Classical girls soccer gears up for season

There is an air of anticipation and excitement down at Hood Park this year for the Lynn Classical girls soccer team. After struggling through a couple of down seasons, the future and present look very bright for the Rams.The excitement starts at the top with new head coach Kerri Altieri.Altieri is quite familiar with most of her players, having taught many of her charges at Classical. She comes to the program after spending time as the head coach at Lynn Tech since 2005 when the girls soccer program was founded there.Click here for more Classical High girls soccer photos”I’ve had many of these girls in class so it’s exciting,” Altieri said. “Our numbers are up so it’s so far, so good.”Altieri had 40 girls, including 11 freshmen, come out to the first day of practice this week giving Classical something it hasn’t had in a long time: depth of talent.”I think we have the same number of seniors as freshmen,” Altieri said. “And that’s great. It will let us have a lot of kids coming up to help build the program. That’s what we want to do.”Leading the way for Classical this season will be its three captains: Gabby Galeazzi, Brianna Capone and Christine Francois. Galeazzi and Capone have become talented offensive players while Francois is one of the top defenders in the Northeastern Conference and was the team’s top defensive player last season.”They are great players and team leaders,” Altieri said. “They have done a fantastic job in our captain’s practices getting the girls ready. As a coach, I can’t ask for anything more.”Mackenzie Coppinger, fresh off starring for the Classical softball team last spring, will be in goal this season while Altieri will also look to get solid contributions from Erin Walters, Allison Kurpiel and Jennie Erekson.Perhaps the one part of her team Altieri is most excited about is the talented freshman class.”We had 11 of them turn out,” Altieri said of her ninth graders. “And I really think they will help us build a good team.”Frankie Galeazzi (younger sister of Gabby), Krista Cuozzo (younger sister of Katie Cuozzo) and Rebecca Potter are three of those freshmen to look out for this season.Classical will play in a revamped NEC this season as they will not have powerhouses Peabody and Danvers, both of whom are ranked in the state’s top 25 entering the season, on the schedule. The Rams will still have a pair of games with rival Lynn English along with being paired with Marblehead, Revere, Salem, Winthrop and Gloucester in their part of the league.”I think that we will be competitive this year,” Altieri said. “I am really looking forward to seeing how things shake out.”