Talawanda Boys soccer finds cohesiveness and identity with best start since 2018-19 following major offseason roster changes

On the field, the team is fast. They’re physical. They’re loud. And they play with a bit of swagger.

They’re not always perfect, but they lift each other up and, most importantly, hold each other accountable. The further they advance from the season’s inception, the more they grow together.

Since the beginning of the 2026 high school soccer season, the Talawanda High School boys’ team has walked onto every pitch with the same goal: Win with intensity and discipline. From their senior captains to the program’s newest faces, becoming a singular unit and competing at the highest level is all anyone can (and wants to) think about. And their 8-1-1 record speaks volumes.

“They’re so persistent,” third-year head coach and Miami University music professor Jeremy Jones said. “Their mentality is that we can compete at the highest level. They’re really dedicated to studying our system of play and how we adapt that to different teams, so they’re really driven in that way. Their attention to detail I just think is remarkable, and that’s not easy to do. And I think they’ve shown that consistently (through the early season).” 

When the 2025-26 season concluded, the Brave sat middle of the pack. Their 8-10-0 record overall was overshadowed by a 5-5-0 conference record, and everything came to a close on the road at Monroe High School with a 3-0 postseason defeat. 

The loss stung, and the coaching staff, led by Jones alongside his four assistant coaches, Eric Hodgson, Riley La Fayette, James Wang and Saleh Yousef, had decisions to make. 

Thirteen players on the varsity team were about to graduate. So it was not just a decision on personnel that loomed; there was also a decision on what the team’s identity needed to be.

In total, Talawanda had six varsity players return to the roster this season, and, as a result, Jones had to set important on- and off-field goals from the outset.

“Our primary goal was to try and find a team identity with players who really haven’t played that long together,” Jones said. “We knew that just finding a team identity, knowing our team was going to be younger this year, was a primary goal for us. And how were we going to fit pieces together to have good team chemistry and a good cohesive unit on the field? And they really rose to the occasion.”

When offseason training and summer conditioning programs were at the forefront, Jones could see how special this group of players could be. They seemed to glue instantly. Their leadership, including senior forward and captain Noel Albarran, not only took it upon themselves to lead the charge, but left room for the younger players to make an impact from day one.

“They’ve really brought a ton of positive energy all the way through summer training to where we are now,” Jones said. “It’s a team that enjoys each other. They just bring that camaraderie and brotherhood to how they’re interacting with each other. I think not having as many seniors in that regard, maybe that’s a positive for the team, too, because they’re really stepping into their roles and showing great leadership. It’s pretty fun to see.”

Albarran’s presence at the front of Talawanda’s scheme has brought a lot of freedom for other players around him. The pace at which he plays and the skill he exudes are evident from the moment the referee signals the start of each game. 

Through Talawanda’s nine games, Albarran leads the team in goals (13) and points (29). He sits second in the Southwestern Buckeye League (SWBL) in those statistics, only behind junior forward Sam Seitz of Brookville High School. 

The primary assist man for Albarran (and the entire Talawanda team), junior forward Ryder Hicks, has also helped fill a void with his speed down the wings. After playing just four varsity games last season, he has played in all nine this year and gathered five goals – tied for 12th in the SWBL – and is second in the league in assists with eight. 

“One of the things that’s really helped us is (Noel) draws so much attention from the other team’s defense that it opens up all kinds of other guys to score,” Assistant Coach Hodgson said. “So we’re scoring a lot of goals, but they’re not all coming from one place. So it’s really hard to defend.”

While the ball may be finding the back of the net for the Brave, it’s been a rarity for the same result to happen on the other side of the field. Talawanda has only allowed three goals across the nine matches played thus far. 

Following their first game of the season – a 3-1 victory against Taylor High School – Talawanda posted seven straight shutouts before their first non-winning result of the year, a 2-2 draw against Ross High School at home. Sophomore goaltender Sam Hogan has played in seven games and allowed all three of the team’s goals. However, he’s also tied for 11th in the SWBL in saves, suggesting the defense in front of him is doing an above-average job at blocking shots or forcing players to take bad looks.

“Our team is young, but the guys are really resilient,” Jones said. “I think they’re generally composed throughout the game. The teams that we’ve played have all been well-prepared, and they’ve given us a good test. I think that’s a key factor in looking at the success we’ve had this season. From the first game, each team has brought a new challenge for us to face. 

And the group as a whole has gelled well.

“It feels great being able to trust our backline and just knowing that if the other team’s on the attack I don’t have to worry,” Albarran said. “I have faith in everybody back there. They show up every game, so it feels great.”

Their start is the best under Jones in his three years as varsity head coach and their best since the 2018-19 season, when the Brave went 18-3. 

While their hopes fly far above just an excellent regular-season record, an undefeated start is about as good as they can ask for. The Brave have seven games remaining before postseason play begins, so the goal is to continue playing with the same intensity and put themselves in the best position possible for a championship run.

“We’re not looking back,” Jones said. “8-(1)-1, while that’s fantastic, it’s in the past. We can’t think about that anymore. We have to focus on the next game. We’re not going to get caught up in any other stats, games or teams; it’s just the next game. We’re not looking back, and we’re not looking forward – just right in the present. And staying as healthy as we can. Really encouraging (the players) to stay hydrated every day, eat well and get enough sleep. That’s what we’re really trying to have our guys in the mindset of.”