Red Bulls Academy Update: May 31

Red Bulls U-23 Open Season with 2-0 Win over Mass United: The Red Bulls U-23 side started its 2011 season off in winning fashion, taking a 2-0 decision over Mass United. Despite dominating possession and earning a number of scoring chances in the first half, the Red Bulls had to wait until the second half to get their goals. Kemal Gurel opened the scoring in the second half with a smash from 25 yards out. The Red Bulls got an insurance goal later in the half from substitute David Najem, who took a pass from Semso Nikocevic and curled a shot from 20 yards into the corner of the net.

Red Bulls Pre-Academy Teams Look Forward to Playoffs This Weekend: The Red Bulls U-13, U-14 and U-15 sides will all wrap up their seasons in the playoffs this weekend in Lancaster, PA. The U-14s and U-15s enter their respective postseasons as No. 1 seeds. The U-14s finished the regular season with a record of 15-1-2, while the U-15s finished 13-1-3. The Red Bulls U-13 team enters their postseason seeded No. 2, having finished the regular season at 12-2-3.

Metzger Named Gatorade NJ Player of the Year: Red Bulls Academy prospect Dan Metzger added to his already sterling resume recently in being named the 26th Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of New Jersey.  Metzger, only 17, attends Holmdel High School, which he led to a 22-1 record and the Group III State Championship this past fall.  Metzger tallied 16 goals and 16 assists on the season and scored both goals in his team’s 2-1 victory in the state finals match.

A box-to-box central midfielder, Metzger has a relentless motor and superb technical skill which has led him to become one of the Red Bulls Academy’s most highly regarded players, and with this award he joins recent Home Grown signing Matt Kassel, who won the award back in 2007-08, and former MetroStars/Red Bulls goalkeeper Tony Meola who won the award in 1986-87.