The Pembroke Academy girls soccer team has a strong core and, later this year, that could translate into a better seed.

Though the Spartans finished last year at 10-5-1, a cluttered Class I postseason picture left them with the No. 11 seed. PA bowed out in the first round of the playoffs.

A combination of youth and experience has Pembroke’s mentor, Steve Langevin, excited about the current season, which began on Friday, Aug. 28, with a 2-0 victory over Bow.

One strength of the team is the defensive backfield, which is almost completely intact from last season.

“It’s nice to have that, because we’re just going to get to know each other even better,” said Langevin. “By playing more together, they’re going to be become even more difficult for other teams to get through.”

Abby McCormack is back as starting sweeper as a sophomore. She’s joined by fellow returners Emma Pinard, Haleigh Parker and Alyssa Douglas. The only new face on defense is Laurin Brainerd, who played junior varsity in 2008.

Langevin said he has 19 players, and all should expect to see time on the field running a high-pressure scheme that focuses on team defense from every position.

The mentor doesn’t expect any individual to post a gaudy goal total, and the offensive load is spread equally through the lineup.

Junior Rachel Devoe is the top returning goal scorer; she tied for team honors in 2008. Langevin expects senior Kacie Paradie and first-year varsity players and sophomores Hannah DeBold and Alycia Abbott to have an impact at forward.

The NHIAA instituted a new method of keeping the standings for Class I on a oneyear trial basis, with teams rewarded more for wins against tougher opponents. Langevin said if the system were in place last year, the Spartans likely would have had a much higher seed based on their strength of schedule.

Eleven of Pembroke’s 16 games this season come against last year’s top 10 teams. If the Spartans continue to notch difficult wins, a reward likely awaits the group.

“We’re just trying to get in (the playoffs),” said Langevin. “We’re hoping the tough schedule we’re playing will get us a little more ready for the tournament. You just want to get there and get hot at the right time, and then any of the top 10 teams can win it all.”