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FOOTBALL PREVIEW: With several new faces in the starting lineup, Joplin is ready to build on last year’s success

By:
Lucas Davis

Coming off a 10-2 season a year ago that saw an 8-1 regular season end in a loss in the district title game, Joplin football will look to once again compete in an always-daunting Central Ozark Conference with several new faces in the starting lineup on both sides of the ball. 

“The plan is to plug the next guys in and keep rolling,” Joplin coach Curtis Jasper said when asked about the difficulties that come with roster turnover. “Obviously, it’s early and we have a lot of guys who are on the field now that didn’t see a whole lot of time last year. We are learning. The good news is that this group is really coachable and they really care. We will have some growing pains here and there but, ultimately, I think we have a chance to be a really good team.”

Joplin WR Terrance Gibson (10) returns for his senior season with the Eagles.

The Eagles welcome back eight starters, five on offense, two on defense and kicker Joseph Ipsen. Offensively, Joplin returns senior RB Drew VanGilder, senior WR Terrance Gibson, who earned first-team all-conference, area and district honors last season, junior OL Dontrell Holt, who was first-team all conference, area and district as well as second-team all-state, junior RB Quin Renfro and junior WR Aiden Sampson. Of course, with the graduation of Always Wright, the Eagles will have a new quarterback this season—junior Hobbs Gooch—who saw varsity action late last season.

“Majority of the guys we return on offense are skill guys,” Jasper said. “That is good to have. Dontrell is a tremendous leader to have on the offensive line.”

Players looking to make an impact on varsity this season on offense include junior TE Whit Hafer, junior RB Chavis Coleman, senior WR Isaiah Knoderer, senior ATH Orion Norris and sophomore ATH Davin Thomas.

With Holt the lone returning offensive lineman at left tackle, the Eagles will need the new faces to gel quickly as they accrue varsity snaps in the early portions of the season. The good news is Coach Jasper has seen positive progression already to this point through the offseason and preseason. Alongside Holt will be junior Dejuan Clark at LG, senior Rashaun Hill at C, junior Cadyn Taylor-Wise at RG and senior Jude Jimerson at RT.

“They want to be good and they know it takes a lot of hard work to get there,” Jasper said about the o-line. “They are on that path.”

Senior LB Draven VanGilder, a first-team all-COC selection, is one of two starting linebackers returning to the Joplin defense.

The defensive side of the ball will see the most transition for the Eagles, who return a pair of linebackers—senior Draven VanGilder, who finished with 168 tackles as a junior with first-team all-conference, area and district honors, and junior Jonathan Williams. Though he has nine new starters on defense, Jasper is thankful for the two returning linebackers because he views that position as the quarterback on that side of the ball.

“Not only are they tremendous linebackers and football players, they are tremendous human beings and tremendous leaders as well,” Jasper said. “We are very fortunate that if we are going to return two, we return those two to the heart of our defense. It’s nice having those two back. … Defense is all about watching film and understanding tendencies. Those two understand that and are doing a great job of helping everyone else get up to speed.”

The defensive line figures to be made up by senior DE Luke Smith, senior DT Luke Gunn with sophomore Keshawn Peavler at NT. In the second level, the Sam LB spot will see rotations alongside Draven VanGilder at Mike and Williams on the Will side. Senior Bennett Dall will man one of the CB spots in the secondary with the other corner spot and both safety positions in position battles. 

“Once the snap happens, it’s just about playing football,” Jasper added about the defense. “Playing with a lot of speed and effort, getting 11 hats to the football, tackling and being physical up front.

Coach Jasper acknowledged that with so many new faces starting at the varsity level that there may be growing pains. The comfort comes with knowing the culture that has been built over the last several seasons along with the leadership he has inside the locker room makes him believe it won’t take long for them to get their feet under them.

Joplin kicker Joseph Ipsen returns to the Eagles this season for his senior year.

“As long as we show up every day and have great attitudes, give great efforts and be great teammates, I truly believe everything else will take care of itself,” Jasper said. “The thing I like most about football is if it is done right, it will give you great life tools. We know there is a lot of adversity in life and there is going to be adversity during the football season. As long as we work with each other, be good teammates and do the little things right, we’ll be alright.”

After opening up against Webb City the last two seasons, Joplin will have a new Week 1 opponent—Branson. The Eagles host the Pirates at 7 p.m. on Friday at Junge Field.

“We got the ball rolling here and have a bit of a tradition built,” Jasper said on the season outlook. “We play in a great stadium and we represent a great community and the greatest high school in the universe. We are going to do everything we can to represent all of those people to the best of our ability.”

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