomore Kennedy Dubow give Hun some depth and game on the wing.

“Shannon Dudeck has been showing improvement from last year; she is going to be a much bigger contributor than last year,” said Hallac, who will also be using junior Natalie Csapo at midfield once she is back at full speed after dealing with some nagging leg injuries.

“She is going to be an important piece for us this year. She commits totally. She works hard and has a smile on her face. Kennedy is going to be in the midfield, she is going to be one of the outside players. She also has shown some good improvement this offseason. I have been really happy with her effort and what she is doing in the midfield.”

Hun figures to get some outstanding work as center back from battle-tested senior Jess Johnson.

“Jess is looking great, she is co-captain along with Sophia,” said Hallac.

“She just has been her usual constant, calm self back there, really helping to orchestrate things. She is making some more runs up through the midfield and even up into the offensive third out of the back. I am looking for her to do that more this year and this preseason. You feel as a coach and as a player on the field and as a goalkeeper, confident with her back there. She is just so solid.”

Hallac is confident that junior Julia Salerno can step up alongside Johnson at the middle of the defense.

“Julia is filling that hole left by Ashley in the back,” said Hallac. “She is looking really good, she has made the adjustment well moving from the outside to the center back position. She is really good out of the air and getting better offensively when she wins the ball, making good decisions. She is also making some nice runs out of the back in our scrimmages. Jess has been helping her.”

Another key player in the back for the Raiders will be sophomore Kendall Dandridge.

“Dandridge is going to be on the outside again most of the time and I am looking for her to make those great runs up the flank out of the back,” said Hallac.

“She provides some offense but she is just so solid defensively. As a freshman, she really showed a lot of maturity in her play. I am really pleased with the way she has been playing both offensively and defensively.”

Seniors Amanda Douglas and Paloma Rodney will provide some maturity to the defensive unit.

“Amanda Douglas has been starting in the midfield and I have been playing her at the outside back position,” added Hallac.

“She is a smart player and a hard worker and it is nice to have that versatility. Paloma Rodney, who missed all of last season because of knee injuries, has been battling hard to get back out there. She has been starting most of the scrimmages at outside. I want to see Paloma finish her senior year getting to play, she is contributing and doing a great job.”

The Raiders boast a trio of goalies who could play at various points this year, including incumbent senior Courtney Arch, sophomore Livia Kooker, and freshman Leah Sutphen.

“We don’t have a lot of depth in our field positions but I have some really good goalkeepers; it is a really good problem to have,” said Hallac.

“Courtney has been getting a lot of competition. Livvy Kooker, who had some injury problems last year, has definitely been good competition for her. Leah Sutphen has been really impressive as a freshman. All three of them could see time. I can’t even tell you who I am going to start in the first game, it has been that tight. It is good for them and it is good for the team. No matter who is back there, the girls have been pretty good in terms of not letting that change the way they are playing.”

In order to produce another big year, Hun needs to maintain the upbeat approach that it displayed last fall in its championship run.

“I think the attitude just needs to stay focused and positive and if we suffer any setbacks, making sure that those things aren’t totally distracting us and we work through them,” said Hallac, whose team opens the 2015 season by playing at Episcopal Academy (Pa.) on September 10 and at Princeton Day School on September 15.

“If we have an injury or lose a game we should have won, we can’t get down on each other. We need to just stay focused on our goals, stay positive, and keep looking to improve. Practice is going to be key, staying focused and practicing every day like we play and not getting complacent. It is easy after a season like that to go in thinking no problem and then you get complacent and you are losing games.”