J. Markey (U-20 MNT)

Receives another call to play with US MNT

(January 4, 2014) - It has been a strange year for Sounders Academy product Jalen Markey. Once considered a top prospect and a regular call-up to the United States U-18 team, Markey has fought injury and spent his first season at North Carolina as a red-shirt freshman. Apparently, he still managed enough promise to get the attention of Tab Ramos, as the 18-year-old was among 36 players called into the United States U-20 camp from Jan. 3-12.

Markey is currently listed as a defender, likely meaning Ramos sees him as a center back where he spent most of his time with the Sounders. He has also spent some time as a holding midfielder, though, and Sounders academy director Darren Sawatzky said that might be his better position.

Roster by Position:

GOALKEEPERS (4): Jeff Caldwell (N.C. Fusion; Todd, N.C.), Santiago Castano (New York Red Bulls; Union City, N.J.), Ethan Horvath (Molde FK; Highlands Ranch, Colo.), Zack Steffen (Maryland; Downington, Pa.)

DEFENDERS (10): Jordan Allen (Real Salt Lake; Rochester, N.Y.), Michael Amick (UCLA; Sunnyvale, Calif.), Sulaiman Dainkeh (Maryland; Reston, Va.), Conor Donovan (Capital Area RailHawks Academy; Fuquay Varina, N.C.), Trevor Haberkorn (Furman; Roanoke, Texas), Grant Lillard (Chicago Fire Academy; Hinsdale, Ill.), Jalen Markey (North Carolina; Renton, Wash.), Matthew Miazga (New York Red Bulls; Clifton, N.J.), Shaquell Moore (IMG Academy; Powder Springs, Ga.), John Requejo Jr. (Real So Cal; Carpinteria, Calif.

MIDFIELDERS (14): Corey Baird (Real Salt Lake AZ; Escondido, Calif.), Arun Basuljevic (New York Red Bulls; Mahopac, N.Y.), Marco Delgado (Chivas USA; Glendora, Calif.), Luis Felipe (Cruzeiro Esporte Clube; Ouro Branco, Minas Gerais), Ian Harkes (Wake Forest; Fairfax, Va.), Jacori Hayes (Wake Forest; Bowie, Md.), Brian Iloski (UCLA; Escondido, Calif.), Eric Lickert (SC Freiburg; Glotteral, Germany), Saalih Muhammad (Dinamo GNK), Adam Najem (Akron; Clifton, N.J.), Cristian Roldan (Washington; Pico Rivera, Calif.), Herbert Robinson (Club Santos Laguna; Monclova, Coahuila), Joel Sonora (Boca Juniors; Buenos Aires, Argentina), Omar Thompson (Unattached; Miami, Fla.)

FORWARDS (8): Andrew Brody (Louisville; Orlando, Fla.), Benji Lopez (Real Salt Lake; San Diego, Calif.), Ricardo Lopez-Espin (Shattuck-St Mary's; Miami, Fla.), Amando Moreno (NY Red Bulls; Morganville, N.J.), Alex Muyl (Georgetown; New York, N.Y.), Zach Pfeffer (Philadelphia Union; Dresher, Pa.), Rubio Rubin (Unattached; Beaverton, Ore.), Travis Wannemuehler (NC State; Evansville, Ind.)

(January 2, 2012) - The Sounders FC has gotten in the habit of adding players for their Academy to the list of contributors to the US National Teams youth pools.

On Monday, another name was added to the list as Jalen Markey received his first call to play with the U-18 National Team in their January training camp that runs from January 2-9 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

“That’s a testament to their hard work and the Sounders are very proud of them,” said Sounders FC director of youth development Darren Sawatzky.

Markey is an imposing center back who has helped the Sounders FC U-16s to a 10-2-2 record and has three goals on the young season. He caught the attention of US U-18 coach Richie Williams at the US Soccer Development Academy Winter Showcase in Ft. Lauderdale last month. He was named to all-star game, where he played right back and picked up an assist.

Simplicity is the name of the game for Markey, a junior at Seattle’s O’Dea High School.

“I like to keep the ball. I don’t like to hit it long and just clear it for no reason,” he said. “I like to play simple. I think that’s the best way to play.”

That ability to play with the ball at his feet will help the 16-year-old Markey rise through the ranks, according to Sawatzky.

“Jalen is a prototypical center back,” Sawatzky said. “He’s tall, he’s strong and he’s good in the air, but he also has really good feet. That will serve him well. At the national level, you have to be able to play out of that position.”

