With six returning seniors, the Mariner girls soccer team is loaded with maturity and talent this season.

And it doesn’t have to look back too far to find some motivation for the upcoming year.

After a strong regular season last year, and back-to-back trips to state the two prior years, the Mariner girls lost a heartbreaker in overtime to Palmer in the opening round of the region tournament.

“We took one on the chin,” said Head Soccer Coach Mickey Todd. “It’s been gnawing on me all winter. I hope it’s gnawing on them too.”

Last season’s starters like Kathryn McCarron, Rachel Bornheimer and Claire Siekaniec will anchor a program that includes seven juniors, 16 sophomores and nine freshmen.

It’s been years since the team had so many upperclassmen, Todd said.

With the Mariners’ first game scheduled in just two weeks, the team has been working on strength conditioning in the weight room and game skills in the gym.

When they play Grace Christian in the season opener on April 14, it will likely be the first time the team will play on an actual field.

But the team, and coaches, have become somewhat accustomed to the perils of spring sports in Alaska.

Todd said his program develops athletes more than it does soccer players. In the end, he hopes conditioning, speed and strength will outweigh any technical deficiencies that come from starting the season with snow-covered fields.

It’s a formula that has worked well for Homer in the past, and for this group of girls in particular.

Todd hopes to get this group of seniors back to state this season.

“The peninsula wasn’t well-represented last year at state,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll change that.”

The season schedule may help the cause this season, as the girls play six of 11 games at home including 7-of-8 beginning May 1 against Nikiski.

Ben Stuart can be reached at ben.stuart@homernews.com.