PDL Soccer: Springfield Demize Hold Spring Tryouts

Posted on March 22, 2009 by Ole

Ah, March weather. Despite the rain, I was able to track down our local PDL franchise as they held Spring tryouts for the second weekend in a row. I heard numbers as high as 74 mentioned in terms of overall registered participants. There was a crowd out on Saturday afternoon as evidenced by the photo above (missing all of the Drury Panthers who were part of the scrimmage). Some familiar faces, with local MSU students including Mike Gow (Lebanon), Andrew Vorce and … A number of other familiar faces, including Adam Legg (Hendrix/Kickapoo) from their PASL and Reserve squads, Robbie Curtis (Lincoln Memorial/Ozark), Quincy Conduff (Hendrix/Kickapoo), Matthew Gow (Mid America Nazerene/Lebanon) and others.

As you may have noticed, I’ve also been capturing more video to share with you and Saturday’s visit was no different. Here are a couple of short videos to give you a feel for how the afternoon was progressing and the attendees. They are both in HD so be certain to click that HD button for the best quality views.

Class 3 District 10 High School Girls Soccer Preview

Posted on March 19, 2009 by Ole

The regional papers are finally taking a look at Girls Soccer, almost on the eve of the season. Let’s see what they have to say:

Rolla Lady Bulldog soccer team on a mission to win

Mike Howard is accustomed to winning. And failing to get to the district finals for only the second time in the program’s history didn’t sit well with the only head coach the Rolla High School girls’ soccer team has ever known.

But that’s history. Howard has a deep and talented squad to make a push for the state playoffs this year. Rolla returns 11 varsity lettermen, including nine starters. And most of those players have been either two- or three-year starters for the squad.

In goal Rolla returns junior Adrian Pogue. At centerback is senior Rachel Zamazanuk and freshman newcomer Taylor Banholzer while the right outside back is senior Amanda Rogers and the left outside back is junior Katelyn Maddy.

The center-midfielders are senior Emily Spooner and junior Jaclyn Standfast while the outside midfielders are senior Kim Carter on the right side and sophomore Ellen Spooner on the left side. The starting forwards are senior Ashley Kerr and junior Olivia Cox.

All I can say is, wow! The Lady ‘Dog varsity team is slated to open play by hosting the Central Federal Savings & Loan/Rolla Invitational March 27-28.

Waynesville Lady Tigers soccer kickin’ it with new head coach

The Waynesville Lady Tiger soccer team will see a lot of changes this season. After losing 10 seniors to graduation, 8 of whom were starters and included second-team all-state forward Katie Pritchard, the Lady Tigers also have a new head coach. Mike Gow comes to Waynesville from Lebanon, where he was the head coach of the team that eliminated the Lady Tigers in the district semifinals last year.

“I have big hopes for Erica [Combs] and Orielle [Thomas, senior midfielders],” he said. “They’ll both have to be leaders.”
Combs, a team captain, agreed that this season might be a “rebuilding year” but there’s no lack of talent. “I think talent-wise, we’re just as solid as we were last year,” she said. “We lost 8 starters but we have 6 players with varsity experience.”

Plus, there’s a lot of parity in the Ozark Conference. No team, she said, looks overpowering, although Gow said he thinks that Rolla will be the team to beat.

The Lady Tigers will kick off their season next Tuesday March 24th against Jefferson City Helias.

Camdenton Lady Lakers get set for soccer season

The Camdenton girls soccer team lost 15 seniors to graduation this offseason, but they might have the pieces to reload and continue their success, following last season’s 16-8 record.
“We have a pretty solid nucleus,” head coach J.D. Hunter said. “We’ll see where it takes us.”

A couple of returning midfielders, LaTea LaRue and Haley Baker will lead the charge in that department. Both are strong, physical athletes. Hunter said the pair should be a “force to be reckoned with.”
Up front, the Lakers return their No. 2-goal scorer from a year ago in senior Stephanie Kirvan.

The Lakers open their season on Monday March 23rd, hosting the Richland Bears.

Missing – Lebanon Yellowjackets and Jeff City Jays. I’ll update this story if anything comes out in the next couple of days.

Southwest Soccer All-Stars Take The Field This Evening

Posted on June 19, 2008 by Ole

UPDATE – the games will be played tonight. A little rain won’t stop us. Lightning and flooding would but I suspect we’ll avoid those possibilities and will enjoy the cooling effect a bit of rain will offer.

We’ve got a full day today folks.

Turn your radio on this morning, Thursday at 9:30am. Catch All-Stars organizer and Springfield SC Director of Coaching Jeremy Alumbaugh with All-Stars Katy McLain, Heath Melugin and Tara Bailes on JOCK 98.7, The Sports Reporters

In addition to watching the finest seniors in Southwest Missouri tonight, you can also catch the 1st Quarterfinal match of the European Championships today. Germany takes on Portugal at 1:45 pm, consider coming by Coester’s for a pre-game meal. Great soccer and the food is uniformly good.

