Girls Private-Parochial – Ben Timson, Springfield Catholic High School (Mo.)
Timson’s team posted a 23-4 record on the way to its second consecutive Missouri Class 1 state championship. In the past two seasons the team has a combined record of 44-9-1 and has reached the state semifinals each of the past three years.

This video is following the team’s first State Title in 2010 over Trinity

I lost a friend and a mentor on Monday when Bob Jordan passed away due to a heart attack. Bob, and his efforts on behalf of first the Pershing Generals and later the Glendale Falcons, was the impetus for my efforts here. Without his support and assistance, I would not have been able to pull it off. That early effort blossomed into a friendship that now brings tears to my eyes as I consider not only my loss but that of his family and the others he has touched. Goodbye Bob.

Services will be held at Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home in Springfield. Visitation is this evening, Thursday December 15th, from 6-8pm. The Memorial is Friday at 2pm. In lieu of flowers, contributions to the Robert Jordan Memorial Fund may be made at any Empire Bank location or are accepted at Gorman-Scharpf.

From his obituary

In 2000 Bob agreed to assist with the Pershing Middle School soccer team and coached the JV team. His success led to a 6 year run as head coach where his teams won 5 Varsity City Championships (3boys/2girls). Coaching was his gift and he strove to make certain that players both enjoyed and learned from their athletic experience. In 2001 Bob began to administer the Glendale soccer website, a duty he happily continued to perform long after his children left the program. He was a passionate believer in the benefits of sports, rivalries and traditions and he found great satisfaction in his membership in the local soccer community.

Bob was just one of the many people it takes to make a community prosper. Soccer was not the only one he supported and to each he brought his understated personality and desire to be the best. He succeeded and more importantly, he offered to many the support they needed to do the same. I thank you Bob.

First year coach Tom Guinn didn’t know what to expect when he took the job as head coach of the boys soccer team at Springfield Catholic. He had never even seen them play. Guinn knew about the team’s recent success but he was told the Irish had lost quite a few seniors and he would have his work cut out for him.

“Going into it I knew the expectations were going to be high,” Guinn said. I knew people were expecting us to win but I didn’t know what kind of talent we were going to have. I would say within the first week or so I knew that this team was going to be good.”

Guinn’s gut feeling turned out to be a little off, the Springfield Catholic boys soccer team was a lot better than good. On Sunday, they capped an undefeated 29-0-1 season with a Class 1 State Championship by beating Pembroke Hill (KC) 1-0 in Blue Springs.

The state title was the first by a boys’ soccer team in Southwest Missouri and it was a long time coming for the Irish. Though this is only the fifth year of the boys’ soccer program at Springfield Catholic, the team has seen its share of heartbreak. After finishing third in 2008, the Irish were beaten in the state championship game the next two seasons.

Senior midfielder Luke Straus started in every Irish state tournament game. He said it was a huge relief for the team to finally break through this season.

“My freshman year was the first time we ever went to state so honestly I was pretty happy with third and just going to state,” Straus said. “The last two years have been pretty painful because we knew we were the better team.”

Last season, the Irish entered the state championship game as heavy favorites against a Whitfield team they had beaten 3-0 in the regular season only to be shutout 1-0. Things had an eerie feel as the Irish stepped onto the pitch Sunday against a Pembroke Hill team they had dominated in October.

“It was déjà vu all over again for us this year because we played Pembroke Hill in the regular season and beat them 3-0 and then we see them in the finals and we have a chance to exorcise our demons,” Guinn said. “I told the guys to realize that this isn’t a regular season game this is a state title game, it’s completely different and they need to come out and get things done.”

During the regular season, there were only three games that the Irish did not win by at least three goals (the tie came against Ft. Zumwalt West in the Gateway City Classic) but, like coach Guinn said, everything is different in the state title game.

Pembroke Hill hung right with the Irish, but in the end the better team found a way as junior forward Mitch Moncada’s header landed in the back of the net and the Irish were finally state champs.

To make sure that sure that they did not wear down at the end of the year, the Irish made conditioning a big part of their training. Senior defender Reid Harbach said that the team’s goal was to out-work everybody else.

“We like to keep a high level of practice all the time,” Harbach said. “We work hard during sprints and everything to make sure we’re more fit than the other teams because it makes a huge difference in the end.”

Coach Guinn said that a combination of great leadership from his five seniors and the team’s strong work ethic were what put the Irish over the top. He said that from the first day of practice, the Irish were fiercely intent on winning the title and going undefeated and being the first Springfield area team to do so were just icing on the cake.

