Not many people are talking about Jefferson girls soccer this spring, but with all but one player returning and a subtle change in mentality, don’t be surprised if the J-Hawks sneak up on some people.

Even though they have a lot of experience returning, after finishing below .500 for the first time in six seasons Jefferson is changing up its style a little bit this season.

“I want to play real futbol,” said Coach Ash Brannan. “Last year, I kind of went away from that and just tried to play how I thought we could because we didn’t have a whole lot of technical skill. We don’t have a lot of club players, which is a huge factor in this city, so I kind of went away from that. This year the focus is just plain good futbol. Organized team defense, being able to move the ball around on the ground, combining passes, that is my focus this year.”

Although the team’s focus is shifting, their experience playing together will be valuable to the players. While playing together they have developed a team work ethic and trust.

“We have a lot of good teamwork and we don’t give up,” junior Trina Gallagher said. “We may not have girls that can dribble through the whole team or whatever, but we always go 100 percent.”

Much like last season, the J-Hawks will be anchored by their back line where they will build around senior defender Maggie Bruckman, an Iowa State signee. In addition to being the team's go to defensive stopper, Bruckman was also the J-Hawks' leading scorer last season.

“Defense is still our strength just because we have Maggie Bruckman,” Brannan said. “She is the best defender in the state as far as I’m concerned. She is technically one of the best players I have ever had, and I have had some good girls go on to Division I and play there.”

In addition to Bruckman, the J-Hawks will look to junior captains Gallagher and Riley Kesterson to help lead this team to success.

“I’m putting a lot on their shoulders as far as leading the team in a positive direction,” Brannan said. “They not only have on the field stuff, they have off the field duties that they have to take care of.”

Among those duties is to help merge the younger players with the returning varsity team.

“Some of the younger girls are scared of the older girls,” Kesterson said. “We aren't mean, but it is kind of intimidating.”

One potential setback for Jefferson could be the loss of sophomore Maddy Ilten, who is awaiting the results of tests on a knee injury to determine if she injured her ACL.

“If she is healthy, she is one of our better players,” Brannan said.

All in all, the J-Hawks are optimistic about their chances this season.

“When I look at our team I think we have a lot of potential,” Gallagher said. “One thing I love about our team is that we always work together. It is going to be a tough season because we don’t have a lot of talent, but I think we’ve all worked together. I think we can work hard and do well.”