By Brennan Stebbins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
SPRINGFIELD - There's a new, but familiar, face at the helm of Carthage's girls soccer program this spring.
Jessica Marquez takes over as head coach after spending the previous four years as a Tigers assistant; she's also a 2015 Carthage graduate who was a four-year letter winner for the program and a two-time captain. She continued her career at Missouri Southern.
Marquez takes over for Taylor Beck, who guided the team to three-straight winning seasons before finishing 9-11 last year with three of those losses by one goal.
"We had a great group of seniors," Marquez said. "We had Daniela Marquez who set a new record for most goals in a career with 76, so that was a big win for us on that. The girls also made it past the first round of districts and it had been a minute since they'd done that so that was great. We just had a great group of senior girls who stepped up and did what they had to do. It was an overall good season."
Daniela Marquez, who earned first team Central Ozark Conference and All-District honors, broke her own sister's record; Brianna Marquez previously set the mark with 63 career goals. Daniela missed her freshman season because of the pandemic, but capped off her career by scoring 25 of the team's 52 goals in 2023.
Carthage will have to replace that large senior class–eight players last spring–but the Tigers return half a dozen players who were starters last season. Other graduated seniors include forward Kianna Yates and defender Sonia Lopez, who both earned second team All-Conference honors and made the All-District team.
The list of returners includes seniors Giana De La Pena (honorable mention All-District forward), Eva Cancinos (forward) and Jazmin Cancinos (midfielder); juniors Kimberly Monterroso (center back who was honorable mention All-Conference and All-District) and Estrellita Maldonado (center defensive mid) and sophomore Ashtyn Cross, the team's left back.
"They're a really good group and they have really good chemistry," Marquez said. "They've carried it on during the summer and fall on their own and in the spring they still have that good connection. They're working really well bringing in the new girls, the freshmen and girls from JV who are moving up to the varsity level."
"I think those six are really going to be key players that we are going to build off of," she said. "Then we've got to fill in the gaps where we lost key players last year."
Senior Astrid Gonzalez, a defender last spring, will see some varsity time, as well. Others who will be varsity contributors include junior forward Abby Rogers, sophomore keeper Keime Mendoza, sophomore forward Karla Macario and sophomore midfielder Julissa Hernandez.
"We do have a couple freshmen who have made an impression," Marquez said. "Kimberly Herrera has made quite an impression and could see some varsity time throughout the season, as well as Adriana Fermin. Those two have really stood out so far in the preseason."
Marquez said about 50 players will try out for the team and the staff will probably have to make more cuts than normal due to the large numbers. She expects another solid season from the Tigers, but said it will also be something of a building year.
"We did lose a lot of key players, especially in our attacking," she said. "I think defensively we're more solid than we are with our attack but they're putting in a lot of hard work so it will definitely improve throughout the season."
Marquez will be assisted by Butch Loveall, a veteran of the staff, and new assistant Cynthia Chavez.
The Tigers will jamboree at Carl Junction on March 12. They've added schools like Monett and Springdale, Arkansas Har-Ber to the schedule, and have swapped last year's Jefferson City Shootout for the Branson Invitational. The team's home opener is March 29 against Glendale.