By Denise Tucker (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Last season, a young Logan-Rogersville squad came up just short of its second-straight district championship (not counting the 2020 season lost to COVID.) But last year’s youth are this year’s veterans.
The Lady Wildcats finished the 2021 season 16-9 overall, 5-1 in the Big 8 Conference and as runner-up to Bolivar in the Class 2 District 6 Tournament.
“Last year, we started slow and started playing better toward the end of the season,” said coach Brett Wubbena, who is in his 15th season at Logan-Rogersville. “I feel that we had some good wins against Marshfield and Willard. I can’t complain about losing to Bolivar in the district championship game last year because they were an excellent team. This year, we have to work to compete at that level in case they are again in our district.
“We lost some good players last year but are gaining more experience, especially since we didn’t have the season before last. We know who we all are again and are a better ‘team.’”
Logan-Rogersville graduated five players in defenders Laiken Leonarduzzi and Bailey Carlson, midfielders Sophia Bleau and Audrey Davis, and forward Grace Vogt.
Leonarduzzi, a defender, earned all-district and all-conference first-team honors and is now playing at Evangel University, while Bleau was an all-conference honorable mention selection.
“Laiken was a very good defender and had really good speed,” Wubbena said. “She was a great team leader, too. Sophia and Audrey were good midfielder players that could put a ball in whenever you needed to. Bailey and Grace were both outstanding teammates that would push others to be better – always positive.”
The Lady Wildcats return four key players – two juniors, who played their first season of high school soccer last year, and two seniors.
• Nikki Wood, junior, forward, was named Class 2 All-State honorable mention, Class 2 Region 3, all-district first team and all-conference first team.
• Kita Wood, junior, midfielder, earned all-region, all-district first-team and all-conference second-team honors.
• Kaitlyn Standefer, senior, defender, was an all-district and all-conference first-team selection; and Lori Ann McLellan, senior, midfielder, was named all-conference second team. Both Standefer and McLellan will be playing at Evangel University next year.
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Wubbena says the Wood sisters have a chance to break some school records this season.
“Last year, they were close to the season goals (Nikki) and season assists (Kita) marks,” Wubbena said. “And if they have a great season this year (I’m expecting them to), they could be up there with the all-time marks after two years of playing.”
And there is help on the way from Rainee Noel and Madelyn MacPherson, as well as others.
“Both are fast and can play anywhere on the field,” Wubbena said of Noel and MacPherson. “They have been playing soccer for several years, so my hope is that they can step in at the varsity level and contribute. I have several girls from last year that have been putting in good offseason time that will make my decisions hard come tryouts.”
The Lady Wildcats will participate in a jamboree at Republic on March 11 along with Ozark and Catholic. They open the regular season on March 22 at Fair Grove.
“I have more multi-sport athletes playing, so soccer preseason did not include everyone,” Wubbena said. “I have some volleyball players that might bring in some of their state (runner-up) mojo leadership.
“I think that we could be a better team than last year. Several girls lost a year due to COVID, so more than half my team had their ‘first’ high school seasons last year. This year, we are more experienced.”
