ESPN

In his more than eight years as an assistant coach for FC Dallas Marco Ferruzzi has held various responsibilities under four different head coaches. The San Antonio native even had a short stint as FCD’s interim head coach before current coach Schellas Hyndman was hired in June 2008.

But this season, Ferruzzi has added another responsibility as the new coach of the Dallas reserves. And through their first four games, the FCD reserves are 3-1-0 with nine points, tying them with Houston for the top spot in the Central/Mountain Division of the MLS Reserve League.

Bryan Levya and Jonathan Top each have two goals thus far for the reserves while FCD academy player Michael Ambrose, who is heading to the University of Maryland, currently leads the club with two assists.

In short, the man coaching this group couldn’t be happier.

“Well, it’s been good. The approach from the group has been very positive and committed. I think the one thing we started off with in speaking to the group is that this is an opportunity for you guys to get prepared to play first-team minutes but you have handle these games as important as the first-team games in terms of wanting to play well in terms of wanting to win those games because the results are important,” Ferruzzi said.

And the longtime FCD assistant feels that making sure his players have that same mentality is one of his biggest responsibilities with this young group.

“It’s all the same mentality that you have playing in the first team. If you sit there and you take it as an exercise or you take it as an individual and you separate it from the bigger picture, you’re not going to get the most out of it. So, they’ve taken it the right way,” Ferruzzi said.

So far, the only blemish on the FCD reserves this season is a loss to Houston, who they currently share the division lead with.

“They’ve gotten good results. I think they matched up against Houston, which on paper a good team, and they ended up getting a good result against us but I think we competed against them. It’s given those boys a chance every single week to be in Schellas’ 18 and some of them have already been in the 11,” Ferruzzi said.

Of course, this isn’t the first incarnation of the MLS Reserve League. But this Frisco fixture admits it’s nice to not have to basically pull guest players off the street as was often the case in the earlier incarnation of this league.

“It’s been enjoyable. From the first couple go arounds where we were scrapping for players because of injuries, schedule congestion and the timing of everything, I like the fact that we’re bringing in academy guys. Everybody that’s coming in is an FC Dallas part of the organization and I think it’s benefitting them,” Ferruzzi said. “They’re going to go away to school. They’re going to be that much more confident, that much more able and with that whole idea of being connected to us and coming back. There’s that whole continuity with us, which I like. So I think it’s got a lot of legs.”

Five FC Dallas Academy players signed letters of intent to play collegiate soccer on National Signing Day Wednesday. Danny Garcia, Michael Ambrose, Mark Ashby, Nicholas Rochowski, and Aaron Guillen all committed to college programs.

Danny Garcia joins former FCD Academy teammate Boyd Okwuonu at the University of North Carolina where he will help the Tar Heels defend their 2011 National Championship. Meanwhile, Michael Ambrose, who wears the captain’s armband for the Academy U-18s, has committed to the University of Maryland. Mark Ashby will take his skills on the field and in the classroom to Harvard. The Denton native scored 2140 and 30 on his SAT and ACT, respectively, and is a member of the National Honor Society.

Ranked among the top defenders by ESPNHS, Nicholas Rochowski has committed to the University of New Mexico, while fellow defender Aaron Guillen will join Florida Gulf Coast University.

Michael Ambrose, defender – University of Maryland

Ambrose has been a part of the FC Dallas Academy program since 2009. He was one of eight MLS developmental players invited to play with U.S. U-18s in Northern Ireland’s Milk Cup last summer and serves as captain of the FCD U-18 Academy squad.

Mark Ashby, defender – Harvard University

Ashby has been a part of the FC Dallas Academy program since 2009. He currently attends Denton Ryan High School where he participates in the Student Council and National Honor Society. Ashby has SAT/ACT scores of 2140/30. He was the District 4-A Newcomer of the Year as a freshman before joining the FC Dallas Academy.

Danny Garcia, midfielder – University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

Garcia has played with the FC Dallas Academy team since 2008. So far this season Garcia collected 16 goals in 14 appearances with the U-18s. He attends W.T. White High School where he has a 3.45 GPA. Garcia has also appeared in the MLS Reserve League with FC Dallas, scoring a goal against Sporting Kansas City last season.

Aaron Guillen, defender – Florida Gulf Coast University

Guillen is a left-footed defender who joined the FC Dallas Academy this past summer from affiliate club FC Dallas El Paso.

Nicholas Rochowski, defender – University of New Mexico

Rochowski is ranked among the ESPNHS Top 150 as well as the ESPNHS Top Defenders for 2012 graduates. Part of the FC Dallas Academy since 2008, he maintains a 3.9 GPA at Flower Mound High School.

On the down side the FC Dallas reserves, fresh off a flight from Monterrey, Mexico, lost to the US U20s by a 3-0 score line on Thursday at Pizza Hut Park field 4. On the upside Fabian Castillo made his debut for FC Dallas.

