By Chris Parker
Parkview soccer has some big holes to fill with the graduation of four all-conference players from last year’s nine-win team.
Silas Allouche, Peter Garcia, Tyler Duchsherer and Carlos Valle are those four graduated players. Allouche was a first-team all-conference selection who scored 47 of Parkview’s 68 goals last year with another 17 assists.
Four or five starters return this year with Jovani Acevedo and Alex Pineda leading the way.
“Jovani Acevedo will be looked at to lead our young team this season. We will have many growing pains, so it will be essential for him to lead with high character and good work ethic,” Parkview head coach Shelby Stewart said. “Alex Pineda has the ability to connect with our younger players and really get them to buy into what we are trying to do.”
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Freshman Gage Weston will make an immediate impact at forward.
“Gage has tremendous speed and footwork that we will look to utilize throughout the season,” Stewart said.
Sophomore Chris Rubio gained valuable experience as a freshman and has improved during the off-season.
“He (Rubio) is a hard-working kid who has worked hard in the off-season,” Stewart said. “He is extremely coachable and had a year of varsity experience under his belt as a freshman. I will look for him to be more aggressive and decisive in his decision making this season.”
Overall, this Parkview group will be young and inexperienced.
“Our biggest strength will also be our weakness. We will be extremely young and inexperienced at the varsity level. If we continue to buy into what we are trying to do and work our hardest each day, we will be a tough team to beat at the end of season,” Stewart said.
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Parkview opens the regular season on Aug. 29 at home against Monett.
“(I expect) to compete each game, find our strengths and weaknesses and improve in both areas, improve throughout the season to be at our best come post-season,” Stewart said.