The St. Dominic girls’ soccer team has been on an incredible run over the past three years. The Crusaders have won two state titles and it very well could have been a third if not for COVID-19 shutting down the 2020 spring season. They have a record of 58-4-1 since the beginning of the 2019 season and saw a 37-game winning streak come to an end last Friday evening.
There have been a few constants on those teams that have helped the Crusaders to the success that they have had. Jessica Larson has been a consistent player for Head Coach Greg Koeller and has learned how to lead a team despite a few setbacks.
Photo Courtesy of St. Dominic High School
Larson has eight goals in the 2022 season and has added six assists for 22 total points this season and scored 29 goals and helped with 11 assists last year to help the Crusaders to a 32-1 record over the past year and a half.
Larson is part of the senior group that has only lost four matches in their careers at St. Dominic and there was a learning curve their freshman year to help set the table for this outstanding run.
“Coming into my freshman year, I was not expecting to be on the varsity team”, stated Larson. “I came in super nervous to tryouts as a freshman. But making that team was awesome because it was a special team. Those senior leaders were the ones that I looked up to. I think that our team last year was better talent-wise, but the team my freshman year had great chemistry. Taking that experience from my first year to last year and especially not being able to play in the championship game due to an injury put me in a different role on the sideline as a leader was interesting and it was a neat experience.”
After leading the team to the state final and not being able to play, many players would have not been able to handle that adversity. Larson took the challenge and ran with it as she became a vocal person on the bench to help the younger players and it helped her to transition into a senior leader this year.
“At St. Dominic, we always emphasize being vocal on the bench and that has been a big impact on how we play on the field,” said Larson. “I know that during my freshman year, we had some seniors that did not play on the field all the time, but they were huge impacts on the bench, and they were super positive is always cheering. I reflected on that and wanted to be someone positive and to help pick up a player when they were down. In the game, we were down a goal and I looked at the bench and said that we are going to cheer and be the loudest to help carry us through.”
There are many types of leaders on the soccer field. Some players are vocal, and some are the lead-by-example type of players. Larson has been both of those players and learned quite a bit over the past few years.
“I think that I have transitioned from a lead by example type of player to a vocal player on the field,” stated Larson. “But, by growing and even during my junior year, I feel that I have turned into that vocal leader. Last year, we had Rylie Combs, who was super vocal and stepping into this year, I knew that I had big shoes to fill so I needed to be super vocal. This year, I have been talking to the younger girls to make sure that they are OK and that they know the ropes and know what is going on.”
As in all sports, there are many unseen hours put in to be successful and Larson is no different. Whether it is on her own or by getting some of the players together to just work on the basics, Larson knows that this has been a huge part of the team’s success.
“During the high school season, it is hard to fit in all of those extra workouts because we have so many games during the week,” said Larson. “You must make sure that your body is getting enough recovery time and not overworking. But, over spring break, we had a few days off and I texted the team and got everyone together for a workout because we can’t have these days off. So, we just got some touches on the ball to stay ready to go.”
Larson is not only a leader on the field, but she is a leader in the classroom as she is carrying over a 4.0-grade point average in her academic classes. This comes from being a very competitive person.
“I am an extremely competitive person, whether it is in academics or on the field,” stated Larson. “Having that mindset that I want to do my best all the time has helped pushed me and having other students and teachers pushing me at St. Dominic to be my best has been awesome. Having that environment of working hard has been outstanding.”
Larson will continue her academics and soccer career at Mizzou next year as she loves the fact that she can play close to home and help the Tigers in the very competitive SEC.
“I am going to be staying home and representing Missouri and I am excited about that,” stated Larson. “We had started talking in the summer of my sophomore year and I was in contact with Mizzou from the beginning. No matter what other schools popped up, I had my heart set on Mizzou. I wanted to represent the home state and having my parents be so close that they can come to watch my games was very important.”
Congratulations to Jessica Larson on earning our HSSC/Scoops with Danny Mac Student-Athlete of the Week honor!
Jim Powers has been covering prep sports in the St. Louis area for 15+ years and a part of the Missouri State High School Activities Association Championship Broadcasts for the past 11 years. Powers is also a part of the Fox 2 Verlo Mattress Prep Zone Friday nights at 10:10 during the football and basketball seasons. If you have a prep sports story, please contact Jim at japowers2421@yahoo.com. Follow Jim at @hssportscaravan
