U.S. Soccer invited 64 elite players from across the country to participate in the National Combine, designed to build the U-18 Men's National Team pool.
Two current Earthquakes academy players were in the mix, including goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski from Alamo, Calif. and forward Amir Bashti from Cupertino, Calif. Marcinkowski, the Quakes U-16 Academy keeper, recently competed with the squad abroad in the Caspian Cup. Bashti, a midfielder also on the Quakes' U-16 Academy team, has been ranked nationally by Topdrawersoccer.com and led the team to the playoffs earlier this Summer.
The two will travel to Portland for this year's National Combine at Nike's World Headquarters. This five day camp, running from Aug. 9-13, brings the country's elite 15 to 17 year old players together. The combine is an opportunity for the nation's top palyers to be evaluated by National Team staff and scouts from across the country.
Full roster:
West Region (6):
No previous combine:
GOALKEEPERS (1): Avery Miller (Crossfire; Selah, Wash.)
DEFENDERS (2): Justen Glad (Real Salt Lake AZ; Tucson, Ariz.), Quentin Pearson (Colorado Rapids; Longmont, Colo.)
MIDFIELDERS (1): Joshua Doughty (Real Salt Lake AZ; Phoenix, Ariz.)
FORWARDS (2): Brooks Lennon (Real Salt Lake AZ; Phoenix, Ariz.), Sebastian Saucedo (Real Salt Lake AZ; Park City, Utah)
Northern California Region (6):
San Francisco Combine participants:
GOALKEEPERS (1): JT Marcinkowski (San Jose Earthquakes; Alamo, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (2): David Chavez (De Anza Force; Redwood City, Calif.), Luis Urias (SCC Breakers; Calif.)
MIDFIELDERS (1): DJ Villegas (Davis Legacy; Sacramento, Calif.)
FORWARDS (1): Amir Bashti (San Jose Earthquakes; Cupertino, Calif.)
No previous combine:
DEFENDERS (1): Sam Junqua (De Anza Force; Saratoga, Calif.)
Southern California Region (10):
Los Angeles Combine participants:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Justin Vom Steeg (Real So Cal; Santa Barbara, Calif.), Dakota Havlick (Irvine Strikers; Murrieta, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (3): Felipe Liborio (Strikers FC; Chula Vista, Calif.), Alex Ramos (LA Galaxy; Reseda, Calif.), Juan Reyna (LA Galaxy; San Marcos, Calif.)
MIDFIELDERS (1): Joab Santoyo (Arsenal; Fontana, Calif.)
No previous combine:
DEFENDERS (2): Malcolm Jones (Chivas USA; Chino Hills, Calif.), Pablo Pelaez (San Diego Surf; San Diego, Calif.)
MIDFIELDERS (1): Amirgy Pineda (Fullerton Rangers; Santa Ana, Calif.)
FORWARDS (1): Alejandro Vergara (Chivas USA; Long Beach, Calif.)
Southeast Region (6):
Chicago Combine participant:
MIDFIELDERS (1): Abuchi Obinwa (Chicago Magic PSG; Gotha, Fla.)
No previous combine:
GOALKEEPERS (1): Marius Heislitz (Georgia United (Cumming, Ga.)
MIDFIELDERS (1): Tommy Redding (FC America; Ovieda, Fla.)
FORWARDS (3): Sebastian Elney (Boca United; Lake Worth, Fla.), DeAndre Robinson (Concorde Fire; Miramar, Fla.), Dembakwi Yomba (Concorde Fire; Lithonia, Ga.)
Midwest Region (13):
Chicago Combine participants:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Carter Richardson (Crew Soccer Academy; Dublin, Ohio), Parker Siegfried (Crew Soccer Academy; Granville, Ohio)
DEFENDERS (2): Shannon Seymour (Chicago Fire; Bourbonnais, Ill.), Mauricio Pineda (Chicago Fire; Bolingbrook, Ill.)
MIDFIELDERS (4): Cameron Lindley (Indiana Fire; Carmel, Ind.), Collin Fernandez (Chicago Fire; Downers Grove, Ill.), Kosti Moni (Crew Soccer Academy Wolves; Grand Rapids, Mich.), Brad Dunwell (Vardar; Grand Rapids, Mich.)
No previous combine:
DEFENDERS (1): Peter Schropp (Omaha FC; Omaha, Neb.)
MIDFIELDERS (1): Ben Swanson (Crew Soccer Academy; Grove City, Ohio)
FORWARDS (3): Mukwelle Akale (Minnesota Thunder; Minneapolis, Minn.), Andrija Novakovich (Chicago Magic PSG; Muskego, Wis.), Mark Segbers (St. Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri; St. Louis, Mo.)
Northeast Region (10):
Philadelphia Combine participant:
DEFENDERS (1): Brian White (PDA; Flemington, N.J.)
N.Y./N.J. Combine participants:
DEFENDERS (3): Brandon Tetro (New York Red Bulls; Freehold, N.J.), Henry Martin (New York Red Bulls (New York, N.Y.), David Manzinares (Albertson SC; Hempstead, N.Y.)
No previous combine:
GOALKEEPERS (1): Austin Aviza (New England Revolution; Medway, Mass.)
DEFENDERS (1): Miles Robinson (FC Bolts Celtic; Arlington, Mass.)
MIDFIELDERS (1): Declan McCabe (New England Revolution; Weston, Mass.)
FORWARDS (3): Matt Vasquenza (Oakwood SC; East Hampton, Conn.), Brendan Constantine (Oakwood SC; Glastonbury, Conn.), Mohamed Kenawy (FC Bolts Celtic; Boston, Mass.)
Mid-Atlantic Region (6)
Philadelphia Combine participant:
DEFENDERS (1): Chris Gomez (PDA; Jamison, Pa.)
Washington, D.C., Combine participants:
MIDFIELDERS (1): Connor Smith (Baltimore Bays Chelsea; Baltimore, Md.)
FORWARDS (2): Jeremy Ebobisse (Bethesda Olney; Bethesda, Md.), Umar Bangura (Baltimore Bays Chelsea; Sykesville, Md.)
No previous combine:
DEFENDERS (1): Chase Gaspar (D.C. United; Alexandria, Va.)
FORWARDS (1): Coy Craft (FC Dallas; Glade Springs, Va.)
Texas Region (7):
Dallas Combine participants:
DEFENDERS (1): Wilfred Williams (FC Dallas; Frisco, Texas)
MIDFIELDERS (1): Martin Salas (FC Dallas; Dallas, Texas)
FORWARDS (1): Christian Ramirez (FC Dallas; Farmer’s Branch, Texas)
No previous combine:
DEFENDERS (3): Alex Radilla (FC Dallas; El Paso, Texas), Jordan Cano (FC Dallas; Frisco, Texas), Sergio Ruvalcaba (Alianza Houston; Austin, Texas)
FORWARDS (1): Christian Lucatero (Houston Dynamo; Pasadena, Texas)
