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MCALISTERVILLE -- Juniata Christian School has 11 seniors.
Seven of them play boys soccer.
At a larger school, seven seniors on one roster might not draw much attention. At Juniata Christian, where 160 students attend kindergarten through 12th grade, those seven account for nearly two-thirds of the graduating class and half of a 14-player varsity roster.
Austin Shearer, Braden Benner, Connor Leitzel, Hudson Stong, Julian Flores de Valgaz, Mitch Auker, and Zander Neimond have reached the season they spent years anticipating. The Eagles are 7-0, have outscored their opponents 45-4 and are trying to add another championship to what this group has already accomplished.
They also know there won’t be another season together, and their coaches know this is their last one, too.
Co-head coaches Nathan Neimond and Jorge Flores de Valgaz plan to step away when this season ends, meaning Juniata Christian will lose seven seniors and both men who have helped guide the program when the final whistle sounds.
For a group that spends most of the day together anyway, soccer has become another part of a friendship that extends well beyond practice.
The seniors sit together at lunch. Most share classes. They spend time together outside of school. Leitzel said most of them grew up playing soccer together, while others joined later.
"There's only 11 in our grade, so we're kind of just all together," Julian said.
For years, they also looked ahead to this particular season.
"We were all looking forward to this year because we knew we were going to be good," Shearer said.
They were right.
Juniata Christian has overwhelmed most of its early opponents one year after winning the NCSAA Division 4 national championship. The Eagles traveled to Ohio, won three tournament games, and beat Faith Christian 3-1 for the title.
They returned from Ohio as national champions, but the week together left something beyond the trophy.
The team rented a house and stayed together during the tournament. They went to games, took part in activities, and spent the week under the same roof. Jorge believes that experience strengthened relationships that were already close.
"That's how those guys, what you see now, how connected and how tight they are," Jorge said. "They get along well with each other."
Some members of the senior class have spent much of their lives playing soccer. Julian was named the NCSAA Small School Player of the Year last season, while Shearer and Leitzel joined him on the national tournament all-tournament team.
Auker's path looked nothing like theirs. He had never played soccer when Juniata Christian found itself short on players a few years ago.
Two days before a summer league game, Jorge told Auker the team needed players and suggested he come out. Auker bought cleats and showed up.
"I was completely lost," Auker said. "It was like throwing a two-year-old into the workforce. I was so confused."
His teammates and coaches taught him the game.
"My teammates helped me," Auker said. "My coaches helped me, and they brought me along the way."
Now he is a senior defender on an unbeaten team.
Julian pointed to Auker when asked what makes this group successful. Auker may not have the years of soccer experience some of his teammates possess, but Julian said he has never lacked effort.
"He hasn't played his whole life," Julian said. "He just started a couple of years ago, but he always puts in the effort."
Even during conditioning, which Auker freely admits he won't miss, he finishes every run.
"He doesn't give up," Julian said.
Nathan sees another measure of the senior class in the way it treats younger or less experienced players. With only 14 players on the varsity roster, younger or less experienced players work alongside the seniors.
Nathan said the seniors don't shy away from involving younger or inexperienced teammates. They still give them the ball and allow them to learn through mistakes.
"It's, 'Hey, good try. Next time try and do this,'" Nathan said. "But there's never putting anybody down."
That approach fits what the coaches have tried to make part of the program.
"Play hard, honor God" is one of the phrases Jorge uses with the team. Winning matters. So does how Juniata Christian treats opponents, officials, and people away from the field.
Jorge said he takes pride when opposing coaches and parents praise the way Juniata Christian treats people.
"I take pride in what Nathan and I have done," Jorge said.
Both coaches have invested years in the program.
Jorge said he has coached for roughly eight years and will help with the transition to whoever comes next. With Julian headed toward college and another son already there, he expects to spend more time following their soccer careers.
Nathan has coached for 18 years, and when this season ends, he plans to take a break.
"Sit on the other sideline with my wife, and we'll watch some games," Nathan said.
Both men also have sons among the seven seniors: Julian plays for Jorge, and Zander plays for Nathan.
But the coaches' attachment stretches across the entire group.
"They're all like my kids," Jorge said. "I love everyone of them."
Nathan has watched the same boys work, improve and help teammates for years. When asked what it feels like knowing this is their final season together, he gave the shortest answer.
"That sucks."
"These guys are awesome to coach," Nathan said. "You just wish it could keep going on."
There is still plenty for them to do before anyone says goodbye.
Juniata Christian hasn't won the ACAA championship since 2016, according to Jorge. The Eagles also want to make an impact in the District 4 Class A playoffs.
The coaches have tried to keep those goals in order. Stay in first place. Finish the regular season. Deal with the ACAA postseason. Then turn toward districts.
"This is our last year," Jorge said. "And we're hoping to go out with a bang."
The national championship means these seniors already know what it feels like to finish a season together with something worth remembering. Their 7-0 start has given those postseason goals some substance.
None of that makes the ending easier. Leitzel said he will be sad when soccer is over, while Julian said the reality of his final high school season hasn't fully reached him yet.
Jorge already knows what that moment might look like. "When the last whistle blows, it's going to be some tears coming down probably," Jorge said. "It'll just be emotional for me."
Zander Neimond may have explained the feeling best.
He loves soccer and would like to play in college. He also understands that playing in college won't preserve this particular group.
"I want to play with this team," Zander said. "And that's not going to happen in college. I don't get to play with these guys anymore after this year."
For now, seven of Juniata Christian's 11 seniors are still together, their two coaches are still beside them, and there are games left to play.