Coach Russ DeFord’s expectations for his young Auburn girls soccer squad are realistic.

With just three seniors returning from last year’s 3-10-3 squad, the Trojans hope to develop quickly as they strive to compete in a tough South Puget Sound League North 4A race this fall.

“We just want to be competitive, to be the best we can,” said DeFord, who is in his sixth year at the helm at Auburn. “We think we can threaten in the league this year. We’re young, but we’re very talented. We’ve got 18 girls on the varsity this year, and they all can play. I’m real pleased with the girls.”

For leadership, the team will look to its seniors, Sadie Phonpadith, who was a second-team all-SPSL North 4A selection last season, Tosh Torgison and Kaylah Hoover.

“We’ve got Sadie in the back and Tosh, our center midfielder (as our strengths),” DeFord said. “They’re both physical, spiritual, and (they) just lead us. They started when we were getting beat 8-0 when they were freshman. So they remember what that was like.”

This year’s team also features five freshman who will look to make their presence felt. The group includes twins Megan and Sara McCullum and the speedy Hannah Mizoguchi.

DeFord said that although most of the players on his team benefit from club play during much of the year, the key is to get those players to settle in to the high school game.

“They have to be more patient,” DeFord said. “High school is so much more different than club. And they need to buy in and learn how to play the high school game with bigger girls, stronger girls, girls who are going on to college. That’s big when you have girls who are just 14.”

DeFord hopes his team can stay in the hunt.

“If we can finish in fourth, maybe third, and get an opportunity to get into sub-districts, that would be our goal,” he said. “And I think that’s realistic.”