Teams that graduate eight starters usually decline a bit in quality. Not the River Hill boys soccer team.

The Hawks, winners of three state titles in the six seasons since their school opened, finished last season top-ranked and are No. 1 again - with good reason.

They put on a show in their season opener yesterday, subduing a visiting Liberty team that played them tough the past two seasons.

The 5-0 score would have been higher had the Hawks not misfired on a couple of easy chances. Liberty goalkeeper Matt Jolly also kept the score down with 13 saves in an exceptional effort.

Midfielder Mike Stromberg and forward Mo Hamzeh each scored two goals and had one assist for River Hill.

"This team is stacked," Liberty coach Ed DeVincent said of River Hill. "It is much better than it was the last couple of years."

Liberty sweeper Andy Soukup anchored a three-man back line that was powerless to stop the speed of River Hill forwards Justin Hughes and Hamzeh.