Tag Archives: Drury Panthers

Drury Hosts Missouri State, Benedictine and Crowder Saturday

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You can catch four Men’s college games on Saturday at Harrison Stadium, home of the Drury Panthers. The Benedictine Ravens, an NAIA program that competes in the Heartland of America Conference (Evangel, Wm Jewell) visits as does Crowder College, the NJCAA program in Neosho that features a number of local players. Drury and Missouri State will play each of these teams as part of a four game feature beginning at 12:30 pm. Free Admission.

12:30 – 14:00
Drury vs Crowder College

14:15 – 15:45
Missouri State vs Benedictine (KS)

16:00 – 17:30
Missouri State vs Crowder College

17:45 – 19:15
Drury vs Benedictine (KS)

Still no match between Missouri State and Drury however. At least the women are willing to play each other!

Fair Grove Soccer Academy Spring 2011 Registration Now Open

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Fair Grove Soccer AcademyFAIR GROVE, MO – The Fair Grove Soccer Academy is pleased to announce that registration for their 2011 Spring Recreational Soccer Academy is now open.

Registration for the spring league, which is open to all girls and boys age 3-18, will run through Sunday, March 6, with practices and games starting the week of March 20 and running through May 7. All practices and games will take place in Fair Grove District Park.

Registration forms can be picked up at Fair Grove City Hall, or registration can be completed online at www.fairgrovesoccer.com. The league costs $25 to register, and all players are guaranteed 6 games, 6 practices with the FGSA coaching staff, and end-ofseason awards. Scholarships are available to those who qualify.

This spring also marks the Fair Grove Soccer Academy’s fifth year of operation, and the club is excited to celebrate the growth it has seen. Established in 2007 as a project of the Fair Grove Park Board, The FGSA takes a unique approach to teaching the game by bringing in coaches and players from Drury University to coach the players in an academy setting where they are exposed to the game’s core fundamentals in a highly personalized setting. What started as 65 kids playing soccer in a hay field in 2007 has now become the only club serving Northern Green County and all of Dallas County to be recognized by the Missouri Youth Soccer Association (MYSA), with over 140 kids playing in the recreational academy and another 30 playing for the FGSA’s competitive travel teams.

Along the way a lot of memories have been made. 2008 saw the renovation of Fair Grove District Park and the construction of the first fullsized soccer ever to be built in the town. 2009, the FGSA U11 Boys Premier become the club’s first competitive team, and in the U14 boys were the first team to ever represent Fair Grove Middle School in the Lake Country Middle School League. The clubs motto for 2011: Continue to provide the best environment for our players to learn and succeed.

For more information, please visit www.fairgrovesoccer.com, or contact Logan Hoffman at 303-921-1726 or lhoffman@fairgrovesoccer.com.

Jack Jewsbury, KC Wizards

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I had an opportunity to chat with Jack Jewsbury, KC Wizards and Kickapoo Chiefs (’99) earlier this week when he was in town for a Youth Clinic sponsored by Mediacom and Lake Country Soccer. The photo of him with Chad Jaeger, who played for Drury in the mid 90′s and now coaches here with Springfield SC, came after a conversation with the two. Chad noted he remembers Jack when he was coaching youth soccer in the early 90′s and Jack only came up to Chad’s lower chest. Now Jack has returned to coach the youth as well. The circle remains unbroken. Enjoy.


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And here are some photos from the Clinic
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Drury Panthers Host Crowder Tonight

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Dave Emnett, Drury Panthers (2011)

Dave Emnett, Drury Panthers (2011)

The exhibition season wraps up this evening for the Drury Panthers before they open the defense of their Great Lakes Valley Conference title and a hoped for run to the NCAA Tournament again this year. The Panther’s will face off against Crowder College this evening at 7:30 pm at Harrison Stadium. A final chance for Coach Ryan Swan to fine tune his lineup before the season opens September 3rd in Ashland, OH.

The Crowder Roughriders are an NJCAA squad based in Neosho that draws international players as well as a core of regional players. It includes sophomores Bryce Collier (Hillcrest) and Trevor Pedigo (Kickapoo) on this years roster.

