Cody Carlson intends to dominate the Inland area player market.
There are more than a dozen men’s collegiate soccer programs in Riverside and San Bernardino counties – including two NCAA Division I teams – and Redlands FC’s manager wants the best players to continue to aggregate to the club every summer.
“I continue to build the roster for the local guys, so they’ll be sleeping within the area every night,” Carlson said. “So in recruiting players, I’m willing to say that they can come play in front of a fan base, it’s going to be loud, it’s going to be a good environment and it’s going to mean something if you put a Redlands FC jersey on.”
Returning for Year 3 in USL League Two, Redlands FC is looking to expand its community reach while extending its season into the playoffs.
“In return, the community buy-in and support that we have is really strong and really special,” Carlson said.
The club exploded on the Inland scene in 2023 with an exciting group of local talent, claiming the USL League Two’s Southwest Division title, hosting a playoff match at Dodge Stadium on the campus of Redlands High, and advancing to the first round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Last year, the team finished fourth and did not qualify for the postseason with a 6-4-4 record.
Goal scorer Omar Yehya, a Redlands High graduate, was the hyper local fan favorite each of the last two seasons but is no longer eligible in the under-23 league. He recently played for Ventura County Fusion in this year’s Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
“Omar was one of those guys from Redlands from when we first started who have aged out,” Carlson said. “That was a pretty unique, same time, same place-type situation.”
Carlson will lean on returning forward Troy Elgersma (Redlands High), and defender Andrew Portis (Chaparral High) as preseason training has begun ahead of the team’s first league match at home against expansion side Stars FC on Saturday, May 17.
“This year is going to be a couple of guys with experience from last year, and we’re going to have some new players and that can be good and that can also be a little bit of a struggle but it’s something we’re always learning from,” Carlson said.
Former UC Riverside forward Luka Lukic, who scored nine goals in nine matches for Redlands FC last season, has agreed to return.
“What Luka did last year was pretty special,” Carlson said. “He’s transferred to Cal-Berkeley for one more year of college but he’s told me he’s playing with us.”
Gatorade California State Player of the Year and North Carolina freshman Javier Hernandez, an Arlington High graduate, is among the club’s class of new players that includes Biola freshman Cruz Navarro (Redlands East Valley High).
Also joining is Cal State Fullerton midfielder and Big West freshman of the year Jose De La Torre (Citrus Hill High), last year’s IEVarsity.com Player of the Year.
“Obviously, I hope that they pan out. I think on paper they should,” Carlson said.
Tony Flores (Aquinas High) and Corona native Miguel-Angel Hernandez will compete for the starting goalkeeper position.
After its home opener, Redlands FC plays five consecutive away matches before returning to Dodge Stadium to play Capo FC on Thursday, June 19.
RICKY RUIZ IN USOC
Lakeside High graduate Ricky Ruiz, the 2014 IE Varsity Player of the Year, is starting for El Paso Locomotive in USL Championship and playing extensive minutes in the club’s current U.S. Open Cup run.
Ruiz had an assist in Locomotive’s 5-0 victory over Harpos FC in the first round of the tournament, and was in the starting lineup in the club’s 3-0 win over Ventura County FC in the second round. The team played at New Mexico United in the third round on Wednesday, April 16.
The 28-year-old fullback joined El Paso Locomotive on a multi-year contract last July after making more than 100 USL Championship appearances with Chattanooga Red Wolves and Rio Grande Valley FC since 2020.
FUTURE FC JOINS WPSL
One of Southern California’s best women’s amateur teams, Corona-based Future FC, has announced that it will play in the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) this season.
The team has played in multiple leagues since its founding in 2021, winning the SoCal Premier League women’s division with a 10-0-0 record last year.
Tara Oper (Arlington High), the NCAA Division II Player of the Year, played for Future FC each of the last two summers. Oper recently won the Division II national championship at Cal Poly Pomona.
TEMECULA FC MOVES ON
Riverside County’s longest-operating men’s amateur club, Temecula FC, has reached the semifinals of the SoCal Premier League’s Raul Briones Cup.
The Quails earned a 6-4 victory over two legs against Buena Park FC in the Briones Cup quarterfinal round, and now play AMSG Elite in another two-leg series beginning Saturday, April 26 for a spot in the final in early June.
Founded by Brandon Jantz, Temecula FC recently began its 12th season and plays its home matches at Chaparral High.
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