The Sporting KC Academy kicked off the 2012-13 season this weekend with all four teams in action.
The under-16 and under-18 Academy teams hosted St. Louis Scott Gallagher Metro at the Sporting Club Training Center in Swope Park on Saturday in a pair of pre-season friendlies. While both clubs are in the Central Conference of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy for the upcoming season, SLSG Metro will move to the Mid-America Division and Sporting KC will remain in the Frontier Division.
The U18's opened the day with a 3-2 victory on two goals from Isai Gutierrez and another by Eduardo Moreno. Jacole Turner earned the win in net. The U16's followed with a 2-2 draw courtesy of goals from John Leisman and Memo Carasco. Both teams will again host friendly matches this weekend against TSC Hurricanes from Tulsa.
The under-12 and under-14 Academy teams took part in the seventh annual
2012 KC Friendly Games
at the Overland Park Soccer Complex.
The U14's
played
up a year in the U15 division
and won all four of their matches, defeating FC Porto of Kansas 1-0 on Sunday to win the tournament. Dorian Hernandez led the team in scoring, which scored nine times on the weekend, and goalkeeper Steven Tekesky kept clean sheets in all four matches. Head coach Matt Trumpp credited Cole Miesner and Alex Kaddah for their strong play on the backline, as well as Andrew McLeod's contributions from the midfield.
The U12's fell in their first three matches while playing up in the U13 division, but ended the tournament on a high note with a 4-1 win over KC Fusion. Head coach Tommy Howe said he was happy with the way the team played only two weeks into the season, particularly praising the team's passing game and circulation of the ball. Looking ahead, Howe hopes to hone the team's finishing in front of net and their defending as a team.