The first home game of the season isn’t until September 17th when independent Truman State comes to town for an 11am Friday game.

Drury Panthers Picked To Repeat By Great Lakes Valley Conference Coaches

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Stephen Conner, Drury stoning NKU's Steven Beattie

Stephen Conner, Drury stoning NKU's Steven Beattie

This is interesting. Following the release of the NCAA poll placing Lewis University 3rd in the National Poll, the Conference Coaches have chosen them to finish 3rd in the Conference, behind defending champions Drury and their favorite rival, Northern Kentucky. I consider this the more reliable poll as the Coaches are more familiar with each teams strengths, losses due to graduation and recruiting. The nation will have an immediate measure when the Panther’s travel to suburban Chicago to face Lewis in the second game of the season, on Sunday September 5th. If the Panthers win, expect Lewis to drop quickly in the national poll.

Here is the press release from the Conference: INDIANAPOLIS – Drury University has been selected as the pre-season favorite to claim the 2010 GLVC Men’s Soccer Championship. In a vote of the GLVC’s 15 head coaches, the Panthers collected 188 total points and eight first-place votes to finish atop the 2010 GLVC Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll.

The Panthers (21-2, 13-1 GLVC) edged Northern Kentucky for the top spot in the poll. The Norse (15-6-2, 11-3 GLVC) collected 183 total points and three first-place votes. They were followed by Lewis who placed third in the annual publication. The Flyers (16-3-3,10-3) garnered 168 points and three first-place votes. The final first-place vote was given to Bellarmine. The Knights (11-6-1, 8-5) placed fourth in the poll with 159 total points.

UW-Parkside finished fifth in the voting with 142 total points and is followed in the poll by Rockhurst (115 total points), Quincy (112), Missouri S&T (108), Missouri-St. Louis (95), Indianapolis (81), Saint Joseph’s (76), Illinois-Springfield (62), Kentucky Wesleyan (37) and Maryville (28), and Illinois-Springfield (21).

Drury defeated Northern Kentucky in the 2009 GLVC championship match, 1-0, to claim the school’s first men’s soccer title. The Panthers advanced to the NCAA Midwest Regional Final before falling to Lewis, 1-0.

Drury is led by head coach Ryan Swan, the 2009 GLVC Coach of the Year, and last season’s GLVC Defensive Player of the Year Stephen Conner, a junior senior goalkeeper for the Panthers.

The 15 member institutions will compete in a 14-match round robin conference schedule and the top eight teams in the league standings will advance to the 2010 GLVC Tournament which is scheduled to begin on Oct. 31. The highest remaining seed following the quarterfinal round will host the GLVC semifinals and final on Nov. 5 and 7, respectively.

Steve Wilczewski, Glendale Falcons (2006)

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Steve Wilczewski, Glendale Falcons, 2005 District Final vs Rolla

Steve Wilczewski, Glendale Falcons, 2005 District Final vs Rolla

With today’s Drury Alumni game (5:00 pm at Harrison Stadium) I took some time this month to chat with a few folks who know the record-setting Drury Panther player well. Today we look back to his High School career in conversations with his Coaches, Jeff Rogers and Josh Keisker. Keisker is also a Drury alum and owns a few records of his own playing for the Panthers.

Jeff Rogers, Glendale Falcons Head Coach

The goal referenced by Coach Rogers, the game winner against Kickapoo in the Sectionals, 2005

How about that hard tackle by Alex Palmer, now a teammate. Here’s a partial list of players in this game who played college ball for Glendale: Stephen Conners (GK), Ben Hamilton, Andrew Parsons, Jared Dusha, Shawn Campbell, Danny Collins and for Kickapoo: Tyler Williams, Heath Melugin, Alex Palmer, Luke Prater, Zach Hay, Bryan Simpson, Adam Legg (GK)

Josh Keisker, Glendale Falcons Assistant Coach & Drury Panther soccer record holder

Glendale Falcons – Leading Assists Per Season
Name Position Grade Year Assists
Devon Newport Forward Senior 2008 23 (SLU Billikens)
Steve Wilczewski Forward Senior 2005 19
Ryan McGee Midfield Senior 1997 18
Chris Robinson Midfield Junior 2000 15 (Missouri State Bears)
Jared Jaeger Midfield Senior 1994 15 (Drury Panthers)

Jefferson City Jays Looking To Post Season Again

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Jefferson City Jays, Kara Steiner

Jefferson City Jays, Kara Steiner

Here’s a look at a regular visitor to both the Ozarks as well as the post-season from Central Missouri, the Jefferson City Jays coached by Matt Stacey.

