With a handful of returning starters, the St. Louis Catholic boys soccer team has had to learn on the go this season but is starting to put things together.

“We are learning as a team,” St. Louis Catholic head coach Jason Oertling said. “We don’t have a choice.

“With the exception of Stephen (Polito), we don’t have that guy that we have had in the past to take over a game. We are learning that we are going to have to do it as a team. For the young guys, it is taking a little bit longer than usual.”

The Saints are 4-1-1 in their last six games with only a 1-0 loss to city rival Barbe after a mixed 2-4-5 start. St. Louis is getting its usual scoring opportunities but not converting them into goals. Oertling said the Saints have averaged about 10 to 12 scoring opportunities a game, but only five or six shots on goal with 30 goals in 17 games.

“For the most part we have been in every game,” Oertling said. “It is just a matter of doing what it takes to win the games.

“We have talked about it all year long. We are putting ourselves in those situations to win games, but we just haven’t always won them, obviously, with the number of ties against good competition. We just haven’t gotten to the point where we are winning those games.”

Scoring more consistently is something that Oertling has emphasized, especially with two weeks left in the regular season.

“As we get closer to the playoffs that is something we have to fix because nobody is going to advance with a bunch of ties,” Oertling said. “It is just taking that next step and finishing the games.

“We have a bunch of young guys up front. They are working hard and working together. We just need to put the final touch in front of the goal. We are getting the ball a lot around the goal, we are giving ourselves opportunities on set pieces as well, which has been our trademark, but we just haven’t finished those opportunities like we have in the past. Once they start falling, the goals are going to be there like we need them to.”

The Saints will host DeRidder (7-5-4) at 7:15 p.m. Thursday. A win would put the Saints a game away from winning the Division III, District 3 championship after sharing it with the Dragons last season.

“DeRidder is a very good team,” Oertling said. “I think they are a lot better than their ranking. I know they are ranked way up there.

“We know it is a very difficult game. We know a lot of their players because they have four starters on their team that also play travel ball for the Calcasieu Soccer Club so a bunch of our kids actually play with some of our kids, so we know that they are a very solid, hard-working team.”

The Saints have a trio of senior returning starters in Polito, Noah Ellender and James Thompson.

Polito has accounted for 18 of the Saints’ goals and has played multiple positions as the Saints have shuffled their lineup trying to find the right fit.

“Stephen has pretty much played four or five different positions for us, depending on our health, who is available and where he best suits us,” Oertling said. “Through his leadership, as well as his willingness to do whatever for the team, which includes playing pretty much every position on the field with the exception of goalie because Noah has done such a great job at that.”

Ellender and Thompson head up the defense. Ellender, the district defensive MVP last season, has become a more physical goalkeeper while Thompson leads the defensive backs, Oertling said.

“Noah has always been one of the most athletic goalies I have ever seen,” Oertling said. “I think this year he has also strengthened himself to be able to take those challenges when they have a breakaway, or they have the ball up in the air with everybody around.

“I just think he is so much stronger this year. He has always been very athletic and very fearless. But I think now he is able to use his body to his advantage and keep safe but also makes it to where nobody wants to come around him.

“(Thompson) is doing a great job back there. It is always great to have a senior back there, as well as a senior goalie. It has really solidified things back there.”