The Girls game is at 6:00 pm.
The Boys game is at 8:00 pm.
Cooper Field #1 at Lake Country Soccer on Pythian Street in Springfield. Players need to register at the field 1.5 hours in advance of the game. Remember to bring your cleats, shin guards, white socks, black shorts, a water bottle and be prepared for the warm evening.

The lineups were announced earlier this week. Boys lineup. Girls lineup.

The Coaches for this evenings games include:
Girls Red: Jeff Rogers, Glendale Falcons and Evan Palmer, Nixa Eagles. The Falcons returned to the Quarterfinals this year for the first time since 2004. Evans working on replacing the Eagle’s top 2 career goal scorers on the girls team.
Girls Gold: Tom Davidson, Ozark Tigers and Ben Timson, Catholic Fightin’ Irish. The Tigers won their 1st ever large school District title this year while getting Tom his 500th win as a coach. The Irish made it to the Class 1 Quarterfinals yet again.

Boys Red: Eric Crain, New Covenant Academy and Mike Gow, Lebanon Yellowjackets. The Warriors earned their first District title in Fall 2007. Gow wraps up 12 years with the Yellowjackets this past Spring and heads for the sideline with the Waynesville Tigers in the Fall.
Boys Gold: Phil Hodge, Kickapoo Chiefs and Mike Howard, Rolla Bulldogs. The Chiefs were the #1 Public School boys team in 2007, taking 3rd place at the State Finals in Phil’s first season as head coach. Mike Howard earned his 500th win in the third game of the girls season.

Our Announcer this evening will be Bob Florez, who also handles the microphone for the Missouri State Bears men’s team. He’ll see two future Bears on the pitch this evening – Heath Melugin (Kickapoo) and Justin Scicluna (West Plains).

We will have Dr. Rusty Bond, a Cox Health sports medicine physician on the sidelines along with a trainer from the Athletic Advantage program at Cox. Dr Bond is part of the Southwest Spine and Sport office at Cox as well as the father of All-Star Jamie Bond (#4 on the Red squad). Thanks to Cox Health for their support of the players and this game.

Referee’s this evening include
Girls
Elizabeth Unruh – Referee
Andy Ellsworth – AR
Anthony Solari – AR

Boys
Trey Smith – Referee
Anthony Solari – AR
Todd McCutcheon – AR

Sponsors of this years event, in addition to Cox Health Athletic Advantage, include Lake Country Soccer, the Springfield Demize, Coesters Restaurant, The Copy Shoppe, J&K Soccer, Baywash Car Wash in Cassville as well as Rick & Tami Dorman and the Booster Clubs at Kickapoo, Glendale, Catholic and Ozark. Thanks as well to the Opfer family, including Scott, Tracy, Austin, Alix and Kasey; The Melugin family, including Phil, Kim, Megan and Miriam; and the Bailes family, including Scott, JoAnn, Allie and Mandy.

Southwest Region Class 2 District Semifinals

Posted on May 13, 2008 by Ole

Class 2 District 11

#4 Lebanon Yellowjackets – 3
#1 Waynesville Tigers – 2
The Yellowjackets found the same reservoir of energy tonight that took them to the District Final last year when they upset the Glendale Falcons. It was the Tigers that established the early bragging rights, scoring 20 seconds into the game from Lauren Kelly, a margin they took to the locker rooms at halftime. In the words of Coach Gow, who leaves Lebanon for the Tigers job when this season ends, there was no need to raise his voice or even discuss what needed to be done. Each of the ladies knew what was needed and what they as a team were capable of having been here before. Junior Cassie Wood tied the game in the 48th on assists from Ashley Shockley and Chelsea LaFors but Erica Combs regained the lead for Waynesville in the 53rd.

In the 60th minute, Callie Beard scored her first ever Varsity goal when she banged a ball from the midfield line that in combination with the wind somehow found it’s way under the crossbar, giving Lebanon their second tie. Wood got the ultimate game-winner in the 67th on an assist from Brianna Ragains. Both of her goals were scored on headers this evening.

Katie Pritchard had an opportunity to tie the game in the final minutes but was unable to connect, ending the remarkable run the Waynesville Tigers made this year. Undefeated in the Ozark Conference , a second straight Conference title but it will remain for a future team to earn the first Girls District Soccer title.

