For the North Haven girls’ soccer squad, it is around the halfway bend when it comes to wheeling its way toward its desired windfall total. This rides on the backs of a bigger, younger, and hard-working group of competitors who are looking to do anything but back their way into the postseason.

A year ago, North Haven and Head Coach Gary Collins finished just below the .500 mark for the regular season at 7-9, though earned themselves a bid to the Class L State Tournament as the No. 25 seed before bowing out to 8th-ranked Branford 6-0 in the first round.

For the 2023 edition of the Nighthawks, they sit with a 4-6-1 overall mark heading into the home stretch of the regular season portion of affairs. North Haven showed great resilience through adversity with a 4-0-1 stretch after dropping its opening trio of contests. Comparing and contrasting the last two clubs, Collins concluded that this collection of players is grander in scale, and additionally via depth, with several youthful upstarts.

“Our goals this year are getting back to states with a winning record and hosting a first round game,” said Collins. “We have worked very hard during preseason in getting players to believe that we are a team that can go in with a winning record. Last year, we were low in numbers, but this year numbers are better, and it gives us more opportunities to compete in games with some depth and talent, as well.”

Leading the charge is a fearsome foursome of leaders in senior captains of Rebecca Ford (1 goal) at outside right midfield and Molly Marottolo (1 assist in 2023) opposite her on the left side in the mid. Cameron Ryan, with a score and three helpers this campaign, is doubling as a center midfielder or a central defender in the backfield; and then Anna Mortali jumpstarts the offense at striker, with seven goals and an assist thus far as the squad’s leading goal getter.

“Rebecca Ford gives us some speed and flanks,” said Collins. “Anna Mortali is our striker and does a lot of work on top for us. Molly Marottolo gives us some balance because she’s left footed and that gives us the option to go left to right comfortably. Cameron Ryan is a very athletic player that we can move around when we think we have to make a change defensively. She plays more of an attacking midfielder. All four work well within the team structure and maintain the chemistry and bond off the field.”

Additionally on defense, North Haven boasts junior Hannah Bernardo–a reigning two-time All-SCC Division player—plus she is backed up by sophomores Carly Ryan and Alison Palmieri, senior Julianna DiMartino, and freshman Leila Sweet.

“Defensively, we are getting better,” said Collins. “All these defenders have done a great job keeping us in games.”

Alivia Garnett, as a sophomore, has been a sure stopper as starting netminder for the Nighthawks, having already nabbed a couple of shutouts. She has shared time in the box with freshman Addison Whitcomb, as the tandem has functioned freely and formidably against opposing offenses.

“Alivia has done really well in goal,” said Collins. “Addison Whitcomb got some time in goal and helped persevere the shots with Alivia. Both are competing well in practice.”

Facing in front of the defense in the midfield, North Haven deploys sophomore Faith Nicholas, who plays in the defensive midfield spot, plus rookie standout freshman Ava Tarasuk.

“Faith does a lot of work for us defensively and as well as offensively with two goals and two assists. She gives us that box-to-box midfielder, which gives us more attacking threats,” said Collins. “Ava Tarasuk is a talented freshman with good potential to do well at the high school level who also has contributed with two goals and assists coming off the bench and doing well.”

On the offense within the forwards, junior Andrea August has aided Mortali with producing points. Further freshmen support comes from Maya Thompson, holding a pair of goals to her name this fall; and Olivia Ranciato, finding the back of the net once on the season. Senior Ayla Sivri has added a spark off the bench.

“Andrea August has done a good job for us, giving us the support on top with Anna,” Collins said. “Both Maya and Olivia have tremendous future potential to be very good at the high school level. We also have Ayla Sivri, who comes off the bench and has been giving us some positive quality minutes with her work rate.”

Right on the Nighthawks’ horizon for the remainder of the regular season are SCC Hammonasset divisional duels with rivals Mercy, Sacred Heart Academy, West Haven, and Lyman Hall. Collins proclaimed that even with the ups and downs of the opening half of the slate, North Haven has the prime personnel in place to still hit its preseason victory target and keep the culture heading in a more refined and successful trajectory.

“Coming into the season as coaches, we felt we had a 10-6 team that can go deeper into states,” said Collins. “Despite having the one tie, we still believe we can get 10 wins on the season. We knew we had experienced players. And now, we have the depth with some very talented freshmen to make this a very successful season and take positive steps to the future of the program.”

Collins is back for his fifth season at the helm. Assisting him in the middle of her sophomore campaign is Jen Yokley.

The 2023 North Haven girls’ soccer team’s roster is comprised of seniors DiMartino, Ford, Erika Fronte, Marottolo, Mortali, Cameron Ryan, and Sivri; juniors August, Bernardo, and Palmieri; sophomores Garnett, Nicholas, Grace O’Brien, Carly Ryan, and Madison Viveiros; and freshmen Peyton Harkins, Olivia McBride, Ranciato, Alyanah Santos, Elaina Solimene, Sweet, Tarasuk, Thompson, and Whitcomb.

2023 North Haven Girls’ Soccer Regular Season Results and Schedule

Sept. 12: Law 3, North Haven 2

Sept. 14: Mercy 4, North Haven 0

Sept. 19: Sacred Heart Academy 1, North Haven 0

Sept. 21: North Haven 2, Lyman Hall 0

Sept. 23: North Haven 2, West Haven 1

Sept. 26: North Haven 1, Hamden 1

Sept. 30: North Haven 3, East Haven 0

Oct. 4: North Haven 9, Career-Hillhouse 0

Oct. 7: Law 1, North Haven 0

Oct. 10: Mercy 2, North Haven 0

Oct. 13: Sacred Heart Academy 1, North Haven 0

Monday, Oct. 16: at Lyman Hall at 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 18: vs. West Haven at 6 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 20: vs. Hamden at 3:45 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 23: at East Haven at 6 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 25: vs. Career-Hillhouse at 6:30 p.m.