Jaden Highsmith is a senior journalism major at Seton Hall University and Sports Editor of The Setonian. Jaden is working with Village Green as a paid freelancer through a grant from the NJ Civic Information Consortium.
After a difficult 2025 season, the Columbia High School girls soccer team has turned things around in 2026, opening the year with eight straight wins and already surpassing last season’s total.
Under third-year head coach Mateo Green, the Cougars have posted a 9-5 overall record, including a 4-1 mark in the Super Essex Conference’s Colonial Division.
The improvement follows a 6-13-1 season, with just two divisional wins.
For Green, a Columbia graduate who returned to coach his former school, the turnaround has been about more than winning games. It has been about changing the team’s culture and building a group of players who expect to compete every time they step on the field.
“I would say the biggest difference between this year’s team and last year’s team is the hunger from each player to impact the team,” Green said. “Everyone wants to play, and nobody is just happy to be here.”
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Green said that in previous seasons, some players were satisfied with simply making the team. This year’s group has taken a different approach.
“These girls want to compete with the best, and that pushes everyone to do better,” he said.
That mentality showed early in the season.
Columbia opened their season with an 8-0 victory over Irvington on Sept. 2, followed by a 10-0 win over Science Park two days later.
The Cougars continued their winning streak with victories over Glen Ridge, Newark East Side, Payne Tech, West Orange, Millburn and Dayton.
Among those wins was a 2-0 victory over West Orange on Sept. 22, a huge turnaround from last season, when Columbia lost 4-0 to the Mountaineers.
Columbia also defeated Millburn 2-0 and Dayton 6-0, extending its winning streak to eight games before losing to Bloomfield on Oct. 1.
While the Cougars have struggled more recently, losing three of their last four games, their early success has shown how much the program has improved in just one year.
One of the biggest differences has been Columbia’s offense.
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The Cougars have scored 47 goals in 13 games, already more than the 34 goals recorded last season.
Freshman forward Zareen Alban (#14) has emerged as one of Columbia’s biggest offensive threats, leading the team with nine goals and 19 points.
Sophomore Shae Nelson has also made an impact, recording six goals and two assists, while junior Stevie Markovic has contributed five goals and a team-high six assists.
Junior Kaya Rosen has added five goals and five assists, while senior Shayna Campbell has recorded five goals and one assist.
The contributions have come from throughout the roster, with 13 different players recording at least one goal this season.
For Green, that production reflects the work his players put in during the offseason.
He said that during his first year as head coach, just 11 players attended offseason workouts. This summer, nearly 50 players showed up, with about 25 to 30 attending consistently.
With 11 seniors graduating after last season, younger players had plenty of opportunities to earn bigger roles.
“It really showed how hungry the girls were to show what they could do and get better,” Green said. “It was really competitive all summer long and definitely made my job very hard when it came time to pick the team.”
Green believes that competition has helped establish a stronger culture within the program.
“I would love to say it’s all me, but the girls have really put the work in,” Green said. “I believe I’ve instilled a style of play that lets us express our strengths and gives us the belief that we can beat anybody.”
“Competition doesn’t start during the games — it has to be in practice,” he added. “If we have everyone competing for spots, then we all get better.”
While Columbia’s offense has improved, many returning players have also stepped into bigger leadership roles.
Junior captain Kama Westhelle has emerged as a key piece of Columbia’s defense, providing stability from her center back position.
Green described Westhelle as a “rock” on the back line, praising her development and leadership in defense.
Senior captain Sahana Lynch has also taken a major step forward after seeing limited playing time last season.
“Sahana Lynch didn’t play much last year, but she came into this season on fire and has become one of the first names on the team sheet,” Green said.
The Cougars’ defense has also played an important role in their success, recording six shutout victories during their eight-game winning streak.
Columbia’s younger players have also played a big role in the team’s success.
The roster features six first-year students and six sophomores, giving the program a foundation to build on beyond this season.
Along with Alban and Nelson, sophomore Talia Blint Midrony contributed four goals and two assists, while freshman Josephine Doble has recorded five assists.
Despite their lack of varsity experience, Green said the younger players have brought confidence that has raised expectations across the team.
“We have six freshmen and six sophomores this year, so we are still a young team, and I think they have really brought a new expectation to the team,” Green said.
Green said at least five freshmen started the season hoping to win a state championship.
He believes their confidence has helped motivate the rest of the roster.
“I think being new to high school soccer and not having the experience of losing games or just being okay with losing has been a breath of fresh air that I love, and I think the older girls appreciate that as well,” he said.
For Green, the team’s improvement also carries personal meaning.
As a Columbia graduate, he remembers when simply making the soccer team was an accomplishment. Now, he wants to help establish a program where winning and competing against the area’s top teams become the standard.
“It means a lot to me to come back and coach at Columbia,” Green said. “I remember when I was at school here, everyone was just excited about making the team, not necessarily winning, and I think that made us too comfortable being mediocre.”
“I came in because I believed there was no reason, as a Group 4 school, that we couldn’t compete with the likes of Livingston, West Orange, and Montclair,” he said.
Columbia’s Essex County Tournament run ended with a 2-0 first-round loss to West Orange on Oct. 17. However, the Cougars still have an opportunity to build on their progress as the season continues.
“We have to keep the standard high,” Green said. “I believe we can make a run in both the county and state tournaments, and we have the belief that we can win both because why not us?”
Although a county championship is no longer possible this season, Columbia still has the chance to compete in the state tournament.
For a program that won just six games a season ago, the turnaround offers reason for optimism.
With a young roster, emerging leaders, and a coach determined to change the program’s culture, the Cougars hope this season’s success is only the beginning.
