After a 26-goal season last year, Mallory Schaffer is 18 goals away from breaking the Hampton High School record for career goals, 69, set by Diane Vitunic in the mid-1990s.

While Schaffer would like to set the Hampton career goal mark, another one of Vitunic's accomplishments is what Schaffer has her eyes on. In 1995 Vitunic led the Talbots to a WPIAL championship. It was their last one.

"At the end of last season I realized I had a chance and I have kept it in the back of my head as I have been training," said Schaffer, the 2007 Post-Gazette Girls' Player of the Year.

"It is something to go for, that type of thing but it's not my main focus. As a team I think we can compete for a WPIAL championship, we have a real strong team."

On the basketball court this past season Schaffer got her first taste of WPIAL gold, helping lead her team to the WPIAL Class AAA title in February along with soccer teammate Laurel Hanson. Schaffer was a starting guard and Hanson started at forward.

Schaffer returns to the midfield, where she will start for the fourth consecutive year. She decided to attend William & Mary this past winter after being recruited by a number of schools including Virginia and Penn State.

"She has made her decision for school and that is a load off her," Hampton coach Frank Christy said.

"She is very mature and is looking forward to having a good and solid year. She just has so much strength. She can turn with the ball and has really good quickness. When she is on the ball, it is so hard to knock her off it. When you combine that with the skill level she possesses, I hate the cliche 'the total package' but she is pretty much close to that."

Along with Schaffer, a solid core of seniors returns for Hampton. The Talbots are ranked No. 7 in Class AAA in the Post-Gazette preseason soccer rankings. Midfielder Marissa Anderson and forward Christina Celin are two other impact players for Hampton.

The defense will consist mainly of seniors with Sydney Huerbin, Deanne Mallich and Lauren Lattanzio in the back. Another senior, Alexis Kejas, will start in the midfield with Schaffer and Hanson and a junior, Alyssa Katz.

"We have been consistently competitive in the playoffs because the girls are used to being there," Christy said.

"They are starting to realize what it takes to win at that level. We have been pretty competitive for years getting into the playoffs, it's a mind-set that they get ready for it."

Two sophomores, Sam Werner at midfield and Emily Spencer at forward, will also see playing time. Sophomore Haley McDonald will step in at goalkeeper for Sarah White, who graduated last year. Christy said McDonald has the potential to be one of the top keepers in the section.

"We are fairly solid top to bottom. We just have to avoid any injury situation," Christy said.

"We have a lot of size, strength, foot speed and a lot of experience. Hopefully, we will be able to contend for the section championship."

Hampton claimed the Section 7-AAA title last season but has moved to Section 2-AAA. The Talbots do not have to worry about losing all of their rivals, over the past few years. With a demanding non-section slate of games, Hampton has developed rivals out of conference.

They open the season Monday at Pine-Richland, ranked No. 6 in the preseason, and then face a tough State College team. They are also scheduled to play defending WPIAL Class AA champion South Park and Upper St. Clair, ranked No. 5 in AAA.

"We've traditionally had a competitive non section schedule and that helps us compete in the section," Schaffer said.

"I think we are ready to start the season. We have to avoid injury. That is a key for a successful season. In the past we had a lot of detrimental injuries and it put us out early but right now we are injury-free."