After coming within one win of a district championship a year ago, the Wickliffe Girls Soccer team believes it has the pieces to take another step forward.
Head coach Erin Behm enters her second season with a veteran roster that returns nine starters from a team that finished 12-6 overall, advanced to the district championship match and captured a memorable double-overtime postseason victory over Firelands before falling to West Geauga.
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With a senior-laden lineup, plenty of postseason experience and a roster determined to erase last year’s shortcomings, expectations are high.
“We have individual goals meetings with every player, and there is a strong commonality of being successful at the league level and postseason,” Behm said. “This team is senior-heavy and with that comes the huge potential for strong leadership and experience.”
Building on a Strong Foundation
Wickliffe graduated just two seniors, but replacing Tiana Torrence and Aila Kauzela won’t be easy.
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Behm knows their leadership and production left a void, but she also believes the Blue Devils have several returning playmakers prepared to assume larger roles.
“We graduated two seniors last season, Tiana Torrence, who was a leader all around the field, and Aila Kauzela was a force up front for us,” Behm said. “The team knows we lost talent with them, and they are ready to step up to close those gaps. We expect to see more offensively from Gwen Reynolds, Izzy DeFrank and Ava McGarry.”
Those three already formed one of the conference’s most dangerous attacking groups in 2025.
Offensive Firepower Returns
The Blue Devils bring back a trio capable of changing games in an instant.
Senior Izzy DeFrank earned second-team All-CVC honors after producing 10 goals and eight assists while starting all 18 matches. Behm expects an even bigger season.
“Izzy is a strong player that does a great job of building plays and finding the shot or the teammate that has the shot,” Behm said. “We’ll be looking to her this year to build on her previous season’s momentum.”
Sophomore sensation Gwen Reynolds burst onto the scene last year, earning first-team All-CVC honors after scoring 16 goals and adding seven assists.
“Gwen has really come into her role on this team this offseason,” Behm said. “Her speed and finish make her difficult to stop. We expect that she will continue to impress this upcoming season.”
Junior Ava McGarry gives Wickliffe another proven scorer after totaling 13 goals and four assists while earning honorable mention recognition from both the CVC and GCSSCA.
“Ava is the type of player that does well in several positions, and she is versatile,” Behm said. “Having her settle in with her teammates this year up front will give us a great dynamic. I expect to see some great things from Ava this season as we lean on her for some more goals.”
Another key piece is senior Jessica Adams, whose impact extends far beyond the stat sheet.
“Although Jess didn’t have many stats in the book last season, her presence on the field was felt,” Behm said. “She had to play in various positions on the fly due to injury, and we could always count on her. Her drive to be successful is second to none, and wherever we need her, she goes and always has the mindset of ‘team first.’ There’s no doubt she will continue to lead on the field this year in many aspects.”
Defensive Identity Remains Strong
While the offense grabs headlines, Wickliffe’s defense has quietly become one of the team’s biggest strengths.
Senior Becca Leone, a second-team All-CVC selection despite missing several games with an injury, anchors the back line.
“Becca is the heart of our defense,” Behm said. “She has been holding down that back middle position for us since her sophomore year. She is a vocal leader and sees the field really well. She and our keeper, Abby, working together is a fun duo to watch as they direct traffic and make great defensive plays all over the field.”
Senior Sophia Ervin continues to emerge as another dependable presence.
“Sophia has become one of our strongest defenders since last season,” Behm said. “Many times she was called on to make a big play and help direct some big threats to the outside, and she handles that job fantastically. She and Becca have done a great job with the younger defenders to bring them up to meet our high expectations of Wickliffe defense.”
The return of senior Roni Boehmer after a devastating junior-year injury provides another major boost.
“We’re thrilled to have Roni back in our regular lineup after a devastating injury junior year,” Behm said. “A healthy Roni back on the back line means more shutdown defense and experience to navigate some big-time CVC offenses. I’m really excited to see her have a great senior season.”
Behind that unit stands senior goalkeeper Abigail Lait, who recorded 139 saves while earning honorable mention honors from both the CVC and GCSSCA.
“Abby is our brick wall,” Behm said. “She is a leader on and off the field and has a great vision of the field and plays unfolding. Her relationship with her defense is crucial in our shifts and adjustments, and she takes that relationship very seriously. Last year she made some saves that were important to must-win games, and we expect nothing less this year. It will be an exciting season watching her do great keeper things.”
Chemistry First
Behm believes talent alone won’t determine how far the Blue Devils go this fall.
Instead, the offseason emphasis has centered on building stronger relationships and accountability throughout the roster.
“We’ve been hitting the team chemistry hard this offseason, building relationships both on and off the field and being comfortable to hold ourselves and each other accountable,” Behm said.
That chemistry, combined with experience, should help offset Wickliffe’s lack of depth.
“Some of our key players, both offensively and defensively, know they have to step up and lead by example,” Behm said. “We’re small again this year, so our upperclassmen and returning starters have experience and, coming off not only last season but the 2024 season as well, they have a lot to build from, and they’re fired up. We hit the weaknesses head-on and make adjustments practice by practice and game by game. We watch a lot of film to help us with that and grow.”
With nine returning starters, an experienced senior class and unfinished business after last year’s district runner-up finish, Wickliffe enters 2026 believing its best soccer is still ahead.
“There was a lot of work put into the offseason, and they’re really focusing on what their shortcomings were last season,” Behm said. “They have drive and are ready and willing to play for each other. They’re going to be a fun team to watch this season.”
