Having seven senior starters, including two Division-I caliber players, added up to the first state baseball championship in nearly three decades for the Jefferson City Jays last season.
That also adds up to a major shift in the lineup for this season.
Seniors Payton Bodenstab, Tyler Bise and Michael Skinner are the main pieces left from last season's Class 5 state championship winning team.
While all three had a role in last season's success, especially Bodenstab who had the game-tying hit in the title game, it's now their time to lead the Jays.
"My senior group is anxious and excited about setting their own identity," Jays coach Brian Ash said. "You can kind of sense it. I think there was a sense of urgency in the offseason."
Bodenstab is expected to lead off for Jefferson City after batting .340 with 16 RBI last season.
"He has the ability to hit one out of the park and has the ability to hit the gap and get a double or triple off the get-go," Ash said.
Bodenstab, at least for the start of the season, will shift from left field to center after Bise injured a shoulder during wrestling season.
Ash said Bise will play in left and hit fifth or sixth.
Skinner, who'll play shortstop, will be new to the batting order after being utilized mainly for his defense last season. Ash expects to have Skinner bat behind Bodenstab.
"He handles the bat really well," Ash said. "He's not going to be a guy that's going to bang them off the wall, but he's going to drive gaps and he can bunt and he can run. He just has a good feel for the game."
Taking the top pitching spot for now is senior Joseph Travis, who went 5-0 with a 2.59 ERA last season. He had 26 strikeouts and 12 walks in 35 innings.
"His command is even better," Ash said. "He's really worked hard in the offseason to develop some secondary pitches. His velocity is up and just his overall command is really good. He's a good guy we can lean on to keep us in these higher level type games."
As for behind Travis, it will be a show me what you've got approach.
Justin Wood, Jack Shinkle, Blake Terry and Cade Calbraith are all battling for time on the mound.
"We have some dudes that are, they're good," Ash said. "They may be erratic at times, but if by district time they can be filling the strike zone up and getting command of two or three of their pitches, our pitching staff can carry us."
Landon Dunlap, Ian Northway and Trevin White could also work their way up in the rotation.
"Our pitching is actually deeper than what we had last year believe it or not," Ash said. "We're not going to really rely on two or three guys."
Jacob Weirich, who's pitching for Southern Mississippi, and Grant Wood, who had a school-record 11 wins last season and is racking up hits at Murray State, were the bulk of the Jays' pitching last season.
"Hopefully the guys we have now were watching how they worked and what they did and studied and evaluated how they went about their business," Ash said.
Handling duties in the middle of the batting lineup will be Mason Hansen and Shinkle. Hansen can play first or second and Shinkle will play right field.
"He gives us a good guy that can drive runs in and hit them out the park," Ash said of Hansen. "He's not going to strike out a lot."
Travis, Bise and Wood will be in the 5-7 range in the order. Travis and Wood could DH at times, and Wood will also see time at first base.
"Everything he does is 100 percent focus, locked in and ready," Ash said of Wood, Grant's younger brother. "He's put in a lot of time in the offseason to get stronger and bigger. He'll help us out defensively and offensively."
Dawson Schuemann and Blake Terry could both see time at third and take spots in the bottom of the order. Terry can also play at second.
Toward the bottom of the lineup and at catcher will be Tucker Schwartz, who'll replace all-state catcher Gaven Strobel.
"We'll have a new guy behind the plate so that's going to be a thing we're always monitoring and watching," Ash said. Tucker's got the most experience. He's very vocal back there, which is what we want out of our catcher."
With so many changes from 2017 to 2018, expectations aren't the same but the ultimate goal is still there.
"We know there's going to be ups and downs this year, but I think there will be more ups," Ash said. "We just want to be performing at the level we know we can perform at going into districts."
The state title defense begins today at Vivion Field, where the Jays will host Borgia at 10 a.m. and Fatima a 2 p.m.