“I think it does mean a lot now that we’ve done it,” Guinn said. “It does mean a lot to the Springfield community. It puts Springfield soccer on the map.”

Next season, coach Guinn and everyone else should have a pretty good idea of what the Springfield Catholic team is capable of. Now that they’ve gotten over the hump, good luck getting them back down.

This story was written by Harrison Keegan who previously covered Sporting KC on this website. He is a Missouri State student who covers sports for the Missouri State Standard and has also worked for TAGSGF.com.

MITCH MONCADA’S GAME WINNER AGAINST PEMBROKE HILL

For the Eagles, it was their win at Rolla on Tuesday. From the Joplin Globe following the Eagles win Tuesday at Rolla –

Dig up all those cliches — such as “biggest win in years” — for the Joplin High School soccer team. It really was the Eagles’ biggest win in years.

Joplin earned a share of the Ozark Conference title by beating Rolla 3-0 on Tuesday.

Said Miller: “I believe we’d been in this position previously three times in my 12 years (as head coach). Our goal always has been a get a banner to hang up. This is our first championship — outright or shared — since 1993.”

The Eagles scored their goals in the first half — Jonathan Ponce (assisted by Luis Santillan) at 3:00, Joseph Rice at 4:00 and Colton Maggard at 35:00. Brock Renken had six saves, according to Joplin statistics.

Coach Nick Schmitt at ZizzerSoccer.com has the entire Conference table.

9/6 Waynesville – 3 Joplin – 1
10/4 Joplin – 3 Kickapoo – 2
10/26 Glendale – 1 Waynesville – 2 (OT)

Springfield SC 94/95, 2011 Missouri State Champs

Springfield SC’s U16 squad defeated Raytown FC Billy Goat today to win their first, and the Club’s third, State Championship. Details to follow!

Springfield SC 94/95 – 2
Raytown FC Billy Goat – 1

SSC got goals fro Hunter Durham (Kickapoo) and Mitch Moncada (Catholic) in today’s win. Durham was later ejected in the 2nd half on a red card offense but the team held on for the win. They came close to extending their lead while playing with 10 as Josh McCutcheon (Kickapoo) hit the upright and Dallas Moses hit the crossbar.

Pictured above, Left to Right:
Back Row: Coach Eric Sorlie, Evan Garrad (Glendale), Josh McCutcheon (Kickapoo), Jakob Neidig (Ozark), Aaron Strunk (Kickapoo), ?, Hunter Durham (Kickapoo), Mitch Moncada (Catholic), Nic Bauer (Glendale), ?, Turner Adams (Kickapoo), Coach Michael Seabolt
Front Row: Dallas Moses (Catholic), ?, ?, Evan Loyd (Greenwood), Ismael Serratos (Carthage), ?, Evan Craig (Catholic), Elliott Williams (Kickapoo)

Parkview Vikings, Class 3 District 12 Champions 2011

UPDATE – District 10 Finals at Camdenton are moved to Friday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. at the soccer field. If we can’t go tomorrow at 1:00 p.m., we’ll go Saturday afternoon before graduation. Waynesville has graduation tomorrow night, so that’s why we’d have to play early on Friday. Just a heads up. No worries. Can’t fight mother nature. One more day to prepare!

We’ll know three two of the four Sectional teams vying for a single spot in the State Final 4 by the end of the evening. The fourth slot will be determined tomorrow when Glendale and Nixa play. Note that there may be a time change on that game to try and avoid weather issues.

District 10 Final: at Camdenton, moved to 1:00 pm FRIDAY
#1 Camdenton Lakers vs #3 Waynesville Tigers

District 12 Final: Harrison Stadium, 6:30 pm
#1 Parkview Vikings – 2
#2 Joplin Eagles – 0
Parkview was able to get a pair of goals in the first 10 minutes of the game tonight and ride that cushion to the first ever District title for the Girls program. The first goal was scored by sophomore Emily Courtney from a corner kick. Soon afterwards, Courtney provided an outlet for the defense and made a 40 yard run down the left hand side of the pitch before sending a square ball to Kelsey Loderhose. Kelsey received the ball, did a quick counter-clockwise move and sent a low hard shot across to the far post.

The game was a back-and-forth affair as both teams pushed hard in their pursuit of the hardware. Joplin came out much more organized in the second half and were able to put more pressure on the Vikings but the best opportunities came from several corner kicks in the final 15 minutes. The Vikings were not to be denied however and were able to blunt the Eagle’s efforts to get any closer.

