Since taking over as head coach of Deer Lakes boys soccer in 2021, Aaron Smith had never fielded a team as big as this year’s — either in size or numbers.

Seven players on the roster stand at least six feet tall, and Smith noticed plenty of growth spurts coming into the season. Then there’s the unprecedented depth. Deer Lakes had 19 players in Smith’s first year, and if he made any substitutions during a match, they tended to be limited to one change.

That’s doubled since. There are 38 Lancers on this season’s roster, including 12 seniors, a handful of whom played important roles on the 2022 WPIAL championship-winning team as freshmen. The starting lineup consists of seven seniors, led by Post-Gazette Preseason Elite 11 forward Peyton Kushon.

“They stepped onto the field as freshmen and

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