Winter is coming, and with it comes the next wave of sports. AIA requires that teams practice for a full month before competition, so in the meantime The Times will break down season expectations.

The Fountain Hills High School boys soccer team wants to hit the ground running and never slow down. Ten of the 15 players are returning to the team, and three returners won all-region recognition last season.

Nico Cini and Savion Boone were named to the all-region second team last year, and Zane Balzarini was an honorable mention. The Falcons did have four other award-winners last year, but Dylan Shipman, Fin Hudoba, Hunter McAloon and Nathan Ball all graduated.

Last year, the Falcons started out 0-8 after graduating seven seniors, but they won four of the last six games to finish 4-10. Despite their record, the Falcons were still ranked 25th in the state due to their strength of schedule.

The Falcons will look a little different this year, as Balzarini and Cini will move positions. According to head coach Matt Pugliano, Cini grew nearly six inches since the last season, and he’ll move from midfield to center back defender. Pugliano is moving Balzarini to goalie, where he’ll replace a two-time first team all-region goalie in Shipman.

“Zane’s going back in goal, which is his natural position,” Pugliano said. “He hasn’t played there for us because we had Dylan in front of him, and it was great to have him as a backup. I always told people whenever we had those all-region meetings, ‘I’ve got the two best goalies in the state,’ because Zane’s just as good as Dylan was.”

Despite moving two of his better players into defensive positions, Pugliano said his team will probably try to “run and gun more this year.” Pugliano says that they’ll have to maintain a defensive balance with their aggressive offense. Pugliano said that last year’s slow start came down to two main factors, COVID and a second half mentality. While still present, COVID is not the same challenge this year as last, and Pugliano said they need to work on starting games better, so that they’re not digging themselves out of holes in second halves.

The boys team is motivated to make the playoffs this year. The Falcons are only two years removed from the only playoff run in Pugliano’s seven years as head coach, and many players still remember that run.

“The boys work hard every single day and give it everything they’ve got,” Pugliano said. “It’s always a pleasure to make those playoff games, and we were actually talking about it earlier today. They really relished that experience and they’re itching to get back in.”

The boys played Anthem Prep in a scrimmage game this past Monday, Nov. 15. Pugliano said his players had a team dinner afterwards to debrief and bond after the team’s first game.

The regular season starts at home on Thursday, Dec. 2. The boys will host American Leadership Academy at 6 p.m. after the girls’ home game against the same school. The Falcons have five more games in December before Winter break.