The Mexico boys soccer team will have plenty of new faces this season.

The Bulldogs have 11 freshmen on their roster of 30 kids and six seniors will try to lead a strong followup to last year’s 8-13 record.

Head coach Bill Gleeson said there is inexperience and not as much confidence with a younger roster, but the team this year still has a lot going for it.

“Some strengths for this team are the closeness and respect they have for each other,” Gleeson said. “This lends itself well to working together on the field. Our defense is almost all newer players to the varsity game.”

Gleeson said this means Mexico will have to work harder in the midfield on defense until the team’s confidence rises. He said they also need the confidence to take more shots on goal instead of waiting for the “perfect shot.”

The returners leading this year’s group includes senior Alex Rodriguez, with his ball control and offensive experience; senior goalkeeper Grant Walker, with his skills in goal; juniors Nate Galloway and Carlos Rodriguez, with their defensive experience to lead the back line this season; junior Oscar Alvarez, with his scoring skill; and sophomores Angel Muralles and Alex Matuz, with their scoring potential they showed near the end of last season. 

Freshmen Grant Lee and Alex Cortez show “real promise,” Gleeson said, because they are not afraid of facing bigger and stronger players. 

Gleeson said the boys always would like to advance further in the postseason, such as when they won the first game three years ago. Mexico has faced stiff competition from the North Central Missouri Conference in the past and he said it wants to have a strong showing in the final year of the NCMC.

“Last season, we had ups and downs,” Gleeson said. “We played well in several games but then we would not do well and struggle at times.”