LISBON FALLS – It seems natural that Cam Bubar and Sam Purcell might get into a conversation about soccer around their lockers at Lisbon High School.

Both are standout players on their respective soccer teams and the fall season has both immersed in their respective seasons. This fall, however, there is plenty to discuss about Lisbon soccer. Both teams started the year undefeated and are poised for great seasons.

“There’s definitely a lot of excitement,” said Purcell, the senior goaltender on the girls’ team. “Everyone wants each other to do better. We all set goals for each other. Me and Cam, we’re always talking about it at our lockers, encouraging each other. It’s great. It’s awesome.”

The boys’ started the year 5-0 before losing to Mt. Abram Friday. The girls also won their first five games before a loss to the Roadrunners Friday. At a school where football has been the king of fall sports, soccer is getting its kicks this fall.

“I think it’s great for the school,” said Jake Gentle, the girls’ coach. “It’s kind of putting Lisbon soccer on the map in Central Maine. It’s something Dan and I have expressed. We want to build a really strong program here and compete where we need to compete.

Making the starts for both teams all that more intriguing is that fact that both teams have new coaches. Scott Barden retired from the boys’ team after going 12-3 last year. Claude Rioux retired after his girls finished 7-6-2. Both clubs lost in the Western B quarterfinals. Dan Sylvester was Barden’s longtime JV coach while Gentle did the same for Rioux.

Sylvester says he and Barden worked well together. Quite often, Sylvester had a hand in what was done in practice. It made for a smooth transition for the boys.

“Not too much has really changed,” said Bubar, a senior midfielder. “We do some different drills but a lot of it is the same stuff. Last year, Dan helped out a lot. So it’s been real easy. It’s not like having a new coach at all.”

The same goes for the girls. Gentle teaches Physical Education and has coached many of the girls in softball or basketball. He was also the JV coach for six years.

“I’ve known them a long time,” said Gentle. “They know me and they know my expectations.”

It enabled both teams to carry on from last year. The boys produced one of the program’s best seasons and won the MVC title before losing in the quarterfinals. The Greyhounds success thus far included a win over Wiscasset and beating Georges Valley in Thomaston, a feat no team had done since 2004.

“We’re definitely pleased with our performance,” said Bubar. “We’ve been playing good soccer lately. We’re a lot better. We’ve grown since last year even though we lost some key players. We want to improve every game and not really worry about the record.”

The boys’ entered the season with high hopes, aiming higher than the .500 record the program had been accustomed. Cam and Marcus Bubar and defender Kyle Huston are returning all-stars and lead a team that has steadily improved in recent years. Lisbon started 0-6 just two falls ago.

When many of the seniors were freshmen, the team scouted Western Maine Conference powers like Falmouth and Yarmouth. They were asked whether they could see themselves competing at that level. Slowly but surely, the Greyhounds have been closing that gap.

“We’ve changed the way we did everything, from playing the kick and chase to playing a finesse style” said Sylvester. “That’s made a big difference.”

The girls have had their own resurgence. One of the regular playoff teams in the 1980’s and 1990’s, the girls’ program had a few down years. After 1995, the club didn’t reach the playoffs for a decade and won just four games during one stretch in the 1990’s. After turning a one-win season into eight wins in 2005, the Greyhounds have been a formidable foe in the MVC. That shouldn’t change this year as Lisbon boasts a veteran squad led by seniors Chelsea Dupal, Sierra Guay, Kerstin Kenney, Megan Latour, Stephanie Roy and Purcell.

“When we do better, we definitely set higher goals because we want it to continue,” said Purcell.

After getting a road quarterfinal game last year, the Greyhounds would love nothing better than a higher seeding and quarterfinal match at home.

“That’s one of our goals,” said Gentle. “If we go out there and try to compete and try to win every game, that’s one of our expectations to be right there at the end of the season.”