Patriots, Cavs soccer teams prepared for season

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The high school soccer season kicks off on Monday in Alabama. As players prepare to take the pitch, here's a look at where the Homewood High School and John Carroll varsity teams stand.

Homewood Girls

Coach: Mindy McBride (2nd season)

Area: Class 6A, Area 10 with Huffman and Shades Valley

Last year: The Lady Patriots qualified for the 6A state playoffs but fell to Chelsea 4-3 in the first round.

Outlook: Homewood graduated nine players, including a good chunk of its starting lineup, from the 2018 team. The departures will provide this year's group with plentiful opportunities to step up and make a difference. McBride said she feels like the Lady Patriots are primed for a strong season that could culminate in a deeper playoff run.

Players to watch: McBride said she expects all of her players to contribute.

Coach insight: “We have players who have very different strengths that really complement each other.” - McBride

Preseason ranking: 6A No. 2

John Carroll Girls

Coach: Robert Crawford (3rd season)

Area: Class 4A-5A, Area 7 with Briarwood, Indian Springs and Montevallo

Last year: The Lady Cavaliers won their fourth state championship in five years by defeating Gardendale 2-0 in the 6A state final. The team finished the season with 21 wins and only three losses.

Outlook: John Carroll lost six starters from last season but returns a nucleus of talented players. The Lady Cavs have dropped from 6A to 4A-5A, where they will compete in a tough area that includes Briarwood and Indian Springs. Even so, John Carroll has the potential to go a long way in 2019. Whether it does, Crawford said, will depend on his players’ ability to come together and execute.

Players to watch: Gabby Bernal (senior, forward), Gabrielle Maziarz (senior, center back), Lauren Hooten (junior, midfielder)

Coach insight: “It just depends on how everybody fits together. You need a little luck, a little talent...and they all have to buy in.” - Crawford

Preseason ranking: 4A-5A No. 4

Homewood Boys

Coach: Sean McBride (18th season)

Area: Class 6A, Area 10 with Huffman and Shades Valley

Last year: The Patriots went undefeated, accumulating a 24-0-2 record, en route to the 6A title. They beat Fort Payne 3-0 in the state final.

Outlook: Homewood graduated five starters from last year’s state championship team but returns a veteran core with close to 18 seniors. As long as they maintain their work ethic, McBride said the Patriots should be positioned for another successful campaign.

Players to watch: Jackson Wallace (senior, striker), Connor Smith (senior, striker), Collins Keith (senior, defender/midfielder)

Coach insight: “This group has been friends with each other and has played soccer together since they were 5 years old. I’m just looking to them to keep up the hard work and intensity of the teams in the past.” - McBride

Preseason ranking: 6A No. 1

John Carroll Boys

Coach: Eric Woodard (4th season)

Area: Class 4A-5A, Area 7 with Briarwood, Indian Springs and Montevallo

Last year: The Cavaliers lost to Homewood, the eventual state champion, in the third round of the 6A state playoffs.

Outlook: John Carroll appears poised for a strong season. How strong? Woodard said this year’s team has the best chance of any he’s coached to make it to the state final four. That hasn’t been done at John Carroll since 2012, when the Cavs won it all. They return 10 starters from 2018, including their two leading goal scorers, and have dropped from 6A to 4A-5A. But their new area includes perennial state contenders Briarwood and Indian Springs.

Players to watch: Jack Bapst (senior, midfielder), Will Di Piazza (senior, goalkeeper), Will Moffitt (senior, defender), AJ Kingsmore (senior, defender), Braxton Buckner (junior, forward), Nicholas Messina (junior, defender)

Coach insight: “We’ve created the opportunities, but we haven’t been able to finish. If we can put the ball in the back of the net, then we should be extremely competitive.” - Woodard

Preseason ranking: 4A-5A No. 6

Rankings are according to the Alabama High School Coaches' Poll