The all-Jefferson County Activities Association postseason honors are split between first team, second team and honorable mention.
De Soto lost two first-teamers, Wyatt Wolf and Austin Milton, to graduation but return players this season at all three all-conference levels in Josh Golightly (first team), Beau Weber (second team) and Clayton Rozycki (HM).
The Dragons take the field on Monday, Aug. 10 for the first day of practice. The fall season officially gets underway that day, and will lead up to De Soto’s first game of the season on Aug. 27 at Union. The Dragons finished with a record of 7-11 overall and second in the JCAA at 3-1. Their only conference loss was to Perryville, the seven-time defending JCAA champion and third-place state finisher in Class 2 a year ago.
The JCAA schedule was expanded to eight games, with each team hosting and visiting the other four. Class and district assignments will be released by the Missouri State High School Activities Association on Aug. 28.
“We have a limited number of returning starters from last year, and are looking for some JV and younger players to step into the starting lineup,” said De Soto head coach Stephen Peck, who enters his third season. “We will have a number of players growing under fire throughout the season.”
A senior, Golightly is a two-year starter in the midfield and among the team leaders in goals. Weber made the all-JCAA team as a freshman last year and teams with Golightly in the midfield. Rozycki returns for his senior year and further solidifies the team’s strongest position.
Sophomore Landon Duepner was one of three Dragon goalkeepers last year, but is the only one returning. Junior Cameron Schneidwind will play in goal as well.
“We are looking for our four returning starters to step into leadership roles this season,” Peck said. “How they go, our team will go this year. While we have a lot of new faces coming to our starting lineup, we will compete every time we step on the field.”
When the Dragons do step on the field, Peck said he wants them trained to possess the ball with intent.
“We are always looking to take advantage of what the opponents give us,” he said. “Our style is adaptive. It requires the players to probe and learn what our opponents can and cannot do. It also requires that the players learn and adjust to the strengths and weaknesses we face in our opponents.”
Peck said his goal every year is for his players to be fit and ready to compete.
“I look for the players to learn, grow and improve individually to help the team improve each season. Player growth becomes program growth, and this allows for our team to be competitive.”