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Sikeston’s Tristan Wiggins named honorable mention All-State
Two years of waiting.
Then, the cage door swung open, and Tristan Wiggins exploded onto the pitch.
Recently recognized as a Class 3 All-State Honorable Mention by the Missouri High School Soccer Coaches Association, the senior forward from Sikeston reclaimed his territory with a combination of searing speed, pinpoint passing, and clinical finishing, leaving his mark on every game.
“Coming back to the sport I love was a great feeling,” Wiggins said. “It helped me become a lot better teammate and leader. It’s more than just a game and it almost feels unreal, because I could’ve only dreamed of doing what I have done after the dark place I was in. It shows me so much about myself and my heart. It means so much to me that I was able to inspire people.”
From the age of four, Wiggins was a fixture on club teams in Sikeston, Jackson, and Paducah, Kentucky.
However, his promising trajectory was abruptly halted in eighth grade when he suffered a broken leg during an AAU basketball game. The injury was compounded by a reinjury the following summer, just as he was about to enter high school.
Faced with another grueling recovery process, Wiggins made the difficult decision to move to Texas for his freshman year, living with a cousin who supported his rehabilitation.
“Just the injury alone was scary and a dark place for me, but then add in moving to a completely different state,” Wiggins said. “It was just a drastic and fast change for me.”
Returning to Sikeston for his sophomore year, Wiggins opted not to play soccer and sought solace in basketball, where his talent quickly flourished. However, a nagging sense of incompleteness lingered and the pull of the game remained strong. Conversations with Sikeston soccer coach Gabe Dement eventually rekindled the embers of his former passion, leading him back to the fold.
“I realized that soccer was one of the few things in my life I went to when I needed a happy place,” Wiggins said. “These past two years have been the best.”
Wiggins' return to soccer was not without its challenges. After years away from the sport, regaining his touch on the ball was a formidable task.
“My biggest challenge was finding a feel for the ball at my foot again,” Wiggins said. “I spent a lot of time alone in my room or around my house just dribbling and juggling trying to find it again and it eventually helped. The summer training also helped me out a lot.”
This dedication to refining his skills paid off handsomely. Over the past two seasons, Wiggins has amassed an impressive 52 goals and 22 assists, with 25 goals and 9 assists in his senior year alone. His performance earned him accolades such as All-SEMO Conference, All-District 1, and All-Region 1 honors.
“Tristan Wiggins has been a catalyst in helping our team improve the last two seasons,” Dement said.
Wiggins has caught the attention of college programs and interest is growing, but his basketball skill also presents a viable path forward.
“I would love to take it to the next level,” he said. “I just want to find the best opportunity for me.”
Wiggins's success is part of a broader story of individual achievement for the Sikeston soccer team. Senior PJ Farmer earned All-Conference Honorable Mention, while freshman Keith Branson and sophomore Jaden Johnson both garnered All-District recognition.
Farmer had 18 goals and 13 assists. He finished his two-year high school career with 37 goals and 19 assists. Branson ended an impressive freshman campaign with 18 goals and 10 assists.
Senior Chris Artis Jr. received All-District Honorable Mention, and senior goalkeeper Barrett Stokes was honored as Academic All-State.
“Barrett Stokes excels on the field and in the classroom,” Dement said. “He is one of around 60 players in the state in all schools in Class 3 and 4 combined to receive the honor. In addition, he was a captain on the field who made 394 saves the past two seasons.”
These accolades highlight the depth of talent within the program and bode well for their continued success.