The Auburn Riverside boys soccer team did not sneak up on anybody last year.

With five first-team South Puget Sound League North 4A all-leaguers on the squad – forward Oscar Diaz, defender Matt Zeman, midfielder Shane Gutierrez, defender Kevin Wien and midfielder Max Thomas – everyone in the league was well aware of the havoc the Ravens could wreak on opposing teams.

That team finished 9-4-5 overall and was third in the SPSL North 4A, losing to Bellarmine 2-0 in the West Central District III playoffs, just a couple of games shy of the state tournament.

This season, however, with seven key players gone – including Diaz, Zeman, Gutierrez, Thomas and goalkeeper Derek Hawn – Auburn Riverside’s prospects were much more of a mystery.

“This year we are the X-factor,” said Ravens coach Robyn Saarenas. “I don’t think anyone knew we would have such a good start.”

So far this season, the Auburn Riverside is a surprising 3-0-2.

According to Saarenas, a large part of that is the unexpected addition of several players who didn’t play on the Ravens’ varsity team last year. The new faces include South Korean transfer student Hansol Park, who already has scored four goals for the Ravens this season.

“I had no idea I was getting such a potent goal scorer,” Saarenas said.

Along with Park, the Ravens are benefiting from the addition of senior forward Adam Zeman, who did not play last season and made a speedy recovery from back surgery in August.

“He’s just like his brother (Matt),” Saarenas said. “They’re both impact players and just have a way of leading a team.”

To fill the gap left by the departure of the team’s goalies, Saarenas is looking to junior Troy Albin to do the job between the pipes. Arbin returns to the program after sitting out last season.

So far, Albin has been sterling in goal, allowing just three goals and notching three shutouts in five games.

While Albin, Park and Zeman are pleasant surprises who potentially could put Auburn Riverside over the top this season, the Ravens also are relying on several veteran returners.

“Kevin (Wien) is the best defender in the league as a junior,” Saarenas said. “If I had two of him, we’d be unstoppable.”

Also back is Cameron Howard, team co-captain and midfielder, and Dalen Leverenz, a second-team all-leaguer.

With a solid core of experienced leaders, coupled with their newcomers, Saarenas likes her team’s chances of sneaking up on some teams this season.

“We’re underrated, and I prefer to stay this way,” she said.

The Ravens will host Tahoma at 7:30 p.m. today.

ALSO: Last season the Auburn Trojans finished a disappointing 3-9-4 overall, good for seventh place in the SPSL North 4A. This season the team will look to senior defender Taylor Jackson, an SPSL North 4A first-team all-league selection, hopefully to lead the team to a postseason berth. The Trojans also will look to junior midfielder Riley Dewin, an all-league honorable mention last season, and second-team all-league midfielder Joe Olenginski. Already this season the team is 2-1-3 with a contest against Kent-Meridian scheduled for 7:30 p.m. today at French Field in Kent.