The Vikings are chasing win their first District title, in their first visit to the Title game in 11 years. Joplin last earned the hardware three years ago. Parkview beat Joplin 2-1 on April 12th at home. Kelsey Loderhose got both goals in a 15 minute window of the first half, the first on a PK and the second on a direct kick. Anna Banwart scored for Joplin in the second half.

The winner will host the Glendale/Nixa winner on Tuesday, May 24th in the Sectional game.

In Kansas City, Lee’s Summit West hosts Ray-Pec tonight for the District Title, the winner will host Lee’s Summit North in one of the two Sectionals in the Metro area. Liberty awaits the winner of the Park Hill South/Truman game that is being played tomorrow.
.
[smugmug url="http://sgfsoccer.smugmug.com/hack/feed.mg?Type=gallery&Data=17140935_s2gxPn&format=rss200" title="Springfield%20Soccer%20Photos" description="Support%20This%20Site%20-%20Purchase%20Photos%21%20%20Click%20on%20any%20photo%20to%20be%20taken%20to%20site" imagecount="100" start="1" num="15" thumbsize="Th" link="smugmug" captions="true" sort="true" window="false" smugmug="true" size="M"]

Mike Howard, Rolla Bulldogs - Win 600

Congratulations to Coach Mike Howard of the Rolla Bulldogs on reaching 600 wins in his career Thursday. He came into the game with an 14-6 record this season, his sixteenth season as the only Coach the Rolla Lady Bulldogs have had. Mike earned his 500th victory on March 22nd, 2008 when the Tigers defeated Hickman as part of the Central Bank Classic that opens the Girls season. His Season record going into the playoffs now stands at 15-6 with a Career overall record of 600-241-58. It includes a Boys record of 306-154-39.

In the six seasons (3 years) since the Girls team won a District title in 2010, increasing the programs total to 10 in the 15 years of the Program. The Boys program won District titles in 2008 and 2010.

He’s had several All-State players, including his son Jason Howard who was 2nd Team All-State last Fall and forward Tyler Sinnott was also a 2nd Team player in 2008. On the Girls side, Adrian Pogue was Honorable Mention in 2009 and 2010 at Goalkeeper and Kaitlin Bramel was 2nd Team in 2008, the last year of 2 Classes in Girls Soccer. Bramel is playing Soccer and Basketball for Fontbonne now.

Career: 600-241-58
Girls: 294-87-19
Boys: 306-154-39

For more background on Mike, check out West Plains Coach, and History teacher, Nick Schmitt’s interview in anticipation of reaching 500 wins. The complete interview will be available as part of Schmitt’s book, tentatively titled “Pursuit of a Championship: The History of High School Soccer in Southwest Missouri”

==========================
Mike Howard has come a long way. It all began for Howie, as a young boy growing up in the soccer-crazed town of Quincy, Illinois. In 1978, his family moved to Sedalia, Missouri. Mike attended Smith-Cotton High School where he was a three-year Varsity player. In 1984, Howie was a 1st Team All-District Defender for the Tigers, who became the first non-St. Louis School to reach the Final Four. The Tigers finished 4th in the State after losing to DeSmet in the State Semifinal and losing 4-2 to McCluer in the 3rd Place Game. In 1985, Howard was named as an All-State Defender as the Tigers defeated Joplin in a Sectional match before falling in the State Quarterfinals 4-3 to Vianney.

Howard didn’t have to go far to continue his playing career. For the next two years he starred as a defender for State Fair Community College in Sedalia. In 1986, Mike was named to the All-Midwest team. It was there that Howard’s playing career ended. He had a scholarship offer to play soccer at Benedictine College for John Senkosky, but decided to attend Central Missouri State University (now the University of Central Missouri).

In 1991, Mike was hired to coach soccer at Rolla High School. The boys program was just a year old. Larry Roth led the program to an 8-11-1 record in it’s inaugural season (1990). Read the rest here!

Joseph Florez, Parkview Vikings Assistant (2009)

The teams will be coached by Joseph Florez (pictured). Joe, eldest son of Bob Florez and grandson of Jose Florez (former Drury Panther’s Coach and first Coach of the Kickapoo Chiefs), is completing his first year as a teacher at Fair Grove this year following graduation from Missouri State. He spent four years as an assistant to Clint Nurnberg at Parkview while attending college, culminating in the Vikings first ever Ozark Conference championship last year.

