Coming into the 2018 girls varsity soccer season, Head Coach Ernie Billittier was already optimistic about the team’s outlook for the season.

 With the likes of seniors Myah Strokosch, Jackie Tyma, Hadlee Linane and Molly Mishler and junior Nicole Robb, the team looked as good as it ever had.

 No one knew even remotely, though, that four freshmen would be on the varsity roster when the season started.

 However, it happened. Carly Zentz, Addison Spilman, Lia Perrelli, and Eva Thier all made the 2018 girls varsity soccer team as freshmen.

 “It was pretty clear their ability was at a level that was conducive to playing varsity<” Billittier said. “I think during tryouts they showed me this when they were competing against some of our seniors and proved to me that they could hang.”

  The four played previously on the same club together; however, finding out they made varsity as freshmen was one of their most treasured experiences.

 “My emotions when I found out I made varsity could be described like fireworks going off, one of the happiest times of my life,” Spilman said.

 Bringing these girls up to varsity was not just so they could fill the remaining sports roster.

 “We would not have brought [the four freshmen] up to the varsity level if they weren’t going to play. That’s not good for their development as a soccer player,” Billittier said.

 In fact, two freshmen, Zentz and Thier, were the starting defenders.

 However, the freshmen who come in off the bench in most games or only start a few games, such as Perrelli and Spilman, have just as important of a role.

 “They’re good enough where they can go in in critical situations and give our studs a rest during the course of a game while still being able to compete and get the job done,” Billittier said.

 All of these girls have also participated in the MHS soccer camps that the high school holds annually for future MHS students who play girls soccer.

 These camps have helped the girls develop their skill sets and get them ready for high school soccer.

 “The camps are super welcoming to everyone,” Perrelli said. “You play games while still learning a lot of the technical work, so it’s a good combination of having fun and getting better.”

 As for each of the girls in general, Billitter highlighted one trait that he feels set them apart from their fellow freshmen.

 “She is a tremendous shot stopper. She has very natural reflexes,” Billittier said about Perrelli.

 Billittier raves toughness as a coach, and he sees that in specifically one freshman.

 “[Zentz] is tough as nails. She doesn’t care who she plays against; she just puts a hurting on everyone,” he said.

 Billitier also felt like he had a true five-tool player in this freshman class

 “Eva’s a player. She has a little bit of everything. She has athleticism, technical ability, she’s fit, she has tremendous upside,” he said.

 As for Spilman, she’s the brains.

 “Addison’s first touch is tremendous. She’s a very technical player with great vision. She’s so good with the ball, and she can manipulate the game simply based on her vision.”

 With such a strong freshmen class, the future has never seemed brighter.

 “The four of them are going to be the future of our program,” Billittier said. “They are already playing at a high level right now; the sky is the limit.”