The Sounders first preseason trip of 2015 kicked-off on Thursday from Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California and it was a good preliminary session for the club.
Here are some little notes, or as they've come to be known, tidbits, from the session that stuck out over the 90 minutes.
Felt Like Home
The weather for the club's first outing in California had a very Washington feel as the gray skies and swirling winds made it feel more like the Pacific Northwest than Southern California. With rain expected tomorrow, it's going to have an even distinct feeling of home.
Lowe & Ockford Impress
Two of the Sounders draft picks from 2014 made their presence known with some solid play in the first session in LA. The CBs showed a year's worth of maturity and confidence, were reading the field well and looked like a pair who could make an impact this preseason and beyond. A very good sign for a club that is admittedly thin at their position.
Jones Impresses Early On
Another of the club's younger players had a very good start to training in SoCal, Homegrown Player Darwin Jones. The University of Washington product was all over the pitch with his quick feet and bursts of pace. At one point, he intercepted a pass across the back line, charged in on goal with a defender on his shoulder and fired a low, hard shot across the face of the net that flashed JUST wide. A very encouraging start by the rookie.
Perkins Commanding His Area
A 13-year veteran doesn't usually need much time to adjust to a new club, but new Sounders goalkeeper Troy Perkins has certainly seemed to fit in with his new teammates nicely. Loud and aggressive so early in camp, Perkins was barking directions at his defenders the entire session.
Tempers Flared...As They Do
When camp opens for the year, there is usually a bit of the rough stuff and it was no different on Thursday, as voices were raised on a number of occasions and things got a bit aggressive. All of this action points to a club with a lot of competition at every position with players hungry to make themselves known.
Trialists On-Hand
Though nothing is official now, the club had a number of notable trialists on-hand for the session and they certainly made an impact. Check back in the coming days for more news about the club's potential new faces as we draw nearer to the 2015 regular season.
Chad Likes The Sunset
It was a cloudy first day...but that didn't stop the sun from putting on a show to close out the evening. Chad has proof:
