If there was theme to the Austin boys soccer team last year, it was defense. The Packers would buckle down on the defensive side, while their offense would sporadically exploit opportunities every once in awhile.

So far, that defense hasn’t lost much. But the offense is looking much better.

Austin (2-0 overall) has opened its season by scoring seven goals in its first two games — including four in the first half of their opener.

With a strong crop of sophomores on last year’s team now playing as juniors, the improvement isn’t a total shock to me. But I was impressed with how well Austin handled the ball and maintained possession Saturday. There were times last season were it looked as if the Pack was playing ‘hot potato’ on the offensive end.

But a key factor has been chemistry, according to Jacob Brehmer, who has three goals to lead the team so far.

“We’ve all played together for six years now and we’re all good friends,” Brehmer said after Saturday’s 3-1 win over Caledonia.

But it also seems like the scoring is getting contagious as three players have more than one goal and four have scored at least one goal in the first two games.

A telling moment came early against Caledonia. When Will Darling scooted past his defender and attempted a shot from the left wing early in the first half, something good happened.

As the shot sailed wide right, I thought to myself ‘why isn’t anyone crashing the opposite side?’ But I reacted too quickly as German foreign exchange student Mortiz Doering came flying in at the last second to knock in a goal.

As I was trying to figure out who Doering was, I heard a chant from a few students behind me. “Morris! Morris! Morris!”

After the game, we had to follow Austin head coach Jens Levisen to his car to get the proper spelling of Doering’s name, which is shocking for two reasons.

How often are goal scorers not on the roster? And how often does somebody not on the roster draw a chant from the crowd?

If Austin, which hosts Mankato East tonight at 7 p.m., has more moments like that this season, it could be a good year for soccer.