Class 3 District 12 Champions - Central Bulldogs, 2012

The win came in the second overtime of play as the Bulldogs battled back from an 0-2 deficit. Sophomore Aspen Hawkins scored all three of the goals for Central. I’ve included photos from last year’s District semifinal win over Carthage below. Aspen, who is a team captain despite her youth, is #7 in red for those who may be unfamiliar with this dynamo. Who knows, you might even get current photos from the local rag who declared High School soccer is on the rise recently. Let’s hope their actions prove equal to their words…

The team faces off against the Glendale Falcons, the District 11 champions and 3rd place State finishers in 2011, tonight at Harrison Stadium on the Drury University campus. Game time is 6:00 pm.

The winner will advance to Saturday’s Quarterfinal and play the winner of the Columbia Rock Bridge vs Waynesville Tigers Sectional match. That game is being played at 6:00 pm in Waynesville. The next loss for the Bruins will be the final game for their Head Coach, Marc Van Dover, who has announced he is retiring. Excellent article in the Columbia Missourian on Coach Van Dover and the team. The assistant coach is Ann Felts, who starred at Rolla and North Carolina and is also ‘retiring’ as she and her husband are moving to San Antonio this Summer. Ann was featured on this site a few years ago in a top-notch story by Kurt Austin, now with Sporting KC.

The two seniors picked up the prestigious honors for their athletic and academic excellence over the course of their careers. Conner was the record-setting goalkeeper who helped the Panthers reach the NCAA-II national quarterfinals as a sophomore and led DU into the finals of the Great Lakes Valley Championship last fall, while Choate is a two-time NCAA-II Championships qualifier (and perhaps, on her way to a third) who won the GLVC individual title last weekend.

Conner is a Glendale Falcon’s graduate. Read more at DruryPanthers.com

Ashlee Rightnowar, Rolla Bulldogs (2011)

In Class 1, Springfield Catholic is firmly at the top of the initial poll with 9 first place votes. Greenwood finished just outside the Top 10 as well.

In Class 2, Harrisonville received votes. The Wildcats are defending District champions and will fight Warrensburg and Bolivar in District 12 this year. #10 Westminister is in town this weekend to face Glendale tonight and Catholic tomorrow.

In Class 3, Nixa opens the year ranked #12, with Jackson (Cape) at #13, Glendale at #15 and Rolla right behind the Falcon’s. There are a pair of KC teams are at the top and there are six STL teams and five KC teams in the Top 11. It’s going to be a good year at the Final 4 I think…

GIRLS SOCCER POLL (4-8-11)

Class 3
Rank Team Points
1 Liberty (2) 81
2 Lee’s Summit North (1) 80
3 St. Joe’s Academy (2) 78
4 Incarnate Word (1) 76
5 Ursuline 64
6 Eureka 57
7 Lee’s Summit West 45
8 Rockwood Summit 41
9 Park Hill South 37
10 Ft. Zumwalt West 34
11 St. Teresa’s 29
12 Nixa 27
13 Jackson 18
14 Oakville 14
15 Glendale 8
Others: Rolla 7, Howell North 6, Lee’s Summit 5, Rock Bridge 5, Cor Jesu 5, Kearney 2, Howell 1

Class 2
Rank Team Points
1 Visitation (3) 61
2 St. Dominic 57
3 Notre Dame de Sion (2) 55
4 St. Charles West (1) 47
5 Notre Dame STL 46
6 Platte County 29
7 Smithville 22
7 Duchesne 22
9 Moberly 15
10 Westminster 12
Others:  Clayton 7, Liberty North 7, Harrisonville 4, Trinity 1

Class 1
Rank Team Points
1 Springfield Catholic (9) 133
2 St. Vincent (2) 118
3 St. Pius X (Festus) (2) 109
4 Orchard Farm (1) 98
5 Bishop LeBlond 78
6 Pembroke Hill 62
7 St. Paul Lutheran 37
8 St. Pius (KC) 35
9 Barstow 33
10 O’Hara 23
Others: Greenwood 18, Southern Boone 9, Kennedy 8, Lutheran KC 7, Sacred Heart 7, Lutheran North 5

Be sure and vote!

I’ll try and name as many as I can. Feel free to leave a comment or send me a note using the Contact form with more details.

Back row: Clay Mason, Adam Benton, Jake Meyers, John Reinart, Bryan Horton, Ian Newport, Josh Hunt, Justin Rogers, Brandon Baum, Ryan Frewin, Stephen Conner, Danny Collins, Taylor Hutchens, Todd Buzbee, Jacob Basecke, Ryan Frierson, Andrew Parsons, Josh Keisker, Brian Henderson, Brik Wilson.
Middle: Devon Newport, Chris Pellham, Michael Nesbitt, Ryan Sanders, Ian Shipps.
Front row: Lorin Opfer, Lindsey Sprouse, Maddie Senkosky, Ben Brixey, Ryan Partch, Jamie Keisker, Jamey McLean, Katie Starcke, Kristy Ward, Jeff Rogers

Updated courtesy of Coach Rogers

SLU Billikens Ian Newport, Ryan Moses, Devon Newport

Video highlights for all Age Groups on US Youth Soccer website

Moses (Kickapoo Chiefs) and Newport (Glendale Falcons) both previously played for Springfield SC, earning State Championship titles at U16 and U17. Their new team is a result of recommendations by their college coach to allow for additional playing time with three of their Billiken teammates who are also part of the team.

UPDATE – the Gallagher boys fell to the KC Wizards 0-1 on a 28th minute goal scored by Ethan Bauer for the KC Wizard Juniors who advance to the Regional final where they will face the Columbus Crew Juniors Wednesday at 8am.

