The Warrenton boys soccer team is looking to take the next step forward. 

Following a historic 2024 campaign where they recorded its most wins (13) since 2016, the Warriors are eager for more. 

“We got a lot of our kids back from last year so we’re looking to win three or four more games than we did last year – that would be outstanding,” Warrenton coach John Schulte said. 

Schulte said in order to be successful, his team must turn in a strong work ethic.

“We need them to come out, work hard and implement the things we do in practice and do those in a game, like passing and moving the ball around,” Schulte said. “If they do that, we’re going to be really successful.” 

The Warriors bring back a strong core of playmakers, including Nolan and Evan Donovan who tallied 10 and 9 goals, respectively, last season. Midfielder Gavin Thompson will return to control the center of the field, while Hudson Kieffer is back on the wing after 11 assists in 2024. Defenders Caleb Hackmann and Brayden Brown will once again anchor the back line. 

Up front, Isaac Wagner returns as the team's leading scorer after netting 44 goals last season. 

Thompson is optimistic about this year’s returning group.

“We’ve been playing together for a long time, since we were kids, so we have a lot of chemistry,” Thompson said. 

That chemistry has translated into big aspirations. 

“We want to go far in districts. I think everyone’s pretty passionate about doing that since the last three years, we were first round exits,” Wagner said. 

In addition to the veteran players, new talent is fitting in nicely as well. 

“(Oscar) Bynum and Caden (Baum) are doing really well. They’re stepping in and really doing a great job for us,” Schulte said. 

Riley McGee is expected to take over as the starting goalkeeper. He recorded 32 saves last year. 

“He’s been doing a great job for us so far so we’re hoping for good things from him,” Schulte said. 

Offseason training has also played a key role in the team’s development. In addition to sanctioned practices, the players have been getting in extra touches through small-sided scrimmages on their own time. 

“You can definitely tell (we’ve been training during the offseason) throughout the years and that we’ve been putting in the work,” Wagner said. 

In training, the focus has been on involving the defense more in the attack and creating a more unified back line. 

“It’s something that we worked on last year and we continue to work on because if we can stop a team from scoring on us and transition, it already generates that offense for us,” Schulte said. 

The team will primarily play a 4-4-2 formation, with four defenders and midfielders and two players up top. 

Warrenton begins its season at 6 p.m. on Aug. 29 at home against St. Louis Christian.