By Kai Raymer
Each week the O-Zone staff ranks the top 10 area girls’ soccer teams based on dominance by Class, aka how they stack up pound-for-pound with the other schools in their respective Class. These are not head-to-head/overall rankings.
Strength of schedule and recent success are also factored into the rankings. Overall record, class and previous ranking are listed in parenthesis.
At this point, everyone’s beaten everyone and we’ve had a lot of unlikely outcomes, which is slightly frustrating for prognosticators like myself. The district tournaments can’t come soon enough.
1. Catholic (16-4-2, Class 2, PR: 1) – Catholic’s probably seen enough of Ozark by now. The Irish fell 7-1 to Ozark on May 4, a year after losing 6-2. The Irish, typically, don’t get beat by such a decisive margin against any opponent. Thankfully, Catholic can now turn its sights toward Class 2 competition. Catholic was 3-0 against Class 2 competition this season with a +5 goal differential. One of those wins was 4-2 against Rogersville, a potential opponent in the May 15 district title match. Catholic’s trip to the bootheel April 28-29 yielded promising results. The Irish beat Class 2 No.4 ranked Cape Girardeau Notre Dame (1-0) and tied Class 1 No. 2-ranked St. Vincent (2-2). Catholic’s maintained the No. 2 spot in the Class 2 state rankings all spring, so they’re very much a major contender in the Class 2 state tournament if they can make it through districts.
Upcoming games: May 15 @ Class 2, District 10 Tournament, Catholic HS
2. Rolla (15-4-1, Class 3, PR: 3) – The Ozark Conference girls’ soccer title is staying in Phelps County for another season. The Bulldogs repeated as undefeated Ozark Conference champions thanks to a come-from-behind 2-1 home win over Kickapoo on May 4, with both goals coming from Addy Brow. Overall, It’s mostly been good results for the Bulldogs over the past two weeks, outside of a disappointing 4-1 home loss to Rock Bridge. Rock Bridge also whipped Kickapoo by a similar margin earlier in the season, so the Bruins are legit. The loss to Rock Bridge snapped a seven-game winning streak for Rolla. The Bulldogs, who beat Central, 5-0 at home on Wednesday, will close their regular season schedule Thursday at home versus Osage. Rolla, which has hoisted two straight district championships, is the No. 3 seed in the 4-team Class 3 District 9 Tournament at Washington High School. It’s a competitive district group. Like Rolla, No. 1 seed Washington and No. 2 seed Union have been bounced in and out of the Class 3 state rankings all season.
Upcoming games: May 15, May 17 @ Class 3, District 9 Tournament, Washington HS
3. Kickapoo (18-4-2, Class 4, PR: 2) – The Chiefs finally broke through that glass ceiling and cracked the Top 10 of the Class 4 state rankings last week, then promptly lost 2-1 at Rolla. Despite the cruel twist, I don’t think the Chiefs need to be looking toward the panic button. They have a solid body of work and have faced outstanding competition that should prepare them well for the postseason. Can they get out of districts, which will mean beating a young and hungry 12-win Central team in the first round then (likely) Ozark for the second time this season in the title game? It remains to be seen, but it’s a task the Chiefs should be well prepared for. Before the 2-1 loss to Rolla, the Chiefs hadn’t allowed a goal in conference play. That trend continued Wednesday night when Kickapoo closed the regulars season with a 2-0 win over Glendale.
Upcoming games: May 15, May 17 @ Class 4 District 10 Tournament, Ozark HS
4. Ozark (18-4, Class 4, PR: 4) – The Tigers are heading into districts on an upward trend, having won six of their last seven games. The late-season run hasn’t been against a bunch of scrub teams, either. Ozark’s notched victories over Nixa (3-2), Catholic (7-1) and Iowa’s No. 3-ranked team, West Des Moines. The lone loss was to Iowa’s top-ranked team, Waukee. Coach Tom Davidson mentioned it after the win over Nixa, but Ozark will need to play with an “edge” in order to win its district tournament, where Kickapoo likely awaits in the finals. A 3-0 win at Carl Junction on Thursday clinched a second straight COC-Large title for Ozark, and while that’s a great accomplishment, the Lady Tigers have to be hungry for a district title with cross-county rival Nixa having won four straight.
Upcoming games: May 15, May 17 @ Class 4 District 10 Tournament, Ozark HS
5. Bolivar (15-1, Class 3, PR: 5) – The Liberators capped perhaps the best regular season in program history with a 9-0 home win over Aurora on May 9. The defense posted 12 shutouts and allowed a total of seven goals during the regular season, four of which were in an overtime loss to Catholic. Bri Halverson finished with an absurd 51 goals; she would’ve played three more games if not for the Willard Tournament getting rained out. The Liberators will need to keep their focus for two more games before their minds venture to the state tournament. Bolivar’s district, on paper, is certainly winnable. The district’s other three teams – Willard, Carthage and Hillcrest – have a total of 11 wins.