Lady Jays soccer team looks to build off good season

The Jefferson City Lady Jays know they have a target on their backs. Success will do that to you. And that’s just fine with the Lady Jays, coming off their second consecutive district title and a trip to the Class 3 soccer quarterfinals.

“We’ve got our minds set to go far into the postseason,” Lady Jays coach Matt Stacey said. “But we know people are going to be gunning for us.”

The team returns several starters, including a handful of seniors who have started since they were freshman.

One of the senior starters is Kara Steiner (pictured above), rumored to be a Drury Panther’s signee.

The Jays opened their season Monday at the Bi-State Shootout in St Louis, winning 3-0 over Alton Marquette.

ST. LOUIS – The Jefferson City Lady Jays opened the soccer season Monday with a 3-0 blanking of Alton (Ill.) Marquette in the opening round of the Bi-State Shootout.

“I can’t remember the last time we won our first game of the season,” Lady Jays coach Matt Stacey said.

Drury Women’s Soccer Opens Spring Season Saturday

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The Lady Panthers will open their Spring exhibition season on the road Saturday. Other games have location and times still to be determined. I’ll update the calendar as more details arrive.

Saturday, March 13th – 2:00 pm at Southwest Baptist Bearcats
Tuesday, April 6th versus Missouri Southern (time & location TBD)
Saturday, April 17th at Central Missouri State
Thursday, April 22nd at Missouri State

Missouri State Bears Sign Tyler Vieth and Cole Alexander

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Tyler Vieth, Memorial HS (IN)

Tyler Vieth, Memorial HS (IN)

I found stories on a couple of players who have chosen the Missouri State Bears for soccer. More to come I’m certain.

The first player, Tyler Vieth, is from Evansville, IN but chose not to stay at home for school although he’ll see plenty of the Ace’s as they compete in the Missouri Valley Conference. As noted in yesterday’s story on Jesse Williams who signed with Drury, both played for the Football Club of Evansville’s U-17 boys’ state championship team last summer. The team is coached by former Drury Panther head Coach, now Evansville Ace’s assistant, Marshall Ray.

Memorial’s Tyler Vieth chooses Missouri State

Tyler, who was named first-team all-state as a junior and senior by the Indiana Soccer Coaches Association, signed a national letter of intent with Missouri State University on Thursday. As a senior midfielder, Tyler had six goals and was second in the state with 26 assists last season.

Missouri State, a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, advanced to the NCAA Tournament and was ranked in the Top 20 most of last season. Vieth also was impressed by the coaching staff, the school’s academics and the Springfield, Mo., community. Vieth, who also made official visits to DePaul and Eastern Illinois, did not consider the University of Evansville. He said he wanted to get away from home.

Vieth, whose father played for Saint Louis University, said he needs to improve his strength and technical skills to prepare for the next level.

Cole Alexander, Oakmont Vikings (CA)

Cole Alexander, Oakmont Vikings (CA)

and the second player, Cole Alexander, follows a former San Juan club teammate to the Midwest. Johannes Demarzi graduated in December and is now involved in a tryout with 3rd Division Crewe Alexander in England (more on that later). The link to Demarzi played a role in Leamy noticing Alexander and his eventually winding up at Missouri State. That’s how Alexander came to Scoring a Spot in Springfield

His high school coach at Oakmont, Mark Broers, saw something in Alexander very early on. Elite scorers are rare at the high school level, and Alexander clearly was one.

“I was always very impressed with Cole’s ability to beat defenders from the time I met him his sophomore year,” Broers said. “He was also able to finish and score many goals in each of his three varsity seasons at Oakmont. As an avid soccer fan and constant student of the game, I recognize that any player possessing both of these attributes is special.”