After press time:
Lynnfield defeats Triton 8-1 (Sept. 4)
Lynnfield falls to Newburyport 3-0 (Sept. 2)
GIADA ANTIDORMI is one of four captains ready to lead the Pioneers in 2025. (File Photo)
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
LYNNFIELD — Mark Vermont is back for his 25th-year as the head coach of the Lynnfield high girls’ soccer team this season. Last year was a very successful one as the Pioneers reached the MIAA Division 4 state semifinals before falling to Hamilton-Wenham, 3-0.
Lynnfield finished with a final overall record of 16-4-2 and in the Cape Ann League, they came in second place to North Reading in the Kinney Division going 13-2-1.
Eight seniors from that squad graduated, including three Cape Ann League All-Stars (Emma Rose, Bella Carroll and Clara Caulfield) but Vermont did welcome back 13 veterans when fall camp opened a couple of weeks ago.
Four of the returners are this year’s captains: Bella Sykes (midfielder), Hannah Ozanian (midfielder), Ava Cook (forward) and Giada Antidormi (midfielder).
Sykes, Ozainan and Cook are all seniors while Antidormi is a junior.
Sykes was a CAL First-Team All-Stars last season as she had six goals and 11 assists for 17 points last fall.
The other senior back is midfielder Alex Schmidt.
The rest of the veteran players back are juniors. Along with Antidormi, the other 11th-graders back that started last season are Ava Damiani (striker), Kaylee Barrett (midfielder), Jordan Calichman (defenseman), Sofia Giardina (defenseman) and Victoria Miner (goalkeeper).
“It is nice to have a lot of upperclassmen return,” said Vermont who is a fifth-grade teacher at Lynnfield Middle School. “We have a really big junior class back.”
On Aug. 23, the Pioneers hosted a jamboree where they took on St. Mary’s of Lynn, Swampscott, Amesbury and Wayland.
They then hosted Danvers on Aug. 27.
Lynnfield will play an 18-game regular-season schedule as they will play the Kinney schools twice and the Baker Division teams once. They will have a pair of non-league games against Marblehead and Danvers.
Vermont feels that North Reading and Newburyport will be the teams to beat in the division this fall.
Lynnfield opened the 2025 campaign at home against Newburyport on Sept. 2 (result not available at press time). They host Triton on Sept. 4 at 4 p.m.
The Pioneers then play their third-straight home game on Sept. 9 as they welcome Essex Tech at 4 p.m.