US U17 men headed for Finland

CHICAGO (August 16, 2002) — The U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team will head to Finland this weekend to face Finland’s Under-17 Men’s National Team in three matches. The teams will play in Helsinki, Finland, on August 22, August 24 and August 26. U.S. head coach John Ellinger is using the trip to help his team get acclimated to Finland, where the 2003 FIFA Under-17 World Championship will be held from August 13-30.

“While we are getting three quality games against a very talented Finland team, we’re also using this as a learning experience for next year’s World Championship,” said U.S. head coach John Ellinger. “With a difficult qualifying campaign ahead of us, playing games on the road like this will help us reach our ultimate goal of getting back to Finland next August.”

The U.S. Under-17s have posted a 7-6-1 record in international matches this year. Most recently, the U.S. split a pair of games with Canada’s Under-17 squad, losing 1-0 on May 22 and then rebounding for a 2-1 win just three days later. The U.S. dominated play in both matches, allowing Canada only two shots in each game, while a busy Canada goalkeeper made five saves in each match.

Guillermo Gonzalez, John DiRaimondo and Corey Ashe have led the team offensively, combining for 15 goals in 14 international matches. One of just three players to play in all 30 matches this year (along with Ashe and Mike Harrington), Gonzalez has totaled 14 goals and seven assists in 2002.

Defensively, Jonathan Spector and co-captain Brandon Owens command a backline that boasts a goals-against-average of less than 1.00 in their last 15 matches. Quentin Westberg and Phil Marfuggi are expected to split time in goal during the trip.

The U.S. Under-17s will begin their travels to Finland from Raleigh, N.C., where the team is currently training. The Under-17s opened their time in North Carolina with a 1-1 draw against the Raleigh Elite (PDL) on August 12. Corey Ashe scored for the U.S., before a second-half Raleigh equalizer provided the final scoreline. The U.S. then topped an older CASL club team 4-1 on August 14, with goals from Harrington, Spector, Gonzalez and an CASL own goal. The Under-17s conclude their stay in North Carolina with a match against N.C. State on August 17 and then depart North Carolina the following day.

The U.S. Under-17s are the only country in the world to qualify for all nine Under-17 World Championships, but John Ellinger and his team will face one of their toughest tasks to advance to the 2003 championship. The Under-17s will travel to Guatemala in March 2003 to play in CONCACAF’s Group A qualifying tournament, where they will face the host nation, the winner from Central America Group A and the winner from the Caribbean playoff between the Group B and Group C champions.

U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team
August 18 – 27, 2002
Helsinki, Finland
No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Birthdate Hometown Club/School
1 Marfuggi, Phil GK 5’11” 165 01/15/86 West Windsor, N.J. PDA United/West Windsor HS
18 Westberg, Quentin GK 6’0” 165 04/25/86 Saint Cloud, France Institute National de Football
5 Owens, Brandon D 5’11” 160 01/23/86 Murrieta, Calif. La Jolla Nomads/Murrieta Valley HS
19 Helton, Kyle D 5’7” 155 05/20/86 Alpharetta, Ga. Atlanta Fire/Milton HS
6 Harrison, Drew D 5’’8” 160 02/17/86 Roanoke, Va. Roanoke Premier/Cave Spring HS
12 Oot, Brandon D 6’0” 165 04/18/86 Lafayette, N.Y. Blitz Samba Beat/Manlius Pebble Hill
3 Spector, Jonathan D 6’0” 165 03/01/86 Arlington, Heights, Ill. Sockers FC/St. Viator HS
2 Ogunsola, Tomiwa D/M 5’7” 145 03/18/86 Woodbridge, Va. Potomac Cougars/CD Hylton HS
17 Wileman, Chase D/M 5’6” 140 06/25/86 Dallas, Texas Solar FC/Grand Prairie HS
26 Germani, Chris D/M 5’6’ 140 07/10/86 Yardley, Pa. FC Delco/Pennsbury HS
16 Chevannes, Adrian M 5’11” 175 06/17/86 Ft. Worth, Texas Club Dallas/Fossil Ridge HS
7 Grazier, Brian M 5’11” 145 03/17/86 Edwardsville, Ill. Metro FC/Edwardsville HS
8 DiRaimondo, John M 5’6” 140 04/23/86 St Louis, Mo. Busch SC/St. Louis University HS
4 Gaven, Eddie M 6’0” 145 10/25/86 Hamilton, N.J. Hibernians FC/Steinert HS
10 Gonzalez, Guillermo M 5’11” 145 01/04/86 Paramount, Calif. Irvine Strikers/Materdei HS
24 Szetela, Daniel M 5’9” 160 06/17/87 Clifton, N.J. World Class Olympic/Clifton HS
15 Ashe, Corey F 5’5 135 03/14/86 Virginia Beach, Va. Beach FC Impact/Kellam HS
9 Harrington, Michael F 5’11 155 01/24/86 Greenville, N.C. CASL Elite/JH Rose HS
23 Peterson, Jacob F 5’1” 160 01/27/86 Portage, Mi. Michigan Wolves/Portage Northern

