Miller an All-American

Congratulations to former Sporting Kansas City Juniors player and current Rockhurst senior captain Kyle Miller, named an NSCAA/Continental Tires NCAA Men's Division II All-American and All-Midwest selection. Miller anchored a Hawks' defense which allowed only seven goals during the 2011 season, fewest in the nation, and helped the team reach the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals this year.

The Overland Park, Kansas native was also named to the Daktronics All-America Second Team and Daktronics All-Region First Team. He also got a mention in the sports section of Saturday's Kansas City Star!

Video: U13s Futsal Action

Video courtesy of Chris Bihuniak

The Sporting Kansas City Juniors have taken their seasons indoors during the winter months in KC and can now be seen playing in Futsal KC, one of more than 40 US Youth Futsal leagues throughout the country.

Sporting Kansas City has played a major role in the growth and progress of the sport and the league in the U.S., as juniors Director of Coaching Jon Parry and Sporting KC Manager Peter Vermes are both on the leadership team for US Youth Futsal. Check out the video above of the Sporting KC U-13 Juniors in action this past weekend.

Missouri H.S. Honors Announced

The 2011 Boys All-State and All-Kansas City teams for Missouri high school soccer players were announced and numerous Sporting Kansas City Juniors received marks of respect.

Rockhust senior midfielder Derek Schrick earned several honors, the most prestigious being Missouri State Player of the Year. Schrick was also named First Team All-State, Kansas-City Co-Player of the Year, and first team All-Kansas City. Schrick was a driving force in Rockhurst’s final team ranking in 2011 as No. 4 in the state, with an overall record of 22-4-1.

Jacole Turner was awarded Missouri State Goalkeeper of the Year, Kansas-City Goalkeeper of the Year, First Team All-State and First Team All-Kansas City. Turner led Lee’s Summit North to a 19-4 record earning them the No. 7 spot in the final state rankings for 2011.

Shane Woods, a senior forward at Kearney, also earned First Team All-State honors as well as All-Kansas City Offensive Player of the Year and All-Kansas City First Team honors.

Julian Ramirez rounds out the First Team All-State selections and is the only player from the Sporting Kansas City Juniors U16 squad to earn the impressive tribute. Ramirez, a Blue Springs H.S. defender, also earned First Team All-Kansas City.

Sophomore midfielder Joey Piatczyc was selected as Second Team All-State and All-Kansas City while junior forward Darby Cronin received Honorable Mention All-State and Second Team All-Kansas City.

Cameron Wallace joins Piatczyc and Cronin as Second-Team All-Kansas City and Alec Van Wormer, Erik Palmer-Brown, Jake Wood, Pier Cassiraghi, and David Isaacks obtained Honorable Mention All-Kansas City.

Van Wormer, a sophomore defender, guided Lee’s Summit West to a 24-8 record to garner a No. 5 ranking amongst all teams in the state of Missouri. Meanwhile, Palmer-Brown becomes the lone freshman amid the Sporting Kansas City Juniors to earn the accolade.

VIDEO: Final Day at the DA Winter Showcase

SKC Juniors Conclude Showcase

Sporting Kansas City's U16 and U18 Juniors concluded their six-day trip to Florida with a win and a tie respectively on Tuesday. The Juniors accumulated a combined record of 4-1-1 with the U18's going 3-0 on the week and the U16's finishing with ones across the board.

Both squads faced the Oakwood Soccer Club in the last match of the three-game road voyage. Tuesday's match for the U18's concluded 2-1 in Sporting Kansas City's favor with Eduardo Moreno and Clay Stewart both contributing second-half goals.

The under 16's contest versus Oakwood ended in a 2-2 draw. Seo-in Kim and Julian Ramirez each added tallies for Sporting Kansas City while Thomas Parisis and Timothy Edward Mines notched goals for Oakwood. To view a more detailed account on the Juniors trip to Florida check out Sportingmembership.com.

Here is a direct link to the recap from the DA Winter Showcase Day 3 as well as a photo gallery. Sporting Kansas City Juniors will continue to train outside for the next couple of weeks and prep for futsal during the winter months before resuming play in March.

Beach Cruising

After getting back into KC late last night, and being met by conditions that were considerably harsher than what they enjoyed in Florida this weekend, you can be sure all the Juniors were reminiscing about their time at Siesta Key on Monday.

Here's some video of that excursion:

Parry on staff for GA tour

Sporting Kansas City Juniors Director of Coaching and U16's coach Jon Parry joins fellow Sporting technical staff members John Pascarella, Zoran Savic, and Manager Peter Vermes in an offseason journey to the Netherlands to lead the 2011 Generation adidas tour. The tour gathers players who joined MLS through the Generation adidas program and provides them the unique opportunity to compete against world-renowned academies overseas. Adidas sponsors the tour in an effort to help the continued growth of soccer throughout the United States and Canada.

The collection of Generation adidas players will train at Ajax Academy in Amsterdam and compete in friendlies against reserve teams from Ajax, FC Volendam, and Almere City FC. Parry will be exposed to Ajax Academy sessions as well as be provided with the opportunity to gain insights from the coaching staff of the various Amsterdam clubs. Click here for the GA roster and itinerary.

