Ones to watch, CNC 2008

Richard Marquetty
By Coach Andres Illescas

“Frenchy”, as most people know Marquetty, is a real soccer guy. Richard is the type of player that knows about the game more than anyone and you could expect him to be a coach or a journalist in the future. He was born in New York city and has enjoyed the benefits of the big metropolis like an important international soccer loving community. He remembers going to central park to play pick up games with Colombians, Gambians, Portuguese and many other nationalities. Also, his French and Italian roots directed his interest to the world’s game. He started to play for the knights of Brooklyn and had to spent long hours in subway rides for this purpose. Such top teams in New York are always multicultural and that is another aspect of his game and persona. He combines the good touch and desire to play beautiful soccer with the athletic emphasis of sports today. Richard wants his team to always play on the ground and with a purpose. He has the ability to change the fate of a game with a brilliant play no one can see coming. He is usually one of the fittest players in preseason and most enthusiastic as well. He lives for the size 5.
This is his second year at the Eagles and although a knee injury made him start all over again last year he came back strong and ready. After a great first season in which he delivered impressive performance in the big games, Marquetty aims to establish himself in the midfield and obtain a title of his own this year. On his way to college he also spent a year at the IMG Academy in Florida, a world class sports site for peak performance. He traveled everywhere including Brazil with the team and played against many important teams. Marquetty played on a very competitive PDL team last summer, he knows such experiences will get him closer to his ultimate goal of playing professionally someday.

Thomas Ostvold
By coach Andres Illescas

Thomas validates his two consecutive all-American awards with the discipline and dedication of top athletes. It is not merely talent that shaped this junior to be one of the best defenders in the college game. He has played at the highest level before in Norway and knows that the mindset of a champion does not stop outside the field. It is gratifying to see how his level of commitment transformed him into a sharper player and a example for all his teammates. He leads the proper lifestyle of someone who wants to be at their peak level and deliver nothing but world class performances. Thomas is also an outstanding student who will pursue a career in medicine after soccer. With the precision of a surgeon, Ostvold usually anticipates passes and gets in front of the forwards that can always feel his presence in the back of their necks but cannot do much about it. His combative spirit reminds us his Viking descent and in many games you will see him as a warrior who leaves everything on the battlefield. Such mentality started to form early in his native land as he played for top teams and had the opportunity to train with professional players as a teennager. He played for Vidar, a well known side in Norway. Ostvold also spent the last two summers in Argentina training at the top level. His experience is key for the Eagles. He can play in the center midfield equally as effective as a center back. Ostvold is impeccable in the air and can run at an impressive pace all day. He has a long pass that can easily find the wing players or forwards near the opponents corner flag. The Tank, as his teammates know him, is truly an all terrain type of player and greatly responsible for the success of the Eagles in the last three years. He has captained the team this year to another solid season. He surely is a candidate for the All American award again.

Everardo Flores

Evie was born in the surroundings of Mexico D.F. and came to the United States to play soccer and earn a college scholarship. He has already accomplished that. He is also an important piece in the orange center midfield playing next to his club team buddy Phil Grossmiller. They played together at the Baltimore Bays, some years ago, and it is obvious there is a good collaboration between the two. Evie is used to having a partner in action. When he started training at the Chivas Academy back in Mexico City, getting across to practice after school was not an easy ride. He and his younger brother, Eduardo, used to take a bus ages 9 and 10 to go practice at the academy everyday. When I ask Evie if it was dangerous, he replied, “you only had to be careful with the loose dogs in the neighborhood at night.” By the time he played in the United States for the first time some years after that, life experiences had already shaped him tougher. Evie had a great high school and club season also; he remembers with pride his teams in Maryland and Mexico. Flores believes his experience and leadership on the field can really contribute this year to the Eagles. He admits to be hungry to score, but also enjoys the good passing and physical game. He is a natural ball winner as well. 2008 is Evie’s third year on the field and fourth on the team, he redshirted his first year when he got to train with the 4-time SAC winner’s class, in 2005. He sees that year as a great step in his career as he grew greatly on and off the pitch. His first two years were a success as a right full back. Today he is a starter in the position he enjoys the most, the center mid, a place that gets hectic and requires sharpness on the feet and mind. He wears the number 11 and it seems sometimes that is how many Flores you have on the field, he seems to multiply. Evie always covers long distances during the matches as he helps both in defense and offense. He understands the importance of dominating that section of the field in the schema of Coach Vital. This year the Eagles can surely rely on Evie’s endurance and hard work again.