The Sugar River Raiders boys soccer program has reached the point where winning a conference championship is no longer unusual. Eight straight Capitol Conference titles will do that.

But coach Robert Gentilli knows maintaining that run may be harder than starting it.

“Just about every one of those seasons was decided by a goal, so it has been close,” Gentilli said. “It is difficult because we have a target on our back at all times and teams bring it, knowing that if they get a win — whether it is for conference or not — it’s a team’s accomplishment to beat the Raiders.”

Sugar River finished 14-3-1 last season before losing to Prairie du Chien in a regional final. The Raiders also graduated four important seniors from a defense that was a significant part of the team’s success, including Isaac Ingwell, Nolan Turner, Sawyer O’Flanagan and Tikeh Tazeh.

That turnover makes this season something of a reset — although hardly a rebuild from scratch.