Seattle Sounders Academy's U-14 team will make the short trip south down I-5 this weekend to take on regional rivals, the Portland Timbers.
As the youngest members of the Sounders organization, the U-14s will get just their second taste of the biggest rivalry in Cascadia and are looking to bring a confident and composed display in Providence Park.
Since this is the team's first match since returning from winter break, the young Sounders will be looking to pick up where they left off at the end of last season. Despite playing a year up in the Far West Regional League, the Rave Green took maximum points from their last three matches in league play against tough opposition and will look to maintain this momentum in 2016.
With the Sounders resuming FWRL play next month, a passionate and contested match against the Timbers is the perfect way for the group to get back in the swing of things. After this match, the Rave Green will face off against Vancouver Whitecaps Academy in a few weeks and a heated match played on the first team pitch of the Timbers will serve as a perfect litmus test of the weeks to come.
For the academy players, the chance to participate in a rivalry match is one of the benefits of the Sounders Academy system. These are players that the organization hopes to develop through the system and ultimately, bring up to the first team. By having the youngest Academy teams play each other in a professional setting, the organizations has effectively added another layer to one of the richest rivalry in North American soccer.
While this upcoming match is essentially a friendly, it also serves as the second leg of an unofficial Cascadia Cup between the Sounders and Timbers. Back in September, the two teams faced off on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field, with the Sounders winning 5-1. Although both teams have made numerous roster changes since they last squared off, the coaching staff expects the drive and passion seen on the field to be the same.
“The end of the last season went really well for us. We had some strong performances in Far West Regional League, and even had a few guys move up to the U-15 and U-16 teams,” said U-14 assistant and Sounders Discovery Program head coach Brayton Knapp. “The group has been developing well, so it’s just about continuing to play against quality opponents in an adverse situation so that they have to overcome playing under pressure.”
So far in their brief careers as Sounders, the U-14s have thrived in high-pressure situations against Cascadia rivals. In addition to their resounding win against the Timbers back in September, the U-14s also held on to win 4-3 in a high-scoring affair against the Whitecaps. With a unique opportunity to take on their biggest rivals in a professional stadium, the young Sounders will hope to replicate the first teams success in Cascadia matches.
