A new era in Jefferson City High School soccer will begin tonight.
The Jefferson City Lady Jays will play the first match on their new on-campus facility, hosting the Mexico Lady Bulldogs. The varsity game should start around 6 p.m. after one half of a JV contest.
“We’ve done great getting kids out with the program being off-campus,” Jefferson City coach Scott Blake said. “Now, when you’re at Jefferson City High School, you’re going to know we have a soccer program.”
Jefferson City has played at the 179 Soccer Park since the inception of both the boys and girls programs. The new field features an artificial surface.
“If you don’t have that, you’re kind of out of date,” Blake said. “It will be nice to have availability on bad weather days.”
Jefferson City returns seven starters from a team that finished 3-16 in Blake’s first year back with the program.
“We played pretty young last year,” Blake said. “We’re still going to be young and play young, especially in the first half of the season.”
Blake said the team has put in the work during the offseason, with more than 15 players going through winter training.
“We have a good base built,” Blake said. “We feel good about that, training defines us and we’ve set a high standard.”
The Lady Jays figure to be more assertive on the field this season.
“We can’t dance around it, soccer is a physical sport,” Blake said. “We’re trying to be in a position to take the ball from people, not wait for them to give it to us.”
Emily McMillian leads the returners, earning all-region honors as a sophomore.
“She will be noticeable in every game we play,” Blake said. “She’s good on the ball and has a knack for scoring, she can create and retain the ball.”
McMillian figures to see a majority time in the midfield, but will move to other positions of the game dictates it.
“She will be a pivotal part of the attack, no matter where she is on the field,” Blake said.
Blake thinks McMillian is ready for her role.
“She carries a heavy load and she puts a lot on herself,” Blake said. “But as a junior, she’s more mature and ready to handle more of those pressures.”
Riley McKee, a senior, is back in goal for the Lady Jays.
“Riley has been great for us,” Blake said.
Jada Murray and Grace Spalding, both seniors, will start at center backs on the defensive end. Lynzee Green and Bryanna Nelson, both juniors, will start as outside backs. Spalding and Green are returning starters.
Cassie Leary, Izzy Schmidt, McMillian and Jaden Peters will start in the midfield, with Mia Allen also seeing time there. Leary and Schmidt, both juniors, are returning starters along with McMillian.
Jada Barlow, a senior returning starter, and freshman Katie Mullen will be the starting forwards.
“We have to find how things fit,” Blake said. “It’s a matter of getting experience.
“We have a good core to build from, it’s a matter of getting the other players to learn pretty quickly when it comes to high school soccer.”
The Lady Jays have more than 40 players on the roster this season.
“We will have a full varsity and a full JV and that’s key to building this program to where it needs to be,” Blake said.
Jefferson City planned to play the season opener at 179, but the expected poor weather spoiled those plans. Blake said both the boys and girls programs will honor their time at the facility.
“We’re not going to have the opportunity to do it with our home opener, so we’re going to have to find another way to do that,” Blake said. “It may be later in the season, it may be in the summer.”
But now’s the time to look forward.
“I’m very fond of 179, it will be bittersweet,” Blake said. “But we have a new home and it’s exciting to be there.”
Jefferson City has been assigned to Class 3 District 5 with Bolivar, Camdenton, Capital City, Rolla, Union, Warrensburg and Washington.