A New Era Under Coach Voorhis
Bill Voorhis, the newly appointed head coach, inherits a squad that finished last season with a 2-8 record but showed signs of progress. His arrival marks a shift toward a more physical and aggressive style of play, with an emphasis on competition and special‑teams execution.
The team competes in the Central Ozark Conference, widely regarded as the toughest high‑school league in Missouri. Last year’s campaign laid a foundation of experience, and the 2026 roster blends returning seniors with a wave of promising newcomers.
On offense, three starters return, anchored by Carter McCormick, Will Buckley and Zach Huminston. McCormick brings size, physicality and a high football IQ to the line, while Buckley offers speed and versatility as a blocker and deep‑threat receiver. Huminston’s coachability and strength make him a reliable anchor up front.
Defensively, five starters are back, including Ben Mayo, Drake Owen, Easton Hoffman and Wyatt Slavens‑Lewis. Mayo’s disruptive presence on the line, Owen’s athleticism and Hoffman’s blocking prowess give the unit a balanced attack. Rylan Hamilton, a junior OL/BL, adds speed and physicality to the defensive front.
The incoming class features names such as Drake Wilson, Nate Turner, Treyton Joplin, Eli Wilson, Brent Shaw, Justin Harris, Grant Ellis, Landon VanPelt, Gage Sponsel, Heath Swearingin, Jariah Hicks‑McDiarmid, Matt Hicks and Jaiden Tipton. Each brings a specific skill set, from Turner’s quick learning curve to VanPelt’s deep‑threat ability and Sponsel’s work ethic.
Coach Voorhis repeatedly stresses physicality, effort and aggressive play as the core of his strategy. He points to McCormick’s high football IQ, Buckley’s speed and Slavens‑Lewis’s leg strength as key assets, while highlighting the team’s depth at the line and in the secondary.
The schedule opens with a jamboree against Ozark Tigers and Nixa on August 21, followed by a home opener against Joplin on August 28. These early tests will gauge how quickly the new system meshes and whether the team can translate its physical philosophy into wins.