The season for Class 2A and 3A high school girls soccer teams culminates in the state finals in early June. The season has just started, but several area teams have hopes of going all the way to state. Here’s the outlook for Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles East, St. Charles North and other area schools.

Batavia Bulldogs

Coach: Mark Gianfrancesco

2016 record: 15-5-1

Top players

NAME YEAR POS.

Gracey DiBiase sr. D

MacKenzie Foster sr. MF

Cameron Hindel sr. MF

Keegan Maris sr. F

Anna Rakos jr. MF

Jenny Scara sr. GK

Outlook: With veterans returning in net and through the middle of the field to forward, the Bulldogs should have plenty of firepower on offense and shot-stopping ability in the back. They also have an intangible that most coaches love to see.

“[It’s] a talented group with a grit to them,” Gianfrancesco said. “It looks good on paper. We just need to go out and show how good we can be throughout the season.”

Batavia was off to a good start with a pair of 2-1 wins against Wheaton Warrenville South and Waubonsie Valley.

Hindel (Illinois Wesleyan), Maris (Valparaiso) and Scara (Illinois State) are college-bound players. Junior Jess Sneesby and sophomores Avery Davis and Anna Holcombe will add depth up front. Junior Shelby Key will bolster the midfield, while junior Amy TenHaken and sophomore Jenna Nichols will figure prominently in the back line.

A schedule that includes 2016 state third-place team Glenbard East, Plainfield North and Class 2A power Nazareth will show the Bulldogs how they’ve progressed as they go for their first regional title since 2013.

“I think we will be solid like last season,” Gianfrancesco said. “We need to continue to have a high work rate and meld in the new players to complete the team bond on and off the field.”

Burlington Central Rockets

Coach: Jessica Arneson

2016 record: 17-7

Top players

NAME YEAR POS.

Taylor Abbott so. D

Abbi Ciganek sr. GK

Jessica Clouser jr. D/MF

Elizabeth Gousios jr. MF/D

Jordan King jr. F/MF

Alyssa Mariani jr. D

Megan Majewski jr. MF

Anna McMahon sr. MF

Sydney Pryor jr. F/MF

Outlook: Opponents are on notice: The Rockets went 12-0 to win a conference title last year, and they didn’t lose a single player to graduation. BC is poised for more success as it goes for its first regional title since 2012.

The offense should be a strength. King (32 goals, 22 assists) and Gousios (30 goals) lead the way, and McMahon, Majewski and Pryor all reached double figures in goals last season. Junior Alexis Rosa and sophomore McKenzie Freeman add midfield depth.

“Our team is uncommonly offensively minded,” Arneson said. “We have several offensive players that will consistently score throughout the season.”

The flip side to the strong offense is a defense that struggled at times last year. Abbott, Mariani and freshman Kirsten Wyse in front of returning keepers Ciganek and Erin Rafferty should lead to better results defensively.

Geneva Vikings

Coach: Megan Owens

2016 record: 15-6-2

Top players

NAME YEAR POS.

Jenna Dominguez so. F

Leah Groven sr. D

Emma Harkleroad sr. GK

Emily Hauser sr. D

Kristina Anneliese Lockner jr. D

Molly McGavin sr. F

Maddy Rapach-Lagowski sr. MF

Maddy Yelle jr. MF

Outlook: The graduation of Kyleigh Dominguez, a 20-goal scorer a year ago, is a big loss for the Vikings, but they have plenty of returning talent from a team that won a regional and advanced to the sectional final last season.

Jenna Dominguez figures to be a focal point of a potent offense that could include McGavin, junior Madeline Stellick, sophomores Caitlin Farrell and Stephanie Howe, and freshman Alicia White up top. The midfield is equally stocked with Rapach-Lagowski and Yelle, plus senior Jenni Santacaterina, junior Lauren Albrecht and sophomore Sydney Gratz. Groven, Hauser and Lockner will anchor the defense in front of Harkleroad and freshman keeper Katie Montgomery.

With tons of returning talent the Vikings should remain in the mix for the Upstate Eight River title with Batavia, St. Charles East and St. Charles North, but the big goal is to achieve an even deeper postseason run.

Rosary Royals

Coach: Janice Eddington

2016 record: 10-9-2

Top players

NAME YEAR POS.

