The 2019 high school soccer season is under way as four area teams took to the pitch during the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s annual “Friday Night Futbol.”

This season will see a new head coach directing the St. Clairsville boys program, while another program dropped to “club” status due to a lack of numbers.

Mehdi Ayari, a 31-year-old who was born in Tunisia, has taken over the Red Devils reins as Gary Watt stepped aside after a successful run. Ayari played four years of soccer at Oakland City College.

“I’ve lived a little in France and Belgium. My family moved to the United States when I was 14,” Ayari explained. “Most recently I lived in Indiana. I came to Wheeling to work at a law firm, which didn’t work out, and now I teach at Wheeling University.

“I heard about this gig with the St. Clairsville boys soccer team from another coach in Wheeling. Here I am, replacing Gary. I’ve got some really big shoes to fill.”

Although Ayari has never coached at the high school level, he does has an extensive soccer background.

“I have coached at the club level with FC Alliance in Knoxville, Tn., and I coached with DC/FC in Muncie, Ind.,” he noted. “I tried out for Indiana University team where I received my undergraduate degree, and I’ve also played a season of youth/academy club level in Belgium.”

The Red Devils opened the season with a 7-0 shutout of visiting Carrollton and played West Muskingum Saturday at MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus.

“It’s exciting. We have a good group of kids this year,” he said. “We are a young team, but we have some experienced players, especially on defense. Some of these kids have played together since they were 12-13 years old. That’s really good for a sport like soccer.

“I know they struggled last season but they have been competitive in years past,” Ayari said. “I know some of these players from FC United in Wheeling. I’ve seen some of these guys playing club soccer, so I’ve seen them but never met them or coached them until I got here.”

MEANWHILE, Union Local announced Thursday night that it would be downgrading its co-ed program. According to reports, the Jets had 13 players last week until four opted to not play.

Union Local will not be eligible for the OVAC Tournament nor postseason action in the OHSAA.

A brief capsule of each team follows:

BOYS

St. CLAIRSVILLE

The Red Devils have a 30-player roster for this season.

Team members are Brandon Kralovic, Nate Verardi, Caden Stout, Caden Wolfe, Lucas Otto, Quentin Elerick, Jack Gasber, Alex Douglass, Noah Palmer, Jayson Clark, Kenny Coleman, Jesse Brannan, Chase Greene, Anthony Verardi, Jared Morgan, Evan Holstein, Sean O’Grady, Anthony Vcelka, Karl Cain, Michael Judd, Jacob Haley, Luke Miller, Joey Weissman, Nate Thornburg, Carter Litzenberger, Andy Schmidt, Shane Jackson, Tanner Maddox, Ethan Banks, Jared Jackson and Christian Williams.

“Honestly, I don’t know much about the teams around the area. I’ve been scouting a little bit and I went to the OVAC coaches meetings and met some teams,” Ayari admitted. “Our goal is to win the OVAC championship. We’ve set that as a team, collectively. The likelihood of that is going to depend on a lot of things such as depth and injuries.

“Our preparation this season has been really good. We used up all 10 of our days of contact that we could. We had a pretty decent preseason. We’ll have played four preseason games before we open the season. We have a new system that is different from last year formation-wise. Also, strategy-wise will be different. I think you will see more goals, hopefully, this season.

“We’ve got some pretty good leaders on the team that, I think, are ready to take us to the next level. Gary left us a lot to work with. He left a pretty good team to work with.”

Ayari is assisted by Jacob Hilton, a former Wheeling Central soccer standout, Ernie Banks, Jeff Roberts and Tommy Brennan.

HARRISON CENTRAL

The Huskies had an impressive debut against Edison in a 7-0 blanking. Junior Brady Positano recorded a hat trick and an assist, while senior foreign exchange student Alexis Flor had two goals and a helper. Junior Jack Novotny and sophomore Ben Puskarich also scored while senior Eric Leech had a pair of assists.

Second-year head coach Derek Gramling likes what he has seen so far this season. Harrison Central was 6-7-6 in his first year.

“I’m more happy, honestly, with the clean sheet,” Gramling said after Friday night’s victory. “Our defense tonight was a sophomore and some freshmen, and the goalkeeper’s a sophomore. So, to keep a clean sheet was great. We scrimmaged them (Edison) already and they scored three (goals) on us. Tonight was a big improvement.”

He was referring to Puskarich, who is also a placekicker for Anthony Hayes’ football squad, and frosh Jace Madzia, Taylor Cope, Kaden Jurosko and Cameron Dulkoski. The goalkeeper was Mack Marshall.

Flor, who is from Paraguay, is a multi-talented player, according to Gramling.

“He’s good. He can dribble. He can shoot. He’s got everything. He’ll be a good player for us this season.”

Gramling said the team has welcomed Flor with open arms, and it’s been good.

