Luke Shoemaker learned a lot about being a head coach over the course of last year's soccer season.
In his only season as Greenwood's head soccer coach, Shoemaker said there was so much more to being the one in charge of a program rather than operating as an assistant coach as he did at Siloam Springs from 2014-2017.
Siloam Springs boys soccer
Date^Opponent^Time
Feb. 21^at Rogers Heritage (benefit)^7 p.m.
Feb. 25^Harrison^7 p.m.
Feb. 26^at Bentonville West^7 p.m.
March 1-2^at Harrison ReMax Cup^TBA
March 5^Van Buren^7:15 p.m.
March 8^at Beebe*^7 p.m.
March 12^Alma*^5:45 p.m.
March 14^at Greenbrier*^7 p.m.
March 26^Greenwood*^7:15 p.m.
March 29^at LR Christian*^5 p.m.
April 2^at Russellville*^5:15 p.m.
April 5^Vilonia*^5:45 p.m.
April 12^Beebe*^5:45 p.m.
April 16^at Alma*^7 p.m.
April 18^Greenbrier*^5:45 p.m.
April 23^at Greenwood*^5:30 p.m.
April 25^LR Christian*^7:15 p.m.
April 30^Russellville*^7:15 p.m.
May 3^at Vilonia*^7 p.m.
May 9-11^5A State Tournament^TBA
May 17-18^5A State Finals^TBA
* Denotes 5A-West Conference game
"I learned a lot about time management and the scheduling part of it," Shoemaker said. "There are so many organizational and managerial things, things like ordering equipment and all those fine details. You spend so many minutes trying to find the core things you need to be successful."
After one season at Greenwood, Shoemaker returned to Siloam Springs last summer as head boys soccer coach when Brent Crenshaw left to be the head boys soccer coach at Fayetteville.
He returns to the program that he helped win back-to-back Class 6A soccer titles in 2016 and 2017.
"Transitioning back here, I think the big things for the kids was they went from seeing me as an assistant, who enforces punishment and all of that, to being in charge of all of it," Shoemaker said.
The transition has been a good one for the Siloam Springs boys, who have advanced to the state finals each of the last four seasons, winning two of them.
The Panthers went 16-8-3 in 2018 but were defeated by Russellville 4-1 in the 6A finals.
Siloam Springs is scheduled to play an Arkansas Activities Association benefit game at Rogers Heritage on Thursday night before opening the season at home Monday against Harrison.
Siloam Springs returns several players with a lot of state championship experience, but the Panthers must replace their entire defensive back line in 2019.
Shoemaker knew Siloam Springs' defense would need to be a big priority this season and he structured early season practices around that.
The Panthers do have experience in the goal with two-year starter Wyatt Church, who recorded 167 saves last season.
"It is reassuring to know you have a two-year starter who has played in two state championship games with a clean sheet in one of them," Shoemaker said. "He plays the position very well fundamentally. His instincts are great."
Shoemaker said Church has worked all fall at John Brown three or four times a week and it's paid off with improvement.
"You can see it in his leg in goalkicks," Shoemaker said. "The distance is where you want it. His arm strength has improved. He's able to bowl the ball out so much stronger than he used to."
Freshman Jedi Hunter will get a look in goal as will junior Anderson Granados, Shoemaker said.
The Panthers will play four defensive backs in front of the goal and it's a group that can play with pace.
"What I like is their speed," Shoemaker said. "All four guys have great overall speed."
Senior Gerson Matias is penciled in to start at one of the two center back spots after playing some last season.
"The kid is fearless, which is a good attribute to have as a defender," Shoemaker said of Matias.
Matias lacks some size, but that's where pairing him up with Christian Flores at the other center back will help, according to Shoemaker.
"Christian's one of our tallest kids," Shoemaker said. "He can win a ball with his head. When he turns it on he also has the speed to recover well."
Junior Carson Wleklinski and Sam Jackson will also play some center back.
At the outside backs, Ricardo Montano is the front runner on the right side.
"I could tell Ricky to run through this brick wall and the kid would do it," Shoemaker said, adding that Montano has worked hard in the weight room.
Junior Daniel Daugherty started at left back in last year's state championship game. He's expected to start there but he could play in the midfield or up top at forward. Daugherty scored three goals last season, including one in the state semifinal against Benton.
