Bowling Green High School boys soccer had a standout season last year, finishing 13-6-1 overall and 7-2-1 in the Northern Lakes League Cardinal Division.

Sixth-year coach Josh Fox (39-44-9) has nine lettermen returning from that team, including senior forwards Tomas Meek and Luca Brininger, senior midfielder/forward Jack Hover, senior midfielder Aden Kendrick, and senior defenders Nolan Feehan, Owen Cleland and Austin Lewis.

Meek was a first team All-NLL and second team all-district selection, garnering a team-leading 28 points last year on nine goals and 10 assists.

Brininger, also first team All-NLL and honorable mention all-district5, was second on the team with 25 points on 12 goals and one assist. Fox expects Meek and Brininger to lead the offensive attack again with help from Hover.

“We hope Tomas and Luca can have the kind of season that helped them earn league and district honors,” Fox said. “Jack is coming off a knee injury that forced him to miss last season and has been a welcome addition back to our rotation.”

Controlling the midfield will be Kendrick (one goal, one assist last year), Hayden Fox, Adin Metzger, Jeremiah Kaba, and Wyatt Concannon.

“All of these players bring something different to the team and have a good mix of attacking and defending abilities,” coach Fox said.

Leading the defense is Feehan, Lewis (one goal last year), Cleland, Drew Mierzejewski, and Carter Hamilton.

“All of these players, with the exception of Carter, spent time last season in a starting role or had a role as a substitute coming off the bench,” coach Fox said. “They have been working hard to fill roles vacated by a strong 2023 senior class.”

In goal will be Kole Evans and Teigen Gulgin.

“Both have been patiently waiting to become a varsity goalkeeper behind a departing senior, Max Haynes, who had two successful seasons at the varsity level with the program,” Fox said.

Fox says while his program has seen improvement, it’s difficult to say who has made the most improvement.

“It’s tough to identify one or two players. So many of them are being asked to play different roles or bigger roles than they have played in the past,” Fox said. “A lot of players are making strides to help the team remain competitive after losing a talented group of seniors from last season.

“Carter Hamilton is a young player (sophomore) who we are excited about. Throughout the preseason he has been earning the trust of the coaching staff and finding a role on the team.”

Fox says this is a team that is ready to continue the success the program has already started.

“We have a lot of players who have been patiently waiting for their time to be our primary players,” Fox said. “They are eager to step into those roles and help to try and achieve the same level of success we have had the past couple of seasons.

“With so many players playing more minutes and stepping into those larger roles, they are being asked to do things they haven’t been asked to do before. We have been asking them to do a lot of little things that might go unnoticed, but are so important.”

The Bobcats expect to be in the thick of things in the Northern Lakes League Cardinal Division.

“I think the league will be competitive,” Fox said. “Springfield won the league last season and returns some of their top players. Year in and year out, Southview is always one of the top teams in the area. I really liked the young players I saw coming up in Clay’s program last season.

“Napoleon always finds a way to be competitive and are always well coached. Finally, Fremont Ross always has a strong goalkeeper and has a system they run well and can be challenging to beat.

As far as the postseason tournament, expanded divisions brings new hope.

“We will be playing in D-III this season after the state expanded to five divisions. Our third division in three seasons,” Fox noted.

The Bobcats open the season next Tuesday at 7 p.m. against Clay at Bobcat Stadium, and then travel to Delta on Thursday for a 5 p.m. non-league game.