When Monique Lyons (Bedford, Mass.) broke free and buried an empty netter to put the NEPSAC girls Elite 8 title game away, Williston Northampton could exhale. The Wildcats were on their way to their second Elite 8 championship in as many years and second all-time.
By now, Christa Talbot Syfu's team is used to having a target on its back as a prep hockey powerhouse in the region over the past two seasons. There have hardly been any blemishes on their record in the span, following up a 23-1-0 marker in 2021-22 with an undefeated 27-0-1 run in 2022-23.
Even with some significant losses, like Katherine Kang (Amherst, Mass.) to Williams as well as Ava DeCoste (Marshfield, Mass.) and Miranda Calderone to Brown, Williston has a strong group of returners with plenty of seasoning.
"I think there is there's a lot of experience in our class, high expectations, and I do think that there will be some really, really good teams out there and some really good games," Talbot Syfu said. "We're looking forward to that. I would assume that there will be greater competition across the board."
Experience up front
Perhaps most notably, the Wildcats graduated Emily Crovo (Melrose, Mass.), now skating as a freshman with Holy Cross. Crovo finished her prep career with 105 points, including two goals and an assist in last year's championship game.
But Talbot Syfu feels Williston will be well-equipped to handle the loss. They return one of their best lines with Lyons (committed to Brown), Nora Curtis and Violet Carroll (Milton, Mass.) The three combined for 132 points last season.
"I anticipate the three of them being instrumental to our offensive group," Talbot Syfu said. "We'll have good depth across the board, I would say, which will be really helpful."
Lyons set a program record with 50 points last season between a team-high 26 goals and 24 assists. She has been the catalyst for much of the Wildcats' offensive success during her time at Williston. Talbot Syfu believes that her improved defensive game has helped her take an additional step beyond her goal-scoring.
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"She's very nifty with the puck, and she's got really good vision," Talbot Syfu said. "She's become an excellent penalty-killer, and she's definitely developed a 200-foot game since arriving here. She just has some things that you just can't teach with the puck. She's very, very, very talented."
Emily Hamann (Marlboro, Mass.), a Harvard commit, and Camille Armaganian (Concord, N.H.), committed to play field hockey at Northeastern, will be another pair of seniors complementing Lyons and the top line.
"It's really a tremendous group," Talbot Syfu said of the returners, also noting the team should see one or two freshmen stand out among newcomers who could contribute to the depth.
Bearing down defensively
There wasn't much that went wrong for the Wildcats in their wire-to-wire run last year, but Talbot Syfu would like to see more stability in their own end of the ice.
"Playing the best defense we can and being as consistent in our play are probably the two main areas of improvement," she said.
Standout defender Caroline Aufiero (Belmont, Mass.), committed to Clarkson next season, will play a big part in that goal. Williston has a pair of returning sophomores and a junior, as well as sophomore and junior additions, who Talbot Syfu believes are ready for more with their experience. But Aufiero will lead the way on the blue line.
"She's going to be the captain of our team and will be instrumental on the back half," Talbot Syfu said.
The key will be in goal, where Olivia Ferebee is ready to step in as the full-time starter after postgrad Jenna Guglielmi (Branford, Conn.) graduated to Wesleyan. Ferebee staked her claim to the crease throughout last season before rising to the occasion down the stretch.
"She basically became the starter last year at the Nobles tournament, the Harrington tournament and down the final stretch," Talbot Syfu said. "She played in all the playoff games and the really important games, so we return her, which is really helpful."
Managing expectations
Even with their eyes on a three-peat, the Wildcats can't afford to get ahead of themselves. Talbot Syfu understands it can be easy to worry about where they will be in March, but wants to see her group take things game-by-game.
"We're just trying to take it one day at a time and trying to build a really good foundation in our opening month, focusing on the details and getting the group together," she said.
