By Brennan Stebbins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Webb City’s boys soccer team finished the 2020 season much better than it started it.
The Cardinals opened the year with six-straight losses, including two in overtime, but finished with four wins in their final five games, including another overtime loss in the district tournament.
It amounted to an 8-16 season that head coach Nicholas Harmon hopes will lead to a better year in 2021.
“Overall it was a tough season in terms of setbacks from injuries and complications with COVID and just losing games by a one-goal margin several times when we felt like we had the game on our side,” he said. “I think we learned a lot as a team, especially the guys that are returning learned a lot from last season to be able to carry into this season and begin it on a positive note.”
The team has between 30 and 35 players out this year after graduating 10 seniors, but a dozen or more freshmen have helped fill the void. Harmon must replace six starters, including three on the back line. One of those was Ignatius Mathenge, who was an honorable mention Class 3 All-State player, a first team Central Ozark Conference pick and an honorable mention All-Area selection. Daniel Solis also graduated from the back line. David Aguilar was a four-year starter in the midfield, Gustavo Sabbag was another four-year player who saw action at forward and Noah Mitchell was a three-year varsity player and the team’s goalkeeper.
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Senior Tristan Barroeta returns as a midfielder and a key part of the team’s offensive attack; he was a second team COC selection. Junior Alex Flores is a two-year starter who’s also been a big part of the offense. Sophomore Jadon Brisco started on the back line as a freshman and is the team’s only returning defender. Senior Gabriel Gallegos returns on the wing after scoring the go-ahead goal in the district final; he’s been a three-year starter.
Other varsity returners include sophomore Josh White, a quick attacker; junior Felipe Perez, who’s been in the midfield and on defense; sophomore Luis Gallardo, a center midfielder and great ball handler; senior “speedster” Mareus Mask, who missed a lot of last season with an injury; senior Hasten Hardy, who will play on the back line; senior Keegan Dill, who’s returning to the team after playing as a freshman and sophomore; and sophomore Joseph Wermuth, who worked his way onto the varsity squad last season as a forward.
“We’ve got probably the largest freshman class, maybe in school history, and certainly since I’ve been here,” Harmon said. “With some of these senior guys leaving last year there’s going to be a lot of competition for spots and new guys coming in. We certainly have some young freshmen and sophomores who have potential to fill those spots. We’re just excited to see the competition play out.”
Harmon said on paper the team has more experience up top but he’s confident in the players who will fill in on the back line. Competition for starting roles will be a strength.
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“It’s going to make guys work harder and just working with them in the summer workouts we can already tell this is going to be a tight-knit group that isn’t going to be divided easily,” he said. “The team unity aspect of things is going to be high.”
Webb City opens the season at Willard and at Monett. The Cardinals will play in the Parkview Tournament and Willard Fall Classic. The team will tentatively head to Carl Junction on Aug. 24 for a jamboree with College Heights and the Bulldogs.
“We feel really good about this group and we’re really excited going into the season,” Harmon said. “I think on paper it’s a young team and that may sort of make people think a certain way but we still have high expectations for them and believe in them that they can accomplish whatever they set out to accomplish this year.”