Julia Isaacs sr. GK

Elizabeth Kvitek sr. D

Emma Porteous sr. MF

Outlook: The Royals lost midfielder Sarah Woodford, last year’s captain and team MVP, to injury, but hopes remain high a year after Rosary went 6-1 and won the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference White.

“We have seven returning varsity players to balance out the five freshmen we have on the team,” Eddington said. “The challenge will be to balance out our inexperience with leadership from our seniors.”

Isaacs, Kvitek and Porteous bring experience at key spots, and freshman Rachel Chason will add depth to the midfield.

Tiffany Hamling, Erin Hawkins and Elizabeth Sayasane are seniors who could bolster the attack, while classmates Angela Kvitek, Gabi Pruneda and Samantha Suchaczewski will add defensive depth.

The team chemistry and a large number of home games are two factors that favor the Royals, who will see some new faces in new places as they strive to notch another winning record.

“We graduated a very experienced squad last year, so the aim is to have everyone adjust to their new roles on the team and work together,” Eddington said.

St. Charles East Saints

Coach: Paul Jennison

2016 record: 18-4-1

Top players

NAME YEAR POS.

Madison Cady jr. MF

Chantel Carranza jr. F

Kaitlyn Dziubinski sr. MF

Hannah Kolb sr. MF

Morgan Kull sr. D

Megan O’Neal sr. MF

Claire Rasmussen sr. MF

Outlook: Numerous players who were key to the Saints’ third straight regional title are back in the mix, though standout keeper Alison Chesterfield will be tough to replace.

Still, East has returning talent at almost every level of the field, including Rasmussen (eight goals, 11 assists last year), Kolb (11 goals, seven assists) and O’Neal in the midfield and Carranza up top. Carranza netted 20 goals and added seven assists a year ago.

The Saints already have defeated one elite team (3-2 win against Benet on March 16) and tied another (1-1 against Fremd on March 22).

Naperville North is among tough nonconference games to come at East’s own invite as well as the Naperville Invitational.

St. Charles North North Stars

Coach: Brian Harks

2016 record: 20-4-1

Top players

NAME YEAR POS.

Claire Barresi sr. D

Hailey Rydberg jr. MF

Sami Sample sr. GK

Gia Wahlberg jr. F

Outlook: Eight starters return from a team that won Upstate Eight River, regional and sectional titles before a supersectional loss against eventual state champion New Trier. There are a couple of graduation losses, but the North Stars should once again be in the mix for the ultimate postseason glory.

Rydberg and Wahlberg are both elite finishers who combined for 39 goals last season. Rydberg will move on to play at Iowa and Wahlberg at Michigan State, and they are just two of several college-bound players. Sample (NIU) had nine shutouts a year ago and returns in net while Barresi (Minnesota State Mankato) is back to lead the defense. Amanda Czerniak (NIU) in the midfield and Madison Kaufmann (NIU) at forward are also D-I seniors who return. Seniors Ashley Hayes (Southern Indiana) and K.B. Kusswurm (Wisconsin-Whitewater) also will play in college.

Sophomore Claudia Najera will add to a spoil of riches up top. Sophomore C.C. Wahlberg in the midfield and junior Dmi Petrusha on defense add depth.

St. Francis Spartans

Coach: Jim Winslow

2016 record: 17-5

Top players

NAME YEAR POS.

Jill DiTusa so. MF

Kendra Pasquale jr. F

Erin Peck jr. F

Alex Preusser jr. D

Hannah Rittenhouse so. F

Tammy Syron sr. GK

Outlook: The Spartans waved goodbye to six seniors, including three defensive starters, but a return trip to the Class 2A state finals isn’t out of the question as the offensive firepower will be tough to match.

Pasquale is an Illinois recruit who scored 26 goals a year ago while adding 12 assists. DiTusa and Peck (12 assists) both scored 12 goals apiece, and Rittenhouse added nine goals.

“We have a good core coming back,” Winslow said. “And we have some young girls champing at the bit to show what they can do.”

Though Preusser is the only defender with any significant experience, Winslow believes seniors Mary Brady and McKenzie Douglass can lead a solid group in front of Byron, who started the bulk of the games last year. Syron and the defense will be tested by a tough schedule that includes Naperville North, New Trier, Stevenson and Loyola.

“I think our defense has a chance to be better,” Winslow said. “We’re a little more athletic and a little more skilled. The only question is how they mesh together.”