Sun. Dec 22nd, 2024
coloradans in action
Photo Credit: John Babiak

It’s been a few weeks in the making, but now that just about every professional soccer league has kicked off, it’s time to check in on the Coloradans pros in action. Here’s our entire list, which will be updated throughout the 2024 season.

Between a busy slate of MLS games, the USL Championship and the kickoff of the NWSL on Saturday, it’s been a weekend. Let’s get to it.

MLS

Rapids

Cole Bassett | MF | Littleton

Stats: 64/68 passing (94%), 4 chances created, 90 minutes played. The first player mentioned in our Coloradans in Action series for a reason, Bassett was everywhere for in the Rapids’ 1-1 tie Saturday against Seattle Sounders, as he played the other side of the double-pivot with Oliver Larraz.

Darren Yapi | F | Green Valley Ranch

Stats: 11/19 passing (58%), 1 chance created, 65 minutes played. The 19-year-old was moved outside to the left wing as he got the start Saturday. He had a big chance to level the score in the first half, but was denied by Seattle’s Nouhou. Otherwise, he had a tough game.

Oliver Larraz | MF | Park HIll, Denver

Stats: 48/53 passing (91%), 1 chance created, 90 minutes played. It was a fourth start in four for Larraz, and he looked sturdy when paired with Bassett. He drew a red card on the hour mark. Late on, he drew another foul which eventually led to Kévin Cabral’s equalizer. He finished 1-of-6 on accurate crosses.

Sam Vines | LB | Colorado Springs

Stats: 54/59 passing (92%) 3 clearances, 2 interceptions. Sam did a heckuva job keeping Seattle’s potent offense in check, as Colorado grew into the game starting at the hour mark.

Austin FC

Brendan Hines-Ike | CB | Denver

Hines-Ike made the matchday squad but not play in Austin FC’s 2-2 tie against Philadelphia Union.

Houston Dynamo

Griffen Dorsey | RB | Evergreen

Stats: 25/31 passing, 90 minutes played, 4-of-6 tackles won. Dorsey did the dirty work to see off a Portland Timbers side which entered Saturday previously unbeaten. He was 7-of-12 on ground duels won. Dynamo won the match 1-0.

Inter Miami

Ryan Sailor | CB | Centennial

Sailor made the matchday squad, but was an unused substitute in Inter Miami’s 3-1 win over D.C. United.

Toronto FC

Shane O’Neil | CB | Boulder

Stats: 32/38 passing, 4-of-8 ground duels won and played 90 minutes in Toronto FC’s 2-1 loss at New York City FC.

USL Championship

Charleston Battery

Graham Smith | CB | Highlands Ranch

Stats: 52/62 passing, 6 passes into the final third, 9-of-10 in ground and aerial duels won in 90 minutes played. The USL will be must-watch this season and there’s plenty of players to focus in on the Coloradans in Action series. Smith was an absolute monster in Saturday’s 1-1 tie against Oakland Roots. Expect big numbers from him this season.

Sacramento Republic

Trevor Amann | FWD | Broomfield

Stats: 1 goal, 2 shots, 5 touches in opponents’ box in 75 minutes played. Amann, the former USL League One Golden Boot winner, is off to a hot start after joining Republic from Northern Colorado Hailstorm during the offseason. The Broomfield native scored his third goal of the Championship campaign in a 1-0 win at Miami FC.

https://twitter.com/SacRepublicFC/status/1769158363193937956

USL League One

Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC

Destan Norman | MID | Fort Collins

Norman, the former University of Denver Pioneer, signed a short-term deal with Hailstorm. He spent the first two seasons with NoCo, making 41 appearances. Hailstorm had a bye week in League One action, but are preparing for the First Round proper of the Open Cup, where they will travel to face Tulsa Athletic of the NPSL on Tuesday.

NWSL

Bay FC

Alexis Loera | CM | Thornton

Stats: 19/24 passing, 3-of-3 tackles won, 43 touches, 6/10 ground duels won in 89 minutes played. The first-ever signing for expansion side Bay FC, Loera was a standout for Kansas City Current in her first two seasons. Speaking of Coloradans in Action, she’ll definitely be a staple of this series, as she was named the captain and helped the expansion side to a stunning 1-0 win over Angel City in LA.

Tess Boade | RW | Highlands Ranch

Stats: 31/39 passing, 2 chances created, 53 touches, 9 recoveries in 90 minutes. Boade came over during the off-season from North Carolina Courage in the expansion draft. Boade was on the up last year as she played significant minutes down the stretch. On Opening Day, she was named to the starting XI along with Loera. This could be a fun partnership between the two.

Chicago Red Stars

Ally Schlegel | FWD | Parker

Stats: 1 goal, 12 touches, 2 shots, 61 minutes played. Things we love to see: A Colorado native scoring at America First Field in back-to-back weeks. That’s what happened Saturday as Schlegel buried this beauty to open the scoring for the Red Stars in a 2-0 win over Utah Royals. Be on the lookout for the Pink Headband(it) this year, she’s got a knack for scoring goals.

Mallory Swanson | FWD | Highlands Ranch

Stats: 17/21 passing, 2 shots, 81 minutes played. Mal’s back! Swanson, who recovered from a serious knee injury which included an infection, played like vintage Mal as she was a problem for Utah. Also of note: Lorne Donaldson, who is still president at Real Colorado, got his first NWSL win after he was hired in December. The Colorado connections this year will be off the charts.

Sami Feller | MID | Grand Junction

Feller did not make the matchday squad for Chicago, but the DU Pioneer and Western Slope native moved back to her natural role in midfield after training last year as a center back.

Kansas City Current

Kristen Hamilton | FWD | Littleton

Stats: 1 goal, 8/10 passing, 2 shots, 56 minutes played. Holy cow, what a game! Hammy, the Pios great, has always had a good time finding the back of the net, but Saturday was something else. She scored the 4th goal of KC’s 5 in a 5-4 win over Portland Thorns. It was the first game at the new CPKC Stadium, the first-ever soccer-specific stadium built for a women’s team.

https://twitter.com/thekccurrent/status/1769071343205593242

North Carolina Courage

Ryan Williams | RB | Centennial

Stats: 57/61 passing 110 touches, 2-of-3 tackles won. Talk about comprehensive. Williams was one of the key cogs getting forward for the Courage in a 5-1 win over Houston Dash.

Estelle Johnson | CB | Fort Collins

Johnson is away from the club on maternity leave.

Orlando Pride

Ally Watt | FWD | Colorado Springs

Watt did not make the matchday squad.

Coriana Dyke | DEF | Littleton

The latest rookie from Colorado to make the League, Dyke did not make the matchday squad, however, she signed a one-year deal with Orlando last week.

Portland Thorns FC

Janine Beckie | FWD | Highlands Ranch

Stats: 2 goals, 12/16 passing, 45 minutes played in a 5-4 loss to Kansas City. Portland had its fair share of downtown goals, but Beckie, who is on the mend after missing all of 2023 with an ACL injury. The Canadian international made her presence known off the bench with this late-game strike.

Sophia Smith | FWD | Windsor

Stats: 2 goals, 8/12 passing, 28 touches in 75 minutes played. Soph tried to put Portland on her back as the Brace Queen is back with two goals. A great sign. Oh, and there’s also this insane stat:

Racing Louisville

Jaelin Howell | MID | Lone Tree

Stats: 10/14 passing, 4 recoveries in 24 minutes played. Howell loves to put in gritty shifts as she came off the bench in a 2-2 tie with Orlando. She was top-10 last year in tackles, tackles won and duels won.

Lauren Milliet | RB | Durango

Stats: 26/33 passing, 3/3 ground duels won in 90 minutes played. Milliet played all 90 minutes and will be a key cog for Racing, as the Colorado College alum recently signed a new deal to be in Louisville through 2026.

Jordan Baggett | MID | Highlands Ranch

Baggett did not make the matchday squad.

Seattle Reign FC

Shae Holmes | DEF | Highlands Ranch

Stats: 37/47 passing, 67 touches, 1 shot and 5 clearances in 89 minutes played.

Holmes, who was hampered by injuries across her collegiate career is entering Year 2, and after a solid rookie season, could be apart of something big in Seattle. She got the start on Sunday and went 89 minutes in a 1-0 win over Washington Spirit.

Washington Spirit

Civana Kuhlmann | FWD | Centennial

Kulhmann tore her ACL last July and is on the Season-Ending Injury list. She’s on the mend, and like Holmes, has done the impossible before of overcoming injuries to return to the pitch again. Sending good recovery vibes.

Coloradans Abroad and Rapids Loanees

Internationals

We can’t forget our Coloradans in Action series without thinking of the wider world of soccer. Here’s who’s playing abroad & Rapids players who are out on loan:

Ethan Horvath | Cardiff City (ENG/WAL) | GK | Highlands Ranch

Natalie Beckman | Sparta Prague (CZE) | FWD | Denver

Adrienne Jordan | Turbine Potsdam (GER) | DEF | Colorado Springs

Lindsey Horan | Olympique Lyonnais (FRA) | MID | Golden

Loanees

Yosuke Hanya | Colorado Springs Switchbacks | MID | Tokyo, Japan

Rémi Cabral | Phoenix Rising | FWD | Paris, France

Aboubacar Keita | Bohemian FC (Ireland) | DEF | Columbus, Ohio

The Coloradans In Action series will feature throughout the 2024 season and will be continually updated with adding players as other leagues, such as the USL Super League, W-League and League Two will get going.

Photo Credit: John Babiak

Thank you for reading Burgundy Wave. If you want to support us, join our Patreon starting at $5/month. Also, we’re always looking for new talent to contribute to the site, develop, and give opportunities to. If you’re interested in covering Colorado Soccer in any way, let us know.

By Brendan Ploen

Brendan is a contributor for Burgundy Wave covering the odds and ends of Colorado Soccer, from Rapids away days to the NWSL and plenty in between. He was The Denver Post beat reporter covering Rapids during the 2022-2023 MLS seasons and is now based in Chicago. He is a member of the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR).

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