The U-19s kicked off the weekend by garnering a crucial 1-0 win over Northern California side, Santa Cruz Breakers. Midfielder Gabe Threadgold, who recently won the Humanitarian of the Year award, provided a moment of magic when turned his defender inside-out before supplying an inch-perfect cross to the back post, which S2 midfielder Azriel Gonzalez calmly dispatched.
Looking to build on the momentum established in their win over Breakers, the young Sounders’ offense piled on the pressure from the opening whistle against De Anza. Striker Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez, 15, impressed in his debut for the U-19s, grabbing a brace and producing clever runs all afternoon. Midfielder Dylan Teves added another tally, finishing off an excellent 10-pass sequence with a cheeky finish through traffic. Gonzalez chipped in with an assist and two goals, including a golazo in the top corner off a feed from Ocampo-Chavez.
The U-17s continued their unbeaten start to the USSDA season with a draw and a win over Santa Cruz and De Anza, respectively. In the 3-3 draw, Ray Serrano got the young Sounders off to a strong start with a goal in the 44th minute. Santa Cruz, however, rattled off three unanswered goals in the second half, Serrano helped to halve the deficit in the 89th minute, while Ocampo-Chavez completed the comeback with a strike one minute into second-half stoppage time.
In the match against De Anza, the U-17s established a 3-0 lead entering halftime, with goals from Serrano, Danny Robles, and Ethan Dobbelaere. Striker Alec Diaz put the match to bed with a strike to the top corner just two minutes into the second period.
In Far West Regional League Action, the U-16s collected a 3-0 win over Seattle United’s U-17s. Winger Camilo Santiago, who made his debut with S2 over the summer, grabbed a hat trick with three precise finishes. Brady Minor bossed the midfield on the afternoon, taking up intelligent positions in possession and timing his tackles to perfection.
The U-15s continued their strong start to the campaign with a comprehensive victory over Santa Cruz. A brace from Josh O’Brien inside the opening 20 minutes gave the young Sounders plenty of momentum, and Charlie Holmes added a third shortly before halftime. Striker Oscar Rincon, who won Player of the Tournament at the Youdan Trophy in Sheffield, England, over the summer, impressed in a 20-minute cameo off the bench, contributing a goal and an assist.
Upcoming Fixtures
November 11
Sounders FC U-17 vs. Nomads SC U-17 | 10:00 a.m. PT, Starfire Sports Field 11
Sounders FC U-15 vs. Nomads SC U -15 | 12:30 p.m. PT, Starfire Sports Field 2
Sounders FC U-19 vs. Nomads SC U-19 | 12:30 p.m. PT, Starfire sports Field 11
November 12
Sounders FC U-17 vs. San Diego Surf U-17 | 10:00 a.m. PT, Starfire Sports Field 11
Sounders FC U-15 vs. San Diego Surf U-15 | 12:30 p.m. PT, Starfire Sports Field 2
Sounders FC U-19 vs. San Diego Surf U-19 | 12:30 p.m. PT, Starfire Sports Field 11
Standout Performers
Sounders U-19 midfielder Woody Manum was the man-of-the-match in Seattle’s 5-1 win over De Anza Force, putting together his best performance of the season in the heart of midfielder. A Seattle United alum and product of the Sounders Discovery Program, Manum has been an integral part of the Academy for several seasons now. His ability to win the ball back and take up intelligent positions provided a platform for the young Sounders to launch attacks all afternoon.
Moving on Up
Another product of SDP, center back Angel Martinez, put in an outstanding shift in the U-15s win over De Anza Force. The 12-year-old defender belied his age, shutting down the opposition attackers with some disciplined 1v1 defending. Despite playing two-years up, he showcased acute technical ability with his composed passing out of the back.
One to Watch
Danny Leyva has hit the ground running since joining the Academy in the summer. A creative midfielder capable of playing as both a No. 10 and a No. 8, Leyva’s two-way presence has been instrumental for the U-15s this season. Despite playing just the first half against Santa Cruz, he was dominant in his brief shift. The next day against De Anza, he pitched in two goals, produced a few tackles and set the tempo with his passes.
