The US Soccer Development Academy's eight Conference Starting XI squads from the Under-17/18 and Under-15/16 age groups were announced recently during Finals Week at The Home Depot Center in Carson, CA. In the U17/18 Mid-Atlantic Division four Red Bull players were selected to this prestigious group while two Red Bulls were named to the Mid-Atlantic Division in the U15/16 group.
Defender Connor Lade, midfielder Cesar Blacido and Matt Kassell, and forward Johnny Exantus were the U17/18 Red Bulls recognized.
"It is a great achievement and honor that we had four players selected to the all conference team in the inaugural season of the Academy," U18 head coach Paul O'Donnell said. "To have four out of the eleven selected is a testament to the impact that these players and the entire U18 team had on the National Scouts and opposing coaches. The players that were selected were worthy of their selection and were tremendous over the course of the entire season".
Defender Sacir Hot and midfielder Dylan Mencia were recognized from the U15/16 Red Bulls.
"Dylan and Sacir were probably our two most consistent players this season," U16 head coach Antonio Meza said. "Against the top teams in the country, week in and week out, both players showed the ability to excel against the best competition in the country."
The recipients of the awards were voted upon by U.S. Soccer's Development Academy coaches and National Team scouts.
The Red Bulls total was matched only by the Baltimore Bays, who finished just ahead of the Red Bulls during the regular season, and won the 2008 U.S. Soccer Development Academy Finals Week U-17/18 Championship. The full team is as follows:
U-17/18 Mid-Atlantic Starting XI:
GK: Bill Hamid - D.C. United
D: Thomas Brandt - Baltimore Bays
D: Connor Lade - NYRB
D: Chris Lebo - Baltimore Bays
M: James Wenger - PA Classics
M: Cesar Blacido - NYRB
M: Neil Vranis - Baltimore Bays
M: Matt Kassell - NYRB
F: Chris Argorsor - Baltimore Bays
F: Kyle Bethel - Match Fit Academy
F: Johnny Exantus - NYRB
The U15/16 Red Bulls finished just behind PDA during the regular season, and PDA advanced to the Finals Week Championship match. The full U15/16 team is as follows:
U-15/16 Mid-Atlantic Starting XI
GK: Rafael Diaz - PDA
F: Josimer Sanchez - PDA
D: Nick Yin - DC United
D: Sacir Hot - NYRB
M: Jon Aguirre - PDA
M: Joseph Schmid - FC Delco
M: Paul Torres - DC United
M: Dylan Mencia - NYRB
F: Dylan Renna - PDA
F: Chris Hegni - DC United
F: Kene Eze - Match Fit Academy
