By Kai Raymer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The Neosho Wildcats are quickly showing that 2019 was no fluke.
Following up their final four run, Neosho now has the early lead toward another program milestone: A Central Ozark Conference championship.
The Wildcats got early goals from Alberto Robledo and Gabriel Zapete on Tuesday night in a 2-0 road win over Ozark.
Neosho improved to 2-0 overall, having beaten another school it has struggled with in recent years – Nixa – 5-1 at home last week.
“Any time you can beat Nixa and Ozark in the same year, that’s a feat for sure,” said Neosho coach James Carter.
The Wildcats struck early, with Robledo scoring in the 10th minute off a feed from Zapete.
“It was a great assist by Gabriel – he just passed it to me on the run,” Robledo said. “I just looked up, so I was open, shot and scored.”
Neosho made it 2-0 in the 12th minute when Zapete got behind the Ozark backline for a breakaway goal.
“When Berto and Gabe are playing off each other so well, they can create a lot of problems,” Carter said.
The 2-0 result marked Neosho’s first win over Ozark since 2013. Ozark had outscored Neosho 17-1 in the previous three meetings, including 6-1 at Neosho last year.
“It means everything to us,” Robledo said of the win. “We haven’t beat them in a (while). It means a lot to us to beat (Ozark) – and Nixa, too.”
Both teams were down key starters and fielded makeshift lineups on Tuesday night.
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The Wildcats were without leading scorer and 2019 all-state selection Diego Vargas.
“This may be the year of mental toughness,” Carter said. “Big things, little things. Just being able to deal with all that and go play is important.”
Ozark was without its head coach, Zack Owens, and one of its top defenders for the match. JV coach Craig Kondracki filled in for Owens.
“(Lineup changes) are part of the game right now,” Kondracki said. “There’s just a lot of unpredictability.”
Ozark’s best scoring chances came in the first half when junior forward/midfielder Jose Ortega put a pair of shots on goal.
“It took us a little bit to settle down. We had guys in new positions,” Kondracki said. “Unfortunately, (Neosho) jumped on us early and gave us a great opening blow. Once we settled down, we seemed to create some opportunities and do some good things. But unfortunately, we dug ourselves too big of a hole to climb out.”
Neosho senior goalkeeper Kayden Wood preserved the shutout by making a diving save in the 79th minute. Neosho allowed at least one goal in every conference match last season.
Ozark lost its starting goalkeeper in the 13th minute due to injury. Tigers sophomore Trevor Carlton collided with a Neosho attacker while trying to collect a free ball in the box.
“I think (Carlton) will be all right in the long run,” Kondracki said. “But he’s definitely pretty sore and stiff right now. He’s going to need a couple of days to recover.”
Ozark won’t have long to recover, though.
The Tigers (3-2 overall, 1-1 Central Ozark Conference) host Springfield Catholic on Thursday then play three games this weekend at the Parkview Tournament.
Neosho (2-0 overall, 2-0 OC) will also play at the Parkview Tournament.
“Us seniors are just looking to play with everything, because we don’t know when our last game will be,” Robledo said.
