Here are the southwest Missouri athletes we think will break out in 2023

This year in the Ozarks gave us a new wave of athletes we now know and love. We're now trying to figure out who the 2023 season might give us.

There have been signs that a few of these southwest Missouri athletes are players who can become household names. We went through and listed who we think has the best chance of breaking out over the next 365 days.

Jackson Cantwell, Nixa football/basketball/track

Nixa's talented freshman already started at left tackle for the Eagles throughout his first season with the team. He's going to make an impact with the basketball team throughout 2023 and beyond and is a threat to break state records in track and field. He already has multiple Power 5 football offers and we should continue to see his recruitment take off into the coming year.

Talan Chandler, Nevada football

Chandler established himself as the top offensive linemen in the Ozarks throughout the 2022 season and we should see his recruitment play out as he enters his senior year. He has some interest from Power 5 schools and has an offer from Eastern Michigan.

Jacob Clark, Missouri State football

Clark appears to be first in line to become the new starting quarterback of the Bears, but don't sleep on Jordan Pachot or the possibility of the staff bringing someone in. Clark should get the first crack at it after serving as Jason Shelley's backup. He's a pro-style quarterback who has some athleticism that would surprise you if he gets to the open field.

Jake Eddington, Missouri State baseball

Eddington, an Alabama transfer, is already receiving major MLB buzz when he has yet to throw a pitch for the Bears. He's a 6-foot-2, 185-pound righty who is ranked No. 43 in D1Baseball's Top 100 college prospects for the upcoming draft. His fastball is touching 97 mph and he could see even more improvement as he's now more than 12 months removed from Tommy John surgery.

Elsie Larsen, Strafford girls' basketball

Strafford might have its next top prospect with Larsen starting for the team as a freshman. The daughter of head coach Dustin Larsen has already had some standout performances for the powerhouse program this season and has raised some eyebrows playing on the summer circuit. She's a fun one to watch.

Kellen Lindstrom, Glendale football

Another top-tier pass-rusher appears to be on its way out of the Glendale football program with Lindstrom catching a lot of attention. He has elite size at 6-foot-5, 240 pounds and he'll be a senior once the fall rolls around. He already holds offers from Purdue, Kansas State, Mizzou, Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin.

Sami Mancini, Webb City girls' basketball

Another Division I prospect from the area, Mancini is a 6-foot-5 sophomore who is going to demand big-time attention for her athleticism and her height. She could become a big-time prospect nationally by the end of her career.

Jade Masogayo, Missouri State women's basketball

Masogayo committed to the Lady Bears under Amaka Agugua-Hamilton and has stayed on under head coach Beth Cunningham. Her potential is through the roof as an athletic 6-foot-3 post player for the Lady Bears and she's already shown in her handful of starts that she could be a really good player in the Missouri Valley Conference — especially on the defensive end.

Chance Moore, Missouri State men's basketball

Moore, an Arkansas transfer, has shown that he could be a great scorer for the Bears through non-conference play. He averaged 12.9 points per game with five games in which he scored 17 or more. His 6-foot-6 frame and athleticism have made him one of the more fun watches for the Bears on a team full of newcomers.

Zack Stewart, Missouri State baseball

There is some hype around the former Lebanon standout heading into his freshman season at Missouri State. Stewart's power at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds is something that reminds the Bears only of a few special players who have come through the program in recent years. Missouri State is ecstatic about his potential, and you're going to see him in the lineup sooner rather than later.

Wyatt Vincent, Nixa baseball

Vincent is one of the top sophomore baseball prospects in the nation and he'll continue to play on a team that was nationally ranked this past year. Vincent's play in the outfield is a notch above what you'll see from 99.9% of the high school athletes you'll come across and he's got a good bat to back it up. Missouri State has to love having Vincent committed already.

Spencer Ward, Nixa football

There will be quite a bit of turnover with Nixa football's roster, but Ward will remain and will have a bigger spotlight on him as one of the best players in the area. Ward had a great junior season in which he had 151 total tackles with a whopping 114 being recorded as solos. He's fast and strong and should end up being a pretty good college prospect when his career comes to an end.

Wyatt Woods, Republic football

Woods broke out during the 2022 season but he is very capable of leading Republic even further in 2023. The dual-threat quarterback threw for 1,046 yards and 15 touchdowns while rushing for 936 yards and another 15 scores. He was one of the most explosive players in the Ozarks and could have Republic in a good spot to take another step when there is quite a bit of turnover among Nixa, Carthage and Webb City heading into next year.

Wyatt D. Wheeler is a reporter and columnist with the Springfield News-Leader. You can contact him at 417-371-6987, by email at wwheeler@news-leader.com or Twitter at @WyattWheeler_NL. He's also the co-host of Sports Talk on Jock Radio weekdays from 4-6 p.m.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Springfield area athletes who will break out in 2023