Upcoming games: May 15, May 17 @ Class 3 District 11 Tournament, Hillcrest HS
6. Nixa (14-5-1, Class 4, PR: 6) – Throw out a 1-0 home loss to Catholic on the first day of the month, and May has been very good to Nixa. The Eagles closed the regular season with convincing wins over Webb City (6-0), Willard (8-0) and Branson (8-0). Players like Bailey Hunsicker, Chloe Cash, Hannah Lannutti and Erica Hartley have formed a nice supporting cast around senior standout Alex Johnson. Nixa’s the only team above .500 in its district as the Eagles go for their fifth straight district title next week.
Upcoming games: May 16, May 18 @ Class4 District 11 Tournament, Joplin HS
7. Rogersville (15-6-2, Class 2, PR: 7) – If there’s one thing you can say about Rogersville, it’s that they’re consistent. The Wildcats don’t have any “bad” losses on the resume; their six losses, in fact, have come by a total of eight goals. I’m pretty sure I’ve had them in the No. 7 slot all spring, too. Rogersville’s battled the likes of Catholic and Rogersville to close losses, but they can’t look ahead to a potential rematch with Catholic in the district finals. Rogersville’s first-round opponent for districts was an improved Monett team. The Cubs played Rogersville to a 2-0 home loss last week but LogRog responded with a 10-0 shellacking in Saturday’s district semifinal and got a school-record six-goal performance from freshman Sophia Nixon. Rogersville’s 15 wins are the most they’ve had since winning 13 games in 2011. A lot of the main varsity pieces are back next season.
Upcoming games: May 15 @ Class 2, District 10 Tournament, Catholic HS
8. Neosho (15-5, Class 3, PR: 10) – Neosho’s been a hard team to gauge. The Wildcats haven’t fared too well against the area’s top teams, but they seem to be really explosive against everyone else. Neosho blasted Carthage 9-0 on Tuesday, as senior Alicia Cooper, junior Ashley Talley and sophomore Brooklynn Hughes all recorded hat tricks. Yes, three players had hat tricks. You don’t see that very often. Most of the damage came in the first half. Neosho’s won seven straight heading into Friday’s regular season finale against McDonald County, outscoring opponents 32-3 in that span. Neosho turns around and plays McDonald County again in the semifinals of the Class 3 District 12 Tournament on Monday. With a win there, Neosho would play either Webb City or host Carl Junction in the May 17 title match.
Upcoming games: May 15, May 17 @ Class 3 District 12 Tournament, Carl Junction HS
9. Greenwood (4-8, Class 1, PR: Unranked) – If you’re only going to play 12 regular season games and win four of them, might as well make them all count. That’s the case for Greenwood, which has quietly posted wins over district opponents New Covenant Academy (twice), Fair Grove and, earlier this week, Mountain View-Birch Tree/Liberty. Greenwood beat Liberty 4-1 behind big games from sophomore Emma McCall and junior Tara Fowler, and afterwards both coach and players said the result is a big confidence booster heading into districts. Greenwood’s the No. 3 seed in its district tournament, which begins Monday at Cooper. Has there ever been a team with seven or fewer wins make the state soccer final four? We could be on the verge of history if Greenwood can win three more games. #dreambig
Upcoming games: May 16, May 18 @ Class 1 District 6 Tournament, Greenwood HS (Cooper Soccer Complex)
10. Fair Grove (9-7, Class 1, PR: Unranked) – No doubt about it, the Class 1 District 6 tournament will be the most entertaining of our local district tournaments next week. There’s plenty of parity, and these teams have already seen a lot of one another. You could talk me into New Covenant, Liberty, Fair Grove or Greenwood winning the district. With Liberty stumbling of late, Fair Grove’s the lone team currently above .500 in the district. But the Eagles – due to rain outs – have only played three games since April 25, so rust may be a factor. The winner of the Class 1 District 6 tournament will likely play either Crocker or Fatima in the quarterfinal round, with a trip to state on the line. Opportunity is knocking at someone’s door.
Upcoming games: May 16, May 18 @ Class 1 District 6 Tournament, Greenwood HS (Cooper Soccer Complex)
Knocking on the door: Crocker (7-10, Class 1), New Covenant (7-10, Class 1), MV-BT/Liberty (6-9, Class 1), Monett (11-9, Class 2), Republic (8-12, Class 3), Carl Junction (9-6, Class 3), Camdenton (12-6-1, Class 3)
