For seven consecutive years, the Northwest boys soccer team produced a 20-goal scorer. In one of those seasons, the Lions had two players with 20-plus tallies.
That streak concluded in 2023 when Luke Licare led Northwest with 12 goals. Licare graduated this spring and head coach Dave Willis said it might be scoring by committee again this fall.
Northwest finished 13-13 a year ago after getting blitzed 8-0 by Lindbergh in the Class 4 District 1 semifinals. The Flyers went on to place third in the state.
“Big focus on team defense, from forwards to the backs,” said Willis, who has a career record of 229-186 entering his 17th season. “We are fairly young, but we have a very skilled team. We will have more of the ball than in years past, but probably not (be) as dangerous on the counter. We return all of our starting defenders from a year ago. So I think defense could be a strength of ours. We also have another good goalie in Payton Rupp.”
Rupp, a sophomore, steps in the huge vacuum created by the graduation of two-time all-state keeper Alex Drexler, a four-year starter. Rupp spelled Drexler for parts of four games and allowed four goals last year.
Senior midfielder Austin Devereaux returns as Northwest’s longest-tenured player. Devereaux plays for the St. Louis Scott Gallagher program and was on their recent state championship team.
“Our attack will certainly flow through him,” Willis said. “He will be expected to create for himself and for others.”
Senior forward Grant Guethle is the team’s leading returning scorer after posting 20 points on eight goals and four assists.
“He has really dedicated himself in the weight room and he is constantly training on his own time,” Willis said. “Grant will be an X-factor for us. If he can consistently hit the net, we could really surprise some teams this year.”
Willis said a key to success will be how quickly the younger players adjust to the physicality and speed of the varsity game.
“I could see a scenario where we will have five sophomores on the field at the same time,” he said. “Sophomores Sam Graham and Parker Durham were exceptionally strong in our scrimmages.”
Staying healthy always is a factor in a long season.
“We play a challenging schedule with some short recovery time in between (matches), particularly our two out-of-town tournaments. Our depth will be tested. We have a strong pipeline at the lower levels that we could pull from if need be.”
Rupp will be protected by a veteran backfield that includes sophomore Andrew Johnson and juniors Nathan Finder and Jack Lato. The midfield features junior Louie O’Malley, who was injured last year, and sophomores Sam Graham, Michael Simmons and Parker Durham. Joining Guethle up front are juniors Bailey Smith and Bryten Moleski.
“We really are a team of midfielders this year,” Willis said. “All of our guys are pretty strong on the ball, are good passers, and can cover a lot of ground. It remains to be seen how that translates into wins and losses.
“The makeup of this team is certainly different than a typical Northwest team that plays more direct and has multiple high-caliber scorers.”
Northwest tied with Parkway Central and Parkway South for last place in the Suburban Conference Red pool last year at 1-5. Oakville took first place at 6-0. The Lions earned a bit of redemption in the postseason, beating Jackson 2-0 in the opening round of district play as the teams met at district for the seventh straight year.
Willis and crew open the season at home Aug. 30 against Hillsboro of the JCAA. The Lions beat the Hawks 6-2 last year. Hillsboro lost its own generational player in 2024 graduate and career scoring leader Nick Marchetti.
Willis said he wants his players to carry on a tradition of excellence on and off the field.
“We will place a high value on being a high-character team that always gives 100 percent,” he said. “Our goal is always to win the next game. I want us to be much better at the end of the season than we are at the beginning.
“We are a very young team this year, so seeing consistent growth throughout the season is something I expect. We are in three good tournaments. I would love for these guys to get to win a championship.”
Fox goalie looks to add to record
Each time Drew Harris posts a shutout this season, the Fox senior goalkeeper will add to his school record of 22 and move him closer to the Warrior career mark for wins.
One of four goalies to play for Fox in 2023, Harris logged the bulk of the minutes (1,893) to go with six shutouts and a 1.96 goals-against average. Rarely did he leave a game he started; he played 100 minutes in a 2-1 overtime loss to C-6 rival Seckman. He was the winning goalie in a 2-1 victory over the Jaguars later in the season.
“(Harris is) a great goalie and dominant force in the back,” Fox head coach Nate Niehaus said. “He should be in the conversation about moving up (to play in college).”
Eliminated by Vianney in the first round of the Class 4 District 1 tournament, the Warriors finished last season 10-15-1 overall and 5-5 in the Suburban Conference Green pool. Fox is scheduled to open the 2024 season Sept. 3 at home against Lindbergh (third in the state in Class 4 last year), but the Warriors can’t play on their home field after it suffered flood damage in July. Seckman’s field also was damaged and both have to be replaced, at an estimated cost of $1 million. School officials don’t have a timeline yet on when the fields will be ready.
Over the last few years, Niehaus has taken his son to Camp Kooch-i-ching in International Falls, Minn., in August. It’s a wilderness camp where Niehaus runs the kitchen to help pay for their stay. The Niehauses will return home Sunday, just in time for the coach to take the practice field with the Warriors on Monday and begin his 24th year as a teacher and coach in the district.
“I still enjoy being around the kids,” he said. “It’s not a job. It’s a passion that you get to be a part of these kids’ lives.”
The top returning players at Fox this year are sophomore forward Owen Cook, junior center midfielder Ryan Kettler, senior midfielder Connor Bradley and senior center back Robert Fowler, who leads a backfield that includes senior Reece Ameling and junior Jackson Gravatt.
