The Xavier Saints are wiping memories of last season’s state championship from their minds as they prepare for the new season.

With three first team all-state players gone from last year's team, along with several other senior starters, Xavier's boys soccer team has a long way to go to successfully defend its 2A crown.

“Losing Charlie Bales is a big deal,” said senior Zach Smith. “He for sure carried this team for four years. Clayton Lynch and Aaron Lacy were also two big players for us.

"Losing them kind of took our legs out from under us a little bit. But coming back this year, we still have a lot of talent.”

That talent is mixed between returning starters and younger players.

“It’s great to have these younger guys who play club all year long pushing up these older guys,” said Coach Amir Hadzic. “So I think that will be a strength, to have the older guys with experience and the younger guys with desire to prove themselves combining to play together.

"I think that can be really powerful because the younger guys look at these guys as role models and they will try to incorporate the younger guys into the system.”

The returning players know how important their role in helping the younger players is, especially this season.

“Those that are ready to step up with their first varsity experience, they are going to be nervous,” Tim Bouchard said. “I mean, that’s a lot of pressure going from not starting varsity to starting for the defending state champions.”

Football players join soccer team

Also contending for playing time are four senior football players: Pat Chizek, Alex Ries, Nate Even and Mitch McLaughlin. They all played club soccer before high school, but haven't played yet at Xavier.

“They bring that physical aspect to the game," Hadzic said. “They really refuse to lose, and everybody else picks up from that.”

Hadzic also has been pleased with the intensity with which the former football players have attacked the early season conditioning and weightlifting.

“While we are doing these two-a-days with lots of running and strength exercises in the morning, they are really leading in each category,” he said.

Although they haven't yet played for Xavier, those four already have  begun trying to knock off some of the rust playing this winter.

“They all played indoor soccer this winter, which is a fast-paced game,” Hadzic said. “I think that helped everybody with touches and understanding the game and positions.”

This is not the first time the Saints have had a group of senior football players decide to try their hand at European futbol. Last season, Bales, who was a kicker on the football team, got some of his teammates to go out for soccer.

“With Charlie having his football friends to come out last year, and some of them having a huge impact with Dylan (Martin) starting at left back and (Joe) Sayre came in at keeper when Clayton (Lynch) got hurt and some others playing, some are looking to step up this year,” Bouchard said.

In fact, Even, who led the Saints with 477 yards receiving last fall, is expected to fill an immediate need at goalie for the Saints, who lost both of their goalies from last season to graduation.

Although there will be new faces on the pitch this season for the Saints, they are still aiming for the same lofty goal.

“Coming out with the same goal we have every season, taking it one step at a time and trying to make it back to Des Moines,” Bouchard said.