WENDELL - Warriors coach Delayne Hayes wasn't pleased with his team's showing in Wednesday's 6-0 loss to Athens Drive, but he did point out the difference between hitting a hot streak early in the season and winning later on down the road.

The team started last year's season 1-1 before hitting a 15-game winning streak. After the loss to the Jaguars (2-0 after the win) the Warriors were off to a 1-2-1 start to the 2009 season.

Returning four starters and twojunior varsity players to the field, Hayes said his team actually seems deeper in terms of guys who can play, but he said the team is less potent in certain positions.

"You know, when you lose an All-State player in Ramon (Gallardo) and a guy that scored 18 goals up top in Luis (Aragon), then you're losing a lot of power to score," he said. "Really, the big deal tonight, as in any game, was who gets that first strike and how deep into the game are you. They got two quick goals right there at the beginning of the game. We stopped that but then they got their third right there at the beginning of the second half. Then that door was let go, because they now figured out we're probably not going to win this game."

Those first three goals began with a misfire from Athens' Tyler Draovich off a corner kick and a put back from Ali Asad in the 12th minute. Draovich was given a second chance three minutes later and took advantage of a give and go down the left sideline, firing a low shot around the Warrior backfielders that left keeper Andy Shiver in the dark. Asad managed another putback on yet another corner in the 13th minute of the second half.

"What this does is it allows them to see, one,what war we're going to be facing, hopefully, in the playoffs, and two, the speed of play," Hayes said. "They get an idea of how fast they're going to have to play in comparison to what we're going to be facing in the conference."

Hayes said it gives those guys that aren't as strong the opportunity to see that, and hopefully step up and take their knocks early so they can build off of mistakes and losses.

"It was difficult last year because we only lost two games before the state playoffs.It's frustrating because they expect that out of themselves, but it's just not coming right yet," he said.

The Jags' fourth goal came from Matt Erasmus with 22 minutes left in the game after a free kick, the fifth was netted by Matt Lee on what appeared to be a cross-turned-goal in the 22nd minute, and the sixth and final goal was an Asad header on an assist from Rey Vega -- his third assist of the game.

Shiver fought off several late Jaguar attempts to prevent further damage.

As far as falling behind being a good lesson, Hayes remembered the last time the teams met when East Wake jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead, but the Jaguars fought back to knot it up. Hayes said maturity is something his team needs to work on.

"They've got to understand, 'Hey, just because we're two or three goals down doesn't mean we can't stick one in,'" Hayes said. "That's a part of this growing process with this team."