Men’s Super-20 All-Tournament Team named, Cortez earns MVP

The Super-20 League announced its 2012 North American Finals All-Tournament Team, honoring Chicago Fire midfielder Felipe Cortez as the Finals’ Most Valuable Player for leading his side to the championship this past weekend at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

Cortez scored a goal and recorded three assists in five games for Chicago, but it was his all-around play throughout the tournament that led to him being named MVP. Jacob Brindle, also of the Midwest Division club, was the tournament’s leading scorer with five goals and was awarded the Golden Boot Award. He joins Cortez as a member of the All-Tournament Team. Even though the Fire scored 14 goals during the Finals, their defense was also tremendously important in winning the title. Peter Beasley was named for his contributions at the back as well as going forward.

Midfielder Kofi Agyapong and defender Ross Friedman make the All-Tournament Team from the Crew Juniors, the other Finalists in the Men’s division. The Fire’s rivals let in one goal before the 3-1 defeat to Chicago and it was Friedman who earned special praise from USL National Technical Director Peter Mellor.

“I’ve seen him hit a 60-yard diagonal ball and hit his target time after time,” Mellor said. “It’s also the quality of the ball. He’s a great talent.”

The Safe Hands Award was awarded to the best goalkeeper of the tournament, Zachary Bennett of Texas Football Club. The division-winners from the Mid South lost a close 1-0 semifinal against the Crew Juniors and had Bennett to thank for making it out of the group stage.

The other semifinalist, FASA, was led by defender Brice Colcombe. Knoxville Soccer Academy midfielder Andrew Palumbo had two assists as his team failed to make it out of the same group as the Chicago Fire. Three Southeast Division teams also have representatives on the All-Tournament Team: midfielder Ellis Curry of the VSI Tampa Flames, midfielder Marco Lobo of IMG, and midfielder Matthew Campbell of Tampa Bay United.

2012 Men’s Super-20 League All-Tournament Team

GK – Zachary Bennett, Texas Football Club
D – Ross Friedman, Crew Juniors
D – Brice Colcombe, FASA
D – Peter Beasley, Chicago Fire
M – Marco Lobo, IMG
M – Ellis Curry, VSI Tampa Flames
M – Andrew Palumbo, Knoxville Soccer Academy
M – Matthew Campbell, Tampa Bay United
M – Kofi Agyapong, Crew Juniors
M – Felipe Cortez, Chicago Fire
F – Jacob Brindle, Chicago Fire