For regular updates on Parry and the rest of the tour, make sure to follow @adidasITP on Twitter.

Wright & Schrick All-Americas

Two Sporting Kansas City Juniors earned selection to the NSCAA 2011 Boys High School All-America Team for stellar performances with their respective high school sides.

Senior goalkeeper Evan Wright from Stillwell, Kansas earned his spot as an NSCAA All-America after a notable year playing for Blue Valley High School. Wright led Blue Valley to the 2011 Kansas State 5A Championship, clocking 1,855 minutes in 2011.

Wright played a particularly large role in the Kansas 5A quarterfinal match at St. Thomas Aquinas. Wright made a break-away stop on Aquinas senior Mikey Geist in the first 10 seconds of the match. Then in a penalty kick shootout, it was Wright again making two huge stops for the Tigers allowing for their 4-2 victory in penalty kicks.

Derek Schrick, senior midfielder and Kansas City native, guided Rockhurst High School to the District Championship game. Schrick made significant contributions to the success of Rockhurst who finished out their season with a 22-4-1 record. For his efforts, Schrick was named to the NSCAA All-America Team.

In addition to All-America honors, Schrick's performance throughout his senior season landed him NSCAA Boys High School Missouri State Player of the Year.

USSDA Winter Showcase

The Sporting Kansas City Under-16 and Under-18 Juniors are off to a successful start at the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Winter Showcase in Sarasota, Florida.

The first matches of the Showcase took place on Saturday, December 3rd. The u18's won 1-0 against D.C. United, while the u16's dropped a 4-0 decision after playing a man down for much of the second half in their battle with the MLS rivals. Check out SportingMembership.com for a full recap and video highlights from Day 1 at the Winter Showcase, as well as a photo album on Facebook.

The second day of the Showcase took place on Sunday, December 4th. Despite the short turnover and heavy legs, both Sporting Kansas City teams recorded victories against strong Baltimore Bays competition. The u18's found the early lead and came away with a 2-1 victory. Whereas the u16's earned the win in a 3-2 come-from-behind victory. Click on the link to see more on Day 2 at the Winter Showcase, with a gallery of images available here.

The last two matches of the showcase for Sporting Kansas City will be held on Tuesday with both teams facing Oakwood Soccer Club. Follow @SKCJuniors on Twitter for all the latest from the tournament!

Piatczyc Selected for Showcase

Sporting Kansas City Junior Joey Piatczyc was selected as one of 78 developmental players to compete in the 2011 Winter Showcase's Academy Select Teams in Sarasota, Fla. The 78 players will be divided into four select teams by U.S. Soccer technical staff. The showcase will consist of two games for each team to be played at the Premier Sports Complex on December 3, 2011.

Earlier this year, Piatczyc made his debut for Sporting Kansas City in a Reserve League victory over Colorado Rapids. Piatczyc,who was born in 1996, is the youngest player to enter a Reserve match for Sporting Kansas City this season.

U16's and U18's USSDA Home Opener

Sporting Kansas City Juniors under-18s and under-16s competed in their home openers earlier this month against the Dallas Texans. The matches took place at Swope Park Training Center on Friday, Nov. 18.

The first game of the double header began at 4:30 p.m. and featured Sporting Kansas City U-18s versus a Texans side that had 1-3-4 record leading up to the match. The Texans came away with a road win, the victory marking their second of the season. The lone goal of the match belonged to Caleb Richardson in the 42nd minute.

Head Coach of Sporting Kansas City U-18s, Paul Rideout, said, “ I was delighted with the way we possessed the ball from back to front, but disappointed we did not turn it into goals”.

The U-16s kicked off at 7 p.m. against an undefeated Texans team. The match ended in a 1-1 draw. Sporting Kansas City’s Debray Holliman notched the first goal of the game right before half time. The Texan’s Brandon Aubrey found the equalizer at the 60th minute mark.

The two academy teams will resume play this weekend as Sporting Kansas City head to Sarasota, Florida to face D.C. United, Baltimore Bays and Oakwood Soccer Club at the 2011 Winter Showcase at the Premier Sports Campus.

Juniors Pay Visit to LIVESTRONG Headquarters

Sporting Kansas City's two Development Academy teams played their first games of the 2011 season on the road last weekend but came back to KC with more than just one win a piece. The Juniors had the opportunity to take a tour of LIVESTRONG Headquarters located in Austin, Texas and as you could imagine, LIVESTRONG HQ is packed with inspirational stories and keepsakes.

Upon entering the building, the Juniors noticed that all of the rooms featured see through walls to indicate that the organization is transparent in efforts to create trust, participation, and informed decision making.

The next notable display was a yellow motorcycle, which was made for Lance by the American Chopper guys, and revealed on The Tonight Show. The idea was to generate exposure for the LIVESTRONG Foundation and that is exactly what it did. Lance then auctioned the bike to raise money for his cause and the highest bidder donated their new prize back to the foundation, which is now on display at the LIVESTRONG Headquarters. The U16 Sporting Kansas City Juniors pose with the Orange County Choppers contribution in the fight against Cancer.

