The 2016 John Tyler girls soccer team poses for a team photo

Despite graduating nine seniors and two massively influential players in midfield, John Tyler girls soccer coach Pakaal Mendoza said he’s looking forward to the 2016 season.

For one, it’s his second year in charge, meaning the program will be running more smoothly.

“It should be easier,” Mendoza said. “Last year it was a little bit chaotic trying to take over the program.

“I believe last year went well and this year everybody’s … in it to win it. Hopefully it pays off in games.”

The Lady Lions open the 2016 campaign against Marshall at 7 p.m. Friday from John Tyler High School Field, looking to build on last year’s 8-10-2 record.

John Tyler improved its playoff positioning with a third-place finish last year but was still bounced in the first round of the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season, the three prior as a No. 4 seed.

“I don’t want to finish in third place again, that’s for sure,” Mendoza said. “We always want to try to go first, but second will be OK.

“We want to go deeper into the playoffs, that’s for sure.”

First thing for the Lady Lions will be learning to play without Jolenne Calleja and Esperanza Zavaleta, a pair of All-East Texas midfielders who were the heartbeat of the team the last four seasons.

Without the duo – and the seven other graduated seniors – John Tyler failed to win a preseason game but Mendoza said he sees steady improvement.

“Preseason is basically a huge learning experience because we had two really good players last year in the middle,” Mendoza said. “We’re trying to play together so we can play together and play strong in the middle.

“We’re not an individual team; it has to be teamwork or nothing.”

Looking to take over the lead role in midfield is Blanca Razo, a fourth-year varsity player coming off knee surgery. She’ll be looking to supply the ball to sophomore striker Kayla Viramontes, who led the team in goals as a freshman.

Viramontes will be flanked by senior Oralia Araluz on the right wing and Maritza Montoya on the left, a freshman who Mendoza said he expects big things from in the years to come.

The defense should be stout with four seniors on the back line, including returning all-district selections Azucena Trujillo and Patricia Mojica.

“We should be settled in defense,” Mendoza said.

In goal, sophomore Angela Nunez will have big shoes to fill replacing Rebecca Renteria, now playing at Northeast Texas Community College.

The Lady Lions play in the Hallsville Tournament Jan. 14-16 and on Jan. 19 they’ll visit Texas High, the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year with a 4-0 win at Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium.

Mendoza said they’d love to avenge that loss, but that wasn’t the primary reason for scheduling the game.

“We’re trying to get good games, good competition in the preseason so we can play better, play stronger in the district,” he said.

District 16-5A play opens on Jan. 29 at Whitehouse, last year’s runner-up to Lufkin.

By that point, Mendoza said he expects his team to be ready.

“We’re turning into a good team, I believe,” Mendoza said. “We’re getting there. We’re not there yet. Hopefully by the first game of district we should be ready to go. We have Whitehouse in the first game so we have to be ready.”

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2016 John Tyler Girls Soccer Schedule

Jan. 8 Marshall (JTHS) 7 p.m.

Jan. 14 vs. Pine Tree# 6 p.m.

Jan. 15 vs. Mabank# 10 a.m.

Jan. 16 vs. Pleasant Grove# 2 p.m.

Jan. 19 at Texas High 7 p.m.

Jan. 26 Kilgore (JTHS) 7 p.m.

Jan. 29 at Whitehouse* 7 p.m.

Feb. 2 Corsicana (Rose)* 6 p.m.

Feb. 5 at Lindale* 6 p.m.

Feb. 12 Nacogdoches (JTHS)* 6 p.m.

Feb. 16 at Jacksonville* 6 p.m.

Feb. 19 Lufkin (Rose)* 6 p.m.

Feb. 23 Whitehouse (JTHS)* 6 p.m.

Feb. 26 at Corsicana* 6 p.m.

March 1 Lindale (Rose)* 6 p.m.

March 11 at Nacogdoches* 6 p.m.

March 15 Jacksonville (JTHS)* 6 p.m.

March 18 at Lufkin* 6 p.m.

Home games at John Tyler High School Field (JTHS) or Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium (Rose)

# – Hallsville Tournament

* – District 16-5A

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2016 John Tyler Girls Soccer Roster

No. Name

1 Serena De la Piedra

2 Lexi Varona

3 Patricia Mojica

4 Beatriz Morales

5 Stephanie Molina

6 Maritza Montoya

7 Tracy Ochoa

8 Elisa Munoz

9 Mary Renteria

10 Kayla Viramontes

11 Cecilia Santos

12 Angelica Rojas

13 Oralia Araluz

14 Marya Sanchez

15 Blanca Razo-Patlan

16 Luz Moreno

17 Angela Nunez

18 Azucena Trujillo