Seymour High School’s girls soccer team doesn’t like clichés.

They have a hard time believing that “The best defense is a good offense.”

During its 2017 season, the Owls (12-5-1 overall) tied the school record for shutouts by blanking seven teams.

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They only gave up 20 goals across the 18 games and allowed multiple goals in just three of those games.

Returning all but three of their starters, including the goalie and all but one of their backs on defense, the Owls are poised to make some noise in 2018.

“It’s night and day with where we are at this point in the year, and we were a 12-win team last year,” Owls coach Greg Musser said. “I’m looking at this team and saying we’re even better.”

The Owls have been busy inside and out of the sidelines this summer.

On the coaching staff, the Owls added Brayan Morales, a 2018 SHS graduate, and Andy Glover as assistant coaches, pushing the number of coaches to five with Ryan Chandler and Bob Hartman both returning along with Musser.

While Morales is new to coaching at the high school level, Glover brings a wealth of knowledge.

Glover led the Columbus North boys soccer team from 2009 to 2017. He retired as the Bull Dogs’ coach at the conclusion of this past season.

The Bull Dogs were wildly successful under Glover, as his teams posted an overall record of 133-37-22 in nine seasons. The Bull Dogs won four Conference Indiana titles, seven sectionals, five regionals and three semistates, finished as Class 2A state-runner up in 2011 and won the Class 2A state title in 2012.

“We’ve added two more coaches to our coaching staff, one of which is a very well-respected coach from Columbus North,” Musser said. “He has been helping us a lot with our defensive rotations with the second, third and fourth defenders. Over the years, we’ve kind of concentrated on the first and second. Now, with this group of girls and their understanding of the game, we’re able to take it a couple steps further.”

The Owls lost senior starting back Taylor Heckman to graduation but return Elizabeth Lenart, Mallory Moore, Carmin Smith and McKenzie Bailey.

“(The defense) is going to be a strong suit of our team,” Musser said. “We have a lot of returning players, and that does a lot for the confidence of the team.”

Lenart, an All-Hoosier Hills Conference and second team all-district selection as a junior last fall, said the bond in the back third of the field is strong.

“I think what made that defense so good was our ability to communicate and play together,” Lenart said. “I was a junior, and a freshman (Moore) was our other center-back. We worked really well together. Aidan (Hiester) went out of this world in the goal. As a defense, we worked well because we put our hearts and souls into it. It just worked.

“We’re starting a new formation, and we have different girls coming in with different strengths. We’re building a foundation, and soon, we will be sharpening skills.”

Hiester, a junior, will return in net for the Owls.

“Aidan reminds me a lot of me,” Musser said. “She’s an undersized goalie, and I wasn’t the typical mold of what a goalie was. Aidan has really excelled with her aggressiveness. That can counteract a lot of things. If you have an aggressive goalie back there, it takes some of the pressure off.

“We’ve worked a lot of hours together the past year. I’ve seen her step up. She was named a captain for this year, and I know she can help lead the defense the way we need her to. (Lenart) will bounce around a little bit, and she’s always been a cog for us back there.”

Hiester dominated in the net last year, finishing with 133 saves (7.4 per match), the seven shutouts and a goals against average of 1.176 while earning All-HHC second team honors.

“We’ve seen a lot of potential from all the girls coming out from JV to varsity this summer,” Hiester said. “I think this summer is showing how well we can do during the season and how strong we can be. There’s definitely room to improve, but we’re working hard, and it’s going good.”

Moore, who started in the back as a freshman last fall, said the team is shaping up.

“This summer has been great,” Moore said. “We are getting more perspective with a larger coaching staff, our fundamentals and skills. I think we’re bonding as a team. It’s looking great for the season.”

While they lost last year’s Jackson County Player of the Year to graduation, Maddie Roark, who scored 23 goals, the Owls are confident they will be able to score. Thirteen different players scored for the Owls last year, with 31 of those 63 goals coming from seniors. Forty-nine of the goals were assisted.

“We have a lot of talent spread among this team,” Musser said. “I think we will have a lot of 14- or 15-goal scorers spread among a few different players. I prefer that brand of soccer. I think our team top to bottom has grown tremendously, and our talent is there. We don’t need to rely on just one player. We can rely on four or five different options.”

The Owls finished fifth in the HHC with a record of 4-3 last year. Columbus East won the HHC, going 6-1, Floyd Central was runner-up at 6-1 and New Albany placed third at 5-1-1. East has won or had a share of the HHC each of the past 10 seasons.

The Owls have shared the HHC twice, both times with East, in 1997 and 2003. Seymour owns one sectional championship title (1997).

Musser believes this year’s team can shake things up.

“I don’t see any reason why we aren’t a contender for the conference and making a run into the sectional,” Musser said. “It’s going to be your typical two dogs at the top with East and Floyd, but I think we’re getting our foot in that door and we will make some noise against them.”

“Coming off 12 wins last year and arguably one of the most fun games I’ve been a part of against Floyd Central in the sectional (a 3-2 loss), losing three players and seeing what’s coming through, we will be a power for a few years to come. I think with the changes we’re making this year, it’s going to be a fun game to watch. Looking at the boys and girls programs, we’re in two really good spots. It will be fun to come out to the complex and watch some soccer.”