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What to know about Clarksville area boys soccer in 2024: Top players, storylines

Jacob Shames, Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle
·4 min read

As we settle into the start of the Tennessee high school boys soccer season, here's a look the Clarksville area's top players and programs for 2024.

Three storylines to watch for the TSSAA soccer season

Is this the year Rossview breaks through?

The Hawks were the city's best team the last two seasons, but a trip to Spring Fling eluded them. They went 15-2-1 in 2022, winning district and region titles before losing 5-0 to Houston in the Class AAA sectionals. The 2023 season played out similarly, as Rossview won 15 games and swept through District 13-AAA and Region 7-AAA. In their sectional, the Hawks were in it until the very end against Bartlett, but gave up the game-winning goal with 10 minutes remaining and bowed out 3-2 to a team that took eventual state champion Brentwood to the wire.

Rossview no longer has 2022 Leaf-Chronicle Player of the Year Chance Siler, but last season's POY and Memphis signee Graham Duncan is back, while Josh Villa, a two-time all-district defender who missed last season, returns to aid the defense. The Hawks hope that's enough for their third state tournament appearance and first since 2019.

West Creek looks to build off huge jump in wins

Craig Nakutis' Coyotes were one of the biggest surprises in Tennessee last season. After going 1-9-1 in 2022, West Creek improved to 9-5-2 and gave Rossview a stiff challenge in the district tournament, losing 1-0. Forward Alex Sandoval won district offensive player of the year, while Alex Cruz-Lopez earned goalkeeper of the year honors.

Cruz-Lopez, who had four shutouts, is back for his junior season. But Sandoval has graduated, meaning that Emanuel Mendez, Javian Daley and Aiden Taylor will have more responsibilities.

Former Austin Peay coach Kelley Guth set to lead Kirkwood

Clarksville's newest high school went with a familiar name to lead both of its soccer teams. Kelley Guth has experience building programs from scratch — she did so with Austin Peay in 2002 and led the Governor women for 16 seasons before stepping down. Since then, Guth has worked in a variety of roles for the Clarksville Soccer Club.

Guth coached the Kirkwood girls to a third-place finish in District 13-AAA in 2023. Key players for the Cobra boys include Jon Lucas Pardo, a transfer from Kentucky, in addition to Northeast transfers Jamaal Bradley, Rylee Clark, Chuy Ortiz and freshman Israel Ortiz.

MORE: Meet The Leaf-Chronicle's 2023 All Area boys soccer team, led by Rossview's Graham Duncan

Players to watch

Mark Allen, Clarksville, Sr.: An attacking midfielder, Allen had 18 goals and four assists last season.

Caleb Bone, Northwest, Jr.: The defender had a goal and three assists.

Alex Cruz-Lopez, West Creek, Jr.: The District 13-AAA goalkeeper of the year had 124 saves.

Javian Daley, West Creek, So.: The forward is the Coyotes' top returning scorer with seven goals.

Tommy Dollar, Northwest, Sr.: The midfielder was a playmaker for the Vikings with six goals and nine assists.

Ethan Drew, Rossview, Sr.: Drew had four goals and six assists in 2023. The holding midfielder was key to the Hawks' defense with 89 interceptions and a team-high 70 tackles.

Bryce Duhl, Clarksville, Jr.: The center back had two goals and an assist and helped the Wildcats record eight shutouts.

Clarksville's Bryce Duhl (6) kicks the ball away from Rossview's Chance Siler (22) as the Wildcats' Maxwell Sims (18) clears a Rossview player in the first half during their District 13-4A game Wednesday, April 27, 2022 at Rossview High School.
Clarksville's Bryce Duhl (6) kicks the ball away from Rossview's Chance Siler (22) as the Wildcats' Maxwell Sims (18) clears a Rossview player in the first half during their District 13-4A game Wednesday, April 27, 2022 at Rossview High School.

Graham Duncan, Rossview, Sr.: The midfielder scored 12 goals and assisted on 16 more to lead an offense that averaged over three goals per game.

TJ Fiorino, Northeast, So.: The goalkeeper was key to a defense that gave up eight goals in 15 games.

Logan Gibson, Clarksville Academy, So.: Gibson scored seven goals and led the Cougars with nine assists.

Josh Henson, Northwest, Sr.: Henson was the city's top goalscorer in 2023, finding the net 23 times. The forward also had 10 assists.

Danye Hutcheson, Northwest, Jr.: Hutcheson began last season as a defender but switched to forward and ended up with 13 goals and five assists.

Emanuel Mendez, West Creek, Jr.: The all-district central midfielder had five goals and an assist.

Jon Lucas Pardo, Kirkwood, Sr.: The midfielder had four goals and seven assists at Graves County (Kentucky) in 2022.

Cleo Patterson, Montgomery Central, Sr.: The midfielder/defender had two goals, two assists and led the team with 75 interceptions.

Victor Reed, Northeast, Jr.: The all-district defender helped the Eagles record 10 shutouts last season.

Northeast's Victor Reed (14) kicks the ball toward the midfield during their varsity soccer game against Henry County Thursday, April 7, 2022 at Northeast High School in Clarksville, Tennessee.
Northeast's Victor Reed (14) kicks the ball toward the midfield during their varsity soccer game against Henry County Thursday, April 7, 2022 at Northeast High School in Clarksville, Tennessee.

Seth Revoir, Clarksville, Sr.: The center back helped the Wildcats hold teams to 20 goals in 17 games. He's signed with Carroll College.

Luke Russell, Rossview, Jr.: A forward/midfielder, Russell scored 15 goals and assisted on two others.

Alex Todd, Clarksville, Jr.: The winger scored 10 goals and added four assists.

Josh Villa, Rossview, Sr.: The Malone signee missed 2023 with an injury, but despite that was still named a team captain last season.

Jacob Shames can be reached by email at jshames@gannett.com and on Twitter @Jacob_Shames.

This article originally appeared on Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle: TSSAA soccer: Clarksville-area preview, boys players to watch for 2024