Last season, Carthage lost more games (five) than it had in the three previous seasons combined.
The good news is the Tigers still finished with an above-.500 record at 7-5, and gained a bevy of experience for a program returning several starters that has seen incredible success in recent years under head coach Jon Guidie.
“It was similar to what we thought it would be last year,” Guidie said. “We had some growing pains. We started 0-3, but I felt like we still had a chance because two of those losses were against Republic, which played for the State 5 championship, and Nixa, who won a district championship in Class 6. We lost both of those games by six points. … Then we won seven out of eight after that. Our kids really grew and got experience and gained some confidence.
“We have a lot of those guys back and it's a different feeling this year. The kids have worked extremely hard and defensively, we are well ahead where we were a year ago at this time. So, we’re excited about that.”
Carthage returns 16 starters from a year ago and 26 total lettermen.
“This offseason has been tremendous,” Guidie said. “Our kids have put in a ton of time in the weight room, getting bigger faster and stronger. We have some guys who have put on 30, 40 and even 50 pounds of body weight in the offseason. Then being able to just pick up where we left off a year ago with so many kids coming back, that has been really beneficial for us.”
Highlighting the list of returning offensive players include senior QB Brady Carlton (all-COC HM), RB Landyn Collins (first-team all-COC), senior RB Gael Gallegos Garcia, senior WR/DB Langston Morgan (first-team all-COC DB), senior WR/DB Jackson Hettinger, senior OL Taylor Stevens-Diggs, junior OL Blayne Lilienkamp and senior TE Karson Murray (second-team all-COC).
“As a combined unit, offensively, there is a ton of experience there. We just have to continue to build and get better,” Guidie said. “Defensively, we have seven kids back and guys returning to each level. … We are excited about what we have, we just have to make sure the pieces are all put together right. These guys understand how important it is to get better every single day.”
Along with the boost from Morgan returning, the Tigers defensively bring back senior DT Trevor Meadows (second-team all-COC), senior DT Nolan Brown, junior DE Landon Bland, junior LB Cooper Lilienkamp and junior DBs Braxton Ralston and Noah Norbury.
Newcomers expected to make an impact at the varsity level on offense for Carthage includes senior OL Jackson Brown, junior OLs MJ Martsolf and Byron Reales and senior WR Trent Yates on offense, with the defensive side adding junior DE Brayden O’Dell, junior LB Joshua Hill, senior LB Jordan Brunnert, sophomore LB Jett Dalton and senior DT Jamison Moser.
Coach Guidie is entering his 20th year at the helm of the Tigers, boasting a 170-53 record that includes a 2019 state title and several conference championships along the way. That longevity is very rare in the world of coaching and Coach Guide is thankful for the career he’s had.
“It’s very unusual these days to be somewhere for 20 years,” Guidie said. “It just doesn’t happen. Coaches move on, coaches retire and go into different professions even. I have been very blessed and very fortunate. Carthage has been fantastic to myself and my family. We’ve had some really, really good coaches come through that I’ve got to work with. Obviously, we've had some very talented young men come through that we’ve got to coach to make this whole experience one that will last forever for us.”
The Central Ozark Conference got a bit of a shakeup in the offseason. The COC West features Carthage, Joplin, Webb City, Republic, Willard and Neosho in football. The COC East is made up of Lebanon, Waynesville, Nixa, Ozark, Kickapoo and Glendale.
“We have several new teams coming who are very well coached, “ Guidie said. “It just adds to the strength of our conference. I think there is some excitement to play some of those new teams, but it doesn’t change the fact that every single week is going to be a grind.”
Carthage opens the season at Waynesville on Aug. 30.