A team reviving its program. Two new head coaches. Adversity. The 2020 high school soccer season has all of the above and more with the global COVID-19 pandemic delaying some practice time and postponing scrimmages..

The season, which began with the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s “Friday Night Futbol” for some schools, kicks into high gear this coming week.

Union Local, after playing at the club level last season, is back for boys varsity action. Barnesville alum Dereck Ackley has taken over the Jets program.

The other new head coach is Jeff Roberts with the Red Devil boys.

One of the best female players on The Times Leader coverage area, St. Clairsville’s Macy Malin, will miss her senior campaign after suffering a season-ending knee injury.

In addition to the Jets and Red Devils, also fielding teams are Harrison Central (boys and girls) and Monroe Central (boys).

A capsule look at each team follows:

St. Clairsville

The Red Devils are talented and deep, but, as mentioned earlier, will have to play without the services of Malin, who is a three-year letterwinner and earned second team all-state honors last season.

“Unfortunately, Macy recently had surgery to repair a torn ACL and meniscus and won’t be able to play this season, which is a huge blow to any team losing a player of her caliber” St. Clairsville head coach Wes Stoner said. “That means we’re going to need some girls to step up to fill that gigantic void left by Macy’s injury. We have a lot of talented kids, though, and I’m confident they will rise to the challenge.

“You can’t replace a player of her caliber. I feel for her obviously, it being her senior year and all,” Stoner noted.

“She’s an elite player. She was the OVAC Class 4A Player of the Year last year and was runnerup for Division II Eastern District Player of the Year. She’s a (NCAA) Division I talent that we are not going to have.

“That’s the big reason we didn’t know what our identity was going to be. She means so much to this team.”

Stoner is confident that Malin will make a comeback.

“She will bounce back. She will be playing at the collegiate level next year.”

Six other seniors are back for their fourth seasons. They include Mikayla Hendershot, Jaeda Nowak, Bella Swan, Ariel Ott, Kellen Weidman and Eliana Watt. All six have been major contributors during their careers.

“We had plenty of practice, but not having any scrimmages really hurt us some. However, with the talent we have coming back and the talent in our freshmen class, that made it a little smoother,” Stoner said. “We really didn’t know what our identity was until Friday night against Philo, especially with Macy out. I think we looked really good.”

Having Nowak between the pipes is another luxury that helped out during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“She’s a four-year starter as our goalkeeper. She’s done really well for us and we’re looking for big things from her again this season.”

There are five juniors, 10 sophomores and half-a-dozen freshmen that comprise the 27-player roster.

Sierra Musser, Alyssa Bodkin, Jaylyn Gray, Emily Thompson and Emily Mozena make up the junior class.

Gianna Nardo, Zoey Russell, Megan Malin, Jocelyhnn Zucco, Hayleigh Harr, Rileigh Wood, Emaly Elerick, Rowan Flanagan, Grace May and Hannah Salley are the sophomores.

Freshman include Delaney Florence, Grace Dutton, Gracie Gardner, Lanie Gardner, McKenna Booth and Savannah Grim.

Macy Malin, Hendershot and Weidman will serve as tri-captains.

The lone loss due to graduation was Emily Vera.

Stoner is assisted by Brock Ferrell who was named the 2019 Eastern District Division II Assistant Coach of the Year last fall.

GIRLS

Harrison Central

The Huskies have a record number of 26 females out for the sport this season.

“I am pretty excited with the talent presented throughout practice so far this year,” third-year head coach Mindy Madzia said. “The girls have shown much improvement from last year and the incoming freshmen are bringing a lot of talent to the team this year.”

The roster is made up of 11 seniors, four juniors, seven sophomores and four freshmen.

The seniors are Alexis Beall (D), Harley Boyer (D), Kaylee Dulkoski (F/D), Jenna Easlick (M/F), Lisa Gross (D), Kerstin Jeffries (D/GK), Abbi Kelley (na), Britton Positano (GK/F), Brittani Ryser (D/M), Shae Saffell (na) and Shelby Welch (D/M/F).

Juniors include Rebecca Downs (na), Skyelar Goldsborough (na), Maggie Goudy (na) and Kadence Tanner (na).

Sophomores are Maddy Bender (F), Collette Downs (na), Hayden Elliott (M), Mia McIntire (M/D), Gracie Rogers (M/F/D), Alexis Smith (M/F) and Alina Williams (M/F).