The headquarters of course placed emphasis on the number seven to symbolize Lance Armstrong's status as 7-time Tour de France winner by the seven core values they created to represent their foundation.

The VALUES include:

1) We can Change the way the world fights cancer.

2) We do this by serving you.

3) We know we cant do it alone.

4) We call for action in a global community.

5) We voraciously pursue excellence.

6) We dare to hope and act on it.

7) We honor the fight – your fight.

Another reference to the number seven includes a piece of art that connects seven fully functioning bicycles together with just a few screws. Theoretically the bicycles could be taken apart and available for use. However, when connected serves as the centerpiece of the office and represents different stages of Armstrong's life. Each bicycle has four symbols. The symbols create a story line. A few examples include a skull to represent chemicals and the diagnosis of cancer and a cross to represent the many hours spent at the hospital. Lungs to stand for the good health and endurance Lance needs for competition.

Other notable items around the office include a display of the seven jerseys worn during Armstrong's seven tour victories, a paddle board which reads "damthatcancer" donated from a race, hammocks, a yoga room, an entire office for the 35 interns they have each semester, and of course Mike Savage's painting of LIVESTRONG Sporting Park beautifully hanging from the cubicle of a staff member. To conclude, the boys had the opportunity to meet Doug Ulman, President and CEO of The Lance Armstrong Foundation (LIVESTRONG).

SKC Juniors in College Ranks

Last week, we took a look at the high school seasons for active U16 and U18 SKC Juniors players. Today, we catch our readers up on the collegiate seasons that several former Sporting Kansas City Juniors are now enjoying...

Division 1:
The Oral Roberts Golden Eagles concluded the season with a 13-6-1 overall record after falling 2-1 to Western Illinois in the championship of the Summit League. Juniors products Tom Adams and Paul Oliver helped propel ORU to the conference finals, appearing in 14 and 16 games respectively and each tallying six points on the year. Oliver gave ORU the 1-0 lead in the 33rd minute of the championship match this past weekend, but it wasn’t enough to earn the victory.

Christian Duke and San Diego University lost their season finale to St. Mary’s who went on to win the West Coast Conference. Duke started 17 games this season, notching three assists on the year to help SDU earn a .500 record of 9-9-1.

Wright State’s 1-0 victory on November 5th ended Butler’s season with a 7-8-3 record. However, Sporting Kansas City Juniors alumni Brandon Fricke earned individual honors. The redshirt freshman defender started 15 of the 16 games he appeared in for the Bulldogs this year and earned Academic All-District recognition. This selection deems Fricke eligible for the 2011 Capital One Academic All-America Team.

Asher Herbet played 16 games this year for Long Island University who ended their season on November 5th with a 3-0 loss on Senior Day to Fairleigh Dickinson.

Four Sporting Kansas City Juniors alumni were able to impact the University of Missouri Kansas City this fall. Konnor Knoll, Jordan Rideout, and Jimmy Simon each played in 17 games this year, while Michael Oakley made 16 appearances. Rideout started each of the 17 games he played in while Oakley started in each of the 16 games he played. Rideout tallied a team leading seven goals and 14 points this season and earned Newcomer of the Year and first-team all-conference honors. Oakley also earned a spot on the All-Newcomer Team after being the rock of the UMKC defense all season long. Knoll also tallied a game-winning goal and an assist on the season.

St. Louis Billikens dropped their season finale 2-1 in double overtime against Charlotte for their third OT loss this season. Sporting Kansas City Junior Raymond Lee started 17 games for the Billikens and totaled nine points this year with four goals and one assist.

Will Witherspoon played 18 games this year for Virginia Tech, who ended their season with a 1-0 loss to NC State in the ACC Tournament on November 7th.

Ohio State posted a 10-7-2 overall record, and came in second among Big Ten schools this fall. But Marques Mayoras and the Buckeyes fell to #7 seed Penn State in the quarterfinal round of the Big Ten Tournament in their final contest of 2011. Mayoras appeared in four matches during his freshman campaign.

Peter O’Neill started 20 games for Northwestern clocking 1,792 minutes to date for his senior season. O’Neill helped the Wildcats earn an 11-4-5 record, scoring one goal and adding five assists this season. NU finished atop the Big Ten at the conclusion of league play and won the Big Ten Tournament Title by beating Penn State in a come from behind 2-1 victory in the tournament finals. O’Neill scored the game-tying goal for Northwestern on a penalty kick. Northwestern will now face defending College Cup champions Akron in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Friday, November 17th.

Division 2:
Eric Hymer appeared in 12 games for Fort Hays State University, which finished their season with an 11-5-2 record. The season was the first for FHSU in school history and was highlighted by a ten-game unbeaten streak.

Eric Moore, Taylor Vinnage, Kyle Miller, and the rest of the Rockhurst squad boast a 17-2-2 overall record. Miller has started each of the 19 games so far for the Hawks, scoring one-goal and adding two assists. The Hawks are set to play in the Division II NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals on November 19th in Millersville, Pa.

NAIA:
Baker University and Leath Hamil host Oklahoma Wesleyan in the NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship opening round on November 19th. Baker is 17-1-1 thus far with Hamil appearing in 18 of their 19 games this season.

