The Orange County Soccer Club accomplished its goal last season of winning the USL Championship.

Don’t expect the club to relax heading into this season.

“We’re very excited about this year,” General Manager and President of Soccer Operations Oliver Wyss said.

Last year was certainly one to remember.

OCSC made a midseason coaching change and, with Richard Chaplow leading the way, eventually finished second in the Western Conference.

The club made its way through the playoffs and defeated Tampa Bay 3-2 in the final.

“We feel like we have very competitive team again this year,” Chaplow said going into his first full season as coach. “We’re excited to get going.”

OCSC begins the season Saturday on the road against the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (5 p.m.)

“Just because we’re champions this year, it doesn’t make anything easier this season,” Chaplow said. “In fact, I think that makes it the opposite, so we need to make sure we’re handling every aspect of what we can control.

“Our target as an organization is always the same: Make the playoffs. We expect to be in the playoffs, first and foremost.”

The club had a busy offseason, signing defender Albi Skendi (Yeovil Town FC), midfielder Alex Villanueva, forward Milan Iloski, midfielder Tony Rocha and Norwegian midfielder Daniel Pedersen and forward Oluwakorede Osundina (Barcelona Residency Academy) and defender Danilo Acosta (Galaxy).

Perhaps the biggest move in the USL was OCSC’s acquisition of former Mexican international Erick “Cubo” Torres. The 29-year-old forward spent the past two seasons with Atlanta United FC in Major League Soccer. He scored just one goal, but in 2017 he scored 14 with the Houston Dynamo.

“He brings a wealth of experience from playing at the highest level,” Chaplow said of Torres. “His impressive qualities, both personally and as a player, will undoubtedly strengthen us.”

The club returns several pieces of last season’s championship team in forward Ronaldo Damus, goalkeeper Patrick Rakovsky, defender Brent Richards, midfielder Seth Caspie, midfielder Brian Iloski, defender Michael Orozco and defender Kobi Henry.

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Damus finished with 18 goals last season.

“We are the defending champs and we all have to play to defend our title,” Orozco said. “Coming in here, it’s not going to be easy work. Our goal as a team is to defend our title … we have a good group in the locker room and we’re excited to get started.”