Warren Central goalkeeper Kemal Esmic makes a save Sept. 20 against host South Warren. Esmic, a senior, is back for the Dragons after tallying nine shutouts last season.

South Warren is out to prove there won’t be a drop-off from their first Region 4 championship last season. Despite losing 11 seniors, the Spartans believe they have the talent to keep the momentum rolling.

The Spartans edged Bowling Green in overtime for the region title last year and advanced two rounds into the state tournament for the first time in school history.

“We’re here to prove people wrong,” senior goalkeeper Alex Cohron said. “I don’t see any reason why we can’t be a contender for region and a contender for state.”

Cohron will start his first year of varsity between the pipes, replacing graduated keeper Michael Bohnlein. Cohron is one of several players who saw the field sparingly last year and are now asked to take on starting roles.

“Our culture always stays the same out here,” head coach Tom Alexander said. “We have the same playing style, we have the same philosophy and same playing mind we always have. We’re asking a lot of guys who have been role players here to step up into bigger roles this year and I think that’s going to be the biggest challenge we have. So far they’ve all stepped up and look like they’re ready to meet the challenge.”

Between Bohnlein and Fahrudin Dervisevic, the Spartans lose 42 percent of their scoring from last year. Anatoli Emina scored 10 goals and led the team with 18 assists. He returns to the right wing this fall, with freshman forward Eldin Velic anchoring the left.

Senior Carlos Ramos, who had five assists in 2016, returns to lead the midfield. He, Emina and Cohron will be senior captains.

“I think we have momentum coming into it,” Ramos said.

“We got that little taste of state and even though we’re young, I think we’re going to prove people wrong. … This group is going to step up and fill those roles we’re missing.”

Bowling Green

As many roles as South Warren has to fill, Bowling Green has more.

The Purples replace 17 seniors from last year, which is the most turnover coach Scott Gural says he’s ever had in more than a decade of coaching.

Gural said Bowling Green will have tough stretches early this season, with a push to make a playoff run.

“We’ll take some lumps here and there, but I love how hard the guys are working,” Gural said. “Looking back on my career, most of my favorite teams are the teams who just work hard and they want to improve. … There’s all kinds of openings and guys stepping up.”

Gural said Bowling Green will rely on returners Chris Miller and Brooks Goodwin, both of whom are seniors who emerged late on the varsity scene last year.

The starting goalkeeper spot is a battle between senior Ivan Markovic and sophomore Amran Linares.

Johnathan Canizales and Emilio Osorio are the other two seniors. Gural said six sophomores have competed for starting spots in scrimmages.

The Purples open the year in the Lexington Soccer Showcase on Friday against new Lexington school Frederick Douglass and against Henry Clay and Tates Creek on Saturday.

Warren Central

Coach A.J. Ray still reminds his team how its season ended in 2016. The taste was so sour it’s being used as motivation in 2017.

Not counting the three penalty kick losses, Warren Central had the region’s best defense with 10 goals allowed. Each of the Dragons’ five district losses were by one goal, including a penalty kick loss to Bowling Green in the District 14 semifinals.

“The way we went out last year, it stays in our minds,” Ray said. “They saw where our problem was. Not being able to build all the way up the field, this year the focal point has been make more runs and play more off the ball so we can get up the field and create more goal-scoring chances. That’s what we missed last year.”

The Dragons will rely on senior Senid Avdic and junior James Khual for that improved offense. The biggest strength for Warren Central is returning goalkeeper Kemal Esmic, who had nine shutouts last year.

Warren East

Eddie Cano returns to lead the Raiders after scoring 33 goals last year. Building around Cano is the plan for coach Ben Thompson, who said Warren East has added several new players.

“The summer has basically been building a new team together,” Thompson said. “We have a bit of experience. We’ve got about seven seniors who have been around a couple of years, so they’ve got some experience and we’re going to rely pretty heavily on them.”

Those seniors joining Cano are Kaleb Allen, Dennis Alas, Jordon Galloway, Jacob Gillespie, Alex Grace, Bryson Johnson, Fernando Lopez, Braden Miller and Corey Skaggs. Freshman Kobe Kawai will start in goal.

Thompson said the interest in soccer at Warren East is on the rise. From 2011-14, the Raiders won just eight games. Last year they won 10 games and eight games the year before that.

“The kids are getting used to winning, which turns attitudes around, and you get more kids out because everyone wants to play,” Thompson said.

Greenwood

Coach Luis Llontop believes Year Three under his watch sees an upswing in Gators soccer. Greenwood has finished under .500 the last two years and has goals of getting out of the region this fall.

Greenwood has seven seniors this year: midfielders/forwards Soe Maung, Angello Alfaro, midfielders Ngun Lian, Benito Valero, Drew McLaughlin and Shubash Gole.

“We’re playing more as a team,” Llontop said. “We’re holding each other accountable for attacking and defending. There’s more team chemistry this year than the last two years. Our goal this year is to get out of the region.”{&end}