By Denise Tucker (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Coach Jessica Marquez enters her second season as the Carthage Lady Tigers’ head coach and she is excited to get back to work at her alma mater.
The Lady Tigers finished 9-11 overall and 4-5 in the Central Ozark Conference in 2024 before falling to Glendale in the first round of the Class 4 District 5 Tournament. That game was a learning experience, Marquez said, which her team will use to build upon this season.
“We have a good amount of returning starters and players from last season who have continued to build chemistry together through the summer,” said Marquez, who is in her sixth season of coaching at Carthage. “We have also had a fair number of girls show up to conditioning/open field this preseason. They have been putting in the work. We are excited to be back and do what we love as coaches and athletes.”
Carthage returns three seniors, three juniors and two sophomores to a strong defensive 2025 roster.
Jennifer Rodas, senior defender – Named All-Central Ozark Conference honorable mention; earned the team’s Most Improved Player Award. “Jennifer came to us as a manager her freshman year and decided to try out as a sophomore,” Marquez said. “Through her hard work and dedication, she earned a varsity starting position during her junior season last year. Her energy and competitiveness are invaluable; she brings stability to our back line. She is someone we can count on to correct small mistakes and strengthen our team in the defensive third.”
Kimberly Monterroso, senior defender – Four-year letterwinner; earned Class 4 District 5 honorable mention and the team’s Defensive MVP Award. “Kimberly is a versatile player, willing and able to step into any position to help the team succeed. Her leadership extends beyond the game. She brings the energy we need to compete at our best and serves as a vocal captain, keeping everyone engaged and motivated through the match.”
Estrellita Maldonado, senior defender – Four-year letterwinner. “Estrellita is more of a reserved player, but the impact she makes on the team is undeniable. She works hard, leads by example and does her best to help her team succeed. She takes the time to support and motivate younger players.”
Keime Mendoza, junior goalkeeper – “Keime stepped up when the team needed her most. She worked hard to earn her varsity goalie position last year, as only sophomore. She is very coachable and takes constructive criticism well, she continues to grow every game. Her dedication has paid off and she has come up with crucial saves in key moments, proving to be a vital part of our team’s success.”
Karla Macario, junior forward – Earned the team’s JV MVP Award. “Karla is quiet, but her work ethic speaks volumes. She started on JV her freshman year, put in the work to earn some varsity minutes last season and continues to step up when needed. She’s willing to do whatever it takes to help the team succeed, holding up to the team-first mindset.”
Julissa Hernandez, junior midfielder – Three-year letterwinner. “Julissa is consistently striving to give her best and leads by example. She has grown as a player, making a positive impact through her actions on and off the field.”
Kimberly Herrera, sophomore defender – “Kimberly is a dedicated and hard-working player. She stood out at tryouts last year and has continued to grow her skills. She brings a competitive edge and pushes herself and her teammates. She has made herself a valuable asset.”
Adriana Fermin, sophomore midfielder – “Adriana is a hard-working player. She surprised us with her skill at tryouts last year and has continued to grow her skills. She pushes herself and does her best to encourage her teammates. She carries good team spirit that makes a difference in team energy.”
Marquez said that while it’s early to identify what newcomers could contribute this season, there are a couple of players who have caught the coaches’ attention in Joanna Garcia and Mikaela Golubski.
Joanna Garcia, junior forward – “Joanna played her freshman year but was unable to last year,” Marquez said. “She is dominant in the offensive third with her skill and ball control. She has been attending preseason and building her skills. We are excited to see her back on the pitch and help the team succeed this season.”
Mikaela Golubski, junior midfielder – “Mikaela is new to the district but the way she has already meshed with the other girls, you wouldn’t know. She has shown us during our preseason, her skills and talent. We are excited to see her full potential and what kind of team chemistry we can build.”
“I believe this year our biggest strength is our defense,” Marquez said. “I believe we have a solid backline, willing to put in the work and time to be disciplined and work together. We have a lot of defensive returners this year, that will carry on their work from last year. We also have a lot of newcomers and junior varsity players that are filling in our gaps in our attacking third to help build our team to its fullest potential.”
The Lady Tigers graduated a trio on offense – a trio of motivators – in 2024.
Giana De La Pena, forward – Playing at Crowder College. “Giana was a positive and uplifting force,” Marquez said. “Her work ethic was amazing and always gave it her all. Even when things were tough, she stayed positive and motivated her teammates. She was a vocal leader, full of optimistic energy.”
Eva Cancinos, forward – “Eva showed such resilience and dedication. She worked hard to earn her varsity spot. She took any feedback given and adjusted to help her and her team be successful. Her senior year did not go as long due to injury later in the season, but that did not stop her from working hard and moving on to the next level (Crowder College).”
Jazmin Cancinos, midfielder – Earned Class 4 District 5 first-team, All-Central Ozark Conference first-team honors and was named team Offensive MVP and Overall MVP; playing at Crowder College. “Jazmin was one of our key players. She set the tone for the team. She always gave 110 percent and her energy and work ethic rubbed off and motivated teammates to do the same. We built a lot of our plays around her; she definitely elevated our level of play.”
Carthage will participate in a jamboree at Carl Junction with Webb City and Joplin on March 13 before returning to Carl Junction to open the regular season on March 27.
“I am excited to see the growth of our players this year, not only individually but as a unit,” Marquez said. “I want to see what kind of chemistry this team can build. We will continue to work on our fundamentals; passing, positioning, decision-making, as well as how we can handle different situations under pressure.
“We know growth won’t happen overnight, but we can already tell this group of girls can be as successful, as long as they continue to put in the work. Our goal is to always grow and improve from the previous season.”