Juniors Are Back In Action

The under-16 and under-18 Sporting Kansas City Juniors resume play this weekend for the first time since dispersing to participate in their respective high school seasons. The juniors will head to Texas to play their opening matches of the season on the road.

Both teams will face Lonestar SC Academy on Saturday in Austin and then travel to San Antonio to play Classics Elite on Sunday. The first match on Saturday will kick off at 10:00 a.m.

Lonestar SC under-16’s have played seven games on the season, acquiring a 3-2-2 record to date, and hover in the middle third of the Conference. Lonestar SC under-18’s have also competed in seven games this far, attaining a 4-2-1 record, sitting in third place in the Central Conference with 13 points.

Classics Elite, also from the Central Conference have not been as fortunate as their under-16 team has yet to secure a win, while their under-18 squad has earned just three points from their last seven contests.

High School Soccer Round-Up

As Sporting Kansas City Juniors players wrap up their respective seasons with their high school teams and re-join the academy, we take a look at some of their recent prep achievements.

In Kansas...

• DeBray Hollimon and Wichita Northwest (21-0-0) were crowned Kansas 6A Champions with a dramatic 1-0 win over fellow Sporting KC Juniors teammates Nate Opperman and Clay Stewart from Olathe South (17-4-0) in the state final last weekend.
• In the 6A consolation match, Eric DeJulio, Chris Tuso, Mason Leonard and Blue Valley Northwest fell 1-0 to hometown Topeka-Washburn Rural at the Topeka-Hummer Sports Complex. DeJulio, a senior captain for the squad, scored the team's lone goal in the state semifinals against Wichita Northwest, while Tuso and Leonard each scored in their OT win over Austin Esparza, Drew Wilson and Olathe East in the quarterfinals.
• In Class 5A, Eduardo Moreno scored twice in the state championship in Liberal's 3-1 win over Taylor Walter, Evan Wright and Blue Valley to complete a 16-5-0 season. Moreno was recently named WAC All-Conference.
• Walter and Wright helped Blue Valley eliminate eight-time defending champion St. Thomas Aquinas and fellow Sporting KC Juniors player Andrew Brown with a successul penalty kick in their shootout win in the quarterfinals, before burying a free kick in the state semifinal match against Wichita Kapaun Mount Carmel.
• Brown scored for St. Thomas Aquinas in their 1-0 win over Mill Valley in the 5A regional finals.
• In Class 4A, St. James Academy's Steven Enna tallied a hat trick -- his third of the season -- in the state semifinal victory over Rose Hill before falling 2-0 in the championship match.
• Austin Esparza and Drew Wilson were both named to the All-Sunflower League teams and each scored in a 3-2 win over Blue Valley West.
• Also receiving All-Sunflower League honors are Romeo Munoz from Shawnee Mission, Clay Stewart from Olathe South, and Austin Wilcox from Shawnee Mission East.
• Shawnee Mission Northwest's Cole Nelson scored in the team's regular season finale against Lawrence Free State.
• Videos below from Andrew Miller and Garett Pulliam in a potent Blue Valley West offense that also includes Sporting KC Juniors player Seo-In Kim.

In Missouri...

• Jacole Turner and Lee's Summit North fell in overtime to Alec Van Wormer and Lee's Summit West on Tuesday in Class 3 sectionals. LSW will next face Park Hill in the Missouri state quarterfinals on Saturday.
• Luke Stanley, Cole Stevenson, Daniel Hare, Derek Schrick and Matt Bernard all represented Rockhurst this year. The Hawklets fell 2-1 in OT to Lee's Summit West in the district final.
• Here's video from a goal by Hare last month...

• Darby Cronin, Joey Piatczyc, Dalton Souder, Erik Palmer-Brown and Jake Wood all featured for Lee's Summit this season, as the Tigers fell in 20T to Lee's Summit West in the district semifinals.
• Blue Spring's Julian Ramirez scored in their regular season finale victory over cross-town rivals Blue Springs South.
• Shane Woods record-setting season with 50+ goals for Kearney ended in a 2-1 loss to Liberty in the district championship. Woods scored in OT to beat Billy Vigil and Fort Osage in the district semifinals. Here's the video:

Goals by the Bunches

The Under-13 and Under-14 Sporting Kansas City Juniors demonstrated the desire to go to goal in their season finales in the National Premier League's Great Lakes division on Saturday as each team tallied five goals on the weekend.

The U14 Sporting KC Juniors earned their 5-0 result against a very good Blue Valley Soccer Club team. The win was a complete team effort with five different players notching goals. With the win and goals from Dakota Karns, Paul Whitner, Jacob Weaver, Dorian Hernandez and Logan Wilson, the U14's are back in striking distance for the league title and playoffs come this spring. The victory also marked the return of a number of injured players and the strong performance from the healthy squad will hopefully indicate what is yet to come for the boys.

The U13's also played their final game of the NPL Fall season against BVSC. Despite a sluggish start, the U13 Sporting KC team earned a 5-1 victory as result of a hard-fought battle. Allowing only their second goal of the season in Saturday’s match, the defense had a strong performance. Alex Kaddah anchored the backline from the center back position while Maxwell Harrington and Tanner Richardson pushed forward from their outside back positions, making great runs up the flanks. The win moves the U13 Sporting Juniors to 5-0-0 on the season, with 15 points and the team sits in first place going into the spring season.

