Joplin High School girls soccer coach Josh Thompson was definitely pleased when Tuesday’s preseason jamboree concluded at Carl Junction’s Bulldog Stadium.
Of course, there was no spring season last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, so the jamboree’s arrival signaled the start of the 2021 soccer campaign.
That was obviously a welcome sight for Thompson, who was also pleased with his team’s performance on the playing field.
“We didn’t know what to expect,” Thompson said of the jamboree. “We saw a lot of good things as far as everybody playing for each other. We saw a lot of effort. There’s a real competitive spirit with this group and that was exciting to see.”
The Eagles will be led by seven seniors—Mya Johnson, Addison Saunders, Madison Houk, Ann Lenhart, Karen Maturino, Lily Pagan and Reece Schroer.
“Those are the girls who would have gained a lot of varsity experience last year,” Thompson said. “I think they’ll make big strides this year.”
Johnson will once again be the team’s starting goalkeeper. As a sophomore, Johnson started at the position and recorded seven clean sheets.
“She’s a difference maker in a game,” Thompson said. “We don’t have a lot of experience on our backline at all. But having a keeper like Mya, with all of her experience, really does make us feel more comfortable.”
Saunders will play a key role as a defensive midfielder.
“Addi is going to be our holding midfielder where she’s staying back there with everybody,” Thompson said. “She played a lot as a sophomore. She’s probably got more experience than anyone else on our backline.”
Houk, Lenhart, Marturino, Pagan and Schroer will all contribute.
Sophomore Paisley Parker will be a striker/attacking midfielder.
“She was going to be influential as a freshman last year,” Thompson said. “So now she’s having her first go at high school soccer. She’s definitely someone we’re going to look to play through a lot.”
Junior Emily Delman is another player Thompson expects to make a big impact.
“Emily would have been a returning defender last year, but we’re moving her up to midfield,” Thompson said. “Emily will definitely be another player we try to play through.”
Sophomore Jayla Hunter should also contribute nicely.
“She’s a really hard worker and she’s going to be expected to do a lot on defense,” Thompson said.
Other juniors listed on the roster are Madison Corl, Americus Emmett, Sophia Schwartz and Kayla Talbot.
Junior Ella Hafer would have been a key contributor this spring, but she suffered a knee injury during the basketball season. A forward, Hafer earned all-conference recognition during her freshman season.
There’s a large group of sophomores listed on the varsity roster—Serafina Auberry, Breanna Davis, Brynn Driver, Kaylea Green, Hailee Johnson, Miracle Lawrence, Cielo Martinez, Sage Mitchell and Jensen Vowels.
“We knew experience was going to be a concern coming into the season, but we’re really hoping to put together a strong enough group of athletes and just grow throughout the season,” Thompson said of a team goal. “We have to figure out how to play together, but we hope to be an athletic and physical team.”
The Eagles (10-10 in ’19) will be in Class 4 District 11 this year with Carthage, Kickapoo and Republic.
Joplin is scheduled to begin the season on March 29 at Parkview. The team’s first home date is April 8 against Monett.
As the team continues to prepare for its season-opener, Thompson noted there’s a lot to like about the group.
“I think we have a really good group of people that we’re working with,” Thompson said. “They’re supportive and hard-working. They give high effort. We’ve already seen big strides in just a couple of weeks. We may not have as much soccer experience as some other teams, but we’ve got a good group of athletes who understand what it means to be a part of a team sport. It’s been fun.”
