Cassville’s 7 returners, newcomers hope to up offensive production

By Kyle Troutman [email protected]

The Cassville girls soccer team enters the 2026 season with a strong returning core, aiming to flip its offensive script from a team that went 6-10-2 while scoring 12 total goals last season.

Jake Forste, Cassville girls soccer coach, said the squad has seven starters and 10 letterwinners returning to the Black and Gold this spring.

“We’ve got position battles up-and-down the roster, and I can’t yet differentiate midfielders from forwards,” Forste said. “Junior Libby Corter has played everywhere but goalkeeper for us in her first two years. She is really the queen on our chess board; she can do everything from close out wins as a key defender, cover midfield shifts as a featured playmaker, or chase late-game goals as a forward. While we’re not quite sure where she’ll be featured this spring, she is a leader and key component for our team.”

Senior Tyra Sturgell captained the Lady Wildcats team in 2025 and is a real warrior in the midfield, Forste said. “She has worked as a defensive specialist in years past, and has marked some of the area’s toughest players,” he said. “Wherever she slots in this spring, she will be a coach on the field for us. Junior Lydia Cupps is a returning starter and All-State cross country runner. She has a high motor, her distribution skills continue to improve, and she looks great with the ball on her foot this spring.

“Junior Kayla Connolley has been a key reserve and spot starter for us in the past. She is competing for a full-time role in the attack this spring. She is a fierce competitor and brings some tenacity to our front six. Junior Anabele Mills was an active participant for us during our offseason agenda, and continues to grow as a player and team leader. We are hoping to put her in the best position to leverage her blazing speed as a weapon.”

Newcomers will also feature for Cassville this season in the attacking third.

“Freshman Briley Artherton is a club soccer kid and three-sport athlete,” Forste said. “While she will enter this season as a freshman, she is our most physical player on the team snad has as much soccer experience as just about anyone on our roster. We will look for her to step in and be a contributor from day one this spring. Raegan Doucet, also a freshman, has been a featured player on our SVSC club teams in the past, along with Briley., even spending last fall and spring as the striker for our U15 co-ed team. She has a strong nose for the net and is looking to leave her mark on the program.”

Defensively, Cassville will rely on experience along the back line.

“Senior Diana Arguelles joined us as a sophomore reserve and spot starter,” Forste said. “As a junior, she played a full-time role with the defense. We will look to her to help lead from the backfield this spring. Sophomore Anna VanDerhoef is a tough-as-nails wrestling kid who emerged as our Defensive Player of the Year as a freshman last season. We are excited to see what she can do in year two.

“Junior Kendal Allison has spent time at wide back and center back in her first two years,” Forste said. “She is looking to feature with the defense once more this spring. Kierstyn Kalbaugh, a senior, was hampered by a nagging knee injury last spring which limited her time on the field. She has made some nice strides this spring. We are excited to see what a healthy Kierstyn can do with our defensive group.”

Senior Liberty Hilburn has been active with the offseason group and will look to be a contributor as a wide back this spring, and sophomore Emily Gray played some consistent ball with the JV last spring and is also competing to crack the varsity lineup at center or wide back. At goalkeeper, the Wildcats return a veteran presence.

“Senior Ava Hinson is a four-year starter, returning captain and Crowder College soccer commit,” Forste said. “She can single-handedly flip field position with her big leg and has developed into an awesome shot-stopper. She is a pillar in our backfield. In a pinch, Ava can also help chase games in the outfield, logging 2 goals and 2 assists in limited outfield appearances in 2025.”

Forste said several players have already shown improvement during the offseason.

“I have been impressed with Mills this spring,” Forste said. “She is a speed-demon who has worked to develop her touch and in-game decision making. Additionally, Kalbaugh has been hard at work with the defense this spring, and will be competing for an increased defensive role.”

Team speed and attacking tempo is what Forste hopes will shape Cassville’s identity this year.

“We have a solid group of upperclassmen, a handful of committed newcomers, and loads of team speed,” he said. “We anticipate a run-and-shoot style of play that will help us open up the scoresheet this spring. If we can improve on our set pieces and overall finishing, we should see a dramatic increase in goals scored this season.

“We struggled to find the net in 2025, with only 12 goals on the season. Despite limited scoring, we were able to convert our 12 goals into six wins and two draws. Finishing with composure and executing in the final third are top priorities for us this spring. We are hoping to take some pressure off the defense and have a more open style of play this season.”

Defensively, the Lady Wildcats expect to maintain their structure while pushing the pace.

“We are historically a pretty stout team in terms of defensive shape and structure,” Forste said. “I don’t expect that to change. We would, however, like to dictate the pace of play and push the tempo this spring. I think fans can expect to see a group of Lady Cats that are relentless, tenacious, and hungry for goal-scoring success. If we can put the ball in the net with consistency, everything else should fall into place for us. We would like to be in a position to win the Big 8 and secure a top-3 district seed.”