As the RSL Academy teams prepare to compete in their 13th Generation Adidas Cup tournament, Head Coaches Andrew May and Jorden Allen have composed rosters with the best talent from within the entire Real Salt Lake organization, including members from Real Monarchs of MLS NEXT Pro and Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer.
RSL Academy’s newest head coach, Jordan Allen, a former RSL Academy standout and First-team player, will lead this year’s crop of U17s, a group that includes eight players with professional game experience.
Allen’s squad will be led by Homegrown midfielder Jude Wellings, who recently inked his first professional contract with Real Salt Lake. Wellings has become a mainstay in the U.S. Under-17 Men’s Youth National Team and was recently named the Player of the Tournament at the 2021 MLS NEXT Fest. This season with Real Monarchs, Wellings has appeared in both matches, recently starting in the 1-1 draw against Whitecaps 2.
Fellow RSL Homegrown Axel Kei will also be at Allen’s disposal. Kei also recently signed his first professional contract with Real Salt Lake after making history as the youngest to ever appear in a professional match with Real Monarchs, debuting last October at 13 years, 8 months and 9 days. This will be his first youth tournament since he helped lead the Claret-and-Cobalt to a championship at the 2021 MLS NEXT Cup, during which he was awarded the Golden Boot for scoring five goals in five as many games.
Prior to the tournament start, both Kei and Wellings were named to the Generation Adidas Cup Rising XI presented by Body Armor, recognizing the top 11 players to watch for at the tournament. The RSL Academy is one of only two clubs to have two players recognized on the list, with the other being New England Revolution.
Wellings and Kei will be joined by forward Terron Williams, who is currently signed to a professional contract in MLS NEXT Pro and has started both matches this season for Real Monarchs Head Coach Jamison Olave. Last weekend against Whitecaps 2, Williams nearly netted his first professional goal, but a terrific save pushed it wide of the net. In his last three games with the RSL Academy U17s, Williams has scored seven goals and added an assist.
Additionally, midfielder Izzy Amparo, defender Ethan Zamora, defender Marcus Vasquez and goalkeeper Blake Kelly have all earned professional debuts with Real Monarchs, with the latter four having earned places in the starting lineup as well.
At 16 years old, Kelly has made three saves in two matches for Real Monarchs, both of which came last season when the team was still part of USL Championship, the second tier of soccer in the United States, as opposed to the team’s current MLS NEXT Pro, now sanctioned as a third division league.
Finally, defender Gershon Henry, fresh off appearances against Argentina and Uruguay with the U.S. Under-17 Men’s Youth National Team will be one to watch from Allen’s team. Henry has been a mainstay on the backline for this squad, dating back to the team’s run to the 2021 MLS NEXT Cup Championship, and has since found himself on many a U.S. Youth National Team roster.
“It’s hard to say and pin point anyone because a lot of this group that’s going with the U17s, eight of them or so have been with the Monarchs over the last month just by that alone tells you that there is a good group and really people to look at all throughout the team. I think some of the headline names obviously Jude [Wellings] had a really good showcase event in December and signed a First Team contract, Axel Kei had a good summer last year at the MLS NEXT Cup, but then there are a ton of other players that are a little under the radar that are also in very good moments, players like Izzy Amparo, Marcus Vasquez, Abokye Bikyeombe and really the list goes on and on. I could go through the whole team and tell you that there are players you should be watching. It’s an exciting group to be a part of right now,” Allen said.
RSL Academy U17 Roster: Abokye Bikyeombe, Aldo Carmona, Angel Morales, Axel Kei, Blake Kelly, Braydan Morrell, David Navarro, David Noguera, Ethan Zamora, Evan Pickering, Gabriel Oksanen, Gershon Henry, Izzy Amparo, Jaden Jackson, Javier Zaragoza, Joon Han, Jude Wellings, Marcus Vazquez, Matthew Hagan, Terron Williams
At the U15 level, Head Coach Andrew May will have central defender Luis Rivera, who recently made his professional debut with Real Monarchs at just 14 years old and subsequently earned his first MLS NEXT Pro start in the 1-1 draw against Whitecaps 2.
Rivera recently earned his first call-up to the U.S. Under-15 Men’s Youth National Team. He is joined by midfielders Dominic Berrios and Carlos Castrejon and forwards Zavier Gozo and Max Lora, all of whom have recently been called to U.S. Under-15 Men’s Youth National Team rosters.
Castrejon, a dual national, has also recently received invites to Mexico Youth National Team camps, along with midfielder Armani Haro.
Between the pipes, May will have the option of Ty Rinker, who started the with season back-to-back shutouts, or shot-stopper Bryan Ramirez who has also seen time in goal for the U15s
“I’m super excited for these boys to have the opportunity to play against tough domestic and international competition. These are important games for their continued development,” May said. “It's all about growth development, and these types of games will test the players and take them out of their comfort zone. They will gain invaluable experiences that you can't replicate in training or in regular league games that will stay with them throughout their soccer careers. In Generation Adidas Cup, this is an opportunity for us a staff to evaluate our players at the highest level against the best competition out there. It is about developing to win, and we are going there to win and bring home another trophy to RSL.
RSL Academy U15 Roster: Alan Carmona, Anthony Ramirez, Armani Haro, Axel Uriostegui, Bryan Ramirez, Carlos Castrejon, Dominic Berrios, Dylan Garcia, Gilberto Garcia, Jack McAllister, Jacob Miranda, Jahmani Stapleton, Josue Reyes, Juan Landeros, Kevin Hernandez, Luca Moisa, Luis Rivera, Max Lora, Ty Rinker, Zavier Gozo
