Lawrence High players gather near the goal as they await a corner kick to play out during a summer workout on Friday, June 23, 2017 at LHS.

When Lawrence High’s boys soccer team started summer workouts earlier this month, many of the familiar faces from last year were gone.

After graduating a large group of seniors, the Lions are rebuilding nearly their entire lineup with new players in new roles.

“It’s a very different team,” senior midfielder Dario Ramirez said. “We aren’t quite the same as we were last year.”

About 50 players have shown up to three-days-a-week workouts at LHS, plus the Lions scrimmage against teams on Thursdays. This summer, they’ve played Eudora and Leavenworth.

During most of their two-hour workouts, the Lions are split into four stations across the field. Some are focused on dribbling through defenders, others are meant for passing and shooting.

“Really just getting people touches on the ball a lot, getting passes between each other and chemistry between the team,” senior forward Quentin Harrington said. “We’re working on our conditioning getting ready for the season.”

Lawrence High players Matteo Kalusha-Aguirre, sophomore, back, and Will Damron, junior, compete for a ball during a summer workout on Friday, June 23, 2017 at LHS.

The Lions only have six or seven seniors participating this season, which Ramirez said will force some underclassmen to fill big roles. Harrington and Ben Matthews are the only returning starters.

Lawrence coach Mike Murphy is excited about the talent level of the freshmen class, which includes his son, Alec. He coached many of them when they played in youth soccer.

“Not only are they talented, they are driven,” Murphy said of the freshmen. “I think that helps to have a great class like that coming in to really push that older group to know that, ‘Hey, we’re not taking anything for granted here. We have to keep working. We have to stay ahead of those guys.'”

The Lions played games in Manhattan two weeks ago, giving them a first look at their team heading into the fall. They had some trouble scoring, which means that’ll be an emphasis for the remainder of the summer.

“A lot of it is just a mindset,” Murphy said. “I don’t think it’s a lack of skill position players to do that job. I think we just have to take some more chances.”

Lawrence High head coach Mike Murphy watches over a summer workout on Friday, June 23, 2017 at LHS.

Despite so many players in bigger roles, Murphy is hopeful that players will embrace all of their opportunities.

Murphy noted the team’s goalkeeper, senior Ross Brungardt, has shown strong instincts in his new position.

“A lot of guys from JV are going to be moving and having to take up varsity roles for the first time,” Murphy said. “That’ll be exciting for them. It might be a little of a work in progress.”

Beyond all of the work in the weekly workouts, Murphy said the Lions will learn a lot about themselves during the second week of July. They will participate in a team camp at Fort Hays State before playing in a tournament in St. Louis over the weekend.

“It’s definitely a lot different,” Harrington said. “But I think we have some good talent coming up.”