Gästebuch » Their best game will be needed

TORONTO - Jay Chapman didnt get to hear his name announced at the MLS SuperDraft. Toronto FC was happy to lock the central midfielder up in advance.We think he would be a top-five player if he was in the draft, GM Tim Bezbatchenko said.Chapman officially signed as a homegrown player the day of the Jan. 15 draft and was in Philadelphia with the team to savour the moment.Growing up in Toronto and playing for the academy, I kind of fell in love with the city, said Chapman. Its an honour to be able to say that Im a professional soccer player playing for the city that kind of made me. So its a great feeling.Chapman, 21, describes himself as a hard-working box-to-box midfielder who can play both defensive and attacking roles.He joins goalkeeper Quillan Roberts, defender Ashtone Morgan, midfielders Manny Aparacio and Chris Mannella and forward Jordan Hamilton as Toronto homegrown players.MLS clubs can sign a player to their first pro contract without having to go through the draft if the player has trained for at least one year in the club’s youth development program and has trained 80 days with the academy during that year.A member of Canadas team at the 2011 U-17 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, Chapman spent two years at Torontos academy prior to Michigan State.The six-foot 157-pound Chapman enjoyed a stellar collegiate career, starting 62 of his 63 games in three seasons with 12 goals and 15 assists.In 2014, the native of Campbellford, Ont., became the first Spartan to be named a semifinalist for the Missouri Athletic Clubs Hermann Trophy awarded annually to the top NCAA player. He was also the first Michigan State player to be named Big Ten Midfielder of the Year.In addition he was named a first-team All-American — the first Spartan to do so since 1970 — and won first-team NSCAA All-Region and first-team All-Big Ten honours.I think Jay is a very skilled, technical player, Spartans head coach Damon Rensing told the MSU website. He proved he was one of the best players in college soccer this year.Again, I think hes in a great fit with Toronto. Its neat to see him come up through an organization and then play for a hometown team.Chapman finished last season with five goals and five assists, four of which came on winning goals.Michigan state reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament with a 12-5-6 record.Two other Spartans went in the draft. 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Hyun-jin Ryu Jersey . -- The taxing preseason, which included two games in China, is finally over.WINNIPEG -- An Olympic dream moved a step closer to reality for John Morris Saturday, as he handed his former skip a ticket home. And Kevin Martin said he had no one to blame but himself. Morris and Brad Jacobs will square off in the mens final Sunday at the Olympic trials, while Jennifer Jones and Sherry Middaugh were set to play Saturday evening in the womens final. "Either my first or second one in six, that was the game-breaker," said Martin. "We force them to one there, weve got all the momentum going into seven." Instead, Martin lost 7-5, letting Morris score a deuce in six and another in eight, then losing the hammer in nine when he failed to blank on an open hit. It was a sweet win for Morris, who took over as skip this year on Jim Cotters B.C. rink with the Olympics in his sights. Cotter moved to third, although he still throws fourth rocks. "It feels great, its been a real grind of a year . . . We seem to be playing our best curling right now and Im just real proud of the guys," he said. He gave full marks to Cotter. Martin said he was surprised at the shots Cotter made. As the strategist, Morris watched his former skip all week and put a rock in the one spot in nine where Martin had nosed one earlier in the round robin. Martin, who was trying for his fourth trip to the Olympics, kept his composure but said this will be his last Olympic Trials. A frustrated Marc Kennedy, Martins second, couldnt hide his feelings as he smaashed is broom into shards in the hallway after he left the ice.dddddddddddd Lead Ben Hebert said Martin kept them in the hunt all week (they lost only once to Jacobs). "Kevin was the best player here all week, standing on his head just to keep us in it, thats the reason we were 6-1, and he didnt play good today," he said, adding that he isnt giving up on a return trip to the Olympics, after winning gold with Martin in 2010. "The game should have been over after five or six and we let them off the hook." Morris, who was also part of that 2010 gold-medal team, said they knew they werent favoured to win. "We didnt mind the underdog tag and we knew what we were capable of." As for the future of the team if they dont beat Jacobs Sunday, Cotter said that remains up in the air. "Weve talked about the future and who knows," he said. "Were focusing on this moment here and now and what our game plan is going to be tomorrow. Were just going to go out and try and play our best game." Their best game will be needed against Brier winner Jacobs, who swept the field in the round robin, handing Martin his only loss, to move directly to the final. "We just need to keep doing what weve been doing," said Jacobs, who practised Saturday. "Everyone is throwing the rock great on this team . . . We just need to come out and perform like weve performed all week and let the chips fall where they may." ' ' '