By Tyler F. Thompson (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Head coach Desmond Williams enters his third season at Joplin and will have a seismic shift as the Eagles enter into a youth movement.
The Eagles lost eight players off last year’s team, so while the team will be much younger, they do return lettermen goalkeeper Gage Stovern and Briar Ledford.
Other returning lettermen include 2025 seniors Ever Blanco and Aden Gaughan (senior forward), Andy Cordova (junior center-mid), Abdias Orozco-Rodriguez (sophomore defender) and Leo Valdez (junior defender).
Blanco will play center back and defensive mid.
Stovern, a sophomore, will return to the box this fall after a successful freshman campaign where he took home second-team all-district honors.
With the young core intact and one season removed from authoring a 13-10 record and falling to 6-2 to Lee’s Summit in opening-round action of the Class 4 District 6 tournament, Williams said player development will be vital.
Last year’s bumps are being chocked up as tutorials for the young Eagles unit.
“We lost pretty much our entire starting 11,” Williams said. “I think the outlook is just to develop, more than anything. Obviously, you want to win a bunch of games, but I don’t think chasing wins is the ultimate goal for this season.”
What is the overall goal this fall?
“The goal for this season is to develop the young guys the best that we can,” said Williams. “I think in one year or two, I think we will be able to run at a pretty good season.”
Losing eight players opens the figurative doors for a new wave of full-time starters, which pairs well with the seasoned veterans.
A nice problem to have for the Eagles.
“We are going to be very, very young. I think we have three or four returners who were on varsity, in general, last year. Other than that, we have nothing but sophomores,” said Williams.
Returning starters include Blanco and Gaughan, Orozco-Rodriguez, Stovern, Valdez and Cordova.
Throughout the summer months, one word keeps popping up at workouts: discipline.
“How disciplined we have to be, last year we had a lot of talent, so we had a lot of guys who were just great soccer players in general. This year, there isn’t as much talent, so it is going to have to be a bunch of guys who are disciplined and buy into the system. I think discipline will be our biggest thing on the field,” said Williams.
The progression from last fall to this summer is palpable for Williams and his new-look Eagles.
“I think we have come together pretty nicely,” said Williams. “We are young and have had some scrimmages where we have done well in some, and not so well. Once we get everything together, I think we will be OK.”
The preseason jamboree is scheduled for Aug. 26 against Monett and Neosho at Joplin.
The regular season opens up on Aug. 29 as the Lakers from Camdenton visit the Eagles.
On Sept. 2, the Eagles host their neighbors to the west, Pittsburg (Kan.).
On Sept. 9, New Heights Christian Academy with McAuley Catholic rounds out the season-opening home stand.
