By Michael Cignoli (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Seniors on this year’s Waynesville boys soccer team will be playing for their third head coach in four seasons, but the new boss is hardly a stranger to the program.
It’s Eric Thornburg, who has spent the past 14 seasons as Waynesville’s assistant coach. That familiarity will be important as the Tigers look to finish above .500 for the first time since 2014.
“There was certainly a lot of trepidation amongst the players on who would be hired to lead the program, but I was welcomed with lots of smiles and hugs upon my announcement as the new head coach,” Thornburg said. “So the transition has certainly been easier for me and the players than if it were someone new to the program.”
Thornburg first joined the district in 2008, working as the goalkeeper coach for the Mike Armstrong-coached boys team and Mike Gow-led girls club. Thornburg coached both teams until 2012, when he stepped away from the girls team following the birth of his first child.
Thornburg and Armstrong worked together until 2020, when Armstrong was named the head coach at Rolla after a 14-year run. Thornburg said he discussed applying for the head coaching job at that point, but Waynesville ultimately offered the position to Gow.
“At that point I was happy to continue to serve as assistant as we were faced with a tough transition with the loss of Armstong to Rolla,” Thornburg said. “Gow has had lots of experience taking over programs and establishing rapport with players as he established his cultural expectations.”
When Gow retired this past offseason, the Thornburg era officially began.
“It really has been a perfect scenario for me as Gow put a lot of trust in me as a coach and I was able to serve alongside him in shaping the team over the last two seasons,” Thornburg said. “So in many ways I don’t feel like a new head coach, because Gow included my input into so many aspects of what we did as a program. Knowing the community and players, it was really important to me to carry on the legacy that I had been a part of since 2008. I hope to make both Gow and Armstong proud as a head coach and know that they will continue to be a resource when challenges arise.”
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One of Thornburg’s most pressing challenges? Establishing his own culture and expectations.
The Tigers went 13-27 in the past two seasons, fielding an underclassmen-heavy lineup that Thornburg said was the youngest he’d seen during his tenure. They haven’t had a winning record since securing the 2014 district title, a streak Thornburg hopes to end this season.
“Our leadership group has had conversations about our past struggles and realistic goals,” he said. “They’ve shown a real desire to reestablish a winning culture at Waynesville. We’ve been really young the last two seasons, but saw growth from 2020 to 2021. Gow and I reflected on last year’s results and really believe that the team had the physical skill to be above .500, but lacked some of the mental maturity and leadership necessary to have a winning program. We are well positioned this year to finish above .500 because of the work (done) over the last two seasons. Ultimately, my goal is to field a team that competes and has the mindset that every game is winnable.”
Waynesville had eight underclassmen earn significant varsity playing time last season, which Thornburg said contributed to the team’s 8-14 record. But six of those losses were by a single goal and the Tigers have four returning players who earned postseason honors. With another year of experience under their belts, those players could help the Tigers turn the corner this fall.
“We saw significant growth last season and have the potential to be one of the most talented teams I’ve ever seen at Waynesville,” Thornburg said. “I see us as being a difficult opponent this year who will get some surprise wins if we can find our form early this season. I expect us to compete in every game this year and have the confidence that we can win against any opponent.”
With senior Faheem Mujahid returning to the field, it’s hard not to be confident. He scored 22 goals and assisted 12 others last season, earning spots on the all-conference and all-district teams.
“I’m expecting him to create lots of scoring opportunities this year, but most importantly to become a leader that gets the best out of our team,” Thornburg said. “He’s shown a lot of growth in the off season and this summer, and is buying into the changes planned for the fall. We’ve had lots of conversations about making his senior year memorable.”
Fellow all-conference and all-district picks Blake Holloway and Antwone Fowler will anchor the Waynesville defense.
Fowler, a speedy senior, and Mujahid were both part of the Waynesville 4×800 relay team that placed sixth at the state track meet. Holloway, a junior, averaged 79.94 minutes per game last year – rarely coming off the field in the 18 matches he played.
“Blake has developed into one of our best and toughest defenders,” Thornburg added. “He missed playing time last year to a thigh injury, which hurt our defensive chemistry and shape. I expect him to contribute to an experienced defense that should be difficult to break through.”
