But the Iowa High School Soccer Coaches Association guys preseason rankings predict the identical degree of success this coming year for local teams.
With Class 3A, West will be ranked first, despite sacrificing a huge senior class, and City High is actually ranked second, perhaps the very best the Little Hawks have ever been ranked.
"Wow, I was not wanting that," City High coach Jose Fajardo said. "But it's better to be No. 2 than it might be No. 20. It's an additional way to think."
In Class 1A, Regina is ranked on top, which is actually hardly surprising with this return of three most-state players in Zach Pechous, Daniel Larew and Johnny Rummelhart. Solon, which returns six starters, is graded fourth, and Iowa Mennonite, with five newbies and 11 additional notice winners back, is positioned sixth.
While it's older hat for West and also Regina to be tabbed preseason favorites, it can be new territory for Town High.
"It creates a new pressure to do nicely and a pressure to keep up that," Fajardo said. "With that pressure comes the accountability to do well every game and perform 100 percentage every game. I desire that we are as much as the task."
Fajardo considered that City's victories over several top-five teams recently in the playoffs smooth the way for these kinds of respect.
"We have this talent," he said. "Your mentality at practice has been unbelievable so far.
"But it's great to finally become there. I've been instruction the boys since 2006, and I can say we've been working going back three years in the proper direction."
West and Metropolis begin the season Sunday at West High's Trojan's Classic at the University of Iowa recreational job areas. Also in the subject are No. 4 Gulf Des Moines Valley, Zero. 6 Cedar Rapids California, No. 10 Pleasant Area and No. 13 Muscatine.
Teams will perform three games at in search of a.m., 11:30 a.m. and two p.m. West plays West Des Moines Dowling, West Des Moines Valley and Sou'-east Polk, while City has Pleasant Valley, Muscatine in addition to Dowling.
