Every two weeks, OzarksSportsZone.com will release local boys’ soccer power rankings. Like our other power rankings lists, these rankings will be based on dominance by Class, not head-to-head.
Recent success and strength of schedule are also factored into the rankings.
Overall record and Class are listed in parenthesis.
1. Carthage (3-0, C3) – The Tigers are out of the gates and rolling, with victories over Monett (6-4), Springfield Catholic (3-0) and Webb City (5-0). Elder Reyes had a hat trick against Monett. Conceding four goals means the defense will have to be addressed going forward, but the talent is there for the Tigers to claim their ninth straight district title. After a trip to Neosho on Tuesday, Carthage returns home to face Glendale on Thursday, a matchup that has become one of the best annual matchups in the area. The teams split a pair of meetings last year, with Carthage winning at Glendale in the regular season before the Falcons return the favor in the playoffs.
2. Kickapoo (3-1, C4) – Kickapoo and Nixa delivered a good one last Tuesday, as Kickapoo answered Nixa’s early 1-0 lead with two goals for an eventual 2-1 win. Emotions were high in a rematch of last year’s district title game – which Nixa won in PKs on its way to the final four – as both head coaches were carded. It seems appropriate that these teams have a rematch in the sectional round in a few months. Around lopsided wins against Pembroke Hill (3-0) and Springfield Catholic (4-0), the Chiefs fell 2-1 in double overtime to a Lee’s Summit West team that won 17 games last year and comes from a loaded district. The Chiefs could very well meet LSW again in the postseason. Kickapoo plays five Ozark Conference games around a Sept. 8 home game versus Ozark and will likely be 9-1 heading into the Kickapoo Shootout Sept. 22-24.
3. Monett (2-2-1, C2) – Coming off their best season in program history, the Cubs are showing signs of being even better offensively in 2016. Monett has tallied 29 goals in five games – none of which came against fellow Class 2 competition. Monett’s two losses came to Carthage (6-4) and Republic (5-4, PKs). With College Heights Christian dropping down to Class 1, the only viable local contender I see standing in the way of a Cubs’ return trip to the Class 2 quarterfinals is Catholic. If they can keep everyone healthy, tune the defense a bit and get their younger players acclimated to varsity play, the Cubs are going to be a scary postseason matchup for anyone. Monett won the Branson Tournament for the third straight year over the weekend. The Cubs host Nixa on Thursday.
4. Nixa (3-1, C4) – Last season wasn’t a fluke. The Eagles are going to be very good again and push for the 20-win mark and another run in the state tournament. With two all-state players gone, Nixa’s offense has become more balanced in the early season: three players scored in 4-0 win over Central, Andrew Koban had a hat trick against in a 6-0 win over Carl Junction, and three different players scored in a 3-0 win against Joplin. The Eagles still have plenty of speed and coach Evan Palmer is one of the best at putting offensive pieces in the right place. Nixa has a challenging three-game stretch ahead: Aug. 30 at an improved Republic team, Sept. 1 at Monett and Sept. 6 at Carthage in a game that will weigh heavily on deciding the eventual COC-Large champion.
5. Glendale (2-0, C3) – Take a moment and appreciate this play by Glendale’s Josh Call (header) and Sean Perryman (corner) in the Falcons’ 2-1 win over Pembroke Hill:
@glendalesoccer @xerex34 @FalconsGlendale beautiful goal Friday night! Falcons 2-0! pic.twitter.com/e9spRu3iLY
— jack dixon (@pepperoni_jack) August 28, 2016
The Call and Perryman Show is going to be fun to watch this year. The seniors have contributed in all five of Glendale’s goals this season; Call has four goals and one assist while Perryman has one goal and four assists. The Falcons, after claiming a pair of double-OT wins last week (Ozark, Pembroke Hill) have a busy three-day stretch ahead this week: Sept. 1 at Carthage, before traveling to St. Louis for games against St. Louis University High and O’Fallon (Ill.).
6. Laquey (2-1, C1) – The Hornets continue to build a soccer dynasty in Pulaski County and figure to contend for their fourth straight district title this year. Despite graduating two big pieces of its defense in all-state goalkeeper Remington Hayes and all-state defender Skyeler Crutchfield, the Hornets return a solid trio in all-state defensive center-mid Hunter Powers, Tristan Gan and Brandon McDonald. All three registered goals in the team’s 4-1 against new district foe College Heights Christian on Aug. 19. After a 5-2 win over another district opponent, Dixon, Laquey fell 2-1 at Fair Grove last Thursday. The Hornets may get a quick chance for redemption when they compete in the Fair Grove Invitational this weekend.
7. Rolla (1-0, C3) – I’m buying Rolla stock early as I expect the Bulldogs to push for the 20-win mark, battle Kickapoo and Glendale for a top-two spot in the Ozark Conference, and potentially unseat Helias Catholic as district champions. The Bulldogs return a considerable amount of talent (five all-conference players) and once again play a challenging non-conference schedule. After dispatching Parkview 4-1 in its season opener Aug. 19, Rolla finally returns to action this week at the Pacific Tournament.
8. Catholic (0-2, C2) – New territory for the Irish as I’d be surprised if they’ve ever began a season 0-2 with a minus-7 goal differential. Strength of schedule should also be factored in, though, as the Irish won’t see teams as good as Carthage and Kickapoo most nights going forward. Coach Mike Hines’ Irish will look to get back on track this week with a home game against Marshfield (Aug. 30) and a road game at College Heights Christian (Sept. 1).
9. College Heights Christian (2-1, C1) – Dropping down a Class can’t hurt, I guess, but the Cougars now find themselves in a district with two other viable challengers instead of just Monett. CHC already has a 4-1 loss to Laquey in its resume and needed five goals to outscore Greenwood 5-3 in last year’s regular season meeting, so a trip to the finals in its new district isn’t a lock. After the season-opening loss to Laquey, CHC posted rebound wins over Richland and Webb City last week. The Cougars play at Carl Junction (Aug. 30) and host Springfield Catholic (Sept. 1) this week.
10. Republic (2-0, C3) – Impressive early season win for the Tigers last Tuesday as Republic outlasted Monett for a 5-4 win in PKs. After a rough first half, Cody Marcotte went from scapegoat to hero as he returned to the game to make three pivotal saves in the PK session. Dylan Brown and Drew Flippin scored two goals apiece in regulation for the Tigers. The win was certainly a confidence booster going forward for Republic, which finds itself a new-look and challenging district with the likes of Willard, Carthage and Bolivar. After handling Lebanon 6-1 on Thursday – a game in which Brown and Julio Quezada each scored twice – Republic draws an early season test at home against Nixa on Tuesday, followed by a Thursday trip to West Plains.
Knocking on the door: Dixon (C1), Ozark (1-1, C4), Willard (1-1-2, C3)