Markey will join his former O’Dea teammate Yedlin and Todd Beamer High School alum Okoli in Florida.

(December 3, 2011) - The U-17/18 Academy Select Teams scored on either side of half time to end an entertaining match in a 1-1 tie at the Premier Sports Campus. Blue took an early lead thanks to Paul Arriola of Arsenal FC, but Red equalized in the 61st minute from Benji Lopez of Real Salt Lake AZ and effectively shut down the Blue attack for the rest of the game.

The Red and Blue Select teams took to the Stadium Field to showcase their talent in front of the U.S. Under-18 Men’s National Team head coach Richie Williams and numerous other scouts and Development Academy Technical Advisors, while the U-17 Men’s National Team and the Nike International Friendlies were on an off day. Select Team players were chosen by the Development Academy scouting network, technical advisors and youth national team coaches, and all of the players on both rosters were given at least 45 minutes to impress.

Arriola gave Blue an early lead with an incisive finish in the 11th minute. Jordan Allen of Real Salt Lake AZ picked up the ball on the edge of the area before driving into the box and forcing a save from FC Delco’s Zachary Steffen. The ball was only half cleared, and Arriola pounced on the rebound to smash the ball home at the near post with his first touch.

Red’s equalizer came after halftime when both teams had introduced all of their reserves. Michael Amick of DeAnza Force was solid and dependable as one of Red’s centerbacks, regularly muscling the ball away from the Blue attackers, and the substitutions in Red’s midfield contributed to the game-tying goal.

Lopez, who came on at the half, proved the game-changer when he linked up with Jalen Markey of Seattle Sounders FC for the equalizer. Markey drove a pinpoint cross into the box in the 61st minute, and Lopez rose highest to power a header in a composed display of skill.

Red had five more shots after the team leveled the score, LA Galaxy’s Justin Dhillon firing two of his own while making countless runs down the left flank that troubled the Blue defense. Osvaldo Chavez of Texas Rush also recorded two shots before the final whistle, though neither severely tested FC Westchester goalkeeper Scott Levene.

-Development Academy Select Team Match Report-

Match: U-17/18 Development Academy Select Team Blue vs. Red
Date: Dec. 3, 2011
Competition: Development Academy Select Teams
Venue: Premier Sports Campus; Lakewood Ranch, Fla.
Kickoff: 5 p.m. ET
Attendance: 500
Weather: 72 degrees, cool

Scoring Summary:   1      2      F
BLUE                         1      0      1
RED                          0      1      1

BLUE – Paul Arriola                                11th minute        
RED– Benji Lopez (Jalen Markey)              61

Lineups:
BLUE: 18-Ethan Horvath (1-Scott Levene, 41); 14-Miguel Polley, 17-Christian De Luna (4-Suliaman Dainkeh, 41), 11-Matthew Habrowski, 5-Miguel Alves (13-Koty Millard, 41); 2-Kellyn Acosta, 9-Kevin De La Torre (15-Jason Romero, 41), 8-Brandon Aubrey (20-Adam Najem, 41); 10-Paul Arriola (12-Connor Maloney, 41), 19-Jamie Villarreal, 3-Jordan Allen (16-Ben Spencer, 41)
Substitutions not used: None
Head coach: Chris Brewer

RED: 18-Zachary Steffen (1-Jake McGuire, 41); 13-Jalen Markey, 10-Trevor Haberkorn, 7-Michael Amick, 3-Feliciano Charles; 5-Christian Cruz (2-Andrew Brody, 41), 19-William Raygoza (11-Romilio Hernandez, 41), 9-Nicholas Gaitan (4-Osvaldo Chavez, 41); 16-Justin Dhillon, 17-Nick Jones (12-Benji Lopez, 27),20-Alexander Muhl (8-Markie Delgado, 41)
Substitutions not used: None
Head coach: Brian Maissoneuve

Stats Summary: BLUE / RED
Shots: 9 / 12
Shots on Goal: 4 / 5
Saves: 3 / 4
Corner Kicks: 6 / 8
Fouls: 4 / 6
Offside: 1 / 7

Misconduct Summary:
None

Officials:
Referee: Yevgeniy Mednikov (Eastern New York)
Assistant Referee 1: Chris Gordon (Texas)
Assistant Referee 2: Jeremy Hanson (Washington)
Fourth Official: Danny Thornberry (North Carolina) 

ussoccer.com Man of the Match: Paul Arriola