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Clubs Pleased For MLS Prospects

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By NICHOLAS J.E. MURRAY

nmurray@tampatrib.com

Published: January 21, 2009

When Jeremy Hall and Nick Zimmerman were drafted by Major League Soccer's New York Red Bulls on Thursday, it marked the culmination of a journey that began on the youth soccer fields of Tampa.

After getting selected in the first round with the No. 11 pick overall, Hall said the journey from his beginnings at Hillsborough County United to MLS had been a great one.

"It's just been a great ride," Hall said. "It started off at HC United just me and my coaches, Tony Padilla and Javier Lopez, helping me out a lot, teaching me the fundamentals, getting me up to the national team when I went to work with Coach John Ellinger and Coach John Hackworth and all those guys down there. Maryland coach Sasha Cirovski scouting me, and bring able to go to Maryland, it's been a great ride, and I've been so blessed and I'm so excited to be a New York Red Bull right now, so looking forward to learning from the veterans and being part of a great organization."

Hall was the second player with strong HCU ties to have been drafted by MLS, FC Dallas' Blake Wagner being the first. Boys director of coaching Kelvin Jones said he was thrilled for Hall to turn professional.

"Obviously we're delighted," Jones said. "The kid has just been brought up the right way. We're very happy, and very proud."

Hall was named to MLS' Generation adidas Class of 2009, and signed his first contract before the draft took place. Thanks to that, and the current standing of the Red Bulls' roster, he will be on the New York roster when the season begins in March.

That isn't the case for Zimmerman, who was taken in the third round with the 44th pick overall. Brandon Flames director of coaching Steve Peet feels the same way about Zimmerman as Jones does about Hall, but knows that Zimmerman's work is not finished.

"I'm happy for the kid, because he's a good kid," Peet said. "But I'll be a lot happier if he makes a good contract somewhere, and makes a good living. He's still got work to do, getting drafted is great, but now he's got to go prove himself against guys that are already professionals, so I'm hoping he can turn this into something really good."

Peet was quick to point out that while Brandon was listed as Zimmerman's club on draft day, the talented attacking midfielder played for numerous clubs in the area, most notably the Temple Terrace Spirit. However, Peet said seeing an alumnus get drafted and potentially play professionally was a good thing for the Flames' players to see.

"That's something that's good internally," Peet said. "We'll use that within our club, say 'hey guys, you know Nick was drafted out of here, people know about us.'"

Jones said that also would be the case at HCU.

"Every one of our players know who Jeremy Hall is," Jones said.

Pelicans, Barbarians Open With Victories

The defending state champion Tampa Pelicans and Tampa Barbarians opened the Florida Youth Rugby League season with victories, as the Pelicans defeated Orlando University High 39-0, and the Barbarians beat the Brevard Old Red Eye 26-12.

While facing a new team playing it its first competitive game, the Pelicans also had 10 newcomers in their starting lineup. One of those newcomers, Jeremy Byrne, scored two of the Pelicans' five tries, but the overall play of the newcomers was what impressed Pelicans coach Dave McFadden most.

"The new guys really played well, I was very impressed," McFadden said. "In particular Jeremy Byrne, who is a new prop for us, scored two tries for us. He runs like a human bowling ball through the defense for us, he just runs over people, he played great, and then Jeff Wilton, we started him at wing, we had an injury at full back and had to rearrange things a little bit, he moved into outside center and played really, really well."

The Pelicans needed a boost from their newcomers as returning starters Charles Messal and Steven Gonzalez were both out through injury, but returning starters Zane Johnson and Jake McFadden also scored tries, as did Wilton.

The Barbarians got a pair of tries from Rusty Nordulund against Brevard, as their forwards were able to control the play by stealing possession and then building attacking moves through rucks and mauls.

"Our pack was what carried the day," Barbarians coach Mark Van Trees said. "We won about 70 percent of their line-outs. Our jumper Phil Ballerino had an outstanding game. It's unusual, you're lucky if you manage to take 20 percent, poaching on their line-outs, but we won three out of every four line-outs. Plus our pack has been playing together, this is their second year, so we won most of the scrums and a lot of the mauls."

The Pelicans will face Brevard on Saturday, while the Barbarians will play the Winter Park Warriors. Both teams, however, are looking forward to their meeting on Feb. 14. The Pelicans won 22-19 when the teams played in preseason.

"We only won the match in the final seconds," McFadden said. "It's going to be a pretty good matchup, I think. They're playing much better, they've recruited some new bigger kids and the players they had return from last year have grown another year, so they'll be formidable."

Nicholas J.E. Murray can be reached at (813) 598-2482. Keyword: Youth sports for more news, notes and live game stories.

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