Fall 2019 Preview: Willard Soccer

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By Denise Tucker (OzarksSportsZone.com)

After the Willard Tigers’ bid for a district title ended in the 2018 championship game, they went to work in the offseason to prepare for 2019.

“Our goal from Day One was to win our district and we came up one game short in our loss to a very good Parkview team,” coach Tim Magee said of the Class 3 District 11 tournament. “It was heartbreaking for our seniors and I hated for them to end their high school career that way, but in the end, that’s what happens most of the time in high school athletics.”

The seniors the Tigers lost to graduation played big roles over their careers, helping lead Willard to a 15-8-1 overall record and 4-5 in the Central Ozark Conference.

Riley Young, a forward, leaves as Willard’s career-leader in goals scored with 80 goals. He was the Class 3 District 11 Offensive Player of the Year and an All-Central Ozark Conference First-Team selection. “His hard work and relentless style will be sorely missed,” Magee said.

Cole Oedewaldt, a midfielder, and Mason Cowan both are playing soccer at Evangel University. Odedewaldt was named all-district and all-conference first-team. “Cole Oedewaldt leaves as one of the best players to come through the program,” Magee said. “We could put Cole in any position on the field and he would excel, and he had to in some situations.”

Drew Allen, who did not play soccer his junior year, rejoined the team for his senior season and made a huge impact, earning all-district first-team honors. Defender Caden Smith was an all-district first-team and all-conference second-team honoree.

“Drew really stepped into a hole we had on defense and did a spectacular job for us back there,” Magee said. “Caden Smith (another senior) played a big part in helping him get accustomed to the new position.

“Caden and Drew were the cornerstones of our defense and did a great job to keeping things organized and flowing.”

The cupboard is far from bare for Magee, who has a record of 156-103-4 at Willard and is 235-205-5 overall, heading into this season.

“Even though we were senior-heavy last year, we have a lot of varsity experience returning, most of which was first-year varsity experience,” Magee said. “The experience from last year has pushed them during the offseason and should pay dividends this fall.”

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Returning for the Tigers are seniors Ben Rogensees, Jay Webber; juniors Trevor Highley, Shea Spirk, Luke Christensen, Isaac Lup, Joseph Lupescu and Will Johnson; and sophomore Chris Doyle.

Ben Roggensees – “Ben struggled with injuries last season and he was missed when not on the field. He has had a good offseason and we expect great leadership from him this season,” Magee said.

Jay Webber – “Jay wasn’t on the team last year and that left a big hole. He is back and ready to go. He brings a tremendous amount of speed, strength and skill with him.”

Trevor Highley (goalkeeper, all-district second-team) – “Trevor was a first-year starter as a sophomore last year and did a great job between the pipes.”

Shea Spirk (defender, all-district second-team) – “Shea started last year on the defensive line. He’s very fast and a relentless player who has taken the opportunity of the offseason to prove his game.”

Luke Christensen – “Luke is another one who has taken full advantage of the offseason and seems to be a different player than he was last year.”

Isaac Lup – “Isaac was a great set-up man last year – very unselfish.”

Joseph Lupescu (all-district second-team) – “Joseph started the season well last year as a starter and has worked hard to improve his game.”

Will Johnson – “Will is one of the most-skilled players in the program. He has great field vision and touch. We just need him to eat.”

Chris Doyle – “Chris was a starter as a freshman and made his presence felt. He has continued to progress during the offseason, having that first season of high school soccer under his belt. We expect good things.”

The Tigers will have junior varsity and freshmen players who Magee will be watching to determine how they might help the team.

“We have some talented freshman as well as some sophomores, but they have yet to be thrown into the fire,” Magee said. “The first week of tryouts will tell us a lot about who is ready, physically and mentally, to contribute at the varsity level. We have a mix that have shown promise. We just need to see it on the field and when things are difficult.”

Willard will participate in a jamboree at Hillcrest with Laquey and Fair Grove on Aug. 26, before opening the season in the Sedalia Tournament.

“We lost a lot of soccer experience and IQ to graduation last year,” Magee said. “We can’t replace those things immediately; we must have new leaders step up and demand excellence or we won’t replace what we lost.

“Experience is such a valuable commodity in athletics. If you can combine it with effort and attitude, you have a chance to be successful.”

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