Check out the video below to view the highlights from Sporting Kansas City Juniors U13 match against BVSC...

News and Notes

High school soccer season is in full swing as postseason competition is already upon us! Here is a sampling of some of the top news and notes from Sporting Kansas City Juniors players in the area...

• Check out the video below of Garrett Pulliam's goal and celebration in Blue Valley West's win over Bishop Miege.

• Derek Schrick and Jacole Turner each earned spots on the ESPNHS Starting XI as top high school players in the state of Missouri, and were also named to the top 150 college prospects for the Class of 2012. Fort Osage High School's Billy Vigil also received recognition on the list.
• Speaking of Schrick, ESPNHS talked to him and his Rockhurst teammates about the team yoga sessions they take part in. Check out the video and story here.
• Sporting Kansas City Juniors players Nate Opperman and Clay Stewart have been influential for Olathe South this season as they won the Summit League.
• Also in Kansas, Shawnee Mission South head coach Travis Gatewood credited SKC Juniors player David Leichty for his leadership on the team this season.
• At Blue Valley Northwest, two SKC Juniors are captaining a team with state ambitions as Chris Tuso is leading the team in goals and Eric DeJulio is anchoring the defense.
• Check out the news feature below on Liberal High School's 11th straight Western Athletic Conference title, courtesy of SKC Juniors player Eduardo Moreno's OT goal in a 1-0 win over Dodge City.

• On the local college scene, congrats to the UMKC duo of Jordan Rideout and Michael Oakley, who were both named to TopDrawerSoccer.com's Top 20 Players to Watch in the Summit League. Rideout scored his third goal of the year in the Roos 1-1 draw at Oral Roberts on Saturday, while Oakley has started all but one game in defense as a freshman.

U13's Video/Photo Recap

The Sporting Kansas City Under-13 Juniors are the only team in the Midwest Development League with four wins through their first four matches, after picking up two victories in Chicago last weekend. Check out the video below and click here for a photo gallery to see the U13's in action.

Video a collaboration between Peter Wilkinson, Chris Bihuniak & Gerry High

Former Juniors Roundup

Sporting Kansas City has several Juniors academy products continuing their soccer careers in college programs across the country. Click here to see the full list from August with background information on each player and then check below for the latest update on some of the top performers thus far in 2011...

• Tom Adams (Oral Roberts) -- Scored in 83rd and 88th minutes of 4-0 victory over UNO earlier this month. Now has three goals, second most on squad, in 12 games played.
• Christian Duke (San Diego) -- Recorded three assists in back-to-back wins over Penn and Manhattan in September. His three assists are second most on the team in 12 games played. Click here to see a postgame interview with Christian.
• Brandon Fricke (Butler) - Defender scored game-tying goal for Bulldogs to help them win the Dayton Marriott Classic in September. Has one goal and one assist in 12 games played.
• Konner Knoll (UMKC) -- Scored first career collegiate goal in 3-1 win over Eastern Illinois on Saturday. He now has one goal and one assist in 12 games played.
• Raymond Lee (SLU) -- The Billikens' leading scorer has four goals and one assist, and has started all 12 games for Saint Louis.
• Kyle Miller (Rockhurst) -- Has one assist in 11 starts for the Hawks.
• Paul Oliver (Oral Roberts) -- Has two assists in 12 games played for the Golden Eagles.
• Peter O'Neill (Northwestern) -- Has started all 14 games for the Wildcats, recording three assists.
• Jordan Rideout (UMKC) -- Started all 12 games for the Roos and leads team with two goals, including a free kick from 40 yards out on Saturday in their 3-1 win.
• Jimmy Simon (UMKC) -- Teammates with Knoll and Rideout, Jimmy has one goal in 12 games played this season.

U13s Remain Atop MDL Standings

The Sporting Kansas City U13 Juniors extended their winning streak to 10 straight matches this weekend and remain in first place in the Midwest Development League after two wins in Illinois.

On Saturday, the U13's earned a 2-1 win over Sockers FC Chicago on goals from Oliver Bihuniak and Memo Carrasco. Goalkeeper Diego Alanis withstood the windy conditions in net for the victory.

With eight goals scored in their first three MDL matches, the U13s nearly doubled their offensive output on Sunday with a resounding 7-0 win over FC United. Dorian Hernandez led the way with two goals, and head coach Matt Trump touted the midfield unit of Evan Carlisle, Roman Knox, Patrick Wilkinson, Edson Murguia, and Chase Bromstedt for controlling the match throughout.

The U13's lead all MDL teams with the maximum 12 points from their first four matches and will resume League play on October 29th against BVSC at the Overland Park Soccer Complex.

Recap: U14s win big in MDL

The Sporting Kansas City U14 Juniors picked up their first win in the Midwest Development League in convincing fashion on Sunday, earning a 9-0 victory over FC United in Glenview, Illinois. Four different players -- John Leisman, Dominick Parry, Absolom Solario and Payton Brown -- scored twice for Sporting, while Trevor Cissell was also on the scoresheet.

