Miami Springs coach William Drew looks at his team these days and doesn't see one of the most important pieces of his back-to-back state tournament teams.

Forward Abby Carr, The Miami Herald's Class 6A Player of the Year last season, is graduating early and will begin playing at Florida State in January.

Some coaches would worry about how to make up for that loss.

Drew doesn't.

With nine players with starting experience returning from a team that went 29-0-2 before losing to Parkland Douglas in the Class 6A state semifinals, Drew is confident his team can continue what has become one the most successful trends in Miami-Dade County girls' soccer.

``It was a special year to go unbeaten in the regular season, and get it done even with [Carr] playing only half the season,'' Drew said. ``I looked around the practice field today, and I still see a lot of veteran players on our team that can compete at a high level.''

The Golden Hawks are vying to reach the state final four for the third consecutive season, which would tie the county record set by Killian from 1990-1992. Miami Springs has a good chance to break the county record for consecutive trips to the regional finals if it makes it for the sixth consecutive time. The Golden Hawks share the record with Killian (1996-2000).

``We're very lucky that we have a great feeder program in the Virginia Gardens/Miami Springs area,'' Drew said. ``The girls that move up to our program have been coached very well from a young age. We've had the chance to mold players that already have a strong soccer background. When they come in, they could be a midfielder, but they are versatile enough to learn how to play forward or defender if that's what the team needs.''

A prime example is senior midfielder Dallas Carter, who played a huge role in the team's success last season with 29 goals and 26 assists.

Carter was an All-Dade, first-team selection as a defender her freshman season. After missing her sophomore season with a torn ACL, Carter returned last season and excelled as a midfielder. This season, Drew said she will shift to forward.

Miami Springs lost starting goalkeeper Jackie Gonzalez, who has begun her freshman season at Bluefield College in Virginia, and defender Codi Rinehart.

But Carter is at the heart of a core of seniors who appear capable of picking up the slack.

Midfielder Paula Zuluaga is back after a season in which she scored 26 goals and had 26 assists. Defenders Chelsea Carlson and Katelyn Meachum return. Forward Emily Drew (17 goals, 19 assists) has recuperated from a compound fracture of the tibia and fibula in her right leg sustained in last season's GMAC championship game, which forced her to miss the playoffs.

Junior midfielder Sherrika Othello, who scored the game-winning goal in the Hawks' regional final win against Lourdes, also returns.

Lourdes has been another consistent element during Miami Springs' run.

The Bobcats have matched up with Miami Springs in the regional finals each of the past four seasons. No other teams have played to decide Dade's representative at state as many times in a row in Dade history. Lourdes returns a tough squad led by All-Dade goalkeeper Carolina Garcia and All-Dade forward Andrea De Oña.

Going against Douglas and other state powerhouses, both teams will test themselves against a tougher schedule than last season.

``A big plus is the fact that we're healthy entering the season for the first time in three years,'' Drew said. ``We've had so many key players hurt at the beginning of the past three seasons. We feel like we're going to be pretty strong, but you never know.''