Coach Jenna Autiello's defending state champion Ponaganset Middle School girls soccer team, despite having heavy graduation losses, is at it again.

The young Chieftains have rolled to three consecutive victories and are sitting alone in first place in the Northern Division.

During the season's opening week, Ponaganset pasted McCourt Middle School of Cumberland, 7-1, slipped past a good North Smithfield team, 1-0, at North Smithfield, and then beat arch-rival Mount St. Charles Academy at home, 3-0.

Mount, Ponaganset and Lincoln have been the division's dominant teams during the past few seasons, with both Mount and Ponaganset taking state titles.

Autiello said her team played an incredible game against MSC, with both teams playing hard.

"It was a battle, and today the Chieftains had the muscle to get the ball in the back of the net," she said.

Ponaganset held a slim 1-0 lead at half, thanks to a goal by Madison Shea, assisted by Olivia Macaruso.

"That was a really big goal because it lifted our spirits and at half, I asked our girls to show me determination, intensity and the will to win and they delivered," said Autiello. "I knew it wouldn't be easy because they were getting tired while playing in their third game in a row."

In the second half, Katie Wendt and Madison Shea fired home goals to put the game out of reach. Autiello said her defensive unit, particularly Rachel Tassoni in goal and Chandler William and Rebecca "Beast" Doughty, was outstanding.

The surprising North Smithfield team under first year coach Sarah Dupre gave Ponaganset everything it could handle before falling, 1-0. The game's only score was a first-half header by Brooke Graham, assisted by Olivia Macaruso.

North Smithfield bounced back from that game and nipped Burrillville, 2-1, for their second win of the season, The Lady Northmen also topped Lincoln, 3-2, in their league opener.

Burrillville scored first, but Dupre's team got a pair of goals from Meghan Murphy, with assists to Shannon Mayewski and Juliet Clark, and claimed the victory.

In other games, Lincoln edged Mount, 2-1. Coach George Araujo's team got one goal from Ashley Moreau, and then took advantage when Mount inadvertently knocked the ball into its own net, and took the win.

Mount also played McCourt and came away with an easy 7-1 victory.