But, you could perhaps suggest that MKA’s recent 4-1 setback to Morris Catholic does appears, on paper at least, to be a much more competitive result than the season-opening 7-0 shutout loss at the hands of the highly touted Crusaders, who are a perennial State tournament title contender.

"Right now, our focus is on continuing to develop our program, and I think we’re definitely making progress with the way we’ve improved in the early going so far this season," said first-year coach Jordan Raper, as his rather inexperienced Cougars took a 2-4 record into this week’s action. MKA was scheduled to restart with yesterday’s second match of the season against archrival Newark Academy, one of MKA’s two victims so far this autumn (Cedar Grove, 3-2 in overtime, is the other).

The Cougars visit Glen Ridge today as they try to improve on the narrow 2-1 loss to the Ridgers back on Sept. 16.

"The kids are working extremely hard, and it’s great to see them continue to get better each and every day, but this is a team without a ton of varsity experience for the most part," said Raper. "Plus, the tough schedule we’ve faced in the early going, with two matches already against Morris Catholic, another at Pingry [road loss] and then going up against a good Seton Hall Prep team in the [Essex] county tournament [5-1 loss this past Sunday] is not easy for any team to go through. Especially an inexperienced one like ours."

Raper, a noted technician and supervisor of coaches at Ashley’s Soccer Domain in Montclair, appears to have a calm and patient demeanor, traits that will serve him well with the current Cougars. Five-time Prep B champions, MKA has just one player - junior sweeper Jesse Schwimmer - who was a varsity contributor and among the top 16 players on the historic 2006 MKA side which finished 18-5-1 and copped the school’s first NJSIAA Non-Public B boys soccer State championship.

That team had a splendid mix of seniors, such as sweeper Owen Jennings, stopper Peter Nolan, center midfielder Pat Amato and forward Brian May, who combined beautifully with a strong junior class then headed by midfielders Tom Goulder, Buddy Christovao and Ian Lefkowitz, forward Greg Zorbas and goalkeeper Dwight Jackson.

Schwimmer, then a freshman forward who scored five goals and had three assists off the bench for Coach Huey Ferguson’s 2006 State champs, has had to make the transition this autumn to the sweeper position. His field vision and ability to organize from the back are essential at this juncture of the 2008 team’s development.

"Jesse understands what we need him to do, and he’s fit in well at sweeper," Raper said. "The other players are all learning their roles as well, but, with any team like ours that is still very much developing, it can take a bit of time for everything to jell."

Schwimmer had his team’s lone goal in the 2-1 loss to Glen Ridge.

Up top, Raper turns to senior assistant captain Armand Amico, who is one of the more dangerous Cougars patrolling the area in and around the opposing 18-yard box.

"Armand is an extremely hard worker and brings a senior leader’s presence with him, which we certainly value," Raper told The Times.

Another senior who has really stepped up is fullback Jeff Zak, who has been learning quickly on the job and excelling as an ace defender.

"Jeff is really new as a varsity soccer player, but has been stellar in the back for us," said Raper.

Junior Stanton Fields, who did see considerable duty for last year’s 12-9 Cougar squad, which defeated Gill St. Bernard’s, 1-0, for the 2007 Prep B crown, continues to patrol at midfield.

"Stanton is an athletic player for us who also has some solid experience out there," Raper said.

Among the youngsters to watch are freshmen Dominic Leone (forward) and Stephen Piela (midfield or fullback).

"Dominic starts at forward for us and is an outstanding player," said Raper, "Stephen is extremely versatile and skilled, and once he gets a little bigger and a little stronger, he’s really going to develop into quite a player for us."

Among the other seniors on the MKA varsity squad are captain Andrew Kirnan, goalkeeper Nick Pepe, Graham Anderson, Brian McDonough, Maximilian Wait and Phil Fernano.

Wait scored the game-winning goal two minutes into the first overtime session in the Cougars’ 3-2 win against Cedar Grove.

Of the sophomores, Kyle Duca has the most varsity experience, as he too was a contributor on last year’s squad.

"It’s a group that is coming along, but it’s going to be a process and we know that," Raper said. "Hopefully we can qualify for the States, but we’ll have to win our share of matches against a formidable schedule."

MKA travels to Blair Academy on Tuesday before returning home to host Cedar Grove on Friday (Oct. 10). The Prep B tourney is scheduled to commence with out-bracket matches on Oct. 21.

Cougar Caroms: During their five-year run as a Prep B champ (2003-2007), including two seasons under Ferguson and three under Mark Shearer, the Cougars were 67-32-6 overall. Shearer’s 2003 club was 17-4 and reached the Non-Public, North B semis.

Ferguson resigned last spring after accepting a job on Wall Street, also stating he wanted to spend more time with his wife and young daughter.

Raper, who resides with his wife, Michelle, in West Orange, moved permanently to the U.S. from his native England in 1999 in order to coach and teach the game of soccer. He had a four-year college career at Leeds Metropolitan University back in his homeland.