Ukiah/Long Creek head soccer coach Amos Studtmann races along with his team in practice, showing them the ropes. In back, from left, are Michael Martin, Bert Volny, Nolan Garinger and John Jones.

The Ukiah/Long Creek soccer team is stepping up from junior varsity to varsity this season with 12 players, including seven juniors.

All but three of the 12 players are new to the sport.

The 1A Mountain Lions are led by Amos Studtmann who is in his fourth year as head coach with three years as junior varsity coach — this is his first year leading a varsity team.

Studtmann said his team’s overarching positive quality this season is unity.

The coach has two captains helping bring the team together, Thomas Kreamier, a junior, this season’s only returning player, and Aaron Garinger, a junior, who played his freshman year.

Ukiah/Long Creek’s first game of the season, a 10-1 loss to Four Rivers of Ontario Sept. 9, was a learning experience.

“Thomas played excellent defense, leading with both action and communication to help the younger players get into position,” Studtmann said. “Aaron played solid midfield, good defense and really outworked himself, pushing himself beyond his conditioning level.”

Garinger was injured in the game but hopes to be back on the field soon.

The coach said they were short-handed for Friday’s game, an 8-2 loss to the 3A Irrigon Knights.

Although it was a loss, Studtmann said the team is improving with each game.

Five of the team members are foreign exchange students — two from Spain, and the others from Thailand, Korea and Germany.

At least two have experience playing the sport in their home countries, including Linus Beck and Philip Lee.

Kreamier said the exchange students are playing well.

“They have potential and the ability to grow,” he said.

He said their first match was a good experience because everyone got to see what it’s like to be in a game.

“I think we put in as much effort as the coach wanted,” he said.

Garinger said he’s impressed with his team.

“We do super well for all the team being new to soccer,” he said. “Working as a team is super important. We did better against teams we faced last year, because the team cohesion was so great — and we had way more experienced players last year.”

Garinger added he’s having fun, and there has been no fighting this season among the players.

He said this will be his last year playing soccer, because he’s put in the work to graduate early upon completing his junior year.

“I think that we’ll grow together as a team superbly,” he said.

Ukiah/Long Creek is facing five other teams in the 3A/2A/1A Special District 6: Irrigon, Four Rivers, Riverside, Umatilla and Nyssa.

Studtmann said he’s not familiar with most of their opponents but said they can expect Riverside to be tough.

“Riverside is coming off a very successful season,” he said. “I always expect them to play well.”

The coach said, although Lee and Beck are new to the sport, “they’re willing to work hard, and they’re not worried about the risk of failure.”

“We have better team spirit this year,” Studtmann said. “They’re positive and help each other out.”

He said, for the the first time, he’ll have more than half the team returning next season.

“My goal is to help them enjoy the sport to get them coming back and build the fundamental skills that will be necessary for them to be successful in the future,” Studtmann said.

Ukiah/Long Creek soccer schedule

Sept. 19: @ Nyssa, 5 p.m. (MT)

Oct. 1: @ Riverside, 4:15 p.m.

Oct. 12: @ Four Rivers, noon (MT)

Oct. 15: vs. Umatilla in Long Creek, 4 p.m.

Oct. 17: vs. Nyssa in Long Creek, 4 p.m.

Oct. 25: @ Irrigon, 4 p.m.

Oct. 29: @ Umatilla, 4 p.m.