By Tyler F. Thompson (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Branson head coach David Brenner and his Pirates have new terrain this season.
This fall marks the inaugural season in the newly formed Ozark Mountain Conference, which will be comprised of Branson, Bolivar, Carl Junction, Logan-Rogersville, Marshfield and West Plains.
Brenner enters his 16th season with the Pirates, who bring back the majority of its front-line players and goalkeeper after a 10-12 record last year.
Players to watch
Sean Dailey (All COC, all district, all state HM) – 19 goals, 7 assists.
Cash Hedrick (all district) – 14 goals, 4 assists.
Steven Nguyen – GK, 2-year starter: 121 saves and 3 shutouts last season.
Eli Estrada (all district).
“Our keeper brings three years of experience with him and plays at a high level,” Brenner said of Nguyen.
Nguyen is a two-year starter for the Pirates.
For the first time in several years, Brenner said, the Pirates return the entire offense.
Branson returns six starters, eight seniors and 12 lettermen: a nice recipe for 2024.
Scoring leader, Sean Dailey, will anchor the offense.
“My leading goal scorer is a real quiet person, but he leads by example, he leads from the front,” said Brenner.
After losing four full-time starters and six seniors from last year, leadership is being exhibited from all areas of the pitch — serving as an extension of the coaching staff.
“I have a great mix,” said Brenner. “They have really learned how to talk to their teammates, not at them. We preach that here; talking to people, not at people.”
The back four lost 75 percent of its attack, so those holes currently are being evaluated, Brenner said.
“Several newcomers have joined us this summer and the competition for starting positions is still wide open,” said Brenner.
His Pirates are making his job at bit tougher this season, he said, as very few starting positions have been solidified.
Said Brenner: “In the 16 years I have been here, I haven’t had to make as many tough decisions as I will this year about who is playing and when and where. My sophomore class is really strong. The freshmen group coming in is challenging those sophomores, and it works its way up the line. I can’t think of one position on our team that I can guarantee is a full-time starter right now.”
A loaded schedule
The Pirates’ schedule is, in a word, demanding. And Brenner prefers the rough terrain throughout the regular season.
“This group of seniors, I have worked with them through various camps since I got here. They were born the year I got here. It is time for us to take another step forward in this program and be a perennial at the top. We don’t want to be competitive anymore. We want to be the standard.”
The Pirates will travel to Bolivar to the preseason jamboree, joining Lebanon and Camdenton.
Branson opens the season at the Aug. 30-31 Webb City Shootout. The team hits their own turf Sept. 3 when they host Nixa, who finished 16-9 last season.
Ozark comes to town on Sept. 10.
