By Kai Raymer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The scouting report on the Rolla High School boys’ soccer team usually starts with the Bulldogs’ stellar defense, and 2017 figures to be no different.
Despite graduating a pair of all-conference defenders, Rolla will again have one of the area’s stingiest defenses. Rolla conceded only 20 goals over 27 matches last season and posted 15 shutouts overall.
This year’s defensive unit is headlined by senior defender Nick Janke and senior goalkeeper Drew Blair.
Janke, who was a starter on the RHS basketball team and an all-state high jumper, is not only one of the premier players in the Ozarks, but the entire state. He was the Class 3 Defensive Player of the Year in 2016 and was recently named to TopDrawerSoccer.com’s Preseason All-America Watch List.
Blair joined Janke on the Class 3 all-state first team and has been a starter since his freshman year.
“Nick was the defensive player of the year, and he scored some huge goals for us,” said Bulldogs coach Mike Howard. “(Drew) is a very athletic keeper, a tough kid and will compete as hard as anyone.”
Rolla finished 18-6-3 overall last season, falling 2-1 to Carthage in the Class 3 quarterfinals. Carthage scored the go-ahead goal with about 15 minutes remaining in regulation.
CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL OF THE FALL SPORTS PREVIEWS
The Bulldogs defeated Camdenton (2-0) and Helias Catholic (1-0) in districts, then Glendale (1-0) in the state sectional round to set up the meeting with Carthage.
“Carthage and (head coach) Jacob Osborne have built a great soccer program,” Howard said. “We have lost to them in the quarterfinals twice in the past five seasons. Nothing but great things to say about them. We’ll learn from that loss and move on.”
Rolla features some promising underclassmen in its attack. The Bulldogs’ top returning scorer is junior forward Jarrett Gabriele, who scored Rolla’s lone goal in the sectional loss to Carthage and was named second team all-conference last year.
“He’s our best pure goal scorer,” Howard said.
Sophomore midfielder Gabe Stanislwaski earned all-conference honorable mention as a freshman. The Bulldogs are eager for the return of junior midfielder Carson Arnold, who was injured for most of last season.
“Gabe’s a very talented young player who played well at center-mid for us,” Howard said. “Carson was hurt, but we’re expecting big things from him if he can stay healthy.”
Rolla went 8-1 in Ozark Conference play last year and finished in a three-way tie for first place alongside Kickapoo and Glendale.
Four of Rolla’s eight all-conference selections graduated: midfielders Earl Medrano and Mike Jennings, and defenders Tyler Parker and Stewart Meusch. Jennings was honorable mention all-state.
Graduating talented players is nothing new for Rolla, who has had only one losing season since 2009 and surpassed the 20-win mark in 2012 and 2013.
“If you have played in our program then you are part of a tradition that you take pride in and that tradition has served us well,” Howard said. “We want players that the coaches and their teammates can count on, that put the team first and are willing to compete for each other.
“If a team has that, they will be successful. If they don’t, it will be a long season.”
Rolla hosts a jamboree on Thursday, Aug. 10. The Bulldogs open the season at the Pacific Tournament (Aug. 29-31) and their home opener is Sept. 5 against Parkview.
Rolla will play at the Parkway Tournament Sept. 15-16 and host its own tournament Sept. 22-23.
