M.J. Ball has led his Hermon High School girls soccer team to six Class B North championships in his 11 years at the helm but a state championship has eluded them.
Greely High from Cumberland Center beat the Hawks in last year’s title game 3-1.
Ball returns a veteran lineup off last year’s 15-3 team including two of the program’s most prolific scorers: senior strikers Natalie Tardie and Madison Stewart.
And he feels this team is capable of finally winning the state title.
“We have eight starters back, we have some real good freshmen and some players who saw time last year but weren’t starters who are going to help us,” said Ball. “We had a really hard preseason for the purpose of trying to get better, find our weaknesses and fix them throughout the season so, by the end of the season, we’re healthy and ready to go.”
Among the teams Hermon faced in the preseason were three Class A South teams that finished in the top six of the 2024 Heal Points standings in Windham (1st), Falmouth (5th) and Thornton Academy of Saco (6th) along with Class A North second seed Camden Hills of Rockport.
The Hawks have wasted little time establishing themselves as the B North favorite with impressive wins over Ellsworth (6-0) and Caribou (11-1).
Stewart and Tardie have each scored five goals in the early going to elevate their career goals totals to 88 and 68, respectively.
“They are both in their prime,” Ball said about Stewart and Tardie.
He said Stewart can turn and hit a shot from distance, drive to the goal and is good in the air.
“Natalie has breakaway speed. She is very fluid with the ball and moves really well off the ball,” Ball said about Tardie.
The midfield features talented sophomore Payton Guerrette, who has three goals and six assists so far, and Mya Lancaster in the middle with speedster Ella Johnson and reliable senior Tessa Ewer on the flanks.
In the back, Erin Selleck and Lila Ryan are in the middle with the two outside backs coming from a group of players that include Devyn Stanley, Hazel LeClerc, Brooklynn Kelley, Lydia Muth and Peyton Stevens.
Junior Becca Balmas returns for her second season in goal after originally being a field player.
“She keeps getting better. She has made great strides,” Ball said about Balmas.
Two freshmen have already entered the goal scoring column and they are the younger sisters of varsity starters.
Allison Stewart, who is a midfielder, is Madison’s sister. And Elsa Ewer, Tessa’s sister, can play as a midfielder or a forward.
Kyla McCannell and Brynn Susee are midfielders who will see playing time.
Selleck and Tardie are the co-captains.
Ball feels this is one of his deepest teams, saying “there isn’t a dropoff” when the team puts in substitutes.
Ball is looking for consistency each game.
“We want to focus on what we can control. We want to create chances and lock down defensively,” said Ball.
The coach said that once teams get to the playoffs, the keys are staying healthy and having the right attitude.
“You also need a little luck and, unfortunately, we haven’t had that,” Ball said. “In five of our six state championship games, we’ve gotten a penalty kick called against us in the first 20 minutes. Luck wasn’t on our side. Hopefully our luck will change.”
Hermon’s next game is against Mount Desert Island High School on Tuesday.
“We’re going to focus on one game at a time, improve and be very fit and really strong at the end of the year,” Ball added.