The victory improved their record to 1-2-1, after falling 1-0 on Saturday against Sockers FC Chicago in windy conditions in Schaumburg, Illinois. Despite controlling most of the match according to head coach Dustin Ottesen, the home side scored late in the second half to steal the three points.

"We now look forward to two weeks of training before out next league game against Sporting BVSC," Ottesen said. "We are hopeful to get almost everyone back from injuries by that game."

Opperman receives Bob Gansler Award

Congratulations to Nate Opperman, recipient of the 2011 Bob Gansler Award given to the most outstanding Sporting Kansas City Juniors player. Nate received the award at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park on Saturday, before the club's big win over the New York Red Bulls that clinched a playoff spot for the senior team!

Opperman, a senior at Olathe South High School, played in 23 games for the Sporting Kansas City Under-16 Juniors during the 2010-11 US Soccer Development Academy season, leading the team with eight goals against the top club teams in the Central Conference. He also scored four goals at the U17 Generation adidas Cup and has started three matches for the Sporting Kansas City senior team in the 2011 MLS Reserve League to date.

Opperman is verbally committed to beginning his college career at the University of Evansville.

Juniors in action in Illinois

The Sporting Kansas City under-13 and under-14 Juniors will travel North this weekend to take on Sockers FC Chicago on Saturday and FC United on Sunday in the Great Lakes Division of the Midwest Developmental League. Sporting KC U13's are currently in a three way tie for the lead in the NPL Midwest League's Great Lakes division with the Chicago Magic and Chicago Fire Academy. With only three games remaining on this month's schedule, this weekend's games will be vital for their championship hopes.

U13's Schedule:

• Saturday, October 15th vs. Sockers FC Chicago at 12:00 p.m.
• Sunday, October 16th vs. FC United at 9:00 a.m.
• Saturday, October 29th vs. Blue Valley SC at 11:00 a.m.

U14's Schedule:

• Saturday, October 15th vs. Sockers FC Chicago at 2:00 p.m.
• Sunday, October 16th vs. FC United at 11:00 a.m.
• Saturday, October 29th vs. pm Blue Valley SC at 1:00 p.m.

Follow @SKCJuniors on Twitter for all the latest news and information.

Jacole Turner honored

Congrats to Sporting KC Juniors goalkeeper Jacole Turner, selected as the Kansas City Star's High School Athlete of the Week. Read their bio on Jacole below, then also check out this feature in the Lee's Summit Journal earlier this week. Jacole, along with Juniors teammate Derek Schrick, were also both selected to the Missouri All-State Starting 11 by ESPNHS.

•SCHOOL: Lee’s Summit North

•YEAR: Senior

•SPORT: Boys soccer

Through 15 games, Turner, the Broncos goalkeeper, has racked up 11 shutouts and allowed only four goals. “He’s really athletic. He’s driven and over the course of his years here in high school, he has really made great strides,” Broncos coach Tim Richardson said. Turner recorded shutouts last week against Raytown South and Liberty. “He’s absolutely a key reason we are 14-1,” Richardson said. Turner is also a member of the Sporting Kansas City junior squad and occasionally is a reserve trainee with the team.

Turner was named to the U.S. Soccer Development Academy All-Central Conference Starting XI in July for his play with the U16s during the 2010-11 USSDA season, and started for Sporting Kansas City at the U17 Generation adidas Cup at Pizza Hut Park this summer.

Video: U13s Fall Classic Champs

The Sporting Kansas City U13 Juniors were crowned champions of the SLSG Boys Fall Classic on Sunday with three wins in their three matches in the U13 Pre-Academy Division. Read yesterday's post for the full recap, and check out the highlights below for footage from all 14 goals scored in Illinois over the weekend:

Video courtesy of Chris Bihuniak.

U13s at SLSG Fall Classic

The Sporting Kansas City U13 Juniors continued their winning ways this weekend at the SLSG Boys Fall Classic. Playing in the Pre-Academy Division, the top bracket in their age division, the U13s faced the top three ranked teams in Missouri and emerged with three wins after outscoring the competition 17 to 1.

On Saturday, Sporting won 6-0 over Springfield SC. Guillermo "Memo" Carrasco scored twice in a three-minute span and goalkeeper Diego Alanis recorded his seventh shutout of the 2011-12 season in the victory. In their second match of the day, SKC were 4-0 winners over Lou Fusz, with head coach Matt Trumpp crediting the backline of Shane Kopplin, Alex Kaddah, Maxwell Harrington and Tanner Richardson for their performances in holding the St. Louis side to just two shots in the match.

The U13s capped off the weekend on Sunday with a 4-1 win over hosts St. Louis Scott Gallagher Elite. Patrick Wilkinson scored twice for Sporting to highlight a strong showing for the Sporting midfielder.

The U13s have now won their last seven matches with an astounding 31 goals for and just one goal against and will travel to Chicago this weekend to continue play in the National Premier League. They'll look to extend their lead atop the standings against Sockers FC Chicago and FC united.