U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team August 18 – 27, 2002 Helsinki, Finland
No.	Name	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Birthdate	Hometown	Club/School
1	Marfuggi, Phil	GK	5’11”	165	01/15/86	West Windsor, N.J.	PDA United/West Windsor HS
18	Westberg, Quentin	GK	6’0”	165	04/25/86	Saint Cloud, France	Institute National de Football
5	Owens, Brandon	D	5’11”	160	01/23/86	Murrieta, Calif.	La Jolla Nomads/Murrieta Valley HS
19	Helton, Kyle	D	5’7”	155	05/20/86	Alpharetta, Ga.	Atlanta Fire/Milton HS
6	Harrison, Drew	D	5’’8”	160	02/17/86	Roanoke, Va.	Roanoke Premier/Cave Spring HS
12	Oot, Brandon	D	6’0”	165	04/18/86	Lafayette, N.Y.	Blitz Samba Beat/Manlius Pebble Hill
3	Spector, Jonathan	D	6’0”	165	03/01/86	Arlington, Heights, Ill.	Sockers FC/St. Viator HS
2	Ogunsola, Tomiwa	D/M	5’7”	145	03/18/86	Woodbridge, Va.	Potomac Cougars/CD Hylton HS
17	Wileman, Chase	D/M	5’6”	140	06/25/86	Dallas, Texas	Solar FC/Grand Prairie HS
26	Germani, Chris	D/M	5’6’	140	07/10/86	Yardley, Pa.	FC Delco/Pennsbury HS
16	Chevannes, Adrian	M	5’11”	175	06/17/86	Ft. Worth, Texas	Club Dallas/Fossil Ridge HS
7	Grazier, Brian	M	5’11”	145	03/17/86	Edwardsville, Ill.	Metro FC/Edwardsville HS
8	DiRaimondo, John	M	5’6”	140	04/23/86	St Louis, Mo.	Busch SC/St. Louis University HS
4	Gaven, Eddie	M	6’0”	145	10/25/86	Hamilton, N.J.	Hibernians FC/Steinert HS
10	Gonzalez, Guillermo	M	5’11”	145	01/04/86	Paramount, Calif.	Irvine Strikers/Materdei HS
24	Szetela, Daniel	M	5’9”	160	06/17/87	Clifton, N.J.	World Class Olympic/Clifton HS
15	Ashe, Corey	F	5’5	135	03/14/86	Virginia Beach, Va.	Beach FC Impact/Kellam HS
9	Harrington, Michael	F	5’11	155	01/24/86	Greenville, N.C.	CASL Elite/JH Rose HS
23	Peterson, Jacob	F	5’1”	160	01/27/86	Portage, Mi.	Michigan Wolves/Portage Northern

U.S. Under-17 National Team Staff 
Head Coach: John Ellinger (Bradenton, Fla.) 
Assistant/Goalkeeper Coach: Peter Mellor (Longboat Key, Fla.) 
Assistant Coach: John Hackworth (Bradenton, Fla.) 
Manager: Erik Liekoski (Chicago) 
Doctor: Mark Silbey (Walpole, N.H.) 
Trainer: Jacob Joachim (Sarasota, Fla.) 
Team Coordinator/Equipment: RJ Noto (Bradenton, Fla.)

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