One of the unique things about the USL preseason, certainly compared to Major League Soccer, is the staggered nature we see to preseason preparations. With a month to go before the season, some teams have yet to officially open their preseason slates – our first impression of what looks like a solid Indy Eleven team might not arrive until Thursday when it scrimmages against FC Cincinnati – so there’s a level of intrigue as to what’s going on around the league. That said, here are some thoughts on what we’ve seen in the past week.

1. NEW SCHOOL ARRIVAL: It’s not completely true to call what the Charleston Battery’s offseason looked like the start of a new era. The experience of players like defender Taylor Mueller and goalkeeper Odisnel Cooper, both in the top 10 in appearances for the historic club, means there is a foundation in place, but after the departure of a number of players we have known as Battery stalwarts this offseason, it made the club’s 1-0 win against Minnesota United FC on Saturday to open the Carolina Challenge Cup all the more interesting. The returning veterans, which also include Ataulla Guerra, played their role, but it was the likes of Nico Rittmeyer and Kotaro Higashi who really turned heads on Saturday night. The progression of Higashi in particular, who made 23 starts last year after signing late in preseason, should get close attention the remainder of the CCC as he gets a much bigger spotlight after the departure of Justin Portillo.

2. MIDWEEK SHOWDOWN: It’s understandable given the quality of competition the Battery have attracted to one of the marquee preseason tournaments in the United States that the hosts have never lifted the trophy at the end of the week. While the goal for Head Coach Mike Anhaeuser during the tournament is to evaluate his squad, Wednesday’s game with fellow opening-night winner Columbus Crew SC is one that would leave a winner in prime position to take the crown, a small piece of history that would be a nice feather in the veteran coach’s cap. “When you’re in a group of four and you get a win in your first game, it puts you in a good position for the rest of the tournament,” said Anhaeuser after Saturday’s win. “We’ve never won Challenge Cup before, so this is an exciting win that sets us up to potentially do something special this week.” It’s preseason, yes, but when a prize is on the line, it fuels those competitive fires just a little bit more.

3. EVER READY: One of the things that caught the eye of San Antonio FC’s Ever Guzman after his late-season arrival in 2017 was how sharply he took chances when they arrived. While it was a limited look, his five goals in 11 games at a club-best rate of a goal every 153.2 minutes gave SAFC’s attack a reliable centerpiece down the stretch as it finished second in the Western Conference last fall. On Saturday against the New England Revolution, the 29-year-old Mexican was at it again with two confident finishes that earned the USL side a 3-3 draw, coming back from a two-goal halftime deficit. Guzman rode the Revs’ defensive line well in both instances, which led to composed finishes as he drifted into the right space at the right time and were a nice fillip for the side as it headed home from its short trip to Arizona.