By Denise Tucker (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The Lebanon Lady Yellowjackets welcome a familiar face to the sidelines as Jacob Woolsey takes over the reins for longtime coach, and Class 3 District 5 Coach of the Year, Matt Jernigan.
“This will be my first season as the head coach,” said Woolsey, who served as Jernigan’s assistant with the girls’ team for four years and with the boys’ team for 10. “I am very excited to build on the program that Coach Jernigan has built over the past nine years. I have learned so much over the past 10 years as an assistant coach, I am ready to apply that to the varsity.”
The Lady Yellowjackets finished 14-11 overall and 4-6 in the Ozark Conference. They upset third-seeded Camdenton in double-overtime in the first round of the district tournament in what Woolsey said was one of their best games of the season, before falling to Catholic in the semifinals.
The familiarity between coach and players works both ways as Woolsey has nine seniors returning, several of whom were starters, as well as a couple of other key contributors.
Among the seniors, Jayden Piercy scored 13 goals and was an all-conference second-team selection as a forward last season. Sydney Wilson broke the solo shutouts in a season record with 13 shutouts in goal, and Jaidyn Collins (midfielder) earned all-conference honorable mention honors.
Lebanon also returns seniors Hannah Lane, who played defense on JV and varsity, Kaytlin Frank (outside/center midfield), Brooke Frank (who started on varsity on defense), Kali Williams (played midfield/forward on JV) and Brynne York (played midfield on varsity).
Woolsey added that Chloe Shearer (senior) and Destiny Stokes (junior) return to Lebanon’s backline and were instrumental to its defense last season.
Other key returnees include junior midfielder Addy Collins, who earned all-district and all-conference honorable mention honors, dished out 11 assists last season. Woolsey said she will be an important part of the team in 2023.
Mahayla Smith, a sophomore forward, scored eight goals last year as a freshman. “Mahayla split time between JV and varsity last season, scoring several goals on both,” Woolsey said. “She brings a positive attitude and is calm in stressful situations, which is needed on the field.”
The Lady Yellowjackets’ defense was a strength last season and Woolsey thinks it could be again this year.
“Last season, the girls broke the team shutout record and the solo keeper shutout record,” Woolsey said. “Our team has the majority of our defense returning, and I think it is a real possibility to break those again this coming season. It will take a lot of mental focus and effort, but I think the girls are up for the challenge.”
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Woolsey noted a couple of players who could make an impact this season in junior Jenna Rosen and sophomore Zylynn Dozier.
“Jenna played mostly JV last year and made vast improvements that have led the coaching staff to believe that she will be of great help to our team this year,” Woolsey said. “Zylynn was another player who split the team between JV and varsity. She is very passionate about giving 100 percent of her effort to her team during a game and challenges those around her to do the same.”
Lebanon, which scored 60 goals and allowed 32, does have some key losses to overcome with the graduation of Dream Cunningham (first-team all-district and all-conference), Chloe Shivers (Class 3 Region 3, first-team all-district and all-conference), Maddie Jay, Kaylyn Rogers and Jewel Shockley (first-team all-district and second-team all-conference).
“Dream was our leading scorer last season and worked extremely hard on the field,” Woolsey said. “Chloe Shivers has been an important part of our center midfield for the past several years. Chloe brought a calm and controlling presence to the team.
“Jewell Shockley stepped into an outside-back role during her junior year and continued to be a consistent presence in our defense. Kaylyn Rogers was a very good utility player on the field, winning challenges and balls in the air. Maddie Jay’s character on and off the field is something that our team will suffer from her not being there this year.”
The Lady Yellowjackets will host a jamboree with Bolivar, Marshfield and Crocker on March 10 on the grass field at Boswell Elementary. They open the regular season at Class 3 runner-up Glendale on March 20.
“The team’s strength revolves around hard work and positive attitudes,” Woolsey said. “I like how hard our team works and how (the girls are) always willing to put in the extra effort that is required to improve.”
