Five members of the Swope Park Rangers are gearing up to represent the Sporting Kansas City Academy at the 2015-16 U.S. Soccer Development Academy Playoffs, held this week in Frisco, Texas. The Sporting KC Under-18 and Under-16 teams have been drawn in groups along with three other teams, facing each team in their group once with the winner of the group advancing to the Knockout Round.
Nansel Selbol, Ezra Armstrong, Will Little and Steven Tekesky will all be a part of the Under-18 team that has been drawn in Group H alongside the Capital Area RailHawks, BW Gottschee Academy and fellow MLS Academy the San Jose Earthquakes. The U-18s will face off against the Capital Area RailHawks at 7:30 p.m. tonight.
Jaylin Lindsey will link up with the Under-16 team in Texas, who were drawn in Group G and will face Georgia United, the LA Galaxy and the New England Revolution. The U-16s will open up their group play at 5 p.m. today when they take on the LA Galaxy.
UNDER-18s
The Sporting KC U-18s earned a playoff berth after finishing fifth in the Wildcard Pool following a 14-8-4 regular-season record. BW Gottschee Academy are the highest ranked team in the nation for the Under-18 age group, having gone 24-1-1 in the regular season, while the Capital Area RailHawks placed ninth with a 23-7-3 finish in the 2015-16 Development Academy season. The San Jose Earthquakes (16-11-5) claimed the ninth spot of 11 available in the Wildcard Pool.
Forward Selbol has appeared in all 13 games this season for SPR, scoring once – the game-winner against Tulsa on April 2 – and adding his first assist last weekend against OKC Energy FC. Prior to signing for the Rangers, Selbol had 10 goals in nine games for Sporting KC’s U-18s, having joined the Academy at the start of the 2015-16 season.
Armstrong, a left back, has made one appearance for the Rangers this season and 15 for the U-18s. Midfielder Little has played in four games with SPR in 2016, while he has eight goals in 19 appearances for the U-18s in the regular season. In goal, Tekesky started 24 games for the U-18s, posting a 1.33 goals against average and 10 shutouts.
Under-18s Schedule
All games played at the Toyota Soccer Center in Frisco, Texas.
- June 22, 7:30 p.m. – vs. Capital Area RailHawks
- June 24, 7:30 p.m. – vs. BW Gottschee Academy
- June 26, 7:30 p.m. – vs. San Jose Earthquakes
UNDER-16s
Sporting Kansas City’s U-16s qualified for the Development Academy Playoffs after going 12-9-5 in the regular season and clinching the 21st spot. They will face a Georgia United side that finished 19th in the nation with a 18-12-3 record, along with MLS Academy sides the LA Galaxy – seventh in the nation, 24-9-3 record – and the New England Revolution – 15th in the nation, 13-5-8 record.
Defender Lindsey became the first American player born in the 2000s to make his professional debut when he appeared in the Rangers’ game with Saint Louis FC on May 7. The 16-year-old has split time between the U-18s and U-16s this season, making 16 starts between the two sides.
Lindsey has also represented the U.S. at Under-14, Under-15 and Under-17 levels, with his most recent international experience coming with the U.S. U-17s at the AIFF Youth Cup held in India from May 11-26.
Under-16s Schedule
All games played at the Toyota Soccer Center in Frisco, Texas.
- June 22, 5 p.m. – vs. LA Galaxy
- June 24, 5 p.m. – vs. New England Revolution (live on YouTube.com/ussoccer)
- June 26, 5 p.m. – vs. Georgia United