#2 Glendale Falcons – 2
#3 Rolla Bulldogs – 1
The Falcon’s rebounded from last year’s disappointment to defeat the defending District Champions this evening on a late goal by Emily Cline. Glendale scored first when Jenni Frewin continued her recent scoring streak, assist to Cline. Rolla’s Jaclyn Standfast tied the game in the first half, unassisted, and thats where the score remained at halftime. The second half was a two-way battle as both teams attacked relentlessly until Cline broke through in the final 10 minutes, assisted by Emilee Williams.

Rolla had a breakaway in the final minute of the game that grazed the upright. Senior Rachel Duckworth apparently got just enough of the ball to deflect it and protect the Falcon’s lead.

The District title game will be Thursday at 6:00 pm at Lebanon. The Yellowjackets return to the final for the second straight year, this time they’ll face the Glendale Falcons.

Class 2 District 12

Ozark Tigers – 3
Parkview Vikings – 0
The Tigers got a goal in the first half to open a lead they would not relinquish. The Vikings finish their season at 11-10 and look to return as many as 8 starters next year.

Kickapoo Chiefs – 5
Nixa Eagles – 1
Kickapoo opened the scoring via a corner kick in the 8th minute. The ball made it across the entire mouth of the goal before it was tapped in by Erica Freiert on the far side. A shot by Chelsea Russell went off the hands of the goalie before falling to x for an easy tap in and Freiert got a second in the 25th after a cross to the far post.

The second half opened with Nixa giving up an own goal off a corner kick as well. The Eagle’s got one back when their new #2 on the career scoring list, senior Stephanie Allen, scored on a PK. It came after Kelsey Bartell was fouled on a courageous challenge with the keeper. Keeper was called for the red card in the 55th. The final goal was scored by Chelsea Russell scored on a breakaway off a 70 yard punt by the Kickapoo keeper in the 64th minute.

Coach Tom Davidson will take his Ozark Tigers to Joplin on Thursday to face off against the Kickapoo Chiefs for the District 12 title. Game time is 6:00 pm.

Mike Gow Moving From Yellowjackets To Tigers

Posted on April 1, 2008 by Ole

The word got out about this one last week but like many things soccer related this season, I’m moving a bit slow. So I’ll let Dave Roberts at the Waynesville Daily Guide do the honors:

(Waynesville AD John) Morrison confirmed this week that Mike Armstrong, a current assistant for the WHS girls’ soccer team, and Mike Gow, currently the boys’ and girls’ soccer head coach at Ozark Conference rival Lebanon, have been hired to run the WHS soccer programs. Each will be a head coach, with the other serving as his assistant.

Armstrong was hired as the Waynesville boys’ soccer head coach as well as the Lady Tigers’ assistant coach. Gow was hired to be the WHS girls’ soccer head coach and will be the boys’ assistant.

Mike is pictured at a Hillcrest Girls game last Spring. His record in seven years at the school is 81-89-7 for the boys, including three winning seasons and Boys Coach of the Year for District 11 in 2002. His six seasons at the helm of the Girls program includes a 64-65-5 record including three straight winning seasons the past three years. He was Girls Coach of the Year for District 11 last Spring. He also coached the Red All-Stars squad at the initial Girls game in 2006.

Mike will finish the season with Lebanon where I fully expect another winning season. And no, this is not an April Fool’s joke folks!

Thursday Game Reports

Posted on March 20, 2008 by Ole

Update – I got my answer to the question of whether anyone was playing today.

Springfield Catholic – 2
Lebanon Yellowjackets – 0
The Lady Irish traveled to Lebanon to take on the Class 2 District 11 Finalists from last year. Missouri State signee Tara Bailes (pictured in last years Class 1 Quarterfinal loss to St Dominics) got both goals, the first coming in the 10th minute on a nice combination with Anna DeLong. The second came from the penalty spot, also in the first half. The Irish started five freshman tonight, including Rachel Scott in goal. Shots, according to the Yellowjackets, were 5-3 for the Irish but GK Scott was not seriously challenged. A fun game to watch according to Coach Gow, with boths teams moving the ball and offering a nice example of what the ladies will be capable of this year.

Waynesville Tigers – 7
Neosho Wildcats – 1
Coach Josh Scott took his senior laden team to Neosho tonight and the Tigers turned on the firepower early. Katie Pritchard had a hat-trick, Erica Combs scored a pair and Lauren Kelly and ~~Shauna~~ Shanna Neely also scored. Tasha Lord had a pair of assists and Lynette Newcomb had 1. The Wildcats goal came from the penalty spot, in the 65th minute.

Photo provided by Dave Neely from his Flickr collection. And I apologize for misspelling Shanna’s name Dave, I should know better by now. Early season rust!

I’m aware of some games that are canceled due to saturated fields:
West Plains at Nixa
Ozark vs Harrison

~~Is the Catholic game at Lebanon still on?~~

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