A season of renewal for the Calvary Lutheran Lions
The Calvary Lutheran soccer program enters the new campaign with a modest but promising roster of fifteen student‑athletes, six of whom are freshmen. The coaching staff has structured the team around steady improvement, using each practice as an opportunity to sharpen individual skills and reinforce collective habits.
Returning talent provides a solid foundation. Eli Cobian, a second‑team all‑state selection, will anchor the attack, while seniors Jobe Taggart and Carson Jenkins return for their final high‑school campaigns. Junior Max Forck and sophomore Will Cluver, who manned midfield and goal last year, respectively, will again be key contributors.
The team also welcomes a quartet of freshmen — Benjamin Bolden, Carson Davison, Layne Lewis and Jason Wade — who were recruited to fill gaps left by four departures and two graduating seniors. Defender Tim Wagner and fellow newcomer Chandler Brown will join Forck and Cluver on the back line, adding depth to a unit that must adapt to new faces while preserving chemistry.
Coach Jay Rodieck has made player mentorship a cornerstone of his philosophy. He stresses that the program’s primary goal is to foster personal growth and leadership, using the soccer experience as a platform for broader life lessons. This mindset has guided recruitment efforts, with the coaching staff actively marketing the team to attract newcomers who share the same developmental outlook.
The schedule features a mix of home and away fixtures, including a showcase event that begins on October 3 against Iberia and Eugene. Opponents such as Christian Fellowship/Hallsville, Paseo Academy, Rolla HomeSchool and various traveling teams provide diverse challenges that will test the Lions’ evolving tactics.
Strategically, the midfield aims to push opponents wide, limiting central shots and protecting the goal. Will Cluver’s presence between the posts offers stability, while the defensive pairing of Forck, Wagner and Brown seeks to tighten the back line. Off the field, the coaching staff continues to emphasize teamwork, leadership and personal responsibility as the season unfolds.