Comets reflect on season, connect with fans

by Bill Althaus, Grain Valley News

The Kansas City Comets are still trying to cope with a 2024-2025 season that started with so much promise, yet abruptly ended in the first game of the MASL Ron Newman Cup playoffs.

The Comets limped into postseason play without some key players, while others played despite injuries and illness.

The Comets finished in fourth place during the regular season with a  15-7-2 record and lost to longtime rival Milwaukee 11-7 in the playoffs.

"Injuries and illness were too much for us to overcome at the end of the season," said defender Lucas Sousa, who joined coach Stefan Stokic and many of his teammates Wednesday night at the Independence Slim Chickens, in the final meet-and-greet of the year.

"We had a good run early, then the injuries took over, and we couldn't recover. I missed so many games. We had guys who played with injuries all season and both our goalkeepers were playing with injuries at the end of the season.

"It was a sad way for our season to end. It was like, 'It's over. What do we do now?"

Sousa had a ready replay, adding, "We work hard, get ready for the next season and work hard to avoid the injuries that were impossible to overcome late in the season."

One of the bright spots of a lost season was the play of MASL veteran Guerrero Pino, who finished fourth in the league with 49 blocked shots.

"The best way to deal with the past is to work hard this offseason and be ready for our next season," Pino said. "Coach will have us prepared. He did an amazing job getting us into the playoffs with all the things our team had to deal with.

"We have some exciting young players on the team and I hope our core of veteran players will be back next season. I can't wait for it to begin."

Neither can one of those exciting newcomers, midfielder Henry Ramirez.

"We want to stay healthy and play hard for Coach Stokic next season," Ramirez said. "My first year was the COVID year, then I tore my ACL and missed that season, and missed the following season (because of rehab).

"This past season, I was able to practice with the guys in preseason and managed to play (in 15 games). 

"It's great getting back with the guys tonight, because we're all talking about the same thing - winning a championship next season."

That has always been the goal of Stokic, who was a player when the Comets won the MISL championship back in 2013-2014.

"I have always believed a team I coach could win a championship," said Stokic, who is in the last year of his contract with the Comets. "That's why last year was so frustrating and disappointing.

"We played so well when we were healthy, and then, we had so many players who were injured or dealing with health issues.

"We wanted to head into the playoffs with a lot of momentum, and that didn't happen, and all of a sudden, our season came to an end.

"It just ended. And now, it is time to get ready for next season."

Stokic is going to be working with his staff once a week heading into the preseason. He is working on a 3-month program for his players and he is taking a new attitude into 2025.

"I will only play a player if he is 100 percent healthy," the coach said. "If he is not 100 percent healthy, he is out of the picture. I want to win every game, but it is not worth playing someone who is not ready to play because of an injury."

Mikey Lenis, a midfielder whose star continues to rise, said he in for the long haul with the Comets.

"I love this team, I love my teammates and my coaches and I just bought a house in Kansas City," Lenis said.

"No one is happy with the way last season ended and we feel like we have unfinished business to take care of.

"It's great to visit with our fans tonight, because they are so encouraging.

​"Now, I am doing everything I can to stay in shape and get ready for the 2025 season. We're all ready - we can't wait!"

Kansas City Comets midfielder Mikey Lenis visits with a group of fans from Grain Valley as he and his teammates participate in the team's last meet-and-greet of the year at Slim Chickens in Independence. Photo credit: Bill Althaus

Kansas City Comets head coach Stefan Stokic brought his family, from left, Ikonia, Aleksandar and Stefania, to the team's last meet-and-greet of the season. Stokic and several members of the Comets visited with fans at Slim Chickens in Independence. Photo credit: Bill Althaus

Grain Valley middle school student and longtime Kansas City Comets fan, Caffrey Courter, visits with Eric Pereira at Slim Chickens in Independence Wednesday night. Pereira and many of his Comets teammates visited with fans during the MASL team's final meet-and-greet of the season. Photo credit: Bill Althaus
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