By Denise Tucker (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
It was another successful season for the Willard Lady Tigers with a seventh-straight trip to the district championship game in 2019.
The Lady Tigers, who won back-to-back district titles in 2014 and 2015, finished 14-11 overall and 6-3 in the Central Ozark Conference, and was runner-up in the Class 3 District 11 tournament, where they fell 4-1 to Glendale.
Gone from a run of four-straight district final appearances are: Hannah Byrd, Madelynn Keith, Jackie Pence and Savannah Yeargan.
Byrd was a Class 3 District 11 and All-Central Ozark Conference first-team selection; Keith, an all-district second-team honoree, is now playing at Evangel University; Pence and Yeargan both earned all-district second-team honors.
Coach Tim Magee has two seniors returning, but will field a fairly young, but experienced, roster.
• Katelyn Kershner, senior, defender – All-district first-team, all-conference honorable mention. “Katie will be looked upon to help anchor and bring experience to our defense,” Magee said.
• Kristina Yonke, senior, forward – “Kristina has come a long way since she started playing a couple of years ago, and her senior year we are expecting her to provide that kind of leadership.”
• Regan Puckett, junior, defender/midfielder – All-district first-team, all-conference second-team. “Regan is a very versatile player that we may depend on in a variety of positions, depending on the situation. She has a lot of experience and will be looked upon to help out the younger players.”
• Jada Holloman, junior, forward – All-district first-team, all-conference second-team. “Jada will be looked to for providing a lot of offense this coming season. She had a very productive sophomore year and with her playing a lot this offseason, we are planning on her being even more productive.”
• Ashlin Howell, junior, defender – All-district second-team. “Ashlin is one of those players who has been putting in the work and it is really starting to pay off. She brings some speed and tenacity to our defense, combined with more experience this season.”
Magee also has some newcomers who have experience, but will be looked to contribute more to varsity this season.
• Tabby Jarman, junior, midfielder – “Even though Tabby was a varsity player last season, she will be leaned on much more with the departure of last year’s seniors.”
• Heather Moore, junior, defender – “Heather played last year, but struggled with injury. She should be back and at full-strength as we head into the season. She is a much-needed full-time addition.”
• Hannah Moore, junior, forward – “Hannah played quite a bit last year, but now she really has the opportunity to claim this season as her breakout season.”
• Charlae Cowan, freshman, midfielder – “Charlae has been around the program a long time, even though she is a freshman. Her older brother played, and Charlae made her presence known every chance she had. She brings a lot of experience to the team this season.”
• Riley Salyers, junior, goalkeeper – Salyers is the only returning keeper for Willard. She played JV last year, but will be competing for the position this year.
“Our work ethic is going to be our biggest strength this coming season,” Magee said. “If we can work hard and smart on a consistent basis, we will be just fine.
“Our challenges this season will be replacing a lot of goals from last season, as well as, just like every other team, staying healthy. The spring season brings a lot of games in a short time, so staying healthy and keeping our ladies’ legs fresh will be important.”
The Lady Tigers open the season March 24 at home against Rogersville. There is one special date on the schedule, however – April 2 against McDonald County.
“Their coach, John Delatorre, is a former all-district and all-conference player here at Willard,” Magee said. “We are looking forward to welcoming him back to the field where he played/represented Willard so well.”
