LAFC sends two teams to inaugural Finals Week

• by Soccer America , Jul 8, 2008

[CLUB PROFILE] The first U.S. Soccer Development Academy Finals Week kicks of this weekend at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. Hometown LAFC is one of only two teams (along with CASL) to sweep conference titles in the U-17/18 and U-15/16 divisions.

Both LAFC teams clinched the So Cal Conference championships and spots at Finals Week during the Summer Showcase in Greensboro, N.C.

LAFC, a Coast Soccer League powerhouse, won the U-17 title at the 2007 Super Y-League North American finals and had two runners-up at the 2006 finals. It ranked among Soccer's Best Boys Clubs in its 2008 rankings.

Kevin Mejia and Matthew Tellez have been standouts for LAFC's U-17/18 team, its upper division academy team. Carlos Alvarez was named MVP of the U-17 Super Y-League North American Final.

The U-15/16 team is coached by Rafa Moran, the director of coaching for its boys program.

His girls counterpart is former MLS defender Teddy Chronopoulos. Also on the coaching staff is another former MLS standout, Dan Calichman.

Click here to hear Chronopoulos and Calichman and other LAFC staffers talk about the club's goals.

LAFC U-17/18:
25-Christian Alvisar
20-Michael Dominguez
23-Carlos Alvarez
12-Kevin Mejia
8-Daniel Frank
7-Cesar Barajas
6-Kevin Orozco
4-Joe Franco
3-Patrick Chin
2-Robert Reiss
1-Giovanni Casteneda
14-Francisco Cantero
13-Gabe Ramirez
0-Nicholas Hernandez
9-Richard Menjivar
21-Cameron Meeker
11-Christopher De La Cruz
10-Matthew Tellez

LAFC U-15/16:
18-Shawn Torres
15-Jorge Serrano
13-Daniel Price
11-Brady Valashinas
7-Juan Sebastian De Rada
9-Andrew Peebles
0-Eric Shannon
5-Anthony Jimenez
26-Robert Friese
23-Antonio Benitez
19-Brian Green
17-Luke Kurzon
21-Bryce Gumpel
14-Michael Gates
10-Suren Shaginian
4-Christopher De La Cruz
1-Keith Becker
20-Sun Hyuk Hwang