Class 3
1 -Incarnate Word Academy
2 – Liberty
3 – Nerinx Hall
4 – Lee’s Summit North
5 – St. Joe’s Academy
6 – Pattonville
7 – Hazelwood West
8 – Lee’s Summit
9 – Glendale
10 – Park Hill South
11 – Howell North
12 – Rockwood Summit
13 – St. Teresa’s Academy
14 – Lafayette
15 – Ursuline
Others: Cor Jesu, Howell Central, Jeff City, Marquette, Rock Bridge, Rolla, Truman

Incarnate Word are the defending state Champions while Liberty, with U17 National pool player Kaysie Clark, will look to earn the KC slot that Lee’s Summit North captured last year with their 5-3 win in the Quarterfinal. Pattonville finished 3rd in 2009, blasting Glendale 4-1 in the consolation game at State and have one Missouri State recruit (Laughlin) on their roster. The Falcons, who I covered last week, bring back a strong squad that have an excellent opportunity to return to State in 2010. They have three teams from District 10 in Jeff City, Rock Bridge and Rolla that will work to prevent that from happening.

Class 2
1 – St. Dominic
2 – Notre Dame St. Louis
3 – Smithville
4 – Notre Dame de Sion
5 – Visitation
6 – Villa Duchesne
7 – St. Charles West
8 – Cape Notre Dame
9 – Jefferson City Helias
10 – Platte County
Others: Bolivar, Borgia, Harrisonville, Kearney, Moberly, Pembroke Hill, Perryville, Staley, Warrensburg

It was Duchesne that won in 2009, knocking off Smithville with the two Notre Dame programs playing in the consolation games. Helias and Bolivar both lost in the Quarterfinals last season.

Class 1
1 – St. Vincent
2 – Springfield Catholic
3 – St. Pius (KC)
4 – Trinity
5 – Principia
6 – Whitfield
7 – St. Pius (Festus)
8 – Sacred Heart
9 – John Burroughs
10 – Barstow
Others: Greenwood, Orchard Farm, Southern Boone

The Irish will look to improve on last year’s 3rd place finish while St Vincent is the defending champion looking to repeat. Trinity and St Pius (KC) were the other teams to reach the Final 4 last year and it looks like the coaches don’t expect much to change. Greenwood begins their 4th season of play with their first full class that will have to get past Catholic first.

If you haven’t been keeping an eye on the countdown timer, than Monday August 10th will sneak up fast. A week from Monday High School sports will begin in the state. If your son, or daughter, are playing Fall sports there are a few items that need to be in place. You’ve got next week to complete them so your child can be on the pitch from the beginning.

1. A completed physical form.
2. A completed proof of insurance form.
3. Completed citizenship form.

By the way, the video is from Thursday nights 8v8 Kick Around at Kickapoo High School. The Chiefs, Falcons and Ozark Tigers were playing a series of 30 minute games with each school fielding a pair of teams. Two of the Chief’s 3 seniors this year are shown, with Skyler Russell bringing the ball down the left side with a square ball to Ian Kennedy who’s one-timer is blocked by senior Jordan Pitt, with the goal line save coming from senior Brandon Baum. Feels like mid-season already!

If your team IS NOT on this list, then I NEED YOUR SCHEDULE!
Class 3 – Branson Pirates, Camdenton Lakers, Central Bulldogs, Glendale Falcons, Jeff City Jays, Kickapoo Chiefs, Neosho Wildcats, Nixa Eagles, Ozark Tigers, Parkview Vikings, Rolla Bulldogs, Waynesville Tigers
Class 2 – Carl Junction Bulldogs, Logan-Rogersville Wildcats, West Plains Zizzers
Class 1 – Springfield Catholic Irish, Greenwood Blue Jays

Here is a blank spreadsheet you can complete. Download googlecalendar_schedule and complete. Thanks!

Liz Russell (far left) came to Springfield from Oklahoma to play soccer for the Drury Panthers. Her career was cut short by injuries but that didn’t stop her involvement in the game. She was part of the group that brought you the College Recruiting seminar at Drury last year and she’s been part of the Glendale Falcon’s coaching staff for the past three years. She handled the Junior Varsity during that time frame and she was committed enough to the girls that she was on the side lines through the entire playoff run. Now she’s off to Law School at the end of the summer.

Justin Douglass has been working with the Catholic Fightin’ Irish the past two years. When he completed his outstanding career with the Missouri State Bears a year ago he agreed to help out with the girls team, taking on the JV girls last Spring. This past year, as he completed preparation for graduate school (he’s headed to Houston for Opthalmology School) he worked with both the Boys and the Girls and supported the varsity squads as well. Admitted to graduate school, the last of his teammates long gone when the MSU campus cleared out, he noted to me “I’ll pack up and leave AFTER the Irish complete their playoff run”. His commitment to the players and the team wouldn’t allow him to leave before then.

We have benefited greatly from the commitment he and Liz made to soccer in our community. I’m going to miss both of these player/coaches. The good news is based upon what I’ve seen of their character and commitment, they’ll be impacting kids and their community for a long time. Thanks Liz and Justin, or Coach McD as the girls called him. At least that’s what I think it was

Who should attend: All elementary & middle school kids who love soccer. Our feeder schools are Pershing, Hickory Hills, Wilder, Field, Sequiota, Cowden, Pittman, Bingham and Carver.
What to bring: Soccer gear

Come meet current and past Glendale Soccer players. There will lots of fun soccer games and activities around the great game of soccer. Great prizes!

There will be a parent meeting at 7:45pm.

2008 Glendale Soccer Night