By John Miller (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
For the Parkview Vikings boys soccer team, there will be plenty of opportunities for new faces to contribute this fall.
The team’s top goal scorer a season ago – Brody Johnson – is gone after accounting for 75 percent of the team’s goals.
“He was a great leader on and off the field,” said Parkview coach Shelby Stewart, the former player at Missouri State known for her offensive impact. “We will have big shoes to fill on offense.”
Johnson’s loss leaves a big hole, but it also creates opportunities for other players to step up and help fill that goal-scoring void.
“We have a strong core (of players) that get along with each other,” Stewart said. “They have a desire to want to be better each day, as well as a hard work ethic. We have a ton of youth this year and look forward to seeing what we can accomplish.”
Because of the young nature of the Vikings, it’s fair to expect the team to struggle at times, particularly against more experienced clubs. However, by the end of the season, Stewart hopes the team will have shown great improvement.
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“Our expectations will always be high,” she said. “We expect to get better with each game, compete to the best of our abilities, and reach our peak by postseason. We may not have the soccer background that some teams have, but we can be successful by playing smart and outworking other teams.”
Parkview will lean on the play and experience of its returners to navigate the season, namely Joshua Carlson, Jesus Luevano, Antonio Rubio and Devon Rathbun.
Carlson will anchor the team’s defense, while Luevano and Rubio should help stable the Vikings’ offense.
“Joshua will look to be the backbone of our defense and a strong vocal leader,” Stewart said. “Jesus will be one of the top returning scoring threats. He will need to step up and carry some of the weight of this team on his shoulders. Antonio came to us last year from Bolivar. He’ll be looked upon to hold down the center of our attack.”
Rathbun, the team’s goalie, will be needed to be a big-time stopper, particularly early in the season while the team searches for its offensive identity.
“Devon will be our nucleus that holds everything together,” Stewart said. “He has been a rock in the goal for us, and with an unknown offense, we will count on him to be stingy back there.”
Incoming freshmen Jakob Nation and Chance Levings should also make an impact right away for Parkview.
“Jakob played with us this summer and brings a great energy to the table,” Stewart said. “His hard work ethic will earn him some varsity time right away. Chance will also earn some varsity time with his prior soccer knowledge and his ability to be coachable.”
Last year, Parkview finished 10-14, including 4-5 in Ozark Conference play.