I see the Eagles competed in Class 3 girls basketball, reaching the Quarterfinals last year. I’m guessing they would be classified as a Class 1 soccer program, probably being added to District 12 with Catholic, McAuley and Greenwood.

Tom Davidson, and daughter Morgan, Ozark Tigers (2011 May)

In the six seasons since he’s had an All-State player – Paige Hemphill was recognized as an All-State player 2008-2010 and he’s sent a dozen players onto college careers including five from the team that got his 500th win – Hemphill and teammate Rachel Haden to SBU, Megan Jenisch to MSSU (his alma mater), Megan Stodden to Aurora and Megan Gunnels to Westminster. Jayme Braun is joining Hemphill and Haden at SBU in the Fall.

His overall record during his twenty years of coaching include a 266-92-24 career mark Coaching Girls with 16 years at Kickapoo and Ozark while he stands at 325-141-41 in 20 years at Kickapoo and Ozark which includes last Fall’s 17-4 Boy’s season, a school record I believe.
.

Tom Davidson, Ozark Tigers - 600 wins, 2011 May 3

Kylea Ryser (Marshfield 2011) and Savanna Patillo (Willard 2014)

Central Bulldogs – 0
Carl Junction Bulldogs – 3

Marshall -
Osage Indians -

Branson Pirates -
Mtn View-Liberty Eagles -

CENTRAL OZARK CONFERENCE
Nixa and Ozark are the remaining undefeated teams in the Large School Division and the Conference Title will likely be determined on Thursday when the Eagles host Ozark. That assumes they both take care of business this evening. If Ozark wins at Neosho, they will be celebrating Head Coach Tom Davidson’s 600th career win.

In the Small School Division, Logan-Rogersville visit to Marshfield will carry the extra weight of District expectations. Marshfield is coming off their Tourney win at Willard and LogRog is their toughest rival in the District. After winning 1-0 on April 12th, the Jays lost by the same score to the Wildcats at the Branson Tournament on April 16th. Did I mention the Webster County derby aspect too? This is the third meeting this year with at least one more likely ahead, in the District title game.

Bolivar Liberators – 0
Springfield Catholic – 6

Carthage Tigers – 0
Willard Tigers – 1

Neosho Wildcats – 0
Ozark Tigers – 6
Goals in tonights win, the 600th in Head Coach Tom Davidson’s career, were scored by Jayme Braun, Sr with two; Shannon Lacker, Sr; Jackie Wacha, Sr; Morgan Davidson, So and Keysha Burns, Jr

Marshfield Blue Jays – 2
Logan-Rogersville Wildcats – 0
Goals scored by Marilyn Maples and Kylea Ryser, assisted by Jennifer McArthur and Danielle Coffman.

Republic Tigers – 0
Nixa Eagles – 8
First half goals were scored by Payton DeHart, unassisted; Lauren Moats, unassisted; Moats, unassisted and Moats again, assisted by DeHart. Second Half goals came from Jordyn Hoskins, assisted by Courtney Frerichs; Tatum Mangum, assisted by Moats; Frerichs, unassisted and Anne Pierce, assisted by Frerichs. Shutout by Kristin Miller and Lexi Stagner.

Nixa is now 16-3. JV Nixa 8, Republic 0. Nixa takes on Ozark Thursday at Nixa for the COC Title.

JD Hunter, Camdenton Lakers (2010)

He opened the season with an overall record of 189-107-20 in 13 seasons. This season he’s gone 15-3-0 with a 8-1-0 home record, 71 goals for and only 16 against.

JD became a Soccer Coach in 1995 when he was hired by Chris Miller to assist with the Boys program at Moberly, who were just starting their program. He stayed for 2 years and was the assistant when Moberly reached the Final Four in 1996. He moved to Camdenton to start the program from Moberly. As one Regional Coach noted, he and the Lakers are having a magical year, collecting the programs first ever wins not only over Rolla but also Jefferson City and Hickman. The same Coach described JD as hands down the funniest and most colorful coach on the sideline in Missouri.

Congratulations to the Lady Lakers and Coach JD Hunter. They face Kickapoo this evening and Joplin next week as they pursue a possible Ozark Conference title.

Thomas Guinn, Liberty Mt View Eagles (2011)

Guinn is a graduate of Fontbonne University where he played for the D3 Griffins, winning the St Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles and qualifying for the NCAA Tournament his final two season (2003-2004).

He’ll take over the Boys program that enters it’s fifth year and is coming off a 2nd place finish at State last year. Thanks to Jeannie Cox for providing the photo of Coach Guinn.