FC Dallas included 5 Academy player in their side, who just got back from Madrid, Spain, on Wednesday: Michael Ambrose, Omar Jarun, Jack Coleman, Boyd Okwuonu, and Daniel Garcia. FC Dallas home grown talents Victor Ulloa, Bryan Leyva, and Jonathan Top all played 90 minutes.

The Brek Shea at center back experiment also continued for another 90 minutes. FCD's so far disappointing generation adidas players John Lambo, Andrew Wiedeman, and Peri Marosevic all started but made way for other players later in the game.

FC Dallas reserves coach Oscar Pareja on the debut of Fabian Castillo

I thought he looked good. We wanted to give him time today to observe the rhythm of the game and become more comfortable. It is obviously not an MLS game, but we wanted him to face some good competition and jell with his teammates. He came in and had some good moments, and that was enough. Schellas wanted to have a look at him and see him in the rhythm of the game. We saw good things. We’re pleased.

Scoring Summary:
U.S. U-20: Bobby Wood (Joe Gyau) 24
U.S. U-20: Sebastian Lletget 43
U.S. U-20: Kelyn Rowe 80

Misconduct Summary:
FCD: Brek Shea (caution) 74

Lineups:

FC Dallas – Josh Lambo (Chris Seitz 46), Michael Ambrose, Brek Shea, Omar Jarun, Jack Coleman, Victor Ulloa, Bruno Guarda (Bobby Warshaw 46), Bryan Leyva, Andrew Wiedeman (Boyd Okwuonu 65), Peri Marosevic (Fabian Castillo 46, Daniel Garcia 68), Jonathan Top.

U.S. Under-20 National Team - Zac MacMath (Cody Cropper 46), Zarek Valentin, Gale Agbossoumonde, Perry Kitchen, Greg Garza, Sebastian Lletget, Amobi Okugo, Kelyn Rowe, Joe Gyau, Bobby Wood, Conor Doyle.

FC Dallas' newest home grown signing Jonathan Top has been called into the next US U18 camp that will take place Feb. 12-20, in Phoenix, Ariz. The U.S. will play friendlies against teams from Major League Soccer that are in the midst of preseason training in Phoenix. Scrimmages are set up against Sporting Kansas City and Colorado Rapids on Feb. 15 and Vancouver Whitecaps and Portland Timbers four days later.

In addition to Top, FC Dallas Academy defenders Michael Ambrose, Jack Coleman, and Boyd Okwuonu have also been called into the camp.

Roster by Position:

GOALKEEPERS (3): Jeff Gal (Sockers FC; Bartlett, Ill.), Jesus Guzman (San Jose Earthquakes Academy; San Jose, Calif.), Andrew Wolverton (Concorde Fire; Snellville, Ga.)

DEFENDERS (11): Michael Ambrose (FC Dallas Juniors; Frisco, Texas), Alec Cochran (St. Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri; Ballwin, Mo.), Jack Coleman (FC Dallas Juniors; Norman, Okla.), Dakota Edwards (Albertson SC; Sayville, N.Y.), Nat Eggleston (DC United Academy; Chevy Chase, Md.), Jordan McCrary (North Carolina; Marietta, Ga.), Pablo Ocegueda (UANL Tigres; Riverside Calif.), Boyd Okwuonu (FC Dallas Juniors; Edmund, Okla.), Timothy Parker (Albertson SC; Hicksville, N.Y.), James Petruccelli (Seacoast United; Brentwood, N.H.), Walker Zimmerman (GSA; Lawrenceville, Ga.)

MIDFIELDERS (17): Stefano Bonomo (De Anza Force; Hillsborough, Calif.), Robert Botchway (Concorde Fire; Dacula, Ga.), Seth Casiple (CDA; Sacramento, Calif.), Darvin Ebanks (GSA; Macon, Ga.), Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake; Garden Grove, Calif.), Tomas Granitto (Weston FC; Weston, Fla.), Aaron Kovar (Seattle Sounders Academy; Seattle, Wash.), Miguel Lopez Jr. (Classics Elite; Alton, Texas), Daniel Metzger (NY Red Bulls Academy; Holmdel, N.J.), Eric Miller (Creighton University; Woodbury, Minn.), Steve Palacios (United Football Club; Santa Ana, Calif.), Victor Pineda (Chicago Fire; Bollingbrook, Ill.), Marcus Salandy-Defour (DC United Academy; Kensington, Md.), Khiry Shelton (Lonestar SC; Leander, Texas), Christopher Somerville (Baltimore Bays Chelsea; West Chester, Pa.), Will Trapp (Crew Soccer Academy; Gahanna, Ohio), Cooper Vandermaas-Peeler (CASL Chelsea FC; Cary, N.C.)

FORWARDS (5): Villyan Bijev (California Odyssey; Fresno, Calif.), Vince Cicciarelli (St. Louis Scott Gallagher Metro; Peoria, Ill.), Robert Kristo (St. Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri; Maryland Heights, Mo.), Luis Rendon (FC Richmond Magic; Chesterfield, Va.), Jonathan Top (FC Dallas; Fort Worth, Texas)