U14 Juniors at SLSG Fall Classic

The Sporting Kansas City U14 Juniors faced three of the top 5 teams in the region over the weekend in the Pre-Academy Division of the SLSG Boys Fall Classic but were left shorthanded against some of the Midwest's top teams after suffering a series of injuries.

Their tournament got off to a strong start with a 1-0 halftime lead in their opening game against Chicago Magic PSG Pre-Academy, the only goal the team from Illinois allowed in the tourney, but the eventual group winners capitalized on the loss of two SKC defenders in the second half en route to a 6-1 victory in the two teams rematch of the 2010 regional final.

The U14s second game on Saturday came against Carmel United, the state champions from Indiana. After hitting the crossbar twice and forcing their keeper to make several superb stops, Sporting suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat. Finishing the weekend with just 13 available players, the U14s fell 3-0 on Sunday to hosts St. Louis Scott Gallagher Elite.

"It has been a struggle but hopefully one that is making us stronger once we get everyone back," said head coach Dustin Otteson. "The boys are still working very hard but we are ready for a little luck and good health."

The U14s will travel to Chicago this weekend to face Sockers FC Chicago and FC United in the National Premier League.

Juniors at SLSG Boys Fall Classic

The Sporting Kansas City under-13 and under-14 Juniors will travel to Collinsville and Granite City, Illinois this weekend for the St. Louis Scott Gallagher Boys Fall Classic, one of the top events in Region II. Both teams will compete in the Pre-Academy Division, the highest level of competition available in their age group.

U13's Schedule:

• Saturday, October 8th vs. Springfield SC 98/99 I at 7:30 a.m.
• Saturday, October 8th vs. Lou Fusz SC - Stauder - Premier at 1:30 p.m.
• Sunday, October 9th vs. SLSG Elite 98/99 at 10:30 a.m.

U14's Schedule:

• Saturday, October 8th vs. Chicago Magic PSG Pre-Academy 1 at 12:00 p.m.
• Saturday, October 8th vs. Carmel United SC Elite 98 at 6:00 p.m.
• Sunday, October 9th vs. SLSG Elite 97/98 at 7:30 a.m.

Follow @BoysFallClassic on Twitter for news and updates from the tournament, as well as @SKCJuniors for all the latest information.

U13 Video Highlights

The U13 Sporting Kansas City Juniors sit atop the Midwest Development League standings in the U13 Great Lakes Division with wins in each of their first two matches (2-0 vs St. Louis Scott Gallagher-Metro and 4-0 vs St. Louis Scott Gallagher-Missouri). Check out the video below for highlights from their opening weekend in MDL play...

The U13's followed up the successful showing at the Sporting Club Training Center in Swope Park with a weekend of friendlies on October 1st and 2nd against Omaha FC and St. Louis Scott Gallagher-Missouri. Special thanks to Chris Bihuniak for the video compilation...

Sporting Kansas City U13 Juniors sit atop the Midwest Development League

The Sporting Kansas City U13 Juniors defeated St. Louis Scott Gallagher twice over the weekend at the Sporting Club Training Center in Swope Park, winning 2-0 on Saturday against SLSG Metro and then earning a 4-0 victory over SLSG Missouri on Sunday. After the opening weekend of the Midwest Development League, this puts the Sporting Kansas City U13 Juniors at the top of the table with 6 points (2-0-0).

Check out photos from the U13's successful weekend in the slideshow below, courtesy of Peter Wilkinson.

Sporting Kansas City Juniors U13 and U14 at Midwest Development League Showcase

Sporting Kansas City Juniors under-14 and under-13 will travel to Waukegan, IL this weekend to participate in the Midwest Development League- Fall 2011 Scouting Showcase. Their schedules are as follows:

Sept. 10:

Sporting KC U13 vs. Michigan
 Wolves
 SC
 U13 at 2 p.m.

Sporting KC U14 vs. Michigan Wolves SC U14 at 4 p.m.

Sept. 11

Sporting KC U13 vs. MN
 Thunder 
Academy 
U13 at 11 a.m.

Sporting KC U14 vs. Chicago Magic U14 at 11 a.m.

Good luck to our Juniors!

U13s at MLS Friendlies in Chicago

Courtesy of Chris Bihuniak

The Sporting Kansas City U13 and U14 Juniors spent Labor Day weekend in Chicago for three days of pre-Academy friendlies against fellow midwest Major League Soccer academy teams from the Columbus Crew, FC Dallas and Chicago Fire. Check out video highlights above and a photo slideshow below of the U13's three matches in the Windy City as they prepare to face the Michigan Wolves and Minnesota Thunder Academy in Midwest Development League Fall 2011 Scouting Showcase in Waukegan, Illinois this weekend.

Courtesy of Peter Wilkinson

U13s & U14s at MLS Pre-Academy Friendlies in Chicago

The Sporting Kansas City Under-13 and Under-14 Juniors will compete at the MLS Pre-Academy Friendlies this weekend in Chicago. Their schedules are as follows (subject to change): 


Under-13 Sporting KC Juniors 
vs. Columbus Crew at 7:00pm tonight at the Brothers Rice HS Stadium 
vs. FC Dallas at 1:00pm on Saturday at Toyota Park
vs. Chicago Fire at 1:00pm on Sunday at Toyota Park 


Under-14 Sporting KC Juniors
vs. Columbus Crew at 8:45pm tonight at the Brothers Rice HS Stadium 
vs. FC Dallas at 4:30pm on Saturday at Toyota Park
vs. Chicago Fire at 2:45pm on Sunday at Toyota Park


Good luck Juniors!

