Inexperienced, young and different. The new looking Manhattan High soccer team traveled to Lawrence High for their first game of the season, and rapidly apparent was that the fresh faces wearing the Indians jerseys were a different generation of players. Carrying only five seniors on the entire roster, the Indians fell in their debut match 2-0 to a more experienced Lawrence side.

“We were outplayed,” senior defender Conall Root said. “They were physically stronger as well as better mentally prepared,”

Over the off-season multiple upperclassmen decided not to return to the team, thus freeing space for younger players to take starting positions and handicapping the team to a less experienced team

“This team is younger and less experienced at the Varsity level than last year’s team,” Root said. “We have a lot of players jumping up from J.V. who haven’t stepped foot into a Varsity game. Intensity and physicality need to be better.”

He was a starting defender in last year’s regional championship winning team.

As for the underclassmen, they expect better things to come their way.

“I believe we are going to have a great season,” junior midfielder Victor Banda said.

He played on the J.V. team that was able to pull a 3-1 victory against Lawrence’s J.V. squad.

The Indians will have a streak of away games until they finally play their home opener on Sep. 13.