"Danny's the soccer version of the utility player," Shoemaker said.
Sophomore Reymundo Garza is the primary backup at both the left and right back spots.
"The kid works as hard as anyone we have," Shoemaker said of Garza. "He has great speed. There's not a ball he won't try and win and fight for. The kid has a drive and a want."
The Panthers will play three midfielders -- two attacking and one holding defensive mid.
Jose Posada will man one attacking midfielder spot and is a "solid playmaker and distributor, who will help us create scoring opportunities," Shoemaker said.
Alejandro Palacios will play the other attacking midfield spot.
"Palacios is everything you would want out of an attacking mid," Shoemaker said. "He's very creative. He's got things that I can't teach him how to do."
Freshman Jason Flores could help at the attacking mid as could senior Miguel Granados, who is a good senior leader with a tremendous left foot, according to Shoemaker.
Senior all-state midfielder Christian Marroquin also could see some time as an attacking midfielder, but the Panthers want to begin the season with Marroquin playing more of a holding defensive mid.
Marroquin scored 20 goals and had 17 assists as a sophomore and was the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's Newcomer of the Year in 2017.
Marroquin was held to just eight goals and eight assists in 2018, but Shoemaker has seen firsthand what the senior is capable of. The first scrimmage the boys had this year, Marroquin showed out with three goals and two assists.
"When I interviewed for this job and thought of the team I would get, he was one of the first kids I thought of," Shoemaker said. "It's obvious he's a special player talent-wise, but he's a special kid with a lot of character."
Shoemaker said he compares Marroquin to James Pollard, a former all-state soccer player at Siloam Springs who went on to play at John Brown.
"He's one of those kids you love to coach and Christian falls in that line," Shoemaker said.
Tactically, the Panthers want Marroquin to be able to shield the center backs, win balls in the midfield and start the counter attack.
"He makes passes that a lot of teams can't make," Shoemaker said. "His ball placement is unrivaled on our team."
Senior Hugo Hernandez could also play the holding midfielder spot if Marroquin is utilized more in the attack.
Up top, the Panthers will play three forwards.
On the left wing, sophomore Franklin Cortez returns after scoring five goals as a freshman.
"Last year when I was at Greenwood, I gave my team a very detailed scouting report (on Siloam Springs), and the only kid who wasn't on it was Franklin," Shoemaker said. "I had no idea who he was. He has great ball-striking ability with either foot. It's very rare you get a guy that can use both feet effectively."
Julio Maldonado led the junior varsity in goals scored last year and is expected to play on the right wing with the varsity.
"He has great pace with the ball on his foot," Shoemaker said. "Nine times out of 10, he's going to beat who's marking him. If we play how I think we can, he's going to score a lot of goals."
Daugherty is listed as a backup at the left wing where he can utilize his left foot. Freshman Ivan Sandoval has impressed in preseason workouts at the right wing.
Freshman Erik Gomez, who will play some center forward, is the fastest kid on the team without the ball and his speed makes him a threat anywhere on the field, Shoemaker said.
The Panthers are looking for a big year out of senior Eli Jackson at the center forward position.
Jackson led the Panthers with nine goals as a junior, but he was out several games last year with injuries.
Jackson had 16 goals as a sophomore, including a hat trick in the state finals in a 4-0 win against Mountain Home in 2017.
"He's a kid that I turned to and told him that he was going to have to pick up that leadership role," Shoemaker said. "He's vocal. He's competitive, got a fire to win. He wants to get back and be a part of it. It killed him last year to miss out on so much."
The Panthers will be competing in the ultra competitive Class 5A which will feature last year's 5A state champion Hot Springs Lakeside and 6A champion Russellville, which Siloam Springs has developed a competitive rivalry with over the years.
In the 5A-West Conference, the Panthers return Russellville and Greenwood and add Alma, which is playing varsity soccer for the first time and coached by Cory Sturdivant, who won state titles at Hot Springs High School.
Little Rock Christian was eliminated in the 5A semifinals last year 3-2 by Hot Springs Lakeside. They'll be in the conference as well as Greenbrier, Beebe and Vilonia.
The Panthers must finish in the top four of the conference to advance to the Class 5A postseason.
"All of our conference games are going to be a challenge because that's the games that matter the most," Shoemaker said. "It's the toughest, I think, it will be in years."
Sports on 02/20/2019