If the pre-season is a foreshadowing of what’s in store for the Vaughan Italia Shooters when they kick off their 2008 season, then it could be a championship season.

Ahead Monday’s season opener against the Serbian White Eagles, the Shooters are unbeated in five pre-season friendlies.

Monday’s game goes at 4 p.m. at St. Joan of Arc Catholic High School.

In those five games, they went 3-0-2 with convincing wins over Brampton Lions, Portugal FC and the North York Astros.

Their draws were against the Eagles and Toronto Croatia.

“We know the pre-season is just a warm up,” Italia Shooters GM Tony de Thomasis said. “But scoring 12 goals and allowing just two is a good start for us. This is a year in which we want to get to the finals.”

Even more spectacular is the fact they did this with a relatively young team.

Just six players return from last year’s team that finished third in the International Division standings with an 11-4-7 mark.

But of the returning cast, de Thomasis said, will be expected to shoulder a big load.

Midfielder Chris Turner and striker Jason de Thomasis, who was on pace to scoring more than a goal a game before missing close to 10 matches after getting suspended from a fighting altercation, are two players the Italia Shooters hope will provide leadership on and off the pitch.

Many of the 12 new players aren’t exactly rookies because they have just wrapped up play in the United States college leagues and are back home for the summer.

Among the newcomers who have been impressive during the exhibition slate include striker Frank Jonke, who de Thomasis feels has the potential to lead the league in scoring and forward Mathew Palleschi, who last year played for the Montreal Impact A league team.

For the rookies to have an impact when they begin play for keeps, de Thomasis warned they must be able to keep their composure during the season.

“The main key to success will be for the many young players to keep their cool and not get sidetracked with the antics of the older players from the other teams,” de Thomasis said.

“If the Shooters keep their young heads together it should make for a very good season.”

Carmen Isacco returns to coach the Italia Shooters while Anthony Capostosto will be on hand to assist him.

de Thomasis expects Croatia and the White Eagles to top the league again, but also believes the Montreal Impact’s reserve team vies for the title.

The biggest wildcard will be the first-year Toronto FC Academy team, which will have players on their roster from across Canada.

Also new for this year, is the 1,000-seat bleachers at St. Joan of Arc and home games will now start at 4 p.m.

The reason for the shift to early afternoon games after playing the majority of their games last year in the early evening hours is to accommodate younger fans so as not to interfere with school the following day, de Thomasis said.

The St. Joan of Arc Catholic High School field is located near Keele Street and McNaughton.

For more on the Italia Shooters, go to www.vaughanshooters.ca