“We’ll have to rely heavily on our defense to keep us in games,” Niehaus said. That’s because the Warriors lost their two leading attackers to graduation. Carter Jackson had 19 goals and 45 points and Gus Schoenerg scored nine goals. Also graduated is top playmaker Owen Jost, who compiled 10 assists. Kettler scored two goals in a 6-1 early-season victory over Sullivan, but only had one other tally to go with five assists.
“(Kettler is) a good distributor,” Niehaus said. “He’ll move up into the attack.”
Colton Cochrane will not get to play his senior year because of an offseason accident not related to soccer. Cochrane started on defense last season.
Fox is scheduled to visit Seckman Sept. 9, but neither Niehaus nor Seckman head coach Tim Bookstaver could say where that game will be played because both of their fields are closed.
“It’s the rivalry game,” Niehaus said. “No matter which team has more from year to year, it’s going to be a good game. I have a feeling we’ll match up well this year.”
The Warriors are in tournaments at Northwest and Bishop DuBourg this fall.
Tightening defense is Jaguars’ job 1 this season
The Seckman boys soccer team will play its first game of the season at Hillsboro Sept. 3.
Three weeks of preseason practice start Monday for the Jaguars, who will be without a home field for at least part of the season. The Fox C-6 School District must replace the artificial turf fields at Seckman and Fox after they were damaged by flooding last month. A timeline for the replacement is undetermined, at a projected cost of $1 million.
Seckman head coach Tim Bookstaver enters his 20th season trying to secure practice locations. He said the Jaguars will use a grass field behind the stadium or possibly World Wide Technology Soccer Park in Fenton.
The million-dollar question for every coach when a new school year begins is how their program will respond to graduation losses. The Jaguars lost their two leading goal scorers in Layne Patterson (10) and Wyatt Place (7) from a team that finished 12-14 overall and 5-5 in the Suburban Conference Green pool.
“If they’re willing to work hard, we have a real good season in front of us,” said Bookstaver, who has a career record of 217-214-18. “Last year my message to them as young players was, get to be more blue collar. Don’t expect success unless you earn it. That’s my push this year.”
Affton won the Green pool at 9-1 and the Class 2 District 1 championship. Parkway South has moved to the Green pool and Bookstaver said the Cougars and Patriots will be the teams to beat.
“We have a tough conference schedule in front of us,” Bookstaver said. “But we have enough experience that we really want to put our names in that discussion. We will need to cut down on the goals allowed this year if we want to challenge, so that will be a focus.”
Last year the Jags gave up 51 goals; Bookstaver said they need to cut that to 30 or less. Junior Jordan Prater returns in goal, with a solid, veteran back line protecting him, consisting of seniors Kyle Taylor, Ryan Bossi and Zach Buck and juniors Payton Falvey and Antonio Foerster. Senior Carter Kuhn is solid defensively in the midfield.
“(Taylor) is the most experienced defensive player we have and has looked very strong through the summer,” Bookstaver said. “His experience will be key in keeping the back line in synch and keeping the opponents from quality scoring opportunities.
“(Falvey) is a high-motor player and just a tremendous person who has both recovery speed to shut down the opponent and the endurance to push the attack from the left back position. He looks poised to have a big impact on the 2024 season as well.”
Prater shared time in goal last year with 2024 graduate Ryan Pfingtson, who played about 500 more minutes. The two often played a half apiece. Prater played all 100 minutes in a 1-0 overtime victory over Ritenour and finished the season 5-4, with a goals-against average of 2.25, three shared shutouts and one solo (vs. the Huskies).
“There are some injury concerns with the rest of last year’s crop of keepers and we will need to sort through that as the season gets going,” Bookstaver said. “Jordan Prater got his share of minutes. He plays club and does a lot of goalkeeping training. Last year we gave up a ton of goals; we’re keeping him confident and trying to eliminate scoring opportunities. I don’t want him to have to make three or four spectacular saves a game.”
Alternating between midfield and forward, junior Gavin Derleth scored seven goals last season, including two in a 4-3 win over Lutheran South. Bookstaver said the Jaguars need Derleth to double his goal production and register 10 or more assists.
“Gavin is a catalyst for the squad; he makes good decisions in both distribution and runs off the ball,” Bookstaver said. “I know Gavin is pushing himself to get both his goal and assist tallies up into double digits this season. I think he is a potential 20-goal, 15-assist guy.
“He’s a very creative player and his (soccer) IQ is very high. He made decisions last year that made me scratch my head, but with a year underneath him he can settle that down.”
It’s uncertain where Seckman and Fox will play their game scheduled for Sept. 9 in Imperial.
The rivals, playing in the same pool and district, are slated to meet again Oct. 24. They split a pair of 2-1 decisions last year.
Seckman was streaky in 2023, losing five in a row after starting 8-4. They dropped their final three games, the season ending with a 5-0 loss to Lindbergh in the first round of the Class 4 District 1 tournament.
“I’m starting to feel it,” said Bookstaver about his two decades in the coaching box. “And yet when I watch the boys play, I’m anxious to get into some games. We’re looking pretty strong and I’m hoping we can gel as a group.”
Training on grass might help fortify his team’s resolve.
“We’re looking at an uphill battle (on that); the kids don’t like being on grass. Most of our games are on turf. Maybe it toughens them up a bit. Maybe this hiccup is a blessing.”