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| Monday, February 5, 2001 20:08 EST |
D.C. United makes 3 of first 8 picks
[SportsTicker]
DAVIE, Fla. – The San Jose Earthquakes had the top
pick in Monday's Major League Soccer SuperDraft, but D.C. United
enjoyed the most productive day with three of the top eight
picks.
The three-time MLS champions traded goalkeeper Tom Presthus and
its No. 10 pick to Columbus for the Crew's No. 3 selection. The
transaction was decided just prior to the day's six-round draft,
giving United the third, fourth and eighth overall picks. United
had originally acquired the 10th pick from the Earthquakes in a
trade involving veteran defender Jeff Agoos.
San Jose took forward Chris Carrieri, who played at North
Carolina and was discovered in the Project-40 Development
devised to keep young American players from heading to Europe,
with the first overall pick.
The Tampa Bay Mutiny drafted 22-year-old Ali Curtis, a forward from
Duke, with the second pick.
United selected midfielder Mark Lisi, 23, who played for
Clemson. With the fourth pick, D.C. took another midfielder in
23-year-old Ryan Nelsen of New Zealand. Nelsen played at
Stanford.
The Dallas Burn had two of the next three picks, taking
midfielder Joselito Vaca with the fifth selection and defender
Ryan Suarez at No. 7. Tampa Bay chose defender Craig Demmin
with the sixth selection.
Perhaps the most intriguing pick was made by United at No. 8
when it selected highly touted Santino Quaranta, a 16-year-old
talented forward-midfielder from the Project-40 program.
Quaranta, a Baltimore native, is a key element of the Under-17
national team that was 35-14-7. He will continue to represent
the Under-17 team that is trying to qualify for the 2001 FIFA
World Youth Championship.
The Los Angeles Galaxy at No. 9 and No. 11 took forwards Brian
Mullan and Isaias Bardales Jr, respectively.
Columbus picked forward Duncan Oughton of Karori, New Zealand
with the 10th selection and the Kansas City Wizards took
defender Jose Burciaga Jr., another Project-40 prospect with the
12th and final pick of the first round.
Along with selecting Lisi, Nelson and Quaranta, DC had two more
picks at No. 15 and 28, where it selected midfielder Bryan Namoff
and defender Craig Ziade, respectively. United had the 28th
overall pick from Miami in exchange for a player to be named
and future considerations.
DC received the 15th pick and Mike Ammann from the MetroStars on
Sunday in exchange for Richie Willliams, the 26th overall pick
and United's allocation owed to the club by the league for
missing last season's playoffs.
The Dallas Burn picked forward Edward Johnson of Palm Coast,
Fla., with the 19th pick in the second round. Johnson is a
teammate of Quaranta at the Under-17 team. He led in scoring
last year with 33 goals and 19 assists and was scouted by
Italian powerhouse Juventus and several clubs from Portugal.
The MetroStars had their first selection in the second round
with the 13th overall pick and took forward Rodrigio Faria, a
native of Bronxville, N.Y.
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