Academy Roundup - April 30-May 1

The Houston Dynamo U-16s (6-5-0) remained in the hunt for a playoff berth after defeating Classics Elite 3-1 on Saturday and Lonestar SC 3-0 on Sunday to move into a tie for third place in the USSF Development Academy Texas Division. With a 1.76 points per game average, the Dynamo U-16s are also in position to grab one of the wildcard positions if they cannot qualify as one of the division's top two teams. The U-18s (2-6-3) were not as fortunate over the weekend, falling to Classics Elite 1-0 on Saturday and to Lonestar SC 2-1 on Sunday. For the first time, the Academy squads played on the artificial turf field at the Houston Amateur Sports Park.

The Dynamo U-18s were unlucky not to come away with a positive result on Saturday after controlling much of the action from the first whistle. Classics Elite's only dangerous opportunity came in the 52nd, when Dynamo goalkeeper Pedro Gutierrez Mora punched away a shot, but punched it off a Classics player and back into the Dynamo net. In the second match of the day, the Dynamo U-16s received goals from Alan Arellano, Bryan Salazar, and Manuel Chavez to come back from an early 1-0 deficit against Classics.

On Sunday, the Dynamo U-18s got off to a fast start thanks to a 15th-minute goal by Christian Gonzalez. After a Dynamo corner kick was cleared out of the penalty box, Gonzalez ran onto the bouncing ball and fired a rocket past the defense and goalkeeper into the left side of the net. The goal was Gonzalez's first in league play for the Dynamo Academy. Houston hit the post twice in the first half but could not add to its lead. In the second half, Dynamo forward Chance Bergen picked up two yellow cards, forcing the squad to play with 10 men for the last 20 minutes of the match. Lonestar took advantage of the extra man, evening the match in the 81st minute on a goal by Khiry Shelton. Although the U-18s looked primed to come away with a positive result, a last-second foul call in the box led to a converted penalty kick and a 2-1 win for first-place Lonestar.

MORE: Highlights from U-18s' 2-1 loss to Lonestar

The U-16s continued their good run of form, scoring early and often against their counterparts from Lonestar SC. Alan Arellano scored for the third straight game, this time off a shot from 25 yards out in the 10th minute. The Dynamo continued to pressure the Lonestar backline and doubled their lead in the 37th minute when Raymundo Marquez beat two defenders and fired the ball past the opposing goalkeeper. Houston put the game out of reach in the 53rd minute when Manuel Chavez headed home a Branco Ramirez cross to extend the Dynamo lead to 3-0.

MORE: Highlights from the U-16s' 3-0 win on Sunday

This weekend, the Academy will host Andromeda on Saturday and FC Dallas on Sunday. The U-18s kick off at 2 p.m. on Saturday with the U-16s to follow at 4:30 p.m. On Sunday, the U-18s will kick off at 2:30 p.m. with the U-16s to follow at 5 p.m. All games take place on the artificial turf field at the Houston Amateur Sports Park.

U-18: Houston Dynamo Academy 0, Classics Elite 1
April 30, 2011 -- Houston Amateur Sports Park, Houston, TX
USSF Development Academy League -- Texas Division

Scoring Summary:
CLA – Walker Hume 52

Houston Dynamo Academy -- Pedro Gutierrez Mora, Jose Christian Gonzalez, Brandon Martin (Alan Hernandez 57), Erick Tello, Leo Ayala (Juan Lopez 78), Isaiah Noreiga (Mario Diaz 57), Bryan Celis, Miguel Zapata, Abe Matamoros (Josue Morales 67), Chance Bergen, Diego Velazquez (Irvinn Ramirez 45).

All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial

U-16: Houston Dynamo Academy 3, Classics Elite 1
April 30, 2011 -- Houston Amateur Sports Park, Houston, TX
USSF Development Academy League -- Texas Division

Scoring Summary:
CLA -- Andrew Lopez 27
HOU -- Alan Arellano 37
HOU -- Bryan Salazar 47
HOU -- Manuel Chavez 60

Houston Dynamo Academy -- Juan Navarrete, Alex Ochoa (Salomon de lima Velez 70), Bradley Bourgeois, Luis Mendoza, Matt Alarcon (Nelson Castro 75), James Fallon (Bryan Salazar 45), Jorge Andrade (Raffi Gregorian), Raymundo Marquez (Branco Ramirez 59), Alan Arellano (Christian Diaz 53), Christian Manisck, Manuel Chavez (Lorenzo Salazar 69).

All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial

U-18: Houston Dynamo Academy 1, Lonestar SC 2
May 1, 2011 -- Houston Amateur Sports Park, Houston, TX
USSF Development Academy League -- Texas Division

Scoring Summary:
HOU -- Christian Gonzalez 15
LSC -- Khiry Shelton 57
LSC -- Domonik Small 89

Houston Dynamo Academy -- Pedro Gutierrez Mora, Jose Christian Gonzalez (Brandon Martin 46), Alan Hernandez, Erick Tello, Leo Ayala, Abe Matamoros, Bryan Celis (Juan Lopez 78), Miguel Zapata, Josue Morales (Adrian Mendoza 89), Isaiah Noreiga (Diego Velazquez 75), Chance Bergen.