By Denise Tucker (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The Republic Lady Tigers will field a young roster again this season and look to take another step forward under first-year head coach Jesus Zuniga.
The Lady Tigers finished 9-15 overall and 4-5 in the Central Ozark Conference last season while playing just three seniors, one junior and the rest underclassmen. They were tasked with overcoming the loss of almost 64 percent of their scoring from the previous year, as well as having to replace a strong defense.
“This will be our first year with the girls’ program as a new coaching staff,” said Zuniga, who led the boys’ team to a 5-19 finish in the fall. “Last year, this was a young group with little varsity experience. Through the season (the team) gained more confidence and learned it could play with the best in the area. It was great seeing that growth through the season.”
This spring, Republic returns one senior, six juniors and two sophomores. The experience gained last season will be valuable to the Lady Tigers heading into 2023.
• Aylora Crowe, senior defender. “Aylora did a great job as an outside back last year,” Zuniga said. “She adapted to the position for Coach Kevin Hauck (previous coach) her sophomore year (2021) and has done a great job of being a key contributor to our defense.”
• Ava Brown, junior midfielder. Scored 1 goal and earned Class 4 Region 3, first-team Class 4 District 5 and all-conference honors. “Ava does all the little things right. Previously, she had not been the player to show up on the stat sheet. She is going to stand out as one of the best midfielders, not only on our team but in the area. She is an excellent team player, distributor and defender. She can do it all for our team.”
• Brooklyn Claxton, junior defender. Named second-team all-district and all-conference. “Brooklyn is an attack stopper. Last year, her first year playing center back, she was excellent. She wins a ton of balls in the air, knows how to contain elite attackers and has an unmatched work ethic.”
• Kendra Phiri, junior midfielder. Scored 3 goals with 1 assist; earned honorable mention all-district honors. “She does an excellent job of defending in the midfield, will win a lot of balls, and will ignite our offense. Kendra has great vision.”
• Molly Blades, junior midfielder. 5 goals, 9 assists; was an all-district and all-conference honorable mention selection; also a member of Republic’s state-ranked basketball team. “She is a hard worker and can create opportunities for us all over the field. Her speed, poise and control on the wing make her a threat on the outside of the field.”
• Cameron Burton, junior midfielder. “Cam did a great job playing defense last year in her first season. As the year progressed, she was moved to the wing and scored two huge goals late in the season, one being in districts against Carthage. Cam works hard and does a great job of crashing the goal. We are excited to see her play on the flanks for a full season.”
• Callie Jacquess, junior forward/midfielder. “Callie was moved up to varsity late in the season and started turning heads. She plays hard and (for her) team. I am excited to see what she can do with a full year on the varsity team.”
• Cadence Lugar, sophomore forward. “Cadence led the team with eight goals and was second with five assists. Her confidence grew as the season went along. She has a great shot and a real talent for finding the back of the net. I am hopeful that this year she will show her talent more.”
• Kaylee Cornelsen, sophomore midfielder/defender. Scored 3 goals. “Kaylee played great last season. Midway through the season, she suffered a pretty bad ankle injury and had a hard time coming back from it. She battled late in the season and is a relentless player. I am excited to see her fully healthy for a full season. She can have a huge impact on our team.”
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In addition to his young and experienced returning players, Zuniga will be looking to the following newcomers to make an immediate impact this season.
• Adison Gibbs, sophomore midfielder/defender. “Adison has played competitively during her younger years and is a multi-sport athlete who also plays volleyball,” Zuniga said. “Adison’s athleticism will allow us to have a deeper bench and more highly competitive training sessions. She will challenge returning players to not become complacent.”
• Macey Mitchell, freshman forward/midfielder. “Macey has played a lot of soccer and has the experience this team may have needed in certain spots last year. She can be a true goal scorer and will pair nicely with Cadence and our attack. She will be an electric player to watch and we’re excited to see what she can do this year as a freshman for our team and program.”
• Bria Claxton, freshman defender. “Bria has a legit chance to challenge returning players for a defensive varsity position. She defends well and is a physical player who can play with the best.”
• Paige Elsenraat, freshman forward. “Paige is another multi-sport athlete who played competitively when she was younger. Her competitive spirit will challenge her teammates to become better players as they will have to think quicker as our training sessions become higher-paced and more intense. Paige has the potential to become a goal scorer and provide our team with the flexibility of moving players around as we look to give players breathers during the game.”
Zuniga had the opportunity to observe his new players last year while serving as an assistant at Nixa, and during summer and winter training.
“I knew we were walking into something special here,” said Zuniga, who has 15 years of club head-coaching experience. “I recall coaching against Republic last year, and my colleagues telling me how much fun I was going to have with this team; that’s exactly what has happened the last nine months.
“I love the competitive mindset these ladies have. Several of them have an open mind to a new style of play and are soaking up all the information our new coaching staff is sharing with them. We have several athletic players who love being challenged and pushed to get better. The team/family concept is evident, and these ladies constantly are trying to uplift one another. They hold each other accountable while having fun.”
Players the Lady Tigers lose to graduation include Gracie Coleman (two-year starting goalkeeper) and Erin Brown (starting defender), who earned honorable mention all-district honors. Current Republic senior, Molly Mason, who also is a member of Republic’s basketball team, will be competing in track this spring.
Republic will host a jamboree with Branson, Central and Hillcrest on March 10 in what will be a bit of reunion for Zuniga, as he and Hillcrest coach Roy Hardy served as assistants to Branson coach Brandon Scott earlier in their careers. Republic will open the regular season at Rolla on March 20.
“Our work ethic, unity, and willingness to get better are some of our strengths,” Zuniga said. “The positivity amongst one another will help in a challenging season that sees several difficult opponents. Our ladies are quick learners and want to learn as much as they can. Teaching more about the game and the intricate details, and raising our soccer IQ will be keys to our success this season.
“Every matchup will be notable for me as this is our first season as a new coaching staff. Our coaching staff has never squared off against any of the other coaching staffs as a unit on the girls’ side. Being an assistant for the last nine years and a former player of the area, I think it would be cool to earn an upset win. I’m looking forward to the matchups where we get to play against my friends, former employers and former colleagues.”
