ECRU – North Pontotoc’s soccer players seemed to sense, even before their coach did, that the 2022-23 season would be special.
At a preseason Meet the Vikings event, several players told supporters that their goals were to win a division title and reach the Class 4A state championship game.
“I thought we had a great chance to make a run in the playoffs. I don’t know that I saw us going to state,” said the coach, second-year man Travis Little. “At the time I was like, man, that’s big dreams.”
Those dreams came true. The Vikings reached the title match for the first time in program history, where they lost to Bay, 2-0. The Vikings finished the season with a record of 20-5-1.
And to top it off, Little has been named the Daily Journal Boys Soccer Coach of the Year.
When he took over the program, North Pontotoc was far from a contender. Little had coached rec league and travel soccer in the area for a few years, so he knew there was talent at the school – including his sons, senior Holden and sophomore Tripp.
Little installed a weight program as soon as the 2021-22 season ended. He lined up a tough summer slate, playing schools from DeSoto County as well as the likes of Germantown, Lafayette, Oxford and Saltillo.
“I always knew by watching the team and my boys being on the team before I even took over, the talent that’s around here in Ecru for soccer, I knew it was pretty special,” Little said. “They just needed some organization, somebody to push them, to get them in shape.”
The Vikings played a tough non-division schedule, and Little quickly realized what this team was capable of doing. Holden Little was one of the go-to scorers, recording 25 goals on the season. Eighth grader David Tovar had 29 goals and 18 assists, and senior Luis Guerrero had 10 goals and 21 assists.
“In my opinion, of the kids I’ve seen the last few years, I think Luis Guerrero is probably the best soccer player to ever come through North Pontotoc,” Travis Little said.
Guerrero and Holden Little are two of four seniors who will be sorely missed next season. But the Vikings will have even more self-confidence than they did this year.
“I think the kids are excited to be a part of the soccer program,” Travis Little said, “now that they see they can compete, that they’re just as good as these kids around here.”
Newsletters
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
Error! There was an error processing your request.