Freshmen include Katarina Carman (na), Angi Ferri (na), Katherine Shearer (na) and Isabel Yeager (na).

Madzia is assisted by Cate Brenstuhl who is back for her second season.

BOYS

St. Clairsville

Roberts is no stranger to the Red Devils program. He served as the team’s assistant coach last season, but when then-head coach Mehdi Ayari was suspended, Roberts was picked to fill the interim head coaching slot.

Ironically, those two games just happened to be the OVAC Tournament and St. Clairsville prevailed in both.

“We’re looking to defend the OVAC title this year,” Roberts professed. “But we will have to replace some key players lost to graduation. However, there are plenty of boys ready to lead us to victory.”

The Red Devils have 32 players on the roster that includes 14 returning letterwinners, of which five have lettered two years.

Leading the charge are senior Noah Palmer (MF/F) and juniors Caden Stout (MF) and Nate Thornburg (F); and sophomore Sean O’Grady (MF). Stout and Thornburg each received second team all-Eastern District honors last season, while Palmer and O’Grady were honorable mention selections.

Other lettermen back for another season are seniors Evan Holstein (D/MF), Anthony Verardi (D) and Alex Douglass (MF); juniors Jack Gasber (MF), Andy Schmidt (MF/D), Lucas Otto (MF/D), Brandon Kralovic (GK) and Noah Prosser (D); and sophomore Jayson Clark (MF/F).

The remainder of the roster consists of seniors Carter Litzenberger (D), Kenny Coleman (D), Pablo Escarcega (D) and Christian Williams (GK); juniors Shane Jackson (GK), Michael Judd (D), Jacob Haley (D), Jesse Brannan (F) and Anthony Vcelka (MF); sophomores Luke Miller (MF/F), Karl Kain (GK) and Maddox Tennar (MF); and freshmen Jack Koontz (MF); Ben Shields (MF), Caleb Bryniarski (D), Chris Schmidt (MF/D), Marius Trouten (D), Owen Schumacher (D) and Alex Brocklehurst (D).

Roberts is assisted by Logan Young, Keven O’Grady and Taylor Wissman.

Monroe Central

The Seminoles are coached by former player Cole Minder. They have 14 players on the roster, but no freshmen.

Seniors are Brad Stephens, Isaac Knowlton, Gabe Leonard and Gillian Leonard.

Juniors include Aidan Griffith, Kadelan Griffith, Austin Yonak, Nayt Seymour and Logan Eldridge.

The roster is completed with sophomores Connell McBurney, Jaycie Hoff, Braden Wilson, Shawn Stimpert and Owen McSwords.

No further information was provided.

Harrison Central

The Huskies have 13 players on the roster. There are five seniors, three juniors, four sophomores and a freshman.

The seniors are Hunter Fisher (M), Luke Forrester (M), Jack Novotny (F), Brady Positano (F) and Dylan Waggoner (M/GK).

Juniors include Mack Marshall (GK), Jacob Mattern (na) and Benjamin Puskarich (D).

Sophomores are Taylor Cope, Cameron Dulkoski, Kaden Jurosko and Jace Madzia.

The lone frosh is Jaydis Yoho.

Derek Gramlich returns as head coach.

No further information was provided.

Union Local

Ackley is a 2012 graduate of Barnesville where he played on the Shamrocks’ club soccer team. He also has played in Idaho.

“I moved around when I was younger,” he said. “I’ve also coached track, but there was nowhere around here to coach it, si this opportunity came up and I took it.

“We’ve got enough kids to form a varsity team,” he continued. “The kids are excited about coming to practice every day. The kids have looked promising, so we just want to have fun and compete. So far, so good.”

The Jets have 13 players on their roster, including four seniors. They are Andrew Martin (LMid), Chyler Peck (LDef), Parker Skedel (CFwd) and Logan VanFossen (CMid).

Juniors are Caden McElroy (Sweep) and Dekotah Verbeck (RMid).

Sophomores include Annalyn Davis (RDef), Kiamara Garrett (CDef), Jocelyn Heiny (LFwd) and Brayden Jeffers (GK).

Three freshmen complete the roster.

They are Kennedy Madrzykowski (RFwd), Logan Parker (RDef) and Cameron Russell (LDef/GK).

Ackley is assisted by Taylor McCort.