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The roster has changed and so has the game plan for the La Conner High School boys' soccer team.

The Braves opened preseason workouts Monday minus key players who graduated from last year's club that placed fifth with a 7-8 mark in the NW2B title chase, forcing La Conner head coach Galen McKnight to tweak his attack.

"We're going to have play a different style," McKnight told the Weekly News. "We'll have to play smart and rely on a lot of passing rather than try to score quickly on each possession."

The new approach, heavy on crisp feeds and movement away from the ball, is the result of losing two of Skagit County's top scorers in 2021 to graduation.

One of those was Mason Wilson, who captured the county scoring crown with 14 goals. Classmate Cameron Burks, meanwhile, was the Skagit region's fourth best shot-maker.

Versatile Thomas Wilme, Luke Marble and Spencer Olson, the latter of whom established himself as a defensive specialist last fall, must also be replaced.

"We have quite a few younger players, a lot of freshmen and sophomores, and some of them are going to have to step up and assume leadership roles," McKnight said.

Fortunately, he has numbers on his side.

About 20 players are out for boys' soccer this fall, including talented returnee Isa Gonzales-Rojas, who showcased his fancy footwork and dribbling skills during the team's Monday afternoon practice session, the bookend of its first round of two-a-day preseason sessions.

Ian McCormick, Gage Tenborg, Sammy Williams and Logan Burks are also among those expected to make big contributions for the Braves.

McKnight is likewise hopeful that Christian Fix, a sophomore who has been a team mainstay since his eighth-grade year, can rebound quickly from an off-season knee injury.

La Conner will have home-and-away dates with traditional league rivals Coupeville and Friday Harbor. The Braves have also added Concordia Christian to this season's slate, said McKnight.

La Conner will also be paired this autumn against Providence Classical Christian, Orcas Island and Mount Vernon Christian, who went 1-2-3 in conference standings a year ago.

The new-look Braves open the '22 campaign Sept. 9, 3:30 p.m. at Rainier Christian. They debut at home Sept. 13 when MVC visits Whittaker Field at 6:30 p.m.