On the same day that Sounders FC recorded its record ninth-straight victory over Vancouver, all three Sounders Academy sides squared off against the Whitecaps. With two wins and one draw, the young Sounders continued their unbeaten start to the 2018-19 USSDA season.
RECENT RESULTS
U-19
Sounders FC 1 at Vancouver Whitecaps 1 | September 15
U-17
Sounders FC 5 at Vancouver Whitecaps 1 | September 15
U-15
Sounders FC 4 at Vancouver Whitecaps 0 | September 15
The U-19s kicked off the derby day with a 1-1 draw against their Cascadia rival. A goal for Alec Diaz in the ninth minute, his fifth from the first three matches, handed the Sounders an early lead. Vancouver eventually equalized in the 51st minute as the young Sounders settled for a draw.
In the second match of the afternoon, the U-17s continued their rampaging start to the 2018-19 campaign as they shipped five goals past a talented Whitecaps side. Despite the absence of four players – Danny Leyva, Sota Kitahara, Nico Rei McMillan and Eric Kinzner – who were away with the U.S. U-16 National Team, the Rave Green laid down a dominant, two-way performance. S2 midfielder Ray Serrano maintained his excellent run of form with a goal and two assists, taking his season total to five goals and three assists from three appearances. Not to be outdone, his S2 and U.S. U-17 teammate, forward Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez, bagged two goals and an assist. Striker Lomeri Torujo and winger Dominic Vegalbaan also chipped in with a goal apiece.
Just two games into the season, the U-15s have found the back of the net seven times as the attack continues to fire on all cylinders. Forward Austin Brummett accounts for six of those tallies, with a hat trick in each match. Winger Oscar Rincon put in a solid shift against the Whitecaps as well, contributing a goal and two assists.
UPCOMING MATCHES
September 22
Sounders FC U-15 at Sacramento Republic U-15 | 10:00 a.m. PT, Cosumnes River College
Sounders FC U-17 at Sacramento Republic U-17 | 12:30 p.m. PT, Cosumnes River College
Sounders FC U-19 at Sacramento Republic U-19 | 3:00 p.m. PT, Cosumnes River College
September 23
Sounders FC U-15 at San Jose Earthquakes U-15 | 8:30 a.m. PT, Evergreen Community College
Sounders FC U-17 at San Jose Earthquakes U-17 | 10:15 a.m. PT, Evergreen Community College
Sounders FC U-19 at San Jose Earthquakes U-19 | 12: 15 p.m. PT, Evergreen Community College
QUICK HITS
BRUMMETT ON FIRE
The New Hampshire native just can’t stop scoring. Brummett, a prominent player on the USYNT circuit, scored 21 goals in 27 matches while playing a year up for the U-15s last season. That form has carried over to the new campaign, with the young forward averaging three goals per game.
NEXT MAN
In the absence of the four players who were called up to the U.S. U-16 National Team, the U-17s fielded a make-shift backline, with central midfielder Josh Atencio and right back Bryson Hankins operating as central defenders. Andrew Tran came in at right back and put in a solid, two-way shift, while Ethan Dobbelaere slotted into the double-pivot, where he provided the assists for Ocampo-Chavez’s first goal of the afternoon.
RECOMMENDED READING
If you’re interested in the growth of Sounders Academy in recent years, check out Part One of a four-part series on the history of the club’s youth system.
