It’s officially soccer season once again out on the bayou, and things are looking good for a change.

We have a packed and talented roster hitting the field this season. Head Soccer Coach Keyton Wheelock and her staff put in extra hours in during recruitment and brought some real talent to the squad this year.

The team started off the season on Thursday with a 2-1 loss to Jacksonville State. Now I know that doesn’t sound good, but if we break it down stat wise Wheelock and her girls mean business this year.

The Warhawks had four shots throughout the game with three on target. A goal in their first game of the season should be a boost to morale going forward.

Potential focal points of the team include two senior starters. Senior goalkeeper Brooke-Lynn Scroggins is absolute gold in-between those poles. Nine saves in under 90 minutes is what you expect from someone like Scroggins. Expect to see her on a list of most saves nationwide halfway through the season.

Outside of Scroggins fellow senior defender Alexandria Skidmore will be the focal point of the Warhawks both defensively, and at times, offensively. Skidmore notched her first assist of the season against Jacksonville proving what we saw late last season. Should Wheelock need it Skidmore can move up the field and cause trouble for opposing defenses.

Freshmen players will continue to be an often-used tool for Wheelock this season. With a stacked roster this year you won’t see as many freshmen starters as last year. That being said, she did start three freshmen players, but all were supported by experienced players around them.

Goal wise there should be a considerable difference in how many balls the team manage to put behind the net. Don’t expect goals galore starting off the season.

The number of formations used by Wheelock this season is crucial. Last season, we saw multiple formations from game to game, and at times, the team struggled to adapt. You’ll see about three to four different formations this season but all very similar.

This is the year Wheelock and her girls define that “blue-collar” style of play they always preach, and fans are in for a treat. Most games will be close calls one or two goal differences. Nail biters are what we are going to see on the field. At the end of the day I see the soccer team bouncing back from their worst season to a top three in program history. See y’all on the field!