Last year, the Oak Harbor High School soccer team was young, inexperienced and struggled through a rebuilding cycle. Now the Wildcats are ready to step into the playoff hunt.

Oak Harbor’s roster included only three seniors last spring, and the Wildcats failed to win a match, going 0-12 in Wesco play and 0-15-1 overall.

“(We have) 14 returning players with a chip on their shoulder having something to prove,” coach Jeff Laiblin said.

Among those returning is three-year letterman senior Nathan Merrill and three players who received all-Wesco honorable mention in 2018: senior Mason Rhodes and juniors Ridgely Briddell and Jaydon Wallace.

They will be joined by returnees seniors Julian Hinkle, Logan Holt, Thomas Kanoa King and Taiveyon Shaw; juniors Diego Aranguri-Plummer, Maxwell Brighton, Alexander Johnston, Brandon McCracken and Ethan Snell; and sophomore Jonathon Pierce.

Key newcomers, according to Laiblin, are seniors William Dylander, Alberto Hernandez and Ignacio San Martin; junior Jakob Wilson; sophomore Isiah Lumsden and freshman Jonathon Tang.

The Wildcats have three primary goals for the season, Laiblin said: improve on last year’s rebuilding year, improve throughout the season and make the playoffs.

Laiblin’s biggest concern is the weight of his year’s expectations: “Once we get over the initial hurdle of being successful again, we will do fine. We have great veteran leadership to lead on and off the field.”

Laiblin likes what sees from his club.

“I believe that the talent is there and we will see a dramatic turn around this season,” he said. “The veterans combined with the highly capable newcomers is a recipe for development and success.

“The key will be how they deal with the pressure and eliminating the mistakes that plagued us last year. We do that and we will see the turn around.”

Oak Harbor hosts Coupeville and South Whidbey in a jamboree at 5 p.m. Thursday, March 7. The first regular match is at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 9, with Anacortes at Wildcat Memorial Stadium.