Monett soccer brings back experienced scoring options and a young defense
By Chris Parker
Monett soccer returns six varsity starters from last season’s team that finished 15-10 overall.
Six total starters return meaning several new players will have to step up. While those players may be new to the varsity lineup, they still bring experience.
“The strength of our team this year is going to be experience,” Monett head coach Cristobal Villa said. “Even though we have young players as freshman being in the starting line up, they have experience. They are hungry and they want to make a change.”
Angel Hernandez (senior), Israel Valdez (senior), Josue Alberto (senior), Santiago Bernal (senior) and Alex Patino (junior) are the returning starters. Patino returns as a goalkeeper after missing last season.
Bernal and Hernandez are the top options at forward. Bernal had 37 goals last season. Hernandez contributed six goals after moving up from defense late in the season. Darey Ibarra will also get an opportunity at forward in his junior season.
Valdez, Alberto, Benjamin Hunephol (freshman), Jose Garcia (junior), Carlos Lazalde (freshman), Fidel Valenciano (junior), Manuel Barrientos (junior), Fernando Salas (junior) and Grayson Gonzalez (junior) are options in the midfield.
The defense will be mostly new this season featuring Jabier Alvarez (freshman), London Barter (freshman), Giovanni Mejia (freshman), Juan Guadarrama (junior) and Cooper Dierker (junior).
This unit will be one that will improve with experience during the season.
“The areas that we might need to improve, and this goes to most teams in the area, is our defense,” Villa said. “Our defense is young, but we have trust in them. We have a good two weeks of practices to get them ready as much possible.”
Joining Patino as options in the goal are Gabriel Barrientos (sophomore), Tony Vicaino (senior), David Macino (junior) and Jose Rueda (junior).
Alberto, Valdez, Bernal and Hernandez are charged with being team leaders.
“The players who will be leading this team is Josue Alberto, Israel Valdez, Santiago Bernal and Angel Hernandez,” Villa said. “These players have played all four years and have the most experience on the field. We look forward to their leadership this year and to help grow their teammates.”
Depth in the program has never been greater, as Monett will field a freshman team for a second year.
“This is a second year we are adding a freshman team,” Villa said. “We have a lot of kids come out wanting to play the beautiful game, and that just makes our program much stronger. We are looking for other schools with the same numbers, so we can give our kids more games to play.”
Monett opens the season Aug. 29-30 at the Webb City Kickoff Classic.
“The Identity we are looking to have this year is focus and discipline. Monett has had the history of having great strikers and speed with great defense the past few years, but we really believe that if we can stay focus and discipline, we will do great things,” Villa said. “Our overall expectation this year is to compete every single game we have and to learn from each game so we can execute and win our district championship.”
