For fifth-year coach Mike Pline, this year will be like no other for the Decatur girls soccer team.

The Lady Red Raiders captured the Class 5A state championship in 2008 and then saw four 4-year starters graduate, including Decatur Daily player of the year Meg Adams.

Not only does Pline have to worry about replacing those players, his girls have moved up to Class 6A after two successful years in Class 5A.

The Lady Red Raiders defeated Briarwood Christian 3-2 in a shootout to win the state crown.

“Just making the playoffs this season will be an accomplishment,” said Pline.

“Every regular-season game will super important for us. Our section is one of the two strongest in the state.”

But other coaches see Decatur as reloading not rebuilding.

The Lady Red Raiders are ranked eighth in the Alabama High School Soccer Coaches Association preseason poll.

Pline will be relying on senior captains midfielder Georgia Gamble, goalkeeper Shannon Laughlin, and defenders Kim Collis and Whitney Johnston for leadership on and off the field.

“We’re fortunate that some of these girls have been playing varsity since the eighth grade, and even though we were 5A last year, we played plenty of Class 6A schools,” he said.

The team went 1-3-2 against the larger schools last year.

Pline said it will be important that his younger players contribute early.

“It may take a while for the younger girls to get use to playing with each other,” he said. “They’ll have to quickly adjust to the speed and physical play they’ll see at the varsity level.”

Section teams ranked higher than Decatur are Huntsville’s Grissom High at No. 3 and Bob Jones of Madison at No. 6.

“Those teams are deservedly so ranked there,” Pline said. “It is too early to tell if we belong there. But it’s nice to know we’ve earned some respect across the state.”

Decatur girls begin the 2009 season at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Hazel Green. The Decatur boys game follows at 6 p.m.

In Class 5A, Athens is ranked No. 3 and East Limestone is No. 7.

On the boys side, Brewer enters the season ranked fourth in Class 5A. The Patriots lost the 5A semifinals in 2008. Athens is ranked eighth and Hartselle 10th.