Mars and Karns City both reached their respective boys soccer district title games last year, only to taste defeat.

To earn another shot, both teams will be led by different horses.

Mars midfielder and Butler Eagle Player of the Year Spencer Posey scored 32 goals and added 18 assists last season. He is attending college, but not playing soccer.

“Spencer did everything for us last year,” seventh-year Mars coach Chris Knauff said. “At times, we relied on him a little too much.

“We will have a much more balanced unit this season.”

Karns City lost three-time league MVP Evan McGarvey — and his 35 goals — to graduation. Twenty-one goal scorer Anthony Easley has also graduated.

Jim Grenninger takes over as KC coach for Roy Parker, who resigned after the 2012 campaign, having posted 201 wins over 12 seasons.

“We lost 10 seniors and that’s a lot to overcome,” Grenninger said. “But we’re going after our 10th consecutive league title and we have the talent to get there.”

Here is a look at Butler County area boys soccer teams this season:

Butler

Coach: Troy Mohney, ninth year

Last Year: 6-9-2

Key Graduation Losses: Kyle Boyer (Slippery Rock) center-midfield

Top Returnees: Matt Huey (senior) forward, 7 goals, John Fleming (junior) center-defender, Jordan Edwards (senior) center-midfield, Steven Benson (senior) midfield, Sam Horne (senior) outside-midfield, Dan Cleary (senior) outside-midfield, Adam Voelker (junior) goalkeeper

Impact Newcomer: Joel Stutz (freshman) center-back

Mohney says: “We lost three of our four top defenders from last year and that was a concern, but we shut out Plum and Central Catholic in our scrimmages. We’re still playing around with our midfield-forward positions. Our goal is to get to the playoffs since we’ve missed the last four seasons.”

Knoch

Coach: Malcolm Cook, third year

Last Year: 9-9-1, lost first round of WPIAL playoffs

Key Graduation Losses: Alex Slomer (center-midfielder) and Andrew Fritz (goalkeeper), four-year starters

Top Returnees: Brandon Vargo (senior) midfield-forward, 9 goals, Ben Andrews (junior) forward, Lucas Kunkle (senior) back, capt., Devin Sherman (junior) defender

Impact Newcomer: Brett Miner (senior) goalkeeper

Cook says: “Our first scrimmage was successful and we won the (10-team) Turf Wars tournament in August. We’ve got a good core of players returning and our seniors want to win the section.”

Seneca Valley

Coach: George Williams, 19th year

Last Year: 14-5-1, lost in WPIAL quarterfinals

Key Graduation Losses: Ryan Vilella (Xavier) forward, Anthony Crivelli (PSU-Behrend) forward, Liam Jackson (midfield)

Top Returnees: Colton Smith (senior) goalkeeper, Jared Myers (senior) forward, Joe DeAugustino (senior) defender, Matt Saluga (soph.) midfielder, Danny Wallowicz (junior) defender-midfield, Brad Banks (senior) forward

Impact Newcomers: Mike DiMichele (junior) midfield, Kalin DiPaolo (senior) defender, Ben McConahy (senior) midfield

Williams says: “We have a well-rounded group this year, good, solid hard-working players. They’re well-skilled, too, and that’s a good combination to have. Our goals are always to try to win the section, WPIAL and state championships.”

Mars

Coach: Chris Knauff, seventh year

Last Year: 18-4-1, lost WPIAL title game

Key Graduation Losses: Spencer Posey (midfielder), Joe Kelley (goalkeeper)

Top Returnees: Ian McNany (junior) center defender, Jesse Perfett (senior) center-midfield, Connor Robick (senior forward, Noah Hudac (junior) center-midfield

Impact Newcomers: Dale Glavin (soph.) goalkeeper, Andrew Diefenbacher (soph.) forward, Kyle Nymberg (junior) midfield

Knauff says: “We’ll have a different dynamic this year. None of our guys will be among the WPIAL scoring leaders, but we could have a number of guys with double-digit goal totals. This team will be more balanced and is good enough to contend for the WPIAL title.”

Freeport

Coach: Dave Teorsky, first year

Last Year: 2-15-1

Key Graduation Losses: 11 seniors

Top Returnees: captains Michael Sterner (senior) defender-midfield and Travis Zema (senior) center-back, Jim Mansmann (senior) forward 6 goals, Ryan Bercik (senior) goalkeeper)

Impact Newcomers: Kevin Lynch (freshman) midfield, Robbie Reichenbaugh (freshman) midfield, Isaac Bigenho (freshman) outside midfield

Teorsky says: “I’m excited about this opportunity after coaching Knoch rec soccer and Northern Steel. What we lack in skills, these guys will make up for in effort. We’re working hard to improve our offensive play (12 goals last year) and some of our freshmen will help there.”

Karns City

Coach: Jim Grenninger, first year

Last Year: 16-3, lost District 9 title game

Key Graduation Losses: Evan McGarvey 36 goals, Anthony Easley 21 goals, A.J. Johnson 8 goals, Matt Slagle (defender), Austin Murray (defender)

Top Returnees: David Olscak (junior) goalkeeper, John Garing (junior) sweeper, Tyler Pollock (junior) midfielder, 7 goals

Impact Newcomers: Conrad Snyder (soph.) midfielder, Spencer Myers (freshman) center-midfield, Noah Pollock (freshman) forward, Jace Ebbitt (freshman) outside midfielder, Caleb Garing (soph.) defender, Shane Miller (senior) defender, Casey Weibel (junior) stopper

Grenninger says: “I’m pleased with where we are. We’re trying to break the season into thirds: See where we are, get a good push and make a run in the district playoffs.”

Slippery Rock

Coach: Kyle Hopkins, third year

Last Year: 7-10-1

Key Graduation Losses: Cole McCandless (Grove City College, placekicker), Aaron Gercken, Evan Myslievic

Top Returnees: Luc LaChance (senior) defender, Jacob Prelec (senior) defender, Joshua Stutz (senior) midfield, Mark Cessar (junior) striker, Josh Jones (junior) midfield, Ben Magliocca (junior) midfield, Matt Dempsey (soph.) defender, Marty Doyle (soph.) defender

Impact Newcomers: Jason Bluedorn (junior) goalkeeper, Nick Stutz (freshman) midfield, Chase Baxa (freshman) striker, Nate Popejoy (junior) striker

Hopkins says: “Despite our overall record, we were second in the region last year and we want to contend in the region again and get back to the playoffs. Defense is our strength, with four starters back.”

Grove City

Coach: Ron Churchill, fourth year

Last Year: 9-9

Key Graduation Losses: Alex Boarts (Allegheny) striker, Matt Welker (Geneva) center-midfield, Will Potter (forward), Dylan Motta (back)

Top Returnees: Cole Latimer (junior) striker, Noah Stewart (senior) defender, Jed Grimm (senior) goalkeeper

Impact Newcomers: Wyatt Grimm (freshman) defender, Caleb Stewart (soph.) midfielder, Riley Keffer (senior) midfield, Ryan Ballard (senior) defender, Cameron Feather (senior) striker, Ethan Ritenour (junior) back

Churchill says: “It’s a young team and we’re coming together. We’re working on footwork and finishing as we lost a lot of close games last year. My assistant coach is Caleb Ritenour and he’s been our conditioning man in getting the kids in shape.”