The Jefferson City Jays had a very successful junior varsity soccer season last year.
Now many of those players are going to be counted on to succeed at the next level.
"Making that transition from JV to varsity soccer can be a big step," Jefferson City coach Scott Blake said as the Jays prepared for today's season opener against C.B.C. in St. Louis. "It's learning to play faster, we have to speed it up all the time in training."
Blake, in his first year as head coach of the Jays, knows the JV players very well. He was their head coach last year as the team went 14-1-1.
"I know them well and I think we can get there as varsity players," he said. "But we're blending them in with some varsity players and it's a project of trying to connect them as one unit.
"Chemistry will be a big part of our process."
The Jays, who had 16 seniors on the varsity last year, return just two players with significant varsity experience.
"So really we've got a lot of green players," Blake said.
It may take some time for the individual players to develop into a team.
"It's getting the guys in the right spot," Blake said. "Things are coming together, but October may be when I think we will have a realistic look at what kind of team we have."
With opening contests on the road against traditional state powers C.B.C. and St. Louis University High, Blake has stressed defense in the preseason.
"We have to be ready defensively playing teams like that," he said. "So we've worked in practice on putting a lot of pressure on our defenders, using 12 players against eight in front of the goal."
Blake believes the offense will come, it will just take time,
"I think it will be a few games before we find ourselves strong in the final third," Blake said.
Nick Ryan, a junior, will start at keeper. He had 14 shutouts on the JV level last year.
"Nick has great size back there and he has good hands," Blake said. "He's shown he can make big saves, now it's a matter of getting it done on the varsity level."
Kord Pearson, another junior, is the No. 2 keeper.
Layton Boyce, a senior, is returning at a center back spot. Peter Kuster, a junior, will get the other center back position.
"Those are our 1-2 punch," Blake said. "They are both physical players who are decent in the air. Those are two guys will be counting on."
Tanner Haugen will start at left back, with Joe Wilder on the right side right back. Both are juniors who started on the JV last year.
"They're good players who understand the game," Blake said. "We're going to be counting on them to be able to get the ball out of the back to our players."
Justin Gerke and Ayden Propost, both juniors, are the main reserves on defense.
Skylar Richardson, a senior, and junior Chad Hamler will start as center mids.
"They are similar players who like to move a lot," Blake said. "It's a matter of them working on their chemistry together."
Two seniors - Brayden Carron and Erick Ortiz - will start as wide mids.
"They both saw some time on the varsity last year and that should help us, especially early in the season," Blake said.
Midfield reserves include senior Jose Ayala and junior David Wilder.
The starting forwards are junior Tucker Jett and sophomore Isaac Johnson.
"Both of them have a high work-rate," Blake said. "I think Isaac has the ability to score against good teams and Tucker is developing as a scorer. He has shown he can get the ball on goal."
Reserves up front include seniors Charlie Kusick and Jose Sabala, along with junior Max Allen.
Jefferson City will open the home portion of its schedule Sept. 1 against Quincy (Ill.) Notre Dame.