Tamaqua’s fall sports teams will feature a mix of familiar faces and promising newcomers as they look to build on last season’s progress.

The girls tennis team will replace six starters from a 10-win squad, while the boys soccer program begins a new era under first-year head coach Patrick Blaser. A young girls soccer team hopes to build on a season that ended just shy of a district playoff berth, and the volleyball team will look to take another step after narrowly missing the postseason.

Expectations are also high in cross country, where both the boys and girls return experienced runners after placing second at last year’s Schuylkill League meet.

GIRLS TENNIS

Head coach: Kathy Odorizzi (third year). Assistants: Rich Gibson, Chloe Ryan. The Lady Raiders were 10-4 a year ago.

League: No league affiliation; competes in District 11.

Key losses: Emma Ziajka, Chloe Ryan, Alison Arthurton, Skora Ndikwiki, Destiny Steinmetz and Jasmine Eberts.

Key returnees: Senior Serenity Sanchez is the lone returning starter and is expected to slot in at first singles, where Odorizzi is banking on her ground strokes and movement. Seniors Adrien Arthurton and Amanda Thierer will serve as co-captains, with senior Maddy Miller, senior Naeun Choi and junior Kate Behun also in the starting mix. Senior Skylar Foster, junior Lily Hess and sophomore Emily Genery are on deck after offseason work Odorizzi said sharpened their skills and stamina.

Top newcomers: Senior Gabby Osenbach, junior Nico Conahan and freshman Gianna Osenbach, all of whom Odorizzi expects to compete for spots near the top of the lineup.

Season outlook: Six of seven starters graduated, which leaves the Lady Raiders thin on match experience even after a 10-4 finish. Odorizzi’s counter is volume — 18 girls on the roster gives her a deep pool to draw from, and she’s counting on the blend of her returners and newcomers. The schedule includes some difficult opponents, but the goals are unchanged: another winning season and a District 11 berth.

Quotable: “We lost six out of seven starters from last year due to graduation, so we will be at a disadvantage when it comes to players having experience with match play. Despite the inexperience, we are fortunate to have a deep team to pull from, with 18 girls on the roster. The combination of talents of the returning players and our key new players will be integral to our team’s success. We have some tough opponents, but I believe if we keep working hard and developing our skills, we will be a very competitive team. Our goals this year are to have another winning season and to qualify for Districts. This is a dedicated and hard-working group of girls. I look forward to seeing our team have fun, grow, and improve throughout the season.” — Tamaqua head coach Kathy Odorizzi

BOYS SOCCER

Head coach: Patrick Blaser (first year). The Raiders were 5-13 a year ago.

League: Schuylkill League Division 1.

Key losses: Lusvin Lumas, Chase Behr, Larson Hudak and Will Behun.

Key returnees: Seniors Brody Schlier and Jakin Tamagini; juniors Aidan Elston, Matt Giuliano, Brian Godinez and Thomas Lasky.

Top newcomers: Freshman Koda McMullen; sophomores Bryce Eltringham, Brody Boyle and Wyatt Devlin.

Season outlook: A new staff takes over a program coming off a 5-13 season, and Blaser is leaning on a roster that mixes veteran pieces with younger players ready for expanded roles. Depth is the calling card — Blaser said the Raiders have quality at every grade level, which has driven competition throughout the roster and given him flexibility with the lineup. The expectations, by his own description, are realistic: build the program, establish an identity and be tougher to play against every time out.

Quotable: “Our motto this year is ‘Win Every Moment.’ That doesn’t just apply to games. It applies to training, the classroom, and every opportunity we have to improve as individuals and as a team. This season is about establishing an identity. We want our players to take pride in representing Tamaqua soccer and understand that the little moments often make the biggest difference over the course of a season. We’re realistic about where we are, but we’re also confident in the direction we’re heading. The expectation is that we’ll be much more competitive this season, and we will be difficult to play against every time we step on the field.” — Tamaqua head coach Patrick Blaser

GIRLS SOCCER

Head coach: Clem McCarroll (23rd year). The Blue Raiders went 8-10 last season.

