Soccer: Reactivated Kennett program begins season today

For the first time since the 2009-10 academic year, Kennett High School will provide soccer as an activity.

Spearheaded by seniors Lucas Randle and Justin Brooks, who joined the squad last week, the Indians will open the season today at Jackson. The match begins at 5 p.m.

For the next two years, as athletic director James Vaughan noted while the soccer team was introduced during the sports drink scrimmage, Kennett will play a junior varsity schedule.

Former Kennett High School player Jeremy Westerfield has been named head coach, and he'll be assisted by another ex-Indian in Alex Lee.

“For me, it's a big deal,” Westerfield said when asked about bringing soccer back into the fold here in Kennett. “It means a lot to me. It's my favorite sport.”

Westerfield said there's been progress through practices, which began on Aug. 7.

The head coach commented the team also used up all 20 contact days the Missouri State High School Activities Association allows during the summer.

There are 21 players out for the sport, Westerfield noted. Including Randle, who also serves as captain of the school's flag squad.

“It has exceeded my expectations,” the coach said, regarding the numbers.

Kennett is still determining which style it will play this season, including defense and overall alignment. Westerfield said alignment will be based on different situations throughout an actual match.

Exact player positions are still up for grabs.

There are only two home matches at Indian Park this season, on Sept. 11 versus Jackson and Saxony Lutheran (Jackson) on Oct. 24.

Two schools were added to the schedule last week, Farmington-based St. Paul for this Thursday and Anna-Jonesboro of Illinois on Oct. 3. Westerfield said Kennett played Anna-Jonesboro back in the heyday.

Juniors on the roster are co-captain Meagan Spielman, daughter of Kiwanis soccer program director John Spielman, Hayley Bagwell, Brayden Garza, Tanner Hansen, Kamilah Martinez, Brandon Mullen, Jaxon Patterson, Brayden Trainer and Trey Heeb.

Hansen will be pulling double duty this fall as a member of the Kennett cross country team.

“The players have given me everything they got June, July and August,” Westerfield said. “We're now able to work on advanced plays and formations.”

The roster also features five sophomore and five more freshmen, and those players — should they stick with the sport — will reap the reward of participating on varsity in two years time.