The Cassville boys soccer program has made small strides each season improving its play style and record, and the Wildcats earned an achievement this season not accomplished in the last 13 — a winning record.
Cassville finished the campaign at 12-11-1, and Coach Jake Forste thinks the Wildcats could have added a few more in the win column.
“I think we can reflect back and say this was a good season,” he said. “We had a winning record for the first time since 2009, and it feels good to say we’ve brought a winning culture back to soccer in Cassville. We’ve worked hard for a long time, but now that hard work is showing up in our results.”
Part of the Wildcats’ success this season was a focus on defense, as the squad gave up 3.5 goals per game in 2021.
“We finished at about 1.3 goals allowed per game, so defensively, we were pretty fantastic,” Forste said. “We had excellent goalkeeping, and improved our goals scored per game from less than 1 to 1.95 scored per game. Statistically, those numbers line up with team success. Scoring in timely moments was an issue we have struggled with in recent years. That wasn’t really the case this year. If we needed to go find a deciding goal, we had a few guys step up to find it for us.”
Timely moments and momentum can mean everything on the pitch, and Forste said that’s an area where the Wildcats can still make strides.
“Winning 12 games was great, but to be honest, it really feels like we should have netted about 15 wins,” he said. “We had five losses come in overtime or later. A few missed penalties in shootouts and a few overtime walk-off goals against the run of play were really the difference from us going from a good season to an all-time great one.”
Forste said a total of eight games this season went to overtime or a shootout, meaning about a third of the team’s games were decided in the final minutes.
“They were all a blast to be part of,” Forste said. “Overtime against Marshfield, double OT against NCA and taking Monett to penalties — these games were all great. But, as far as a personal favorite, beating Hillcrest in overtime when we were down to 10 men and also down a goal with 10 minutes left in the game, that was one of the grittiest comebacks I’ve ever been a part of as a player or coach.”
Cassville will say goodbye to a significant level of talent, especially at the goalkeeper position with the graduation of All-State keeper Peter Littlefield.
“Peter graduates as the career saves leader in the history of Missouri, and fourth in career saves per game at 10.48,” Forste said. “The Perez twins, [Ivan and Edgar], brought talent and grittiness to our back line. Reese Heiden and Lian Nung were maestros in the midfield. Nic Sanders also improved all four years and hit a couple game winners this season. Grant Preddy was a four-year player and an awesome teammate.”
Returning for Cassville will be its leading scorer, junior Ashton Wheeler, who put in 12 goals and assisted another 7 this season. Junior Jackson Ray, who dished 10 assists and added 5 goals, will also return. Sophomore Brody Osborne scored 8 goals this season, and freshman Cayden Rohde had 6.
“I’m excited about the guys we have back and some talented freshmen who will be joining us,” Forste said. “Junior Malachi Vincent made eight appearances in goal and saved 51 of 61 shots. His goals against was 1.26. He is a guy we will lean on heavily with Peter graduating. Our wingback rotation stays intact with Andrew Grey, Cosmo Rhoades, and Jackson Lindley. So, we have the pieces to make another run at a winning record, and to challenge in the conference in district.”
Forste said for those returners, continuing the progress will be the goal.
“Going from win totals of six, six, three and three the last four years and to land on 12 this season, that was a big step in the right direction for us,” he said. “It feels like we’ve found a marriage of beautiful ball movement and in-your-face pressing on defense. We have an identity that is fun to coach, and I think is fun for players too. It’s just in our DNA to typically outwork our opponents and speed up their processing time with pressure. The program is in a good place and I’m grateful for these seniors bringing back a winning culture.”
Looking ahead, Forste said establishing this season’s play as the norm will be a goal.
“Our goals will be to keep playing Cassville soccer — to be relentless with pressure on the defensive end and generate timely scoring in the run of play and on set pieces,” he said. “We have to keep improving our ball movement and team-first style of play. I think next year will be another fun season for our players and fans.”
