By Denise Tucker (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The Central High School boys’ soccer team is coming off a highly decorated 2016 season.
The Bulldogs, who have won at least 14 games each season since 2010 and captured their only district championship in 2015, finished 16-5 last season, capped by a 2-1 loss to Kickapoo in the final of the realigned Class 4, District 9 tournament. They also had five players named first-team all-district and another six players selected to the second team, as well as co-coach of the year honors for Chris Welch.
Gone from last year’s district runner-up are 13 seniors, including Class 4 All-Central/Southwest Region selections Jaime Villegas and Jack Ellerbee.
Villegas was a two-year starter for the Bulldogs. During the 2016 season, the striker scored 27 goals, had three assists and 64 shots on goal. He was a first-team all-district pick (2015 and 2016), as well as the district’s offensive player of the year, and was an All-OZone Team honorable mention selection. For his career, he totaled 57 goals and 13 assists.
Ellerbee, a three-year starter, also was an all-district selection in 2015 and 2016, including being named Class 4 District 9 goalkeeper of the year in 2016.
Central’s remaining 2016 all-district picks included:
Yahya BenMakhlouf – first team – striker – playing for Drury University
Josh Hession – first team – midfielder
Ben Zimmerman – first team – midfielder – Class of 2018
Jason Salvato – second team – defender – playing for Oral Roberts University
Jesse Salvato – second team – defender – playing internationally (Spain)
Gerardo Botello – second team – forward
Sean Burke – second team – midfielder
Mark Dragoi – second team – forward
Hiram Duram – second team – forward
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“We had 13 seniors, the core of our group, with tons of experience for our season,” Welch said. “Each of these players who have graduated made a huge impact on our program. Each of them was a part of every line on the field, (including goalkeeper), so their presence will definitely be missed.”
In preparation for the new district alignment, the Bulldogs beefed up their schedule with teams such as Lee’s Summit West, which finished 22-6 and No. 7 in the final Class 4 state poll.
“We added several more competitive teams last year in an effort to continue to strengthen our program, as well as for the anticipation of moving into the Ozark Conference (next) fall,” Welch said. “We did well with the more difficult teams and learned how to play a more organized and controlled game of soccer as a team.”
With the loss of 11 all-district players, the Bulldogs will be looking to a few key returnees and one newcomer to step up this fall.
“(Our) challenges are filling those 13 spots with talented and determined players who desire to make an impact on this program, while continuing the CHS soccer tradition,” Welch said.
One of those lettermen – Ben Zimmerman – was slated to return for his senior season this fall, but has been derailed by injury. He will be out at least four months after surgery this summer for a hip impingement and a torn labrum.
Traeton Norman (senior) and Ben Zeh (junior) give Welch options at goalkeeper, while junior Duncan Livingston will be asked to fill some big shoes on defense.
New to Central soccer this fall is sophomore striker Miguel Simmons, who moved to Springfield from Minnesota.
“(Simmons has) lots of talent, and is hoping to make an impact on the front line,” Welch said.
The Bulldogs kick things off Aug. 14 at the Kickapoo Jamboree, and open the season Aug. 19 at Lee’s Summit West.
“We are definitely in a rebuilding year,” Welch said. “We’ve lost an incredible amount of talent and continue to ramp up the competitive schedule. It may be a bumpy road as we begin to train new players in our system and see what type of new talent will be ready to make an impact for us this season.”
