For several South Coast soccer programs, this could be called the year of the newcomer.                   New players and coaches have had a role in several teams emerging as playoff contenders, or making big leaps toward competitiveness, while the team with the most tradition in recent years hopes to return to the top with a strong group of veterans.

All the area’s teams have started league play, while matches over the next several weeks will determine which advance to the postseason.

Midwestern League

One team that made the playoffs last year, Marshfield’s boys, was hit hard by graduation, but got a big offensive boost with transfer student Brian Melgar from Florida.

Eight players graduated from last year’s team and the returning strength is in defense with seniors Wes Keller and Tyler Leach and junior Forrest Rambo.

“Our defense is strong with lots of experience in the middle, while the players that we picked up help to create an offense that was sometimes not there last year, especially on the outside,” said Marshfield coach Tony Preston.

Enter Melgar, who quickly became the team’s leading scorer. He joins returning players Tyler Graves and Angel Duarte on the offensive end of the pitch for the Pirates.

Marshfield hopes to continue to build off last year’s success, but will need to overcome a slow start to league play to return to the playoffs.

Marshfield’s girls, meanwhile, never have contended for a playoff spot, but could have the best squad in school history with a veteran group under third-year head coach Kitty DeMoss.

“This is going to be a good year for Lady Pirate soccer,” DeMoss said. “Not only do we have a strong core of seniors, but we also have a very talented group of underclassmen.”

Seniors Courtney Lanza, Catherine Bones, Christina Hunter, Cassie Messerle, Lily Duarte, Mallory Crane and Kelsey Laird all return to the starting lineup.

“The leadership and chemistry on this team is very strong,” DeMoss said. “Many of these players have been with the program since they were freshmen.”

Two of the team’s biggest additions are athletic junior Hannah Francis and junior Megan Meador, the first-team all-league goaltender the past two seasons in the Far West League. Both have contributed instantly to the program, as have several talented freshmen, DeMoss said.

Marshfield still is fighting an uphill battle against traditional powers in the Midwestern League, but is in its best position to contend.

Far West League

North Bend’s boys had a rare season out of the playoffs last year, but have bounced back well, surging to the top of the league standings in the opening two weeks.

“Teamwork will be the key to our season as we return a bunch of good players,” veteran coach Blaine Deming said.

Seniors Sean Jany, the team’s top scorer; William Fowler, who often keys the attack; midfielder Jake Schneider; and speedy sweeper Andy Langenstein, give the Bulldogs a good core of veteran leadership.

Juniors Jeramy Dubisar and Kyle Deming also are key components to the team, while sophomore Billy Rempelos joins Jany as a goal-scoring threat.

The Bulldogs were even with Brookings-Harbor heading into their showdown Tuesday night at North Bend. The Bulldogs were able to take down the Bruins, winning 4-2 on behind a spectacular performance from Jany, who tallied four goals in the match.

It has been a great fall so far for both North Bend’s programs.

While the boys missed the playoffs last year, the girls failed to win a game. But already, North Bend has two victories in league play, both 1-0 wins showing the team’s tough defense and how well the group primarily consisting of sophomores and juniors has come together.

“I don’t know much about the rest of the league, and we cannot control what they do, but I feel like we can be playoff contenders,” first-year coach Dustin Hood said. “I know that sounds like a lofty goal for a team that has not won a contest in several years, but I truly believe in the heart and spirit of this team.”

With the tight league standings — four teams were grouped behind defending champion Brookings-Harbor and South Umpqua in the race for third place through two weeks — the Bulldogs will need to maintain the early momentum to stay in the playoff picture.

Sophomore Taylor Cribbins scored the goal in each win and is probably the team’s most fundamentally sound player, Hood said. Four other sophomores also are returning starters — Nicole Medford, Alyssa Birrer, Kyla Feaster and goalkeeper Anna Houghton. Juniors Dana Crosby, Amelia Liggett and Lisa Wiggins also return.

“The sophomore class is solid all around and the juniors have great leadership skills and have set the tone in practice,” Hood said. “The team has grown close and become a family.”

Pole vaulters Brooke Davison and Sammie Clark, both juniors and first-year soccer players, have made an instant impact on the team, Davison as an athletic forward and Clark as the team’s stopper, a vital role.

“She’s aggressive and attacks the ball,” Hood said of Clark. “She gives us excellent speed and she is just so athletic.”

While Clark’s arrival has sparked North Bend’s defense, Coquille’s boys team got a big offensive boost when the city chose its new police chief.

Mark Dannels arrived with his family after running a successful club program in Arizona, and immediately signed up as a volunteer assistant to coach Randy Lucas.

Dannel’s son, Ryan, a junior, promptly had hat tricks in Coquille’s first four matches, and the Red Devils got off to a 2-1 start in league play.

Dannel has been the perfect addition to a team that had several returnerning starters — Blake Holmes, German Ferrer, Colby Gederos, Luke Hashberger and goalie Jeff Veysey, recovering from an injury. Freshman Cole Waddington also has recorded a hat trick, while first-year player Armando “Tito” Rangel and exchange student Mauro Sakuma from Brazil have helped spark the offense as well.

Lucas is pleased with the team’s efforts, which have led to the best start in program history.

Coquille’s girls, meanwhile, had their top season last year and now are in a rebuilding mode — Brittany Love, Haley Stephens and Megan Sullivan are the only returning starters.

“We lost eight starters and most of our starters this year are coming in with very little experience,” coach Mark Usselman said.

But he added that the players have shown great heart.

“The girls have worked hard over the last couple of weeks and are excited about the season,” he said.

One thing Usselman has continued to enjoy this year is the participation of exchange students, this year including players Mia Toskala from Finland and Mareike’ Langenbach from Germany and team manager Lisa VanGaal from Holland.

“It is great to see these exchange students take an interest in American sports,” he said.

Both Coquille teams again include players from Myrtle Point as part of a cooperative agreement between the two schools.

Pacific has been one of the better programs in the Far West League, with a team that draws players from Bandon and often includes at least a few girls.

This year, the club will rely on two outstanding seniors in its quest for another playoff berth after finishing second last season.

Julian Carter is probably the top goalkeeper on the South Coast, while Jarrid Doffing can play either forward or defense. They have provided the leadership for coach Tom Swenson.

Juniors Shane O’Brien and Thomas Oberbeck and sophomores Pete Swenson, Josh Valentine and Tyler Moehring also return as starters for a club that is in a rebuilding year, but should still be competitive, especially as it gets more experience.

Class 3A-2A-1A

The South Coast’s other coed program is in Gold Beach, where the Panthers compete against mostly boys teams in Class 3A-2A-1A District 3.

First-year coach Steve Martin has five returning starters, providing a good base, including goalie Jake Hatten and fellow seniors Andrew Martinez and Aaron Eells and juniors Miles Bernadett-Peters and Brodey Carpenter.

“We have 11 boys and four girls who are learning to play a physical and intense game,” Martin said. “We are very optimistic on continuing to improve and working hard to establish Gold Beach as a team that comes out to play every time we step on the field.”

In their league, the Panthers are up against three private schools with talented programs — St. Mary’s, Canyonville Christian and Umpqua Valley Christian, as well as established programs at Rogue River, Glide and Creswell.