By Denise Tucker (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The Joplin Eagles took a “good step forward” last season as they finished 16-7 overall, 5-4 in the Central Ozark Conference and as runner-up in the Class 4 District 5 tournament.
In addition, the Eagles won their bracket in Parkview’s Viking Showdown and finished second in Jefferson City’s Richard Wilson Classic.
“Last season, we had a really strong group of upperclassmen that had been playing together for the last three years,” said Joshua Thompson, who enters his fourth season as the Eagles’ head coach. “The boys learned how to win tough games and play with a better team mentality. I think they are ready to take the next step and contend for district and conference championships.”
The Eagles will have some big shoes to fill with the loss of eight players (one to football), who were freshmen the last time they won a district title (2018).
• Abraham Montanez, center back – Scored 3 goals with 2 assists and earned first-team all-district and all-conference. “Abe was a team captain for us last year and led with a big voice and presence on the field,” Thompson said. “He was a strong tackler that boasted a big foot as well.”
• Andrew Taylor, wing – Scored 11 goals. “ABT was a team captain for the majority of his tenure at JHS. He had great skill on the ball and was a threat to score anytime he got the ball on his foot.”
• Eric Nelson, striker – Scored 4 goals with 1 assist. “Eric was pretty ferocious for a striker. He did a good job of pressing the back line and starting our defense transitions.”
• Gabe DeLeon, wing – Scored 4 goals with 1 assist. “Gabe brought great vibes to the program. He was key to several of our wins last season by being unselfish and making great runs and delivering great crosses.”
• Grayson Stovern, center back – Named to the all-region, all-district and all-conference second teams. “Grayson was a team captain for us last year. He was an intimidating center back with speed and strength. It was rare to see him lose a duel. He also had the ability to take the ball up the field when needed.”
• Joe Ipsen, center back – 1 goal, 1 assist. “Joe had been a varsity player for three years. He decided to move toward kicking the ‘hand egg’ full time. We wish him the best with the ‘hand egg’ team!”
• Noah Pearson, full back – 1 goal, 1 assist. “Noah had been a varsity contributor for several years. He really stepped up as a senior and provided stability to one of our flanks last season.”
• Roberto Reyes, midfielder – 1 goal, 1 assist. “Berto was a strong player in the middle. He was impossible to knock off the ball and gelled well with the team around him. He hit a game-winner for us last season as a holding midfielder.”
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Joplin does have 10 players returning – seven seniors, one junior and two sophomores.
“I think with our returning talent we have the ability to challenge for a top spot in the conference,” Thompson said. “Hopefully, that puts us in a good place for districts and we would hope to compete for a chance to advance past the district round.”
• Luis Alvarado, senior defender/midfielder – Scored 3 goals with 5 assists, while earning honorable mention all-district and all-conference honors. “Luis has the unique skill set of being a very talented dribbler as well as a skilled defender,” Thompson said. “He has done great work at advancing the ball up the field for us and putting us in great goal-scoring positions. He was also effective at shutting down the opponent’s best wing player when needed. We look forward to him filling those same roles again.”
• Adam Badr, sophomore defender/midfielder – “Adam was one of our surprise freshmen last year. He stepped in as a starting fullback and even moved up into the midfield for us some. He has a great eye for the game and communicates with his teammates very effectively.”
• Gray Cravens, senior defender/midfielder – Dished out 3 assists. “Gray is a tenacious defender that is eager to contribute offensively when the opportunity arises. He is also terrific at contributing as a positive voice on the practice pitch and in games.”
• William Cupp, senior midfielder – “Will stepped up last year and did a lot for us by controlling tempo and holding down the middle of the field defensively.”
• Ben Hedrick, junior defender – “Ben helped out when we had some injuries on the back line. He showed his athleticism and aggressiveness and made the most of the opportunity. He will be one of our only returning center backs that saw a decent amount of varsity time last year.”
• Andrew Jordan, senior goalkeeper – Recorded 7 shutouts. “Andrew came to us as a freshman with no soccer experience and has really come into his own as a goalkeeper. Last year was really his first time completing a full season without any injuries and he made excellent use of the time. His growth as a keeper has really bolstered our defense.”
• Adam Montanez, senior midfielder – Scored 7 goals with 5 assists and was an all-district selection. “Adam has been proving himself as a dynamic midfielder since his freshman year. He leads what should be a very strong midfield attack this season.”
• Eli Montanez, sophomore forward – Scored 8 goals with 4 assists. “Eli was our other surprise freshman. He had a lot of older talent in front of him for his position and still fought his way into the lineup. Once he was there, he ended up with some of our biggest moments of the season. He is a threat to both score and provide an assist any time he is on the ball.”
• Azziel Palma, senior forward – Scored 5 goals with 6 assists. “Azziel learned a lot last season and played with a new confidence that really showed in his game. He can set up scoring opportunities by either working through tight spaces or serving in excellent crosses.”
• Luciano Reyes, senior forward – Scored 15 goals with 5 assists; earned first-team all-district and all-conference honors. “Lucy is a defender’s worst nightmare. He is strong on the ball, in the air and in space. He does most of his work while being double-teamed.”
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And with the loss of key players on the back line, the Eagles will also look to a handful of newcomers to contribute this season.
• Brayden Anderson, junior defender – “Brayden actually made his first appearance on varsity as a freshman keeper,” Thompson said. “Last year, he found more value on the field as an attacking threat, but this year will be his biggest role. We are hoping to have Brayden step into a center back role. He has been making good progress over the summer.”
• Duncan Fogarty, sophomore midfielder – “Duncan was an impact player for the junior varsity team last year. He earned some moments on the varsity side and made good use of the minutes. He will be looking to have an even bigger role with the varsity side this year.”
• Emmanuel Garcia, senior defender – “Manny missed some time last year, which delayed his movement into the varsity side. He will have solid opportunities to show his stuff on defense this year.”
• Justin Kilafwa, senior defender/midfielder – “Justin is a skilled dribbler that we will be looking to rise to the occasion this year. He’s been making moves as a defender and as a midfielder over the summer.”
• Ian Trejo, sophomore defender – “Ian is new to the team this year. He has shown some skill over the summer and we will be looking forward to what he does with the opportunities this year.”
Joplin will be hosting a jamboree on Aug. 22 with Carthage, Monett and Neosho, before opening the season at Nixa on Aug. 30.
“The team has been working hard with team camps and scrimmages,” Thompson said. “Our big focus has been on fundamentals and understanding tactics and playing up to our ability level.
“We have a good number of seniors this year, so we want them to reach their potential and make this last season one to remember.”