League: Schuylkill League.

Key losses: Katie Fredericks, forward and the team’s leading scorer with 17 goals, a first-team All-Schuylkill League selection; Ceanna Gormley, goalkeeper and an honorable mention All-Schuylkill League pick.

Key returnees: Sophomore forward Shaylee Gormley; senior midfielder Evelyn Leinbach; sophomore midfielders Gabby Chistakoff, Gia Miller, Rylin Jones, Avery Muffly and Carolina Breiner; sophomore defender Adrianna Hernandez; senior defenders Mia Bamford and Bailey Pliska; senior goalkeeper/defender Sophia Sitlinger.

Top newcomers: Freshman forward Joey Vidzicki; freshman midfielders Alaina Gomez and Addi Tracy; freshman defenders Isabella Mincavage, Makeyla Elston and Addi O’Gurek; freshman goalkeeper Arabella Honey; sophomore defender Cyn-sere Sanchez.

Season outlook: Tamaqua came within 0.02 points of a district playoff berth after going 8-10 last season, a finish McCarroll said exceeded expectations for a roster that included 12 freshmen. The program also recorded the 275th victory in its 27-year history. The Blue Raiders will again be young, bringing in 12 freshmen while carrying 12 sophomores. With four returning senior starters and no junior starters, the bulk of the varsity roster will be made up of underclassmen. Still, the returning group’s versatility and the program’s increased depth give Tamaqua a foundation to build on last year’s progress.

Quotable: “With a team as young as we have, we truly will be playing one game at a time and looking to improve each one. The players did play a lot in the offseason together in winter and summer leagues, so there is some familiarity. I think the biggest difference this team has over last year’s is the depth. We do have a lot of players that can play multiple positions and are hungry to get in varsity action.” — Tamaqua head coach Clem McCarroll

CROSS COUNTRY

Head coach: Amanda Hascin (second year). Last season, the boys went 11-4 overall and 9-3 in league competition, while the girls finished 12-3 overall and 9-3 in league competition.

League: Schuylkill League.

Key losses: Boys — Will Behun and Logan Morgans. Girls — Ava Jones, Mollie Walker, Cali Frantz, Lyla Clemson and Adrianna Geronimo.

Key returnees: Boys — juniors Aidan Elston, Parker Steencken and William Coombe; sophomores Memphis Kline, Kevin Lawfer and Luis Sanchez. Girls — seniors Bailey Pliska, Madelyn Schaefer and Lila Stegemerten; juniors Millie Black, Gia Clemson and Mikayah Steigerwalt; sophomore Shaylee Gormley.

Top newcomers: Boys — senior Nassir Spinelli and sophomores Evan Pliska and Sam Shafer. Girls — senior Sophia Stellfox; freshmen Aubry Jones and Peyton O’Brien, both moving up from junior high.

Season outlook: Tamaqua’s boys and girls teams each finished second at last season’s Schuylkill League meet. Hascin returns experienced runners on both sides and has set the bar clearly for her second season: turn those runner-up finishes into league championships. The Raiders also expect their newcomers to provide a boost as each group chases that goal.

Quotable: “Our team is hard-working, motivated, determined, and united. Working together, we can achieve anything. I can’t wait to see what they accomplish this year.” — Tamaqua head coach Amanda Hascin

VOLLEYBALL

Head coach: Marie Schock (second year).

League: Schuylkill League.

Key losses: None listed.

Key returnees: Seniors Madison Schock and Payton Selby; junior Millie Black.

Top newcomers: Junior Naomi Knitter; sophomores Stephanie Chen and Skylar McConnon; freshman Mackenzie Famularo.

Season outlook: Tamaqua finished one game shy of qualifying for the playoffs last season, which Schock noted was a tremendous accomplishment for the team. The Raiders return several key pieces but will again feature a young roster with newcomers expected to take on significant roles.

Quotable: “We are excited to see where this year will take us. This is a young team with a great amount of potential.” — Tamaqua head coach Marie Schock