Horton replaces idol in debut

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Jun 14, 2011

[HOMEGROWN WATCH] Only a month after signing with the Columbus Crew as a homegrown player from the University of Louisville, Aaron Horton made his MLS debut, coming on for veteran Jeff Cunningham, his idol as a youth, in the last minute of the Crew's 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake.

"I forgot that Jeff was his favorite player, to be honest with you," said Crew coach Robert Warzycha after the game. "It's good for Aaron to get his feet wet a little bit and get a taste for what MLS is about, what the game at home is about. He got some big cheers from the fans, and then obviously we won the game so that is not only good for him but also good for us."

Horton was the only attacking option left on the Crew on Sunday, but Warzycha didn't put him in Crew's 1-0 loss to Chicago, saying he didn't want to throw in the youngster if the team was playing poorly.

NAJAR NOTCHES FIRST GOAL. Andy Najar, who tied for the D.C. United lead with five goals as a rookie in 2010, scored his first goal of the 2011 season in its 4-2 loss to San Jose.

HENRY GETS FIRST START. Doneil Henry, the first graduate of Toronto FC’s academy program, made his first career MLS start in TFC's 2-2 tie Saturday at home with the Los Angeles Galaxy.

2011 HOMEGROWN PLAYERS
GP-G PLAYER TEAM
11-1 Andy Najar (D.C. United)
11-0 Nizar Khalfan (Vancouver)
10-2 Juan Agudelo (New York)
10-0 Ruben Luna (FC Dallas)
10-0 Bill Hamid (D.C. United)
9-0 Ethan White (D.C. United)
8-0 Russell Teibert (Vancouver)
3-0 Alex Dixon (Houston)
2-1 Doneil Henry (Toronto FC)
2-0 Matt Kassel (New York)
2-0 Oscar Cordon (Toronto FC)
1-0 Tristan Bowen (Chivas USA)
1-0 Keith Makubuya (Toronto FC)
1-0 Ashtone Morgan (Toronto FC)
1-0 Aaron Horton (Columbus)