By Denise Tucker (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
After reaching the Class 1 District 6 championship game last year, the Fair Grove Lady Eagles are eager for a return trip.
Going into the season, the Lady Eagles knew they were going to have to replace seniors in key positions, but head coach Joseph Florez had a strong junior class coming in and players ready to step up.
But, even before the season started, Fair Grove lost junior captain Shyanne McBroom for the season to injury.
“We were going into the season expecting Shyanne to lead the team in both assists and probably goals, as well,” Florez said, “and instead, we played the entire season without her.”
Still, the Lady Eagles compiled a 7-13 record, defeating Laquey 2-1 in the district semifinals before falling to Mountain View-Birch Tree Liberty 4-3 in overtime in the championship.
Gone from that district final team are goalkeeper Sierra Anderjaska and defender Amanda Orr.
Anderjaska, who recorded three shutouts, was an all-district second-team selection.
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“Sierra was a real leader on the field for us,” Florez said. “She was a first-year soccer player, but her intensity and aggression, her fire and will to win were really unmatched for us last year. The girls looked up to her, and she will be tough to replace from a pure leadership standpoint.”
On the plus side, the Lady Eagles return 10 starters, and Florez is hoping to have senior McBroom back, who started her freshman and sophomore years before missing her junior season because of injury.
“We should have 13 seniors on our roster, so of course, that means a lot more experience than we are used to,” Florez said. “Many of these girls, though, did not play soccer until high school, so this is the culmination of four years of in-season and offseason training for these girls.”
Key returnees for the Lady Eagles include:
• Macey Stallings, senior – Scored 11 goals and had 4 assists, earned Class 1 All-State second-team honors, and was named to the Class 1 All-Region 3 and all-district first-teams.
• Madi Psyhos, senior – Named to the all-region and all-district first teams.
• Gracie Rowden, senior – All-region and all-district first-team selection.
• Cydney Fullerton, senior – All-region and all-district first-team pick.
“We have a lot of team chemistry this year,” Florez said. “Most of our varsity kids have played together for all four years, starting on JV together and moving to varsity together.”
Even though he has a lot of experience returning, Florez does have some talented freshmen who could see some action.
“Chloe Reynaud works very hard and is extremely athletic,” Florez said. “Macee Macatee really understands the game well for a freshman, too. We hope that a few of these freshmen can be leaders for us on the JV side, and maybe even break into the varsity a bit.”
The Lady Eagles’ goal is to get back to the final and have another chance at a district title. But, first, they will participate in a jamboree at Hillcrest with Willard and Laquey on March 9, before opening the regular season in the Fair Grove Spring Shootout on March 15-16.
“I think we really just need to figure out, and be accepting of, our roles,” Florez said. “We may have people playing out of their normal or preferred positions, and we’ll need them to be willing to do whatever is best for the team, if we are going to succeed this year.”
