With soccer season rapidly approaching, the Scorpions’ girls soccer team is eyeing a playoff trip for the third time in four years.

After finishing last season 9-4, the Scorpions are ready to build off of it and take the next step.

“You always have high expectations no matter what circumstances you have but how far we go depends on the players,” Sedona coach Juan Carlos Aguilar said. “I can give them all the training and instructions but it is up to them on the field to make it happen.”

The Scorpions look to avenge last season’s ending as Sedona lost to Fountain Hills 6-0 in the playoffs.

While the Scorpions made due with 13 players last season, Sedona has over 20 girls this season in their soccer program.

“I am excited at how big the turnout was because after four long years, we finally have a junior varsity team,” Aguilar said. “It is important because now players can develop more before joining the varsity team.”

The Scorpions lost four seniors from last year’s team but return the majority of last year’s players including an experienced defense.

“Our defense is exceptional,they are short but fast and last year they allowed less than two goals a game against some great opponents,” Aguilar said. “This year we are playing some great opponents who may have more experience than us but I am excited for how they will play.”

Sedona also returns two all-region players on offense with Amari Sonn earning first team honors and Braedan Feldtkeller earning honorable mention.

Sonn led the team with 15 goals last season while Feldtkeller is the Scorpions second leading returner with five goals.

Ariana Parra Landaverde and Carolina Lopez-Villegas also scored goals for Sedona last season and return this year.

Lopez-Villegas returns at goalkeeper andregistered 63 saves last season for an average of 5.3 saves a game.

“She is a captain this season and her leadership on and off the field will definitely help the younger girls we have,” Aguilar said.

Aguilar is heading into his fifth season as the Scorpions coach and believes Sedona is building a great foundation for itself.

“Of course you want to win, but it is more fulfilling to succeed as a team rather than just as a bunch of individuals,” Aguilar said. “I expect more from all of my players this season because soccer is a team sport and we do not have one star player,” Aguilar said.

With a roster full of experiencedplayers, Aguilar admires the Scorpions’ cohesion as a unit on and off the field.

“Last year we made the playoffs with a small roster so the culture that the girls have built on the field is unbelievable,” Aguilar said. “The girls fight for each other because they know they have each other’s back and that is the culture we want to build.”

Sedona’s season begins on Wednesday, Nov. 28, when the Scorpions hosts the Chandler Prep Titans. The match begins at 4 p.m.

When these two teams last faced off, Sedona defeated Chandler Prep 4-3 in the opening round of the 2016 state playoffs.