Like the first team, it was a tough weekend for Dynamo Academy teams in USSF Development Academy league play. Both the U-16 and U-18 squads went 0-2 over the weekend, losing to Solar SC on Saturday and the Dallas Texans on Sunday.
The U-16s were unable to build on momentum from winning their Dallas Cup age bracket, falling 2-0 on both days. The Dynamo used a young team - 13 of the 18 players in Saturday's game were born in 1994 or 1995, which means they will still be eligible for U-16 play next year, in stark contrast to some of their opponents' players, who have already turned 17.
The age difference was clear on Sunday for the U-16s, as the bigger and faster Dallas Texans squad forced the Dynamo on their heels for much of the game. An early goal by Caleb Richardson put Houston in a hole they could not climb from. Twenty minutes later, Jacob VanCompernolle scored after a miscommunication in the 18-yard box left him free with the ball behind goalie Philip Blake.
Although the U-16s were able to hold the Dallas offense in the second half, Houston was unable to muster offense of their own and proved to be little trouble for the Texans' backline.
The U-18s also fielded a young team in their loss on Sunday, including seven 1993 birthdays. After a strong fall season, the U-18s have struggled in 2010 after losing call-ups Francisco Navas Cobo (first team), Bryan Celis (U-17 national team) and missing Abe Matamoros, Eloy Gonzalez Litan, Sebastian Karpen, Robert Kelley, and Conner Mowery due to injury or illness on Sunday. To make matters worse, forward Martin Castillo was ejected in Saturday's 2-1 loss to Solar and missed Sunday's game, while goalkeeper Pat Wall did not play after returning from the high school state tournament.
On Sunday, the Dynamo were harshly reduced to 10 men less than 90 seconds into the game when defender Leo Ayala was shown a straight red card for a tackle outside of the penalty area. Houston remained committed to the attack, fielding a formation that was part 3-3-3 and part 3-5-1, but went behind in the ninth minute on a back-post tap-in by Zachery Barnes. Goalkeeper Graham Wheeler (Katy Taylor) made big stops in the 32nd minute, on a close-range header, and in first-half stoppage time on a point-blank chance. The Dynamo narrowly missed scoring on a shot that hit the crossbar from Martin Fiemawhle (Alief Hastings) in the 16th minute and a turnaround shot that hit the post from C.J. Odenigwe (Fort Bend Travis) in the 38th minute.
After having good possesion in the first half, the Dynamo tired in the second half and struggled to create chances, especially playing against the wind, eventually falling 1-0. Odenigwe and midfielders Sebastien Ibeagha (Fort Bend Hightower) and Josue Morales (Houston Chavez) all turned in strong performances; Morales had scored the only Dynamo goal of the weekend in Saturday's loss.
At the UIL state tournament in Georgetown, Strake Jesuit knocked off The Woodlands in the 5A semifinals on Thursday. In Saturday's final, Strake played fellow unbeaten private Dallas Jesuit to a 0-0 tie but lost in a shootout, despite the Dynamo Academy's Pat Wall switching from defender to goalkeeper for the shootout. In 4A play, Kingwood Park reached the state final in just its third year as a varsity program, beating El Paso 5-2 on Friday. Dynamo Academy forward Isaiah Noreiga netted one of the goals. Like Strake, the Panthers played to a tie in the state final, 2-2, but lost to Frisco Wakeland in a shootout.
Dynamo Academy teams, presented by Statoil, return to action next Sunday against Dallas Texans Houston, with the U-16s playing at 9 a.m. and the U-18s at 11 a.m., both at Meyer Park in Spring.
U-16: Houston Dynamo Academy vs. Solar SC
April 10, 2010 -- Baytown Park, Houston
USSF Development Academy -- Texas Division
Scoring Summary:
Solar -- Goal
Solar -- Goal
Dynamo Academy -- Juan Navarrete, Orlin Ramirez (Jim Fallon 75), Bradley Bourgeois (Isaiah Nji 77), Luis Mendoza, Hector Ramirez (Juan Lopez 15), Christian Diaz (Michael Diaz 50), Erick Sanchez (Gabriel Moreno 55), Raymundo Marquez (Manuel Mendoza 70), Jordan Davis, Manuel Chavez, Bryan Salazar (Juan Carlos Salmeron 70).
All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial
U-16: Houston Dynamo Academy vs. Dallas Texas
April 11, 2010 --
San Jacinto College South, Houston
USSF Development Academy -- Texas Division
Scoring
Summary:
DT -- Caleb Richardson (Petolick) 9
DT -- Jacob VanCompernolle (unassisted) 27
Dynamo Academy -- Philip Blake, Orlin Ramirez (Jim Fallon 67), Bradley Bourgeois, Luis Mendoza, Michael Diaz, Christian Diaz (Erick Sanchez 50), Raymundo Marquez (Juan Carlos Salmeron 54), Christian Manisck, Gabriel Moreno (Jordan Davis 49), Manuel Chavez, Manuel Mendoza (Bryan Salazar 41).
All statistics contained in this
boxscore are unofficial
U-18: Houston Dynamo Academy vs. Dallas Texans
April 11, 2010 -- San Jacinto College South, Houston
USSF Development Academy -- Texas Division
Scoring Summary:
DT -- Zachery Barnes (Chris Sendejas) 9
Dynamo Academy -- Graham Wheeler, Miguel Zapata, C.J. Odenigwe, Leo Ayala, Benji Saenz, Irvinn Ramirez, Sebastien Ibeagha, Josue Morales (Carlos Lessa 71), Martin Fiemawhle (Stephen Salinas 79), Mark Donohue (Ricardo Balmaceda 79), Ubaldo Lucio (Adrian Mendoza 46).
All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial
