But they forgot someone during the photo op: head coach Justin Kosek.

“It’s girls only,” they yelled when Kosek asked why he was left out.

He knew they were joking. Kosek and the Tigers know quite a bit about the other.

Their familiarity with one other is the main reason they’re 13-0, ranked No. 10 in Division III of the state poll and the top seed in the Division III district tournament.

Staff photo / Joe Simon Gracie Venturella (13) of Springfield dribbles the ball up field as Brookfield’s Zoe Fox (26) follows the play Monday in Brookfield.

Kosek, the father of standout senior forward Kylee Kosek, has watched a special group of players grow from a young age, and now the seventh-year coach is enjoying the finished product.

“There’s a core group, about seven or eight of them, that have played together since they were in second or third grade,” coach Kosek said. “They’ve played together in rec, travel, club and now through high school for the last three, four years, and we’ve always had this year circled.

“We’ve been good for a couple of years, but we had this year circled,” he added. “If we’re going to make a deep, deep run, this is the group that we’re going to be able do it with. And they haven’t let that get in their heads. They just stuck with it, played hard and they take care of business.”

They took care of Brookfield in impressive fashion. Kylee made sure of it.

She scored all six goals for the Tigers (13-0) — five in the first half. She scored on solo goals, assisted goals, breakaways and a perfectly placed boot from about 30 yards out. While she was a one-person wrecking crew, her individual success wasn’t necessarily by design.

Staff photo / Joe Simon Brookfield’s Katie Gibson (8) controls the ball as Springfield’s Ava Cecchione (22) defends during the Tigers’ 6-0 victory on Monday.

The impressive back-and-forth passing of the Tigers combined with an intrinsic knowledge of the game resulted in several open looks and another big day for the Slippery Rock commit. While she was the only scorer on this night, she knows her teammates were a major reason why. That’s part of what makes competing with friends such a good time.

“It’s so fun,” she said of playing with several other upperclassmen, such as Lexi Wonner, Gianna Latronica, Kaila LaMorticella, Gracie Venturella, Kylie Medvec, Tori Blakeman, Mary Grace Mason and Ava DiMiaolo. “I’ve grown up with these girls. Since I was in second or third grade, we’ve all played together for so long. To be able to do what we’re doing, all together, it’s just surreal. It’s amazing.”

Springfield isn’t done yet.

The Tigers have one more regular-season game at 6 p.m. Thursday at Beaver Local — the only team to beat them in last year’s regular season. Springfield was 18-2 in 2019, losing in the regional semifinal to Zanesville Bishop Rosecrans. It was the second district championship in the last three years for the Tigers.

They’re hoping to take another step in 2020.

“The sky’s the limit for them,” Justin Kosek said. “They’ve got to show up and play every game. They’ve got to bring it from the opening whistle, but if they do that, the sky’s the limit. They’re going to be a really hard out for anyone, whether it’s districts, regionals or state. And once you get into regionals, anything can happen.”

Kylee is a big reason why.

She has scored more than 150 goals in an incredible career. Her speed, agility and knowledge of the game make her one of the best players on the field against anyone. However, it’s the fluid nature in which the Tigers play the game that makes them a legitimate state contender.

Justin has helped create that chemistry. He has been the rec league coach in New Middletown for several years. His assistant coaches, Anna Rothwell and Kate Denmeade. are former players, and they run an area travel team that several of the Tigers play on in the offseason.

The continuity in keeping the same style of play along with their familiarity with one another is the key to their success.

“It’s very important,” Kylee said. “We’ve played together for so long, we know what others lack, so someone else can pick up in that area. It just kind of works in a constant rotation, where someone lacks, another one picks up. Where this person lacks, she picks up. We jell very well together.”

The Tigers have a first-round bye in the tournament and face the winner of Cardinal and Conneaut on Oct. 22 in New Middletown. Regardless of what happens until then, Justin is confident his girls will be ready.

“It’s a group of girls that can have little nitpicky stuff happen off the field, and it doesn’t affect them on the field because they’ve played together for so long,” he said. “They can put it all over to the side and they can just show up. Whatever happened, it doesn’t matter. They’re going to play on the field together and not worry about it. That’s the cohesiveness that they have.”