During one of the late days of summer, the St. Mary’s boys’ soccer team already was in the midst of a game at 9 in the morning.

That’s what it’s going to take to get back to the top.

The Spartans’ 2015 campaign ended with a 6-2 loss to Monson in the Division 4 state championship game. The Lynn school had gone 13-2-3 during the regular season before a four- game tournament run to get to the title game.

Now the Spartans want to go all the way in 2016.

“It was definitely heartbreaking, especially because no one expected us to get that far, ’’ said senior defender Christian Couillard. “It’s an extra push to work even harder in practice, to run extra laps, to do everything a little extra this year.

“We just want to get back to where we were and finish the job this time.’’

The challenge will be rebuilding after the loss of nine seniors.

“As a team, we have a strong chemistry,’’ said sophomore Olushola George. “Because last year we had a very, very strong chemistry and we need to build that back up because we lost a lot of people.’’

While so many players graduating can be a challenge, it also makes it easier to put last season in the rearview mirror.

“[Last season was] the furthest we’ve gone in the last 27 years, so it was a big step for us,’’ said head coach Mike D’Agostino. “It’s tough to rebuild from that, but we’re using it as motivation this year.’’

The Spartans aren’t alone in ending last season with a crushing loss.

Masconomet made it to the Division 2 state championship game but fell to Oliver Ames, 3-1. The Chieftains were 13-4-3 during the regular season but won four tournament games, upsetting top-seeded Chelsea and third-seeded Concord-Carlisle on the way to the North title.

“I told the guys it’s not an encore this season,’’ said Masco head coach Jared Scarpaci. It’s not an encore, it’s a new team, a new season. You have to set a new agenda and a new tone, and they’re with that.’’

The Chieftains lost even more players than St. Mary’s, with 14 seniors graduating.

“Coming into the upcoming season we’ve been going through the practices like normal, everything the same,’’ said senior striker Bryan Gilbert. “All the returners, we try to get back to that spot where we were last year and be more successful, but we try not to think about it at the same time. It’s a great feeling being in the state championship, and that’s something we have to work to.

“We keep reminding everyone and all the new people that weren’t on the team last year that it’s a feeling like no other,’’ said Gilbert of playing in the title game. “Everyone needs to work, and [they] all want to be there, and get in the game, and get to that spot in the state championship and come out successful.’’

Masco senior center back Josh Polakiewicz is as vocal as they come. Even during a scrimmage, the captain is shouting things like, “Let’s go boys, keep working hard.’’

“It’s definitely good to play in state championships because it gives you obviously the toughest level of play,’’ Polakiewicz said. “It gets us ready for the next season because we’re hungry for more . . . we always want to get to the state championship.’’

Logan Mullen can be reached at logan.mullen@globe.com.