The West Plains Zizzers boys soccer team opened its season with a pair of comeback victories at Zizzer Stadium, rallying to defeat New Covenant Academy 2-1 on Saturday before overpowering Greenwood Laboratory School 4-1 on Tuesday.
Tuesday's win showcased the Zizzers' conditioning and composure. Despite falling behind 1-0 in the opening five minutes on a penalty kick, West Plains did not panic. Head coach Jimmy Miller praised his squad's poise, noting the Zizzers eased into the game and gradually took control.
“I thought we responded very well after giving up a goal off of a penalty kick in the first five minutes,” Miller said. “The guys did not panic. They showed some great poise and focus.”
West Plains seized a 2-1 halftime lead and wore down the Blue Jays in the second half. Miller credited a summer of training in the heat for helping the Zizzers maintain a high pace while Greenwood players battled fatigue and cramps late in the match.
Junior captain Hudson Cox led the charge with a pair of goals, giving him four goals and two assists through the team's first two games. Senior Malakai Coy and freshman Gerson Anariba, playing in just his second high school game, also found the back of the net. Cox, Coy and juniors David Bevel and Avenier Kulakevich all recorded assists.
Bevel also stepped up in a pinch defensively, briefly taking over at goalkeeper when the starter was sidelined and recording two saves.
Defensively, Roman Martinez, Jayden Smith, Brooks Cobb and Cole Talburt earned praise from Miller for their disciplined play. Cordale Palmer turned in a strong performance, while Landen Legler provided quality minutes up top to keep Greenwood's defense under pressure.
West Plains' junior varsity squad also secured a 2-0 victory over Greenwood on Tuesday.
The Tuesday performance mirrored Saturday's season opener against New Covenant, where the Zizzers erased a 1-0 halftime deficit.
After surrendering a first-half goal on a defensive clearance that went directly to an opponent, West Plains regrouped at the break. Miller said the team felt confident they would get more opportunities to capitalize.
Cox delivered in the second half, scoring twice to secure the win. Bevel contributed an assist, while goalkeeper Hunter Lange made several critical one-on-one stops to protect the lead.
“I felt like our goalkeeper Hunter Lange made some big one-on-one stops in big moments, where he was very decisive and aggressive and came off his line to challenge attackers,” Miller said. “Those types of plays from your goalkeeper inspire the defense and get them to step up and play more connected and motivated.”
West Plains earned both early-season victories despite missing a handful of key players. Varsity starters Cameron Miller (appendectomy), Caleb Cobb (ankle injury) and Issac Ayala were all sidelined.
While Miller acknowledged it is never ideal to have starters out, he said the adversity is giving younger players crucial varsity experience.
“We know when we are fully healthy and have everyone back, that we will be a deeper and more dynamic team,” Miller said. “But in the meantime, other guys will have opportunities to gain valuable experience and that is also vital for us in the big picture.”
