By Denise Tucker (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Willard head coach Jamie Waddell says that his squad made huge strides throughout the 2023 season that should help the Tigers move forward into the 2024 campaign.
The Tigers finished 9-13 overall last season, capturing a quarterfinal win over Carl Junction (5-1) in the Class 3 District 6 Tournament before falling to Webb City 2-0 in the semifinals.
“Our team this season feels like one big unit,” said Waddell, who is 35-39 in three years leading the boys’ program. “They are good friends on and off the field. This group of players is not afraid to put the work in.
“Even though we lost some senior experience from last season, we believe this team’s skill level is even better than last year. They want to win and that proved this summer by how hard they have been working.”
Returning this fall for the Tigers are seniors Kendrik Troutt, Josh Hemingway and Israel Martinez, and juniors Barrett Jarvis and Levi Spirk.
Kendrik Troutt, senior, midfielder – Scored 9 goals with 2 assists; earned Class 3 All-Region 3, Class 3 All-District 6 first-team, and All-Central Ozark Conference second-team honors. “Troutt has amazing ball skills and vision of the field,” Waddell said. “He sees the game develop at a rapid pace. He will be asked to control the middle of the field and be asked to put us in the best position possible to win. We are asking him to not only lead by example but also lead vocally.”
Josh Hemingway, senior, defender – Named Class 3 All-District 6 first team and All-Central Ozark Conference second team. “Josh proved last year to be a force to be reckoned with. He is extremely physical and is highly trusted by his teammates. With his experience, Josh is expected to be our leader on our defense.”
Barrett Jarvis, junior, forward – “Barrett really came into his own last season. This season, he will be asked to provide more of an offensive role for us. He is one of the most coachable players I have had the pleasure of coaching. He leaves everything on the field; we as a staff never have to question that.”
Levi Spirk, junior, forward/midfielder – “Levi has great speed and will be asked to stretch the defense out and help put goals on the board. He will also be asked to help provide his speed on defense.”
Israel Martinez, senior, midfield/forward – 9 goals, 4 assists. “Izzy has put in a great deal of time working on his touch with the ball. He has a strong foot and ability to score from all parts of the field. He has great speed and a strong desire to score.”
The Tigers have three juniors Waddell believes have the ability to make an impact this fall in David Lawson, Calvin Mooney and Keegan Coffey.
David Lawson, junior goalkeeper – “David has the confidence and ability to be a very strong keeper this season,” Waddell said. “Last season, he showed us how much he wants this responsibility. He is very long and provides us with a demand in the back. He has great 1-on-1 instincts. He has put a ton of work in in the offseason. We will look to him to be a leader in the back.”
Calvin Mooney, junior defender – “Mooney has the ability to play almost all positions. He has a good mind for the game. He will be relied on heavily to play a defensive role for us. This summer, he has shown us his strong determination to play quality minutes. He has been working extremely hard this offseason. We are excited for what he brings to the field.”
Keegan Coffey, junior midfielder – “Keegan has very strong skills with the ball. He has amazing vision of the field both on the offensive and defensive side. We are going to ask him to be our leader through this vision. He is a great setup man that plays for the team. He has a strong desire to compete and win for his team.”
The Tigers lose a trio of all-district performers to graduation including Jonathan Lupescu (first team), Caleb Thompson (first team) and Marseli Popsku (honorable mention).
“Other than their experience and ability, the thing that will be missed the most from these graduates is just them,” Waddell said of the Class of 2024. “They are an awesome group of individuals and were a joy to coach. They worked hard and were committed to the team.”
Willard will be hosting a jamboree with Hillcrest, Laquey and Fair Grove on Aug. 26, before opening the regular season hosting Class 2 state runner-up Logan-Rogersville on Aug. 30.
“Our goal this season is to advance further in the postseason than we have before,” Waddell said. “A district title is there for anyone this season; it will just come to who wants to put the most effort into the season.”