Juniors Products in College Soccer

Sporting Kansas City is starting a new feature to keep track of our Juniors products that are now college athletes! Player information will be updated throughout the 2011 NCAA/NAIA Men's Soccer season.

Below is the list of players, complete with background information on each former Sporting Kansas City Juniors player...

• Kyle Miller- Kyle is a redshirt senior at Rockhurst University where he is an Accounting/Finance major. He plays at the midfield position where he has made 53 starts for the team. He has recorded two goals and six assists. In 2010, he became a medical redshirt after playing in two matches.

• Peter O'Neill- Peter is a senior at Northwestern University where he is a Political Science major with a minor in Business Institutions. He plays at the midfield position. In 2008, he was a Big Ten All-Freshman Team selection. He appeared in 19 matches, starting six. In 2009 he appeared in 20 matches, starting four. He was selected to be an Academic All-Big Ten. In 2010 he appeared in 18 matches, starting 17. He ranked third on the team with four assists, was named to the all-tournament team at the NIU adidas/Magnuson Inn Invitational, and was once again Academic All-Big Ten.

• Jimmy Simon- Jimmy is a senior at the University of Missouri-Kansas City where he is a Pharmacy major. He plays the forward position. He started his career at Rutgers University where he appeared in eight games, with three starts as a freshman. He primarily played as a defender during his time at Rutgers. In 2009, for the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Jimmy appeared in 19 games, making 12 starts. He tied for second on the team with three assists. In the Summit League Conference, Jimmy tied for fourth with assists (3), and 10th in assists per game (.16). He was charged with one yellow card during the season. In 2010, he was a first-team All-Summit League selection. He led the team with seven goals. In the Summit League Conference he ranked second in scoring, and third in points (15). In addition, Jimmy earned Academic All-League and Commissioner's List of Academic Excellence.

• Christian Duke- Christian is currently a junior at the University of San Diego. He plays the the midfield position. In 2009, as a freshman, he appeared in 2 games for the Torreros. In 2010, as a sophomore, he played in 17 matches, making 15 starts. He was named All-WCC honorable mention.

• Laeth Hamil- Laeth is a junior at Baker University where he plays the defender position.

• Alex Sweetin- Alex is a junior at Saint Louis University. He plays the midfield position, and has not declared a major. In 2009, as a freshman, Alex was on the A-10 preseason All-Rookie Team, and was apart of CollegeSoccerNews.com's "100 Freshman To Keep an Eye On." After the season he was named Athletic 10 Conference Rookie of the Year. He was also named to TopDrawerSoccer.com's Rookie "Team of the Season." In 2010, as a sophomore, he was a preseason A-10 All-Conference pick. After the season he was named as a Second-team All-Atlantic 10 Conference selection. He tied for the team lead with eight points (2G, 4A). He was second on the team with his four assists.

• Patrick Foglio- Patrick is a freshman at William Jewell College. He plays the forward position. The William Jewell College Athletics' website states that the reason he attended William Jewell College was for the, "Great Biology program and soccer."

• Brandon Fricke- Brandon is a redshirt freshman at Butler University. He plays the defense position, and did not see action in the 2010 season because he redshirted.

• Taylor Vinnage- Taylor is a sophomore at Rockhurst University where he is a Business major. He plays as a goalkeeper. In his only appearance in 2010 he recorded a shutout against Indianapolis. He had four saves in Rockhurst's 2-0 victory.

• Tom Adams- Tom is a freshman at Oral Roberts University. He plays the forward position.

• Asher Herbet- Asher is a freshman at Long Island University where he is a Biology major. He plays the midfield position.

• Konnor Knoll- Konnor is a freshman at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He plays the defender position, and has yet to decide on a major.
  

• Marques Mayoras- Marques is a freshman at the Ohio State University. He plays the midfield position. Head Coach John Bluem said about Marques on Ohio State's athletic website that, "Marques is an intelligent player who excels at positional sense and keeping possession in the midfield. He is very talented and we look forward to getting him into the program."

• Eric Moore- Eric is a freshman at Rockhurst University where he plays the midfield position.

• Michael Oakley- Michael is a freshman at the University of Missouri-Kansas City where plays the defense position.

• Paul Oliver- Paul is a freshman at Oral Roberts University where he plays the midfield and defense positions.

• Jordan Rideout- Jordan is a freshman at the University of Missouri-Kansas City where he is majoring in Business. He plays the forward position.

• Will Witherspoon- Will is a freshman at Virginia Tech University where he plans on majoring in University Studies. He plays the forward position. So far in 2011, he has played in one match for the Hokies.

• Raymond Lee- Raymond is a freshman at Saint Louis University where he plays the midfield position. In St. Louis's season opener, Raymond scored the team's only goal in the 58th minute in a 2-1 loss to Northern Illinois.