RAY COX The Roanoke Times

Nao Masuda (left) and Alex Khandan-Barani are two reasons why Radford High School won last year's Group A state soccer title, its first, and will be a contender again this year.

RADFORD -- The truth of the matter is that Greg Wade, the Radford High School soccer coach, had misgivings about starting a couple of scrawny freshmen in the Bobcats midfield almost four seasons ago.

His concerns were what you'd expect: inexperience, skill level and the fact that Nao Masuda and Alex Khandan-Barani each weighed no more than 130 pounds each.

There is one plus about skinny freshmen starters, though. Over a course of a high school career, barring injury and other catastrophe, they come to be experienced and skillful. They also grow.

That's the abbreviated account of how the two seniors became a couple of cornerstones of the Radford program this year as seniors.

Khandan-Barani now stands 6 feet and weighs a filled-out 160 pounds, physical assets that help him anchor the last line of defense for the once-beaten Bobcats. Masuda has grown to a solid 5-11, 160, and is deployed wherever the team needs him, most often in the midfield and at forward.

They are two reasons that Radford won last year's Group A state soccer title, its first, and will be a contender again this year.

Both of them think this team holds a singular distinction.

"The skill level of all 11 starters is close if not equal," Khandan-Barani said.

Added Masuda: "This is the best team we've had so far."

Wade goes even further than that.

"We have more talent than we've ever had before at Radford," he said.

From a coach's standpoint, the best part about these two seniors is that they are team guys first.

Masuda has never said a word about bouncing from midfield to attack and back again. That started last year when Wade began switching Masuda and then leading scorer Jason Ryan back and forth between forward and center midfield. That was in part to avoid double-teams on Ryan as well as to confuse the defense. Masuda, who has exceptional ball skills, has been well suited to the role.

Khandan-Barani gave it up for the team in another way. At the start of last year, Wade knew he had a good team but was concerned about the athletes he had available to play sweeper. The back line needed stability. Wade turned to Khandan-Barani to see how he would feel about moving from midfield to defense.

No problem, came the reply.

"That was a big part of our making the final last year," Wade said.

To avoid another crisis with a lack of sweepers, Wade has tried to rotate inexperienced players to the position whenever he can during games, all the better for them to benefit from on-the-job instruction from canny veteran Khandan-Barani.

"He's going to be greatly missed next year," Wade said.

The athletic development of the two seniors comes in part from an uncompromising approach to their sport. Both have played year-round for a while now. During recent high school offseasons, they both played for the Roanoke Star travel team. That elevated level of competition has had them well prepared for what rigors the high school season has had in store for them.

With the Three Rivers District and Region C postseasons looming, both of them are focused on the present. Nevertheless, there is a bright future for them beyond high school.

Masuda has a guaranteed roster spot for him at Christopher Newport University, which was 11-7 last season and won five of six in USA South Conference. Outside of soccer he plans to study business.

Khandan-Barani is VMI-bound and is still thinking over a bid to walk on the team there. For firsthand accounts of the challenges of college sports, he can turn to his sister Meg, one of the most accomplished athletes ever at Radford who now plays soccer for Virginia Commonwealth.

For now, there is still time to enjoy what have been stellar high school careers for the both of them.

In the meantime, maybe they'll be able to put on another pound or two before they're done.