When you lose arguably the league’s top player to graduation, a goal-scoring machine in JD Haaf that set Northwestern’s single-season record with 46 goals, how could a team possibly return to that level that won Colonial League and District 11 Class 2A titles?

Northwestern head coach Nate Hunsicker doesn’t expect his Tigers to reach those heights in 2016. He believes this team can be even better a year later.

The Tigers breezed through the Lehigh Valley landscape and District 11 scene with just one loss through their two championships a year ago. They even won two state playoff games before losing to eventual champion Lewisburg. Could much of the same be in store for this year’s Northwestern squad?

“He [Haaf] will certainly be missed without a doubt,” Hunsicker said. “I think we can be even more dangerous on offense this year though with teams not being able to game plan to stop one guy. We have several kids who have shown the ability to find the back of the net.

“It’s a lofty goal but I think this team can accomplish just as much, even more than what we did last year,” Hunsicker said. “[We are taking it] one game at a time though and taking nothing for granted.”

Haaf isn’t the only one that graduated, however. Keegan Coffield, Brett Scott and Dan Halingstad (a Colonial League Second Team midfielder) are also gone after holding key roles in last year’s championship team.

But there are plenty of returning starters that will help lead this new breed of Tigers, and it will once again begin on the defense end of the field.

Senior defenders Jon Blaine (a First Team all-star in 2015) and Dom Mertz (a Second Team all-star) have locked down the back line in front of returning goalkeeper Kyle Bellhorn, a Colonial League Second-Team all-star last fall.

The returns of Noah Seng Delong, Brad Shafer, Tommy Creighton, Kenny Gawelko and Andrew Goodolf will also provide the Tigers with an edge offensively to compete with any team in the area.

“We have great ball control and midfield play, while out-possessing our opponents and keeping them on their heels,” Hunsicker said. “We have the ability to attack in multiple facets of the game, and not having one or two go-to guys on offense. Everyone is dangerous for us getting up on the attack.”

Sophomores Sam Seyfriend (outside midfielder/striker) and Caleb Danner (defender) are two Tigers that Hunsicker expects to make an impact this fall. He’s also trying to solidify which guys will be used in the starting rotation and which will be utilized more off the bench with so much talent up and down the roster.

“We have several guys that can play multiple spots well,” Hunsicker said. “It’s just a matter of seeing who fits where and what gives us our best overall team on the field.”

Another change Northwestern will endure in 2016 is the fact that they’ll be jumping up to District 11’s Class 3A based on the PIAA’s realignment. A number of other Colonial League teams, like Saucon Valley, will make the leap from 2A to 3A. Another league favorite, Salisbury, remains in the 2A field. Boys soccer will have four classes this year, one more than in years past.

The Tigers open their Colonial League schedule against Palmerton on Wednesday, September 7.