HERRIMAN, Utah (Friday, August 19, 2022) – The Real Salt Lake Academy has announced this year’s U-17 squad, a combination of the 2021 MLS NEXT Cup champions and the 2022 MLS NEXT Cup runners up with the addition of several national team level talents.
We are excited to see where this group will develop over the coming season. This group had shown a championship level mentality. We believe our new additions will elevate this team as we look to develop these players into professionals.
This year’s team has five newcomers to the RSL Academy, including winger Tyee Allen, goalkeeper Christian De Lapp, forward Brice Miller and defender Cayne Madhlangove.
Allen comes to Utah from the Las Vegas Sports Academy where current RSL forward Danny Musovski hails from. De Lapp is this year’s lone goalkeeper addition, coming all the way from Louisiana where he was the club’s starter in between the pipes, earning himself a spot in the MLS NEXT Best of U-17s game.
Meanwhile, Miller and Madhlangove join RSL as transfers from FC Dallas, both of whom played against Real Salt Lake in the opening game of the 2022 Generation Adidas Cup.
Head Coach Andrew May’s squad will also feature a group of returners from his 2021 championship winning side, led my MLS NEXT All-Star defender Gershon Henry, midfielders Izahi “Izzy” Amparo and Abokye Bikyeombe, and goalkeeper Blake Kelly, all four of whom have already made their professional debuts with the Real Monarchs in MLS NEXT Pro.
Brayden Morrell, Angel Morales, David Noguera and Jaden Jackson also return for their third season in Claret-and-Cobalt. Meanwhile, Finland Youth International Gabriel Oksanen rejoins for his first full year in Utah, after joining the club as a mid-year transfer from Philadelphia Union in January.
The largest contingency of the squad comes from the 2022 MLS NEXT Cup runners up. Defender Luis Rivera leads the group, having already made his debut with Real Monarchs. Additionally, 2022 MLS NEXT Cup golden boot winner, Zavier Gozo, comes back for round two. They are joined by Dominic Berrios, Carlos Castrejon, Gilberto Garcia, Dylan Garcia, Jacob Miranda, Max Lora, Josiah Martinez, Tony Ramirez, Josue Reyes, Jah’mani Stapleton and Jack Macallister.
The team is set to compete in the Orlegi Cup where they will face Atlas FC and Santos Laguna of Liga MX, as well as Phoenix Rising from the USL Championship. Khodadad Panahi from the U-15 team will join the U-17 team for the tournament, as well as Real Salt Lake Homegrown Jude Wellings.
The RSL Academy will face Phoenix Rising on Saturday, August 20th at 11:00 a.m. MT. Then later that same day they will face Santos Laguna at 2:30 p.m. MT. Finally, on Sunday, August 21 the Claret-and-Cobalt will take on Atlas FC at 11:45 a.m. MT.