“The intensity is practice has risen. Everyone has stepped up their play since he has arrived,” the head coach added.

Kyler Tobin is the other senior on the junior-dominated roster of 15.

Juniors Dylan Waggoner and Luke Forrester recorded assists during Friday night’s opener. Other juniors on the team are Jojo Downs and Hunter Fisher.

Gramling is assisted by Jason Leech.

MONROE CENTRAL

Although it plays a boys’ schedule, the Seminoles continue to field a co-ed squad in Woodsfield.

“We are coming off of a 2-12-2 record with aspirations to add more games to the win column,” head coach Cole Minder, a former player, said. “We are led by a strong group of juniors, including leading scorers Isaac Knowlton and Brad Stephens, along with defensive leader Gabe Leonard.

“We also expect quality contribution from our two seniors, midfielder Breannon Hoff and starting goalkeeper Landen Rush,” he added. “Looking at our schedule brings optimism that we can improve on last year’s efforts. We play more teams this year that are closer to us in size of school and skill level, and we have a favorable start to the season with our first five games being at home.”

The Monroe Central roster is completed by juniors Logan Eldridge, Gillian Leonard, Brian Meade and Aidan Griffith; sophomores Austin Yonak and Seymour Nayton; and freshmen Kadelan Griffith and Jaycie Hoff.

GIRLS

ST. CLAIRSVILLE

Head coach Wes Stoner has a dilemma this season, but it is a good dilemma.

The Red Devils head coach only has one senior — Emily Vera — on the team that was 11-7 last fall and lost the second leading scorer in program history, Alyssa Otto, who is playing at Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pa. However, the former Red Devil standout has the luxury of a talented and skilled 25-player roster.

“The outlook for this season is very positive. We have a lot girls that came out to play, but we are very young with only one senior,” he explained. “We have a lot of talent all around and several key starters returning.

“Even though we lost Alyssa up front, Abby (Fifield) in midfield, and Maria (Vincenzo), Jolie (Nardo), and Tori (Cannon) on defense (all of them were 4-year starters), and several other key substitutes, I think we’re still going to be a very good team. We are capable of going very far.

“We also have a lot of returning players who have stepped up and improved, and a very talented freshman class,” Stoner added. “A couple of which will be starting for us.”

That talented junior class is comprised of 2-year veterans Macy Malin, Mikayla Hendershot, Jaeda Nowak, Bella Swan, Ariel Ott, Kellen Weideman, Eliana Watt and Kylie Gallagher. The sophomores are Sierra Musser, Adria Craig, Alyssa Bodkin, Jaylynn Gray, Emily Thompson and Emily Mozena. Freshmen are Gianna Nardo, Jocelyhnn Zucco, Zoey Russell, Megan Malin, Hayleigh Harr, Rileigh Wood, Emaly Elerick, Rowan Flanagan, Grace May and Hannah Salley.

Assistant coaches are Brock Ferrell and Logan Young.

St. Clairsville opened the season with a 5-0 triumph over visiting Indian Creek Friday night.

Macy Malin found the net three times and assisted on another tally. Bodkin added a goal and assist while Hendershot also scored.

Ott recorded an assist and Nowak stopped seven shots for the shutout.

“We led 1-0 at the half and all we did was settle the the girls’ nerves down in the second half,” Stoner said of Friday night’s opener. “We’ve also got a pretty deep bench and Indian Creek only had 14 kids. I think they got gassed in the second half.”

HARRISON CENTRAL

The Huskies went 9-8 in head coach Mindy Madzia’s first year at the helm.

“I am looking forward to a great season. It is a little different for us this year with no seniors on the team. We are in are building stage with 10 newcomers,” she said. “The six freshmen have come out strong and showing their want for positions on the field. The girls are hard-working and willing to learn and my returning lettermen are helping with getting the team ready for the season.

“I am holding high standards to our seven returning athletes. They have the desire to keep the Huskies tradition going on and off the field,” she added. “We have some tough games to start off our season, but with continued work and dedication to the team our hopes are big for this season.”

Leading the seven returnees are juniors Britton Positano, Lisa Gross, Kaylee Dulkoski, Jenna Easlick, Kerstin Jefferies, Brittani Ryser and Shelby Welch.

Positano earned first team all-OVAC and honorable mention all-Eastern District honors last season. gross, a defender, also earned honorable mention all-Eastern District. Dulkoski is a forward while Easlick plays forward and midfield. Jefferies is a defender.

Ryser and Welch divide time between defense and midfield.

The roster is rounded out by juniors Harley Boyer, Alexis Beall and Abbi Kelly (injured); sophomore Kadence Tanner; and freshmen Hayden Elliott, Gracie Rogers, Lexi Smith, Maddy Bender, Alina Williams and Mia McIntire.

Caitlin Brenstuhl is an assistant coach.