PRIEST RIVER — The Priest River boys soccer team will be young this season, with a short bench, so it figures the Spartans will lean heavily on their lone senior Evan Barnes, who can affect the game in many ways as the starting goalie.

It will once again be tough sledding for the Spartans, who will look to improve upon last year’s two wins with a team that features a whopping six freshmen.

Head coach Rob Lawler, entering his sixth season, will have to manage the game differently with just 12 players and one sub on the bench. It’s easy to go hard in spurts with a bench, but much tougher when you have to sustain pace for 80 minutes.

“It’s a small team, we’re going to have to work together,” admitted Lawler. “Move the ball quickly, rely on passing and stay away from the long sprints where we wear ourselves out. Play solid defense and play possession.”

The thin bench is good in that everyone will play a lot of minutes, but not good in that fatigue and any injuries can prove to be tough to overcome.

Lawler is seeing the positive, and until some more players show up to run, it will be a dirty dozen when the Spartans take the pitch.

“It’s an opportunity to come together and learn each other, there is not a lot of subs,” said Lawler. “It’s a strength and a weakness. The opportunity to play is there.”

Barnes figures to see a lot of action between the pipes, as a young team looks to gel before the Intermountain League games on the schedule. Lawler will lean heavily on the lone senior to make the key saves that can keep the Spartans in games.

“Evan is a natural leader, keeps a high spirit,” described Lawler. “He’s solid in goal, keeps us in games making key saves.”

Every attack needs someone pulling the trigger, and for the Spartans that will be junior Cameron Bell, whom Lawler will count on to set the tone.

“Cameron has been stepping up his leadership and driving the team forward,” described Lawler. “He’s a hard worker, moves the ball well, distributes.”

The Spartans lone striker will be junior Eli Davis, who will be counted on to create opportunities for both himself and teammates. With a lot of players new to varsity, and improving play in the Intermountain League, Davis will be a prime scoring threat for the Spartans.

“Eli will be attacking the goal,” claimed Lawler. “A lot of assists, goals and scoring attempts will be coming from him.”

Priest River kicks off the season on Aug. 23 at Bonners Ferry.