Youth Academy

U-18/U-16s Stay Strong in San Jose

The Sounders Academies got scoring from familiar sources as they went 3-0-1 on the weekend against the DeAnza Force and the Santa Cruz Breakers.

It was another unbeaten weekend for the Sounders FC U18 and U16 teams, this time in San Jose.


For the U18 team, the weekend was highlighted by the trio of Jamael Cox, Sean Okoli and Darwin Jones, while Domique Dismuke added two more goals and Ryan Herman was solid in front of the net in wins over the DeAnza Force and the Santa Cruz Breakers.


The weekend started on the wrong foot, as DeAnza got out to a 1-0 lead in the 19th minute on Saturday.  However, Seattle bounced right back, when Cox netted the equalizer on a cross from Jones in the 20th minute.


Jones was later taken down in the penalty box and Okoli put away the penalty kick for a 2-1 edge.


Dismuke put the game away in the 89th minute on a nice ball from Cox and the Sounders FC finished with a 3-1 win.


They capped the weekend in strong fashion with another 3-1 win over the Santa Cruz Breakers at Cabrillo College, again battling back from an early 1-0 lead.  Santa Cruz opened the game up with a bomb from 25 yards out in the 15th minute and this time it was Dismuke to equalize for the Sounders, scoring on an assist from Drew White in the 20th minute.

That 1-1 score held until halftime, but Seattle needed some help from Herman on a huge save in the 49th minute to keep it that way.


Late in the match it looked like the Sounders would have to settle for a draw, but then Okoli set up Cox for a goal in the 85th minute and Troy Peterson headed in a corner from Chase Hanson to ice the game and a second consecutive 3-1 victory.


The U18 team improves to 5-0-3 on the season.


The U16s meanwhile, battled back from a 1-1 draw on Saturday to finish the weekend unbeaten with a 2-1 win on Sunday.


Jordan Thompson set up Ike Crook in the second minute on Saturday as Seattle rocketed out to a 1-0 lead over DeAnza.  However, the home side earned a penalty kick in the 80th minute and converted for the equalizer and Seattle were left with the single point.


On Sunday, though, they weren’t to be denied.


Sam Langston found Austin Sweeney in the 33rd minute to get Seattle out to a 1-0 lead.  Again, they allowed the equalizer as Santa Cruz leveled the score just before halftime.  But this time, Seattle found a way to regain the lead, as Sweeney assisted an Ian Lange goal in the 60th minute and Seattle held on for a 2-1 victory.


The U16s improved to 6-1-1 heading into their final game of the 2010 calendar this weekend.  Both Academy teams will face Crossfire on Saturday at Starfire.  The U18s kick off at noon with the U16s following at 2:30.

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