All-conference midfielder Tyrell Phinn also boasts plenty of experience. The junior, who Thornburg called “one of the most physically gifted” players he’s ever coached, scored eight goals last fall.
“His drive to play at a high level will help push the team in training and in games this season,” Thornburg said. “His growth over the last couple of years has made him into a pivotal attacking player for our team. I have high expectations of Tyrell because of his potential and will demand far more of him this year as a leader. His versatility allows me lots of flexibility in how to build a lineup to take advantage of his strengths as a player.”
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Phinn’s emergence helped the Tigers overcome the loss of Jesus Olivas, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the first week of his senior year. Martavious Robinson, Robert Sigler, Isaiah Jones and keeper Evan Boston also graduated with the class of 2022, meaning the Tigers must find a way to replace their starting goalie and a trio who scored 12 of their 57 goals.
“I will try to find a formation that complements the unique strengths of the players on the field,” Thornburg said. “By fitting the formation to the players we are able to capitalize on our strengths and minimize weaknesses. The key will be getting players to understand their roles and stay organized in whatever position we put them in. We certainly have a lot of attack-minded players which I love in a team, but that leaves us exposed at times defensively. So we’ll work on finding a formation that strikes the right balance for our team identity.”
And what is that identity?
“We are definitely known for our speed,” Thornburg said. “I think this year our real strength will be the experience of our returners. We’ve been extremely quick up top, but haven’t always had the skill or maturity to capitalize those opportunities. A year on and we will hopefully be far more polished and dangerous in the attacking third and more disciplined in the defensive third.”
Returning juniors Deon Cady and Jourdyn Jackson combined to score 11 goals last year.
Cady, a forward/midfielder, registered six goals and five assists in “a limited role” last season, Thornburg said. He has the potential to be one of Waynesville’s top scorers this fall.
Jackson led the team with 1,683 minutes played last year, further strengthening the defense.
“He’s a fantastic all-around athlete with great size and feet,” Thornburg said. “I’ve got big expectations for him to step up as a leader and demand more from players around him this year. His play this year will certainly make a difference in how well our team does this season.”
Other key returners include senior Landon Scheller (defense/midfield) and juniors Logan Scheller (midfield), Averial Williams (midfield/forward) and Jaden Cruz (defense/midfield).
Newcomers include senior forward Ethan Peterson, who has been cleared to play after missing his junior year with an injury, and sophomore defense/midfield Sei Fowler. Two of Fowler’s classmates, Brayden Weiglet and Tristan Boerner, are battling for the No. 1 keeper role.
“They are both very coachable and have looked good this summer,” Thornburg said of the hopefuls. “I know they are both putting in a ton of work preparing for the upcoming season and will be pushing each other constantly as they compete for the starting job.”
Junior Andrew Novakoski (defense/midfield) and sophomores Aiden Sheroman (forward/midfield), Deigo Cruz (forward/midfield) and Adam Chimura (defense) will also be competing for varsity time.
“We really struggled to pull in the same direction as a team last year,” Thornburg said. “When the team worked together it felt like we could compete against any team in the state, but we couldn’t maintain that level for a full 80 minutes. We have a lot of strong personalities that will challenge our team chemistry. It remains to be seen if they are willing to give what the team needs when things get difficult. This year, we need to put in a full 80 minutes as a team to achieve the results I know we are capable of.”
After they host an August 23 jamboree, the Tigers will kick off the regular season when Republic visits three days later. Their first Ozark Conference game is scheduled for August 30 at Bolivar.
“Fans can expect to see passion and relentless effort as a team,” Thornburg said. “Coaching philosophy wise, my core values aren’t vastly different. We will continue to strive to be a ball possession team that looks to play quality soccer. I think the biggest changes will be with our parent and fan engagement during the games.”
Thornburg said he plans to implement several initiatives to boost attendance and improve the fan experience, such as themed nights and a halftime show involving fans.
“I want to ensure as many positive memories while playing for Waynesville no matter the outcome of individual games,” Thornburg said. “I want our parents and community to be proud of our program and reflect the best of who we are.”
