After strolling off the follow discipline Friday, Stillwater Excessive soccer coach Chad Cawood’s preliminary ideas on his 2026 squad are fairly easy.
“You may inform we have now a bunch of veterans out right here,” Cawood stated. “The previous guys, man, you may inform they’ve performed quite a lot of soccer round right here, and so they had a great week.”
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The Pioneers wrapped up their first week of spring follow Friday morning at Pioneer Stadium, and so they picked up proper the place they left off final season. Stillwater returns 17 of twenty-two starters – 9 on protection and eight on offense – from the 2025 group that made the state semifinals.
Cawood stated it was a profitable first week, and the longer term is thrilling with a steady of veteran starters.
“We’ve bought quite a lot of expertise, which has helped with the depth that we’d like,” Cawood stated. “There’s some guys that usually could be beginning for this group as a junior that, they’re gonna play, however they’re gonna be position gamers simply due to the depth we have now with the senior class and people juniors that began final yr.”
One of the skilled components of the roster is at linebacker, the place the Pioneers return three starters in seniors Bryson Brown and Kyle Stokes, in addition to junior Jakoby Petree. All three ranked within the prime 4 on the group in tackles a yr in the past and mixed for 17 sacks and two interceptions.
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In entrance of them, on the line of defense, senior starters Treyson Germany and Bradford Mitchell are again lengthy with senior Parker Peterson, who was in rotation, too.
“So, we’ve bought six guys within the field which have performed a ton,” Cawood stated. “After which after that, you’ve bought some guys which are able to step in. There’s two sophomores-to-be in Rocky Kolone and Paxton Peterson that every one these faculty coaches which are right here to see the older guys, they take a look at these two guys and are like, ‘Who’re they?’ These two are proficient, in order that’s sort of enjoyable.”
Within the again finish, Peyton Campbell returns as a three-year starter at free security. His expertise confirmed Friday with an interception within the flat. At cornerback, senior Dax Renollet is again on one facet with sophomore Cyrus Johnson and junior David Thomas on the opposite finish, and senior Caden Johnson returns robust security.
The Pioneers graduated their beginning gator, Isaac Sensintaffar, who led the group with 106 tackles. There’s a contest for the job between senior Dian Repair and junior Brenton Adams, with sophomore Maddix Staggs within the combine, too.
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One spot that’s not up for grabs is at quarterback. Junior Satank Taptto was in competitors this previous spring and break up reps all through the season, however not this yr.
“It’s completed. Tank’s the person,” Cawood stated.
As a sophomore, Taptto threw for 869 yards and 15 touchdowns, and he ran for an additional 253 yards and 6 touchdowns. He break up time at QB with Ethan Evans, who graduated, and ready to take the reins totally this season.
Cawood stated Taptto progressed properly this previous season and is able to take a bounce in 12 months 2 operating the offense.
“He’s seemed actually good out right here. He’s been raised in this system since he was younger,” Cawood stated. “He understands the play calls, understands the communication, and he’s put a very massive deal with toes approach, and he’s seemed good this spring.”
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Taptto can have a full arsenal of receivers to work with, too. Junior wideout David Thomas returns from a 49-catch, 880-yard, 13-touchdown season, and the Pioneers have again senior Deakon Jones, who led the group in receiving in 2024 however was injured 4 video games into the season.
Sophomore Cyrus Johnson and junior Chandler Johnson each turned constant choices final yr, too. And now the Pioneers are including extra threats in basketball gamers Nic Williams and Ivan McFarlin II, a 6-foot-7 junior who simply positioned second at state within the 200-meter sprint with a faculty file time of 20.90.
“I hear Ivan needs to play soccer, and I’m like, ‘Let’s go,’” Cawood stated. “He’s by no means performed. He’s studying, however man, he’s like a sponge. He needs to be taught. He’s keen. There’s not too many guys that may run like that, which are tall like that, which are bodily like that.
“You add Ivan to Deakon and David and Cyrus and Chandler, after which there’s different guys behind them which are able to go which are doing a great job. After which Bryson (Brown) and Bradford (Mitchell) and Peyton (Campbell) are all kind of sitting there at receiver. So, we really feel excellent about the place we’re at.”
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The group with probably the most change is the offensive line, which final yr was one of many group’s strongest models and is made up of 4 seniors and a junior. The one returning starter is senior middle Paxton Pitchford, however Cawood stated juniors like Xuanxavier Alanis, Daniel Hornbeck, Roddy Spatz and senior Carter Levings have stepped up.
“That group as a complete within the offseason had a very good offseason,” Cawood stated. “And while you do this in there, not solely the power, however the core power, the mobility and issues like that. They’ve had a great week, and we don’t see something dropping off.”
Cawood stated it can assist the transition of the offensive line to have depth on the talent positions, like with Taptto and the receivers, plus junior operating again Jaedan Adams.
Adams carried the ball 210 instances for 1,449 yards and 13 touchdowns because the offense’s workhorse final yr, and Cawood expects the two-time state champion wrestler to solely get higher this yr.
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“He’s bought a number of the finest fingers we have now on the group, too. His imaginative and prescient, his toughness, it’s second to none,” Cawood stated. “He’s enjoyable. He doesn’t journey any curler coaster of feelings. He stays the identical means on a regular basis, identical to he does on the wrestling mat.”
Week 2 of spring ball begins Monday, and Cawood left his group with a reminder.
“No matter your objectives are for the autumn, none of that issues if you happen to don’t get higher right this moment,” Cawood stated. “And we have now to get higher right this moment.”
