By Denise Tucker (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The Ozark Tigers experienced a great deal of success throughout the 2021 season, including a state ranking for several weeks and the No. 2 seed going into the Class 4 District 5 tournament before being knocked out by sixth-seeded Carthage.
After a trip to the Class 4 quarterfinals in 2020, the senior-heavy Tigers came up short in their bid for another deep postseason run. Despite the disappointing end to the season, Ozark finished with a 16-9-1 overall record and 5-4 in the Central Ozark Conference.
“It was a tough lesson to learn that in soccer, you have to execute in the moments that are given to you,” said Ozark coach Zack Owens, who enters his third year as head coach. “We did a good job creating chances in the offensive third of the field, but many times fell short of finding the back of the net. There is a lot of good, competitive soccer in this area and not taking advantage of those opportunities can leave you with a few more losses than you expected.”
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The Tigers lose a large group from the Class of 2022 that was key to their quarterfinal run in 2020.
• Jose Ortega, forward – Scored 15 goals, with 2 assists. Named to the all-district team and All-COC first team. “Jose ended his career No. 12 on Ozark’s all-time scoring list,” Owens said. “He was such a dangerous weapon offensively and was a threat most anywhere in our attack.”
• Caleb Sandgren, forward – Scored 9 goals, now playing at State Fair Community College. “Caleb was another goal-scoring threat and was a big help to us in the offensive half of the field.”
• Justin Baker, defender – An all-district and second-team All-COC pick. “Justin was a good 1v1 defender and very quick. His senior leadership will be missed on the back line.”
• Ethan Peeples, midfielder – Named all-district and All-COC honorable mention. “Ethan is very pacey and was a great winger for us.”
• Declan Cummings, defender – “Declan was part of our all-senior starting back line and an integral piece of that puzzle with his quickness and determination.”
• Drake Ogle, defender – “Drake was a good fullback for us. He is big, strong and not afraid to be physical.”
• Emilio Velasco, defender – “Another big, strong presence that will be missed on the back line.”
“Effort doesn’t win matches, execution does,” Owens said. “That was the main takeaway from last season for our squad. The boys gave it everything they could in each match and training session. Many of them had seen success from the prior year and were devoted in the weight room and on/off the field in the offseason.”
Ozark has a deep junior class returning, along with two seniors, all of who are ready to step up and lead the way.
• Adrian Ortega, senior, midfielder/forward – Scored 14 goals with 9 assists. Earned all-district and All-COC first-team honors. “Adrian was our second-leading scorer last season,” Owens said. “He is our most dynamic attacker and can be a handful for opponents. We are looking for him to be a huge part of our offense this year again and as a senior, take this team upon his back.”
• Trevor Carlton, senior, goalkeeper – “As a sophomore, Trevor was becoming a force to be reckoned with in goal. He got hit with a season-ending injury last year halfway through the Fall and was missed greatly. This is his senior year and he will have a big season. His work outside of high school soccer will be shown and we are excited for him to be between the sticks.”
• Phin Scott, junior, midfielder – “Phin is cool, calm and collected with and around the ball. He is comfortable with the ball at his feet and has great technical skill. He can play anywhere on the field and will be a huge asset to the team in his junior season.”
• August McComas, junior, defense – “August will be one of our leaders in the back on defense. He is one of our fastest players and is able to run down most any opponent. He has worked extremely hard on the pitch outside of high school ball and we are ready to see him in action.”
• Connor Cummings, junior, defense – “Connor will be our other main defensive leader. He is our vocal chief in the back. His power and willingness to be physical is big for us. He is ready to be an asset, wants to do well and is very coachable.”
• Caleb Lepant, junior, midfielder/forward – “Caleb had a great sophomore season and will be looking to build on that offensively. He was one of our top scorers and will be again this season. He has a knack for finding the back of the net and putting himself in positions to do so.”
• Wyatt Trobaugh, junior, midfielder/defender – “Wyatt is another player we can play most anywhere. He has worked hard in his club season and is ready to step up. He will probably find himself starting as a fullback with his speed and ability to get up and down the field. But Wyatt also loves finding the back of the net and has shown that this summer as well.”
• Jason Martin, junior, midfielder – “Jason is one of our hardest-working players. His mindset is to do anything and everything to get the job done. He is one of those players you never want to face and always want on your team. He will be a strong presence in the midfield and the team will look to him to have a big season.”
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Owens said that his team’s biggest strength is being coachable.
“What we will lack in some players not having varsity experience, they will be able to figure out quickly and in real-time as the season goes along,” Owens said. “They listen and want to do well.”
The Tigers have several upper-class newcomers who will be vying for varsity minutes this season.
• Caden McGehee, junior, defender – “Caden is one of our biggest players. We will be utilizing him in the defense and in set pieces.”
• Grant Ogle, junior, midfielder – “Grant had a really good club season and it has brought confidence to him. He is speedy and will be used mostly on the wings.”
• Alex Williams, sophomore, midfielder/forward – “Alex is a move-in from Strafford and has not had a high school season yet. He is going to be very useful for us with his size and speed.”
• Jack Bertoldie, junior, midfielder – “Jack has worked hard in the club season and we will be looking forward to seeing the impact he can make for us in the midfield.”
• Micah Thrasher, sophomore, midfielder/forward – “Micah has a ‘never-give-up’ attitude. His hustle is unmatched and he is a true workhorse. He will play in the midfield and up top.”
• Zach Ulrich, junior, midfielder – “Zach is a smart player and sees the field well. He will be a good center midfielder for the team. He does well to move the ball and play through the channels.”
• Jake Garner, junior, defender – “Jake is our other ‘big man.’ He will also be a help to us on defense and in the air on set pieces.”
• Matthew Payne, junior, midfielder – “Matthew can play several positions for us and will be utilized as such. He is a good utility player for the team.”
• Ben Long, sophomore, defender/midfielder – “Ben has been playing a lot in the club season and working on his game. We are looking for him to have a good sophomore season and give us good minutes every time he is on the field.”
“Our biggest challenge will be our young players having to step onto the varsity field for the first time and compete with the tough schedule we have this season,” Owens said. “However, they are tough and ready to earn their stripes.”
Ozark will participate in a jamboree at Republic with Parkview and Central on Aug. 19 before opening the regular season at Belton on Aug. 27.
“Our outlook is excitement for the fall season,” Owens said. “We know we lost a lot of seniors and only have two this go around, but the team is hungry. Every season we have boys ready to step up and they always perform. This year is no different. We are young and fresh overall to the varsity pitch, but we are technical, smart and attack-minded.
“The coaching staff is ready to get things going and see us perform. We have a lot of players looking to make waves and get playing time. Starting positions will be up for grabs all season long as we look to see who is in-form and ready to execute on the field each match.”
