SLIPPERY ROCK — Before Ryan Purvis stepped into a key varsity role, the Slippery Rock senior striker spent time battling previous year’s players in practice.

Rockets coach Kyle Hopkins keeps his junior varsity and varsity team together to try and build unity.

Purvis is one of the players who have reaped the rewards of the system.

After not seeing much time last season, Purvis has scored nine goals and helped Slippery Rock become a surprising challenger for a Region 2-AA title.

“It helps a lot having JV and varsity practice together because you are playing against guys with more skill and get better,” Purvis said. “You have to step up to get to the varsity level.”

After the Rockets opened with two losses, Slippery Rock responded by winning eight of its last nine, improving to 8-3 overall and 5-1 in section play.

Purvis isn’t the only player filling in a new role.

Chase Baxa and Luke Barnhart have both contributed scoring.

“Luke Barnhart came out for the first time as a senior and has stepped up with (seven) goals,” Hopkins said. “Matt Dempsey moved from defense to midfielder. Guys again were stepping up when we weren’t sure where the goals were going to come from.”

The turnaround has been a pleasant surprise for Hopkins, who wasn’t sure what to think of his young team before this season.

Slippery Rock, which was hit heavy by graduation, also lost five players to injury, including Marty Doyle, who sustained a concussion during the club season in the spring.

“It’s been a next-man-up mentality,” Hopkins said. “Marty would have been a starter. ... I felt we were behind a little bit coming into the season. I have three great assistant coaches that help out and the kids are buying into what they are saying.”

Nick Stutz, who is one of the leaders on Slippery Rock’s defense, thinks the practice structure helps make the transition easier.

“Those kids are playing us and that’s making them better,” Stutz said. “It’s not like the varsity team is always beating the JV or overpowering the JV. We all fight for the ball and want to get the ball. Both teams are working hard.”

Slippery Rock’s defense has been working hard in front of first-year keeper Jackson Kerchis.

The Rockets opened region play with five straight shutouts before losing 2-1 to Grove City. Slippery Rock has outscored region foes 17-2.

A change in the defense occurred after a 1-0 loss to Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic and 4-1 loss to Fairview to open the season.

The Rockets previously played with four players on the backline, but switched to three.

“We had to calm down and play our game,” Stutz sid. “We were really trying to go to the tempo of the other team, we had to settle down and focus and work hard at practice.”

Slippery Rock trails Grove City by one game heading into the second half of region play. The Rockets are hoping to keep improving on their way to a second title and maybe a return trip to the District 10 championship game.

“We’re hoping to work hard and get back to that level,” Purvis said. “We want to make it back to D-10 and finish what we started last season.”