Once local athlete heads to Florida for final soccer camp before U-17 World Cup Qualifying

JP Raineri Sports Editor

Former Menifee resident, Ezekiel “Zeke” Soto was recently called up to the United States Under-17 Men’s National Team for a nine-day domestic training camp, which took place from Jan. 5-13 in Fort Lauderdale.

The 16-year-old was called up by U-17 MNT Head Coach Gonzalo Segares as part of a 23-player roster of the top U-17 American players from around the world.

The January camp represents the final gathering before Segares names his final roster for the 2023 CONCACAF U-17 Championship, taking place Feb. 11-26 in Guatemala. The tournament’s four semi finalists will qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Peru 2023. Seventeen clubs are represented on the roster, led by three players from the San Jose Earthquakes. Three players are based abroad in Germany (two)

Ezekiel Soto, a former Menifee resident, was recently called up to the United States Under-17 Men’s National Team for a nine-day domestic training camp in Fort Lauderdale.

Santa Rosa Academy girls fall to Nuview Bridge in soccer

and Spain. The roster comes from 10 states, including nine from California. Soto is a forward, currently rostered for Houston Dynamo FC, and is now living in Texas with his family. Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2006, are ageeligible for the 2023 Concacaf U-17 Championship, which is set for Feb. 11-22.

JP Raineri can be reached by email at sports@reedermedia. com

JP Raineri

Sports Editor

The Santa Rosa Academy girls’ varsity soccer team lost their first home conference game of the season Friday, Jan. 13, to Nuview

Bridge by a score of 2-0. Prior to that matchup, the Rangers and Knights were both undefeated in the South Valley League with Santa Rosa donning a 6-0-1 record and Nuview Bridge sporting a 5-01 record. With the win, the Knights took sole possession of first place with a 6-0-1 record.

One week remains in the regular season as Santa Rosa hopes that any one of their final three league counterparts in Desert Christian, Cal. Military Institute or San

Jacinto Valley Academy can knock Nuview Bridge back into a tie for the top. Current standings in the SVL look like this: Nuview Bridge (6-0-1), Santa Rosa Academy (61-1), San Jacinto Valley Academy (3-3-2), Desert Christian Academy

(3-3-2), Temecula Prep (2-4-1), California Military Institute (14-1), Rancho Christian (0-5), Hamilton (0-6).

JP Raineri can be reached by